The Thought and Work Club of Salem, Massachusetts, was founded in 1891 by a local author, editor, and journalist named Kate Tannatt Woods (1836-1910). The group was founded to "encourage women in all departments of literary work, to promote home study, and to secure literary and social advantages for its members." The club held regular classes for its members on subjects such as art history, languages, and literature. The organization also sponsored lectures, concerts, dramatic presentations and other programs that were held at various churches and halls in Salem. One of the club's most memorable events was a talk on conditions in India and missionary work given by the noted Hindu monk Swami Vivekananda in August of 1893, who stayed in Kate's home on North Street. Kate Woods served as president of the Thought and Work Club for eight years.