Tarleton Thursdays: Les Lunettes

Les Lunettes

In December 1920, several girls gathered on the steps of the Home Economics building after classes, which left them reckless and frivolous, were over. They decided to form a club for good times, and called their club Les Lunettes, giving themselves an air of the mysterious. They met somewhere once a week for an afternoon or evening of gaiety. The oldest social club in Tarleton, Les Lunettes, was comprised of just Tarleton girls from Stephenville, and flourished from 1920 to about 1938.

Seventy-five years ago, in January 1935, Les Lunettes had a progressive dinner, beginning with cocktails, at the home of Hazle Nutt. The main course of ham, asparagus, sweet potatoes, stuffed celery, and tomato aspic, was served at the Mothershead Cottage on Tarleton Street, shown above, followed by ambrosia, cake and ice cream at the home of Mary Mulloy.

Les Lunettes from 1935 shown above are: top row, left to right, Mary Mulloy, Titia Belle Blanks - sponsor, Margaret Hamilton, LaVerne Whitaker, Vivian Hammack, Mary Elizabeth Chandler; bottom row, left to right, Margaret Logan, Mary Katherine Funk, Frances Tate, Mazelle Cowan, Ella Frances Chandler, and Hazle Nutt.

As the 1937 and 1921 Grassburrs stated, "Les Lunettes are town girls all, who hold high the standards of the social ball." "They loved old 'On Ye Tarleton' and that school flag, especially the pole, with all their hearts and souls."

Dick Smith Library Cross Timbers Historic Images Project.

Grassburr, 1921.

Grassburr, 1935.

J-TAC, January 19, 1935.