NEWCOMERS'
CLUB
A HISTORY
OF THE
ALBUQUERQUE NEWCOMERS CLUB (ANC)
1948 - 2020
Promote the Friendship and Social Activities
of Persons New to Albuquerque and
Promote Charitable Purposes
Club Purpose: Documented in a 1979 Articles of Incorporation
INTRODUCTION
“The work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives . . . “
Ted Kennedy
The work began in Albuquerque in the 1940s, and after almost eight decades the Albuquerque Newcomers Club (ANC) is still welcoming and providing enrichment for those new to the city.
ANC is the only newcomers club remaining in Albuquerque – there were four clubs in the 1940s. The history of ANC is heretofore undocumented, but snippets of information have been recovered from local newspaper archives, and there are official Club records that were gathered from long-standing members. This Newcomers Club may have been sponsored initially by the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). Remarkably, little has changed over the years. Let’s take a walk through the ages and see how the organization started by 12 women in 1948 has stood the test of time. (See Appendix A)
THROUGH THE YEARS
1940s – Welcoming the Masses
The early to mid-Forties were dominated by World War II. Afterwards were the Baby Boomer Years, economic growth, and major technology advancements. (2) Because of Kirtland AFB, the Manhattan Project and nuclear weapons research, and the population shift toward the western cities, Albuquerque's population doubled from 1940 to 1950. (3)
Welcoming newcomers was at its highest; the four newcomers clubs in town were busy. Along with the rest of the country, there was an importance placed on formality and civility. The Newcomers Club’s purpose was to make friends and provide newcomers with recreation. In the 1940s the Club’s standard activities were bridge and crafts which took place in every meeting and event. The early Club held formal teas with assigned protocols. Also members would bring new neighbors, acquaintances, and newly arrived relatives to the “coffees” held at members’ homes. Luncheons were as predominant then as now and were covered dish in members’ homes. Special functions like dinner dances with big bands were held at a hotel or restaurant. The activities were frequent and highly attended. Old Town was the popular destination for social activities. (4) (See Appendix B)
1950s – Socializing at Its Height
The 1950s saw the post-World War II boom coupled with a sense of stability and contentment in the U.S. (6) Downtown Albuquerque on Central to Rio Grande, including Old Town, was considered the “hub of activity” for retail, business, and entertainment. (3)
Only women new to the city for one year or less were invited to join the Newcomers Club. However, all newcomers and visitors in the city were welcome to attend Club luncheons and dances. Fund-raisers and volunteering as a group for local charities were high on the Club’s agenda. The early Newcomers Club actively supported the activities of the YWCA working with young ladies and attending their functions.
The Club was continually involved with other Albuquerque civic clubs—usually intermingling at luncheons with speakers or learning activities. (5)
Club functions were formal and attracted large crowds. In June 1950, “A dinner at the Alvardo Hotel was attended by some 250 Newcomer Club members and their guests.” In the 1950s, favorite destinations included the Fez Dance Club, Old Town with its Society Hall and numerous restaurants, Tingley Field, the Armory, and the La Posada Hotel. Themed dinners and luncheons with speakers or live entertainment were popular. Fashion shows were also exceedingly popular as the fashion industry was booming in this decade. During this time, concerts and performing arts were high on the social entertainment lists. (5) (See Appendix B)
1960s and 70s – Too Many Choices
The 1960s brought the civil rights movement, Vietnam War, and the "generation gap." (7) The 1970s added gay rights, Watergate scandal, environmental movements. (8)
The Club took advantage of the large amount of enrichment, social, and entertainment opportunities introduced in these decades. In the first half of the 60s, Coronado and WINROCK Shopping Centers opened bringing shopping, dining, and family prospects. Adding to the list--the Convention Center was built in the late 60s, and the Civic Plaza the mid-70s. Some other places for ANC luncheons and dining out were Diamond Jim’s, Sundowner, Tiki Kai Supper Club, La Hacienda, Cole Hotel, and the Polynesian Inn.
Many well-known additions in the city changed the social agenda in the ANC. In 1966, the Sandia Peak Tramway and UNM's “Pit” opened. The famous International Balloon Fiesta, began in 1972, the same year the Albuquerque Dukes began play in the highest level of Minor League Baseball. As with the rest of the U.S., by the 1970s, people in Albuquerque began to live more relaxed and casual. (3) The opportunities for Club activities were unending. Behind-the-scenes tours were well-attended.
Albuquerque’s continued growth occurred on the west side and Rio Rancho changed from a retirement community to one of young families. (3) Paradise Hills Country Club was a favorite social venue for the Club in that area. The demographics of ANC membership continued to reflect the young adult population as well. Fashion shows sometimes included children’s fashions, and members and their youngsters would model together. Babysitting and transportation were offered so members could attend events.
A local newspaper described the Club: Newcomers offers a wide variety of activities for new residents of the city. Among them are cards, sports, arts & crafts and involvement in civic affairs and local charities. (See Appendix C)
1980s – Tending to Business
The 1980s welcomed mobile phones, the computer age, the Internet, and the World-Wide Web. (11) High tech companies and the film industry continued to impact Albuquerque’s economic and population growth. (3)
The Club placed significant emphasis on the nominating committee, elections, and transition of officers and activity chairs. These positions rotated like clockwork at the six-month mark. The officers also worked their way through the four top jobs before they volunteered for President.
The major fund-raising by ANC in the 1980s through early 1990s was a silent auction. Members donated art, crafts, baked goods, antiques, new white elephant items, etc. Local businesses contributed big ticket items like dinner for two, tickets to a performance or a weekend get-away. The auction was open to the public and held at the Annual Halloween Costume Party and Potluck Dinner. The outreach recipients varied each year, but one interesting donation for a few years was to the ANC Sandhill Crane at the Albuquerque Zoo. On a smaller scale was the ANC Cookbook ($7.50). It was an accumulation of ANC members’ recipes for appetizers, soups, salads, and desserts. The Cookbook was created and sold from 1986 until the end of 1999.
One could be a member of ANC for only five years. After five years members would “graduate” to the alumni group called “Encore” that started in 1985 and operated for over three decades. (See Appendix D)
Although the Club was deemed “women only” in the early years, males have always had an important role in the organization. In the beginning male representation was a supporting position, but eventually they became Club activity leaders. However, it wasn’t until much later that they became elected officials. The first male officer was elected in November 2017 as First Vice President. The second was elected in November 2019 as First Vice President and then Treasurer. (See Appendix K) (14)
1990s – A Few Adjustments
The rise of the Internet ushered in a new era of communication, business, and entertainment in the 1990s. (12) Albuquerque’s westside growth reflected more high-tech businesses. (3)
The westside was booming with new opportunities for entertainment and dining not to mention the difficulty getting “across the river” at peak traffic times to attend events. In the mid-1990s, the Club started advertising activities on both the east and west sides of Albuquerque. However, members participated in all the activities alike. Westside-hosted events (in varying numbers) were advertised from 1996 to 2011.
The “Summer Events” were diverse with over half being held in an outdoor setting and was always family orientated. For example, one was a trip to El Rancho de las Golondrinas and another was a day in Madrid. The annual Cookie Tasting and Recipe Exchange was still hugely popular. The name changed in 1990 to the Coffee and Cookie Exchange and featured more cookies due to an increase in attendance. In 1998, members “who didn’t want to bake” were invited to attend just to socialize and enjoy the cookies. By the mid-1990s, big bands that dominated the Holiday Dinner Dance were replaced with small groups and vocalists that offered a wide range of music. Starting in 1997, the Welcoming Coffee changed to Hospitality Coffee (through 2005) with a hostess and four co-hostesses, and the function received greater Club attention. In the late 1990s, the ANC Performing Arts Group arranged an evening out for dinner and a holiday show. This started a new custom for ANC, Holiday Dinner and Theater, that ran until 2020.
In August 1997, the first e-mail address appeared in the ANC Newsletter. It belonged to the Newsletter Editor. Starting in February 1999, at least one new member each month had an e-mail address. By August 1999, a few members were adding e-mail to their contact information in the member directory. This was the beginning of a long transition into the electronic age for ANC. (See Appendix E)
2000 to 2010 – A Lifetime Club
The 21st century brought the war on terrorism. The internet and World-Wide Web exploded. (13) Revitalization of Downtown Albuquerque started in 2000. Transit-related development was abundant, and the Rail Runner started in 2006. (3)
There was an ANC Bylaw change in October 2001 extending the length of membership and date of residency for ANC members. Regular membership was extended to an unlimited time. The length of time a person had to join the club was extended to five years from the date of residency in Albuquerque. Residency had been two years. (See Table 3) One could not serve as an officer after the 10th anniversary, and the time allowed to serve as officer was limited to six terms and no more than two times as the same officer. Any “Associate” who met the above criteria could reinstate their membership in ANC. After five years, a member could become an Associate, join Encore, or remain as an ANC member. (17)
A highlight in ANC fund-raising history was the Helping Hands Committee. Start-up funds in January 2000 kicked off not only an interest group, but more importantly, it was a work committee: a volunteer could be asked to paint, clean, assemble, etc. There were over 30 active members (not counting the supporting husbands). The contributions to the community were extraordinary, and their funding-raising achievements were remarkable.
The first ANC website went “online” mid-decade. Participation and connectivity issues made the transition to total electronic communication problematic. It would be a while longer before ANC was fully connected. (See Appendices F and G)
2010 to 2020 – A Platinum Anniversary
The use of social media, personal robotics, and electric cars were on the rise. (15) Albuquerque's population was slightly older than the national average. The city was filled with industries that were on the rise such as energy and manufacturing. (16)
Early in 2017, a search was instigated for the ANC start date. Two separate findings left the date unclear. However, the year accepted by the ANC Board was 1948 and a 70th Anniversary Celebration took place expeditiously in July 2017. (See Appendices A, H, I)
Committees and co-chairs had been a common practice up to the mid-2000s with both the officers and in the social activities. However, filling officer positions became troublesome around 2017--so “support” (assistants) was offered as an incentive. Participation in social activities had also dropped but was consistent with the dynamics of the Club. In addition ANC joined the New Mexico and Albuquerque Historical Societies and used their respective speaker programs for Club luncheon presentations. (17)
The Club had numerous decades-long social activities. During this decade, twelve that had been around from the beginning came to an end. (See Table 4) (See Appendices H and I)
2020 – Virtual Reality
In 2020, “COVID-19 changed the world forever.” Major political divisions and racial unrest abounded. A bright spot was that SpaceX began a new era of spaceflight. (18)
In 2019 the Sawmill Market had opened kicking off the revitalization of the Sawmill District. After pandemic restrictions are lifted the Sawmill District is anticipated to be Albuquerque's premier urban destination in the 2020 decade, offering ANC exciting entertainment, dining, and shopping experiences. (19)
All ANC activities were cancelled on March 14, 2020, after the World Health Organization declared a global pandemic. (20) Initially six social activities and the Board Meeting turned to an online audio and web conferencing platform to continue meeting as a group. To help keep members involved, the luncheon timeframe was filled with an hour and half presentation via ZOOM by speakers primarily from the Albuquerque and New Mexico Historical Societies. (14) (See Appendix J)
Throughout 2020, the Club continued to use on-line methods for suitable activities.
CONCLUSION
There are no other professed Newcomer Clubs in town. ANC is the oldest all-volunteer, welcoming organization for people new to Albuquerque. The Club has had a long and successful history; the operations are time-tested and effective.
Now that the Club is mature, after coming through a world-changing pandemic, with virtual meetings and meetup groups the norm--what needs to happen for ANC to continue to provide a service to the city and surrounding areas?
- What is ANC’s vision for the next decade?
- What can ANC do to add value to the Club?
- What “experience” and/or service can ANC provide that people new to Albuquerque would pay dues for?
Acknowledgements
Writing this history was enlightening and entertaining. Although information was scarce, there were invaluable contributions that made the History of ANC possible.
My sincere gratitude to Shana Morris, Special Collections/The Public Library, 423 Central Ave NE, Albuquerque, NM and to Diane Schaller, President, Historic Albuquerque Inc. They provided archive articles from the Albuquerque Tribune Newspaper and Albuquerque Journal and made clear-cut assessments of the start date of the ANC. Ms. Morris also provided a second delivery of archive articles to help fill in the data “gaps” from the 1960s through 80s. Furthermore, she offered a viewing at the Public Library of Albuquerque Appetites, an Albuquerque Newcomers Club Cookbook, which appears to be the only one in existence.
Equally important to this writing is Patricia Overall, ANC Past President and the only “Special Member of the Month” to be so recognized by the Club upon her “retirement” from Albuquerque and ANC. Her in-depth knowledge of ANC operations and history from 1996 is astounding. Patricia provided her Outing President’s Photo Book (1997) and hardcopy ANC Newsletters from 1992-2005 that gave a solid basis for two decades of history. Finally, she graciously edited this document with kindness by correcting my assumptions, and most importantly adding scores of invaluable details that she recalled from memory.
Shelley Shaeffer, ANC Past President, gave me a year’s worth of hardcopy ANC Board Meeting Minutes that filled in a vital piece of the puzzle just prior to electronic data being available. The minutes gave connectivity between the hardcopy newsletters and ANC’s on-line capability. Shelley also provided a complete set of job descriptions from the 2006-2007 period that provided details on the positions and activities in that decade.
Finally, my appreciation (more than I can express) to Bonne Phillips and Joy Heath, both Past Presidents of ANC, for their immediate and unfailing support of this endeavor and of my work as Newsletter Editor all these years. I could not have done either job without this continuous backing.
Diana Filliman
ANC Newsletter Editor (2011- ) and
Informal ANC Historian
February 2021