Virginia H. Reichard (Mrs. D. H.) - 12th President of Des Moines Women's Club

Virginia Reichard was a member of the Club from 1891-1905 and 1916-1932 serving as the 12th club president from 1897-1898. In her opening address to the club she stated: “First of all Clubs have taught us to know our needs. It is something to realize what we should do and be, even though we fall short of attainment. Motherhood reaps one of its rewards when it succeeds in bringing out the latent powers of the children and beholds them ‘realizing what they should do and be’ in their own position of individuals.”

“The eldest daughter, always studious, …and it is surmised when there is need of plans for the long hoped for club house, we will seek no further than the Art Committee for an architect.”

She was active in local civics and she organized a debate in 1911 at the Club on the election to decide if Des Moines would build a city owned waterworks plant. This was one of the first local elections that women were allowed to vote in and they took it very seriously. It was covered in detail in the April 18 1911 edition of the Des Moines Leader.

At that time, women could vote on bond issues, that had been confirmed by the Coggeshall Supreme Court Court case.

Mrs. Reichard was a writer and member of the Iowa Press and Authors club. She introduced to Des Moines audiences Julia Ward Howe, James Whitcomb Riley and Jane Addams. She was a pioneer member of the Mitchelville Universalist Church. Mrs. Reichard was an early member of the Roadside settlement board. Mrs. Reichardt died in 1934.

Quotes are from Historian’s Report Chapter IX by Daisy Ankeny Green