Canton AAUW bids farewell after 60 years of service

The American Association of University Women (AAUW) became a part of the Canton community in the fall of 1966 when Canton residents Truly Boufides, Pat Malloy, Peggy Hehir, Lee Malone, and Sheila Galligan founded the association’s Canton branch.

(L-R) Canton AAUW members Lorna Ponte Tomek, Emily Jennings and Barbara Perreault

The five women were busy raising their children but felt the need for intellectual stimulation and adult interaction. They talked to friends and neighbors and created a group for women that provided friendships, education, and connections, as well as the opportunity to raise scholarship monies for Canton students. In 1967, the group received its charter from the national organization.

Sixty years later, the Canton branch of AAUW has held its last meeting and will end with a final luncheon in May at Blue Hills Regional Technical School. Declining membership is a major reason for the closure of an organization whose members are proud of what they have accomplished and given back to the community.

The AAUW began in Boston in 1881 as a way to empower women. Their mission is to advance gender equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy. The Canton branch has had 38 presidents in its long history.

Emily Jennings, who has two children, joined the Canton branch in 1968 and served as its second president. “I loved it,” she said of being a part of the AAUW. “Getting out of the house with babies? We wanted to get educated. That’s how I met fabulous people.” Jennings was a dietician at Simmons College after graduating from college and later held jobs with different corporations.

Barbara Perrault, the current treasurer, joined in the early 1970s. “I had three children and I wished to get out and meet with other women and have good conversations and not something that revolved around children,” she said.

Some of her neighbors had invited her to join, and Perrault became a very active member. Starting out her career as a programmer for Liberty Mutual, she took some time off after having her children but later went to work for H. Eric Richards, a local medical supply firm.

Lorna Ponte Tomek, the Canton branch’s current president, joined in the 1990s. “The whole philosophy of it appealed to me,” she said. A mother of three and an English teacher, Tomek previously served as vice president of programs before becoming president in 2022.

Being a part of AAUW provided members with access to a wide variety of resources. “It was our education,” said Jennings, who remembers her mother’s excitement upon learning she had joined the association. “It was nice to get updated on activities in America. We were fulfilled being educated that way. It’s a wonderful organization.”

“We had terrific speakers throughout the years,” noted Perrault. “It was a fine group of women — they all became best friends. If you needed help, if you had a question, they all would stand behind you and help you.”

“It was always something different,” Tomek said of the meetings, mentioning authors, doctors, a beekeeper, even a clockmaker who came to speak. “It was interesting. Things that you didn’t know and you learned.”

Among the past speakers was Michael Dukakis, who went on to serve two terms as governor of Massachusetts before running for president in 1988. At the time, Dukakis had been serving as a state representative and he spoke to the group about no-fault insurance and consumer protection issues.

At the end of that same decade, Canton artist Milo Onishi, hypnotist Bill Smith, and speakers from the Boston Chapter of Women Against Violence Against Women all spoke at Canton AAUW meetings. Channel 5 consumer reporter Paula Lyons was their first guest speaker in 1984, and more recently, the group hosted filmmaker Eric Stange, who led a discussion and a screening of his acclaimed documentary Pony Boys.

For their final guest speaker, Canton AAUW members welcomed author Dawn Tripp, whose latest book, Jackie, is a work of historical fiction that examines the interior life of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.

For several years, one member invited others to her home once a month to arrange flowers, make jewelry, to learn to cook a new dish, or to paint silk scarves.

“We had nice outings as well,” Tomek recalled. The women attended performances of The Lion King, Cats, and Hamilton along with Boston Pops concerts. They visited Hammersmith Farm in Newport, Rhode Island, and went to art museums in Boston.

Although membership in the Canton branch reached 120 members at one point, national issues led to a decline in numbers. “We lost a lot of people and didn’t get people to join after the whole issue of abortion,” said Perrault, noting that the national organization supported abortion rights for women. The national organization also raised dues during the COVID-19 pandemic, which caused a further loss of members. Most of the dues went to the national organization and some to the state branch, leaving the Canton branch in a tough position when it came to having the funds to pay for guest speakers.

Another primary focus of the group over the years was on supporting students’ education through the awarding of scholarships. The first fundraiser was a fashion show in 1968, which raised over $700, allowing the group to award two $100 scholarships. Other fundraisers included “Gay 90s” nights at B’nai Tikvah, as well as dinner dances and dueling piano performances at Blue Hill Country Club.

All told, the AAUW’s Canton Branch has awarded more than $130,000 in scholarships, with the final three going to members of the CHS Class of 2025, who each received $1,000.

As they reflect on the work of the AAUW’s Canton branch over the past several decades, the remaining members feel a strong sense of pride for what the group was able to accomplish. “I think we’ve done a lot for this town — we’re active in [local] politics,” said Perrault, noting that members have been involved with the School Committee, the Canton Farmers Market, the Paul Revere Heritage Museum, and the new Galvin Middle School.

For those who reached their 50th anniversary as a member, the branch recognized them with an honorary life membership. This select group includes Jennings and Perreault as well as Chris Clark, Patricia DeLello, Jean Gefteas, Diann Silvia and Maryann Sullivan.

They do wish that younger generations of women had joined the Canton branch in order to benefit in the way that they did from the experience. “We have made best friends who help us,” noted Tomek. “I think the women are losing out on something, and I’m sad to see it go.”

She continued, “Our monthly meetings engaged us to learn more about the past, present and future of women in society and expand our knowledge on many fronts. I always came home satisfied that I had learned something or a new viewpoint. Our commitment to education made us determined to raise money for scholarships. Workshops and cultural times brought us closer as sisters. We developed enduring friendships.”

“We had it all,” said Tomek. “We had friendship. We had intellectual speakers. It was always fun.”

Short URL: https://www.thecantoncitizen.com/?p=134136

Posted by Mary Ann Price on May 8 2026. Filed under Features. Both comments and pings are currently closed.