The purpose of ESO is to provide clubwomen with a structured reading program to promote educational pursuits and stimulate a desire for self-improvement. ESO can take the form of a reading group or an individual’s personal reading pursuit. The goals of ESO are as follows:
- To encourage clubwomen’s pursuit of higher education
- To create an additional means to unite women in volunteerism
- To develop a support network for women returning to school
- To improve current and develop new study skills
- To stimulate systematic home reading and study with minimum supervision
- To encourage the establishment of home libraries and greater use of public libraries
- To encourage the formation of reading/study/discussion groups
How do I join?
Interested GFWC-NC members must complete the ESO pledge application (please contact the GFWC-NC ESO Chairman) before they can begin working towards membership status. Send pledge applications to the state ESO Chairman, who will begin tracking your progress. Once the application has been received, the chairman will send you the Official ESO Handbook and Reading List.
GFWC-NC Chairman and contact information:
Lynn Wiss , GFWC-NC ESO Chairman
What are my responsibilities?
The primary responsibility of the ESO participant is, of course, reading. After becoming a pledge, a clubwoman will read books within established categories and will complete a required report form (one to three sentences is sufficient) expressing her opinion of each book read. Once a member has completed a category (four books) she must send her completed report form to the state ESO Chairman. As reports are completed, the clubwoman will work her way up through the ESO levels, from ESO Pledge to ESO Century Award Member.
The program is self-paced, and the subject categories on the reading list cover a wide range of topics. In addition to the current GFWC ESO Reading List, books from prior ESO lists and from the current bestseller lists will be accepted towards credit in the appropriate category. The ESO Reading List is available through GFWC Headquarters or the GFWC-NC ESO Chairman, Julie Rigsbee.
What are the ESO Levels?
ESO participants work their way up through the ESO levels from ESO Pledge to ESO Century Award Member. Clubwomen move to a new ESO level by completing a set of reading list requirements. The reading list is divided into subject categories. To complete a category, a member must read and report on 4 books in the category.
- Pledge – A Pledge has sent in an enrollment application and has started to fulfill the reading requirements.
- Member – A Member has completed four books from four different categories—16 books. She is then eligible to wear the ESO pin and receive a membership certificate.
- Star Level – A Star Level Member has completed four books from 10 different categories—40 books. She will then receive a Star Level membership certificate.
- Torch Level – A Torch Level Member has completed four books from 16 different categories—64 books. She is then eligible to receive the Torch pin and a Torch Level membership certificate.
- Century Award – A Century Award Member has completed 100 books. She can continue to the Second and Third Century Award levels and will be eligible to receive the First, Second or Third Century Award membership certificates.
What are the ESO Reading Categories?
Every two years, a new reading list is published and the categories change slightly. The following are the ESO reading categories.
- American History
- The Arts
- Biography and Memoir
- Business and Finance
- Conservation and Ecology
- Drama
- Education
- Fiction, Classic
- Fiction, General
- Fiction, Genre
- Mystery, Thriller
- Science Fiction
- Health and Medicine
- Home and Garden
- Parenting and Families
- Poetry
- Reading to Children
- Picture Books and Story Books
- Chapter Books and Books for Youth
- Religion and Inspirational
- Science
- Sports ad Recreation
- Travel and Geography
- Volunteerism
- Women’s Studies
- World History
**Please copy and send the ESO application and a one-time enrollment fee of $2.00 to the State ESO Chairman.
Make checks payable to GFWC of North Carolina and designate the funds for the ESO Organization.
This form will be used to track your progress as an ESO member throughout the ESO levels. Once your form has been received, your ESO handbook and reading list will be sent to you