Frances and Violet (last names unknown) from the Childrens' Industrial Home appeared on the front page of the January 29, 1925 Tacoma News Tribune, along with a copy of their handwritten thank you letter and appeal for funds addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Tacoma." They were thankful for their happy home and asked for financial support for the upcoming Community Chest campaign, February 2-14. The Children's Industrial Home, located at 3000 So. Washington St., was supported by the Community Chest, a forerunner of the United Way. The home housed 70 youngsters, ages infant through 14; some were orphans and others were placed there when parents were unable to make a living and take care of the child. They had around 28 applications each month for only 2-3 vacancies. (TNT 1/29/1925, pg. 1)

Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Children's Industrial Home (Tacoma); Foster home care--Tacoma; Orphanages--Tacoma; Orphans--Tacoma; Abandoned children;

United Daughters of the Confederacy, Dixie Chapter, met at the Gammon residence in Tacoma's North End on January 19, 1924. While many of Tacoma's early settlers were from the Midwest and East Coast, Southerners were also drawn to the area. Dr. Clarence P. Gammon's father, William Gammon, was a partner of Daniel Boone in Kentucky. Mrs. Clarence P. (Mary) Gammon's father, John Winder, served on the staff of General Robert E. Lee during the Civil War. TPL-6347; G29.1-035

Patriotic societies--Tacoma--1920-1930; United Daughters of the Confederacy, Daughters of Dixie Chapter (Tacoma); Gammon, Clarence P.--Homes & haunts; Gammon, Clarence P.; Gammon, Mary;

Some Tacoma youngsters celebrated their Southern heritage by attending a birthday party honoring Confederate General Robert E. Lee on January 19, 1924 at the home of the C.P. Gammons, 2706 No. Junett. The party was hosted by the Daughters of Dixie chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy. The children are dressed in their Sunday best with the two girls in the middle sporting costumes complete with lace pantaloons. The girls are, left to right, Janet Baldwin, Madeline Kirk, Eleanor White and "Billy" Austin; the boys are unidentified. (TNT 1/21/1924, pg. 7) G24.1-003

Patriotic societies--Tacoma--1920-1930; United Daughters of the Confederacy, Daughters of Dixie Chapter (Tacoma); Costumes; Baldwin, Janet; Kirk, Madeline; White, Eleanor; Gammon, Clarence P.--Homes & haunts;

Rotary club members presented two productions of "Deestrik Skule," the first at Immanual Presbyterian Church on November 23, 1923, and another performance at the Scottish Rite Cathedral on December 6th. G23.1-137; G64.1-036

Rotary Club of Tacoma (Tacoma); Comedies; Theatrical productions--Tacoma--1920-1930; Clubs--Tacoma--1920-1930;

American Legion members joined in a flagpole raising in Yelm on Armistice Day, November 11, 1923. The American Legion was chartered by the U.S. Congress on September 16, 1919, as a patriotic war-time veterans organization. The Yelm community, Yelm Legioneers, neighboring posts and volunteer workers from Olympia's building trades unions all came together to erect a $15,000 home for the Yelm post in one single day. It appears that the raising of the flagpole was the first business of the day. This would be the permanent home of the Joseph Redberg Post No. 164, American Legion, Yelm. G23.1-043A (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-11-23, 8-E-article; TDL 11-12-23, p. 1-article)

American Legion (Yelm); Patriotic societies--Yelm; Veterans organizations--Yelm; Flagpoles--Yelm;

The 6th Engineers band from Camp Lewis plays as the American flag flies on the new American Legion flagpole successfully raised in Yelm on November 11, 1923. Legion members and members of the community had worked together to raise and anchor the flagpole and build a new home for the Yelm Legioneers. The Yelm post did not have a permanent home until the one-day erection of their American Legion building on Armistice Day in 1923. The small group, numbering only 27 active members, was supplemented with help from other local American Legion posts, members of the Yelm community, and 150 members of the building trades union from Olympia in constructing their new home. The building was worth approximately $15,000 but just about all costs were covered with the donation of land from McKenna Mill Co. and architectural design by Tacoma architects Shaw & Shaw. Labor was also donated and supervised by skilled workmen from the Hurley-Mason Co. of Tacoma. Elmer Fristo was the commander of the Joseph Redberg Post No. 164, American Legion, Yelm. G23.1-043B (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-11-23, 8-E-article; TDL 11-12-23, p. 1-article)

American Legion (Yelm); Patriotic societies--Yelm; Veterans organizations--Yelm; Flagpoles--Yelm; Flags--United States; Military bands--United States;

This assembled crew helped to build the new American Legion hall in Yelm in November of 1923. American Legion members had raised the flag on the new flagpole planted on the building site. (see B8864 & B8865) The American Legion was then a fairly new veterans organization as it was founded in Paris in March of 1919 and then chartered by the U.S. Congress in September of the same year. The Yelm post had 27 active members situated in this small town of about 600 people. Their new hall was built in a single day (foundation being prepared the week before) with help from other American Legion posts and the Yelm community. The hall was on three acres of donated land from the McKenna Mill Co. There was virtually no cost to legion members as various companies donated their time and expertise to this veterans organization. More than 500 workers participated in the event, including 150 members of the building trades union from Olympia. G23.1-049 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 11-11-23, 8-E-article; TDL 11-12-23, p. 1-article)

American Legion (Yelm); Patriotic societies--Yelm; Veterans organizations--Yelm; Building construction--Yelm;

George C. Cabell, Supreme Chancellor of the Knights of Pythias, raised the American flag on Alta Vista in Mount Tacoma's Rainier National Park on August 30, 1922. Founded in 1864, the Knights of Pythias was the first fraternal organization to receive a charter from the United States Congress. Col. Cabell, of Norfolk, Virginia, was the national head of the organization. He had been making a tour of the West and was the guest of the Tacoma Pythians on August 29-30th. The Tacoma Lodge held their annual sunrise services on Alta Vista where 25 Pythians plus Col. Cabell were present. Col. Cabell also officiated at the dedication of a permanent steel flagpole and flag raising at that time. (TDL 8-29-22, p. 3-article; TDL 8-30-22, p. 5-article)

Cabell, George C.; Knights of Pythias; Flags--United States; Flagpoles; Rainier, Mount (Wash.);

Members of the 13th Minnesota Society of Puget Sound are pictured at the new Duenwald's Delicatessen & Bakery, 915-17 Broadway, on August 13, 1922. They met to make arrangements for the reception of the Minnesota veterans of foreign wars who were expected in Tacoma on August 14th, on their way to Seattle for the national Veterans of Foreign Wars convention. The local group is composed of former members of the 13th Minnesota regiment of the Spanish-American War. G23.1-026 (TNT 8-12-22, p. 5-article)

13th Minnesota Society of Puget Sound (Tacoma); Veterans' organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Five unidentified Boy Scouts help with the Tacoma Federation of Social Agencies' first Community Chest Drive for the needy in March of 1922; the slogan--"Tacoma Cares. Do Your Share." The boys would be distributing stacks of reminders in the way of red and white placards to be placed on windshields of every car they spotted downtown. $271,478.68 was set as the goal for the fundraising drive that would help 28 relief and social agencies. U.S. District Court Judge Edward Cushman was named chairman of the drive. United Good Neighbor Fund replaced the Community Chest in 1952, and in 1972 the name was changed to United Way of Pierce County. G23.1-056; TPL-5994 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 1-29-22, p. 1-article; TNT 2-7-22, p. 1-article; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 3-19-22, 8-E)

Boy Scouts (Tacoma)--1920-1930; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Fund raising--Tacoma--1920-1930;

A young Boy Scout attaches a small sticker promoting the Community Chest drive onto the windshield of a parked vehicle in March of 1922. This photograph was used in the Tacoma Sunday Ledger, March 19, 1922, edition. The Community Chest was a precursor of the United Good Neighbor Fund and later, United Way of Pierce County. "Tacoma Cares...Do Your Share" was the slogan for the fundraising drive for various Tacoma charities and social agencies. It had opened on March 18th for ten days. $271,478.68 was needed to support 28 relief and social agencies. G23.1-057 (Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 1-29-22, p. 1-article; TNT 2-7-22, p. 1-article; Tacoma Sunday Ledger, 3-19-22, 1C)

Boy Scouts (Tacoma)--1920-1930; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1920-1930; Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1920-1930; Automobiles--Tacoma--1920-1930;

Photo-collage by Marvin Boland of photographs that he took at the First Annual Rotary Fair held on October 31, 1919. This industrial fair for Rotary Club members and friends featured 150 exhibits promoting local professions and businesses. It was held in Stadium High School's gymnasium where the slogan of the fair was "Rotarians, Buy at Home." Because the fair was so successful, mention was made that a larger exhibition might be held later for the general public. Dr. H. J. Whitacre was the Rotary president at that time. (TDL 10-17-19, p. 3-article; TDL 10-31-19, p. 1-article)

Rotary Fair (Tacoma); Exhibits--Tacoma--1910-1920;

Although the Great War was over, in 1919 the Red Cross was still actively supplying entertainment on military bases. On October 29, 1919, they sponsored a masquerade dance for Halloween at Camp Lewis. Although most of the soldiers were in uniform, many of the young women at the dance wore costumes and masks. Camp Lewis was built on 70,000 acres purchased by the citizens of Pierce County and given to the federal government for use as a military base. It was redesignated as a Fort in 1927. G70.1-012

Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1910-1920; Community service--Tacoma--1910-1920; American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); Camp Lewis (Wash.); Fort Lewis (Wash.); Military camps--Tacoma--1910-1920;

The Red Cross Salvage Department headquarters at 1123 A Street was built in one day on April 7, 1918, with materials donated by local businesses and labor donated by local unions. Over 75 union carpenters worked from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to erect the structure, with the finishers, electricians and plumbers to report later in the week. The Salvage Department was an auxiliary of the Red Cross and this building served as its warehouse and office. The community was asked to donate to the Department any waste items of value that could be salvaged for cash. The money raised went to the Red Cross for their work at the front overseas. The motto of the Department was "Ask for no money, Pay no money." TPL-742, BU 13188, Boland #B1151. (TDN 4/5/1918, pg. 1; 4/8/1918, pg. 14)

American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); Salvage; World War, 1914-1918--Scrap drives--Tacoma;

This undated photograph featuring the Corner Club Girls rolling down Broadway at 9th Street is most probably of the historical pageant parade presented Labor Day 1934. The costumed lovelies are from Pioneer Days and are festooned in ruffles, bonnets and parasols. The Tacoma Corner Club was formed by Mrs. Percy C. Smith who served as advisor and was fondly referred to as "Mother Smith." The women of the Tacoma Corner Club hosted dinners, dances, plays, took classes in bookkeeping, first aid, shorthand, the Bible, among others, and supported one another. They presented a flag to the State Historical Society in 1933. The original club was formed in Vancouver, British Columbia, in 1917. (Additional information provided by a reader)