Once Upon a Time

The Optimist Club of Stephenville had its organizational meeting on December15, 1966. The Optimist Club of Fort Worth was the sponsor. There were 28 charter members. Charles Lindsey was president of of the Fort Worth Club. The New Club Committee co-chairmen were Alex McGlinchey and Herman Clark. Alex McGlinchey was particularly active in the project. Seth Moore, Ray Rankin, and Darrel Allison were the primary organizers in Stephenville. On Feburary 2, 1967 the charter banquet was held in the Cardinal Room of the Tarleton Dining Hall. The Fort Worth Club brought two busloads of attendees.

All about Town

Originally a breakfast club, the Stephenville Optimists really grew when they switched to a lunch club. The change in times also brought a change in meeting places. The Steak House (where Dairy Queen stands today) was changed to the Wren Room at Tarleton. The next year saw rapid growth and another move. This time it was the Robin Room. 1984 saw a change to the Holiday Inn and in 1998 we moved to our current location in Cafe Trifles.

Of Cakes and Christmas Trees

Our first fund raiser was a bake sale on the square. It raised less than fifty dollars for the first year. The second year we sold Christmas trees in a vacant building on the corner of N. Graham and Mason St. The club made over $1,000 to spend on youth programs. The next year we sold trees from a lot across from City Hall. For several years we sold trees near Gibson's (now Ace Hardware). One year was spent in the empty lot where Town & Country Bank now stands. And the next was where the Business Building now stands on the Tarleton campus.