In the begining ...

Our Clubs Founders were Mr. and Mrs. Edwin A. Patt

Hobbyists - Ethel L. Patt, a school teacher and Edwin A. Patt, an employee of "The Steamship Historical Society", Providence, Rhode Island, held monthly group meetings in their home, starting November 24th, 1957.

The first organized meeting of the Rhode Island Postcard Club was held in May 25th, 1958, at the home of Ethel L. Patt and Edwin A. Patt. It was at this meeting that "The Rhode Island Post Card Club" was born with 16 Charter members in attendance, the Patt's being the founding members.

The Clubs first Officers were elected at this meeting, they were: President- Mr. John Rose, Vice President- Mrs. Rana B. Walker, Secretary/Treasurer- Mrs. Ethel L. Patt

The Clubs Constitution and Bylaws where adopted on March 22, 1959, revised October 1959, September 1965, Autumn of 1968, and again on February 24, 1974.

The Clubs first offical Bulletin called "What Cheer News" so named and started by our first Editor, Mrs. Ethel B. Quincy, January 1960 Volume 1, Issue 1.

Our Cover Logo was adopted in January 1962, which features Rhode Island's founder, Roger Williams arriving in 1636 from Salem, Massachusetts to seek religious freedom, landed at modern-day Providence and was greeted by Narragansett Native Americans with "What Cheer, Netop". Netop was the Narragansett word for friend, and What Cheer was an old English greeting brought to New England by English settlers. Over time, the story of Williams' welcome was absorbed into the legend of Providence, Rhode Island.

We currently have 270 memberships. A family pays $12 and that membership includes all family members living at the same address - so in effect we probably have approximately 350 or 400 members who are mostly from Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The other New England States are represented as well including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Florida and Washington State. We have 55 people who are Honorary Life Members which means that they have been members for 25 years or more and they no longer need to pay dues. Therefore approximately 20% of our 270 memberships have been members of the club for 25 years or more. We also have a membership category for Honorary Life Member - Meritorious honoring a person who has performed an outstanding service for the club.

We make a donation of $200 each year to the Rhode Island Historical Society so they may purchase Rhode Island postcards for their collection.

Meetings are held on the last Sunday of the month at 1 Volturno Street, North Providence, Rhode Island. There are no meetings in July or August. We have approximately 12 dealers who set up at our monthly meetings. They and members start to arrive at about 8 a.m. Members come and go throughout the day and we have approximately 100 attending. A business meeting is held at 11 a.m. and opened with the greeting "What Cheer Neetop" which is how Roger Williams greeted the Indians when he landed in Providence in the year 1636. Dealers must pack up and be out of the meeting hall by 3 p.m. Sometimes a program follows our business meeting. Recently one of our members brought in his display of Edaville Railroad cards, another member presented a program on a local amusement park named "Jolly Cholly's". Still another member presented a program on Post Offices in Rhode Island and another member's program was on trains and trolleys.

Our annual show, "The Largest in New England" is held the last Sunday in October and for the past six years it has been held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Warwick. Forty-five dealers set up (90 tables) and our paid attendance was approximately 400 people. Members are encouraged to make up panels with their finest cards. At the last show we had approximately 55 panels on display. They may be entered by early or modern categories such as State of Rhode Island, Advertising, Artist Signed, Children, Linens, Comics, Expositions and Centennials, Political, Holiday Greetings, Military, Novelties, People, Religious, Sports, Transportation, Miscellaneous.

The Club has a membership contest that runs from one October Annual Show to the next. We award two monetary prizes to the two top people who have recruited the most members. During the past year, we added 26 new members - a few members may drop out after the first year so we net out to about 20 who continue their membership.

One of the strengths of our club that members, whether they are dealers or collectors voluntarily make meaningful contributions to the goals of the club. Current elected officers are President, Elgin Boyce; Vice President, Mary C. Valentine; Treasurer, Robert Lanpher; Recording Secretary, Doris (Maggie) Zwolenski; Corresponding Secretary, Lynn Gaulin; Members-at-large, Wayne Swanson and Raymond Zwolenski. Committees and appointed chairmen are Annual Exhibit; Russell Archambault: Dealer Tables at Meetings, Elgin Boyce; Librarian, Doris (Maggie) Zwolenski; Auctioneer & Programs, Raymond Zwolenski; 50/50 Project, Raymond Zwolenski and Russell Archambault.

WHAT CHEER NEWS is the name of our bulletin which is published five times yearly. Gordon (Gordie) Hayner, Jr, is our clubs editor. We also exchange bulletins with some of the other postcard clubs and send complimentary bulletins to the Rhode Island Historical Society, the John Hay Library at Brown University and the Providence Public Library. In the 1960s, “What Cheer News” was considered the best source of post card information available in this country. RIPCC was so honored by “The Post Card Traveler” (a private New Jersey publication) as the 1965 Post Card Club of the Year in recognition of our fine bulletin. We were also honored by Barr's Postcard News in the early 1980's.

The RIPCC had the "First Postcard Wedding" when Maggie Goulet and Ray Zwolenski exchanged vows at the postcard meeting in May 1986. One of the members played a violin solo and Maggie's late brother made the wedding cake for all the members to enjoy.

Among the more collectible postcard categories at the present time are hometown views, real photo cards, airplanes, ships and lighthouses. Collecting interests have changed over the years as greetings and signed artist cards were popular twenty years ago. In the early 1970's postcards sold for up to 25 cents each. A collector really thought twice about purchasing cards that were priced at 50 cents or more. A shoebox full of cards could be purchased for only $5 or $10. How times have changed.