Background
During World War I, a group of women from Normal Heights organized a social club for Red Cross volunteers. When the war ended
in November 1918, the women decided to continue on as a formal organization in order to pursue their philanthropic work. The
first meeting of the Women’s Club of Normal Heights was held in February 1919. Later, the club changed their name to the Oneira
Women’s Club; ‘oneira’ being a Greek word meaning “dreams or visions realized or come true,” accurately depicting the Club’s
goal of civic advancement and community service. The word also contained all the letters common to the three names of the
districts from which the Club drew its members: Normal Heights, Kensington Park, and Bonnie Brae. A charter of the San Diego
Chapter of the Federated Women’s Club, Oneira had many active sections, including departments for music, gardening, literary
study, and arts and crafts. The Club met for sixty years until interest waned; the organization was officially disbanded in
1980.