USA > Illinois > Shelby County > Shelby County in the World War > Part 7
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36
Young Men's Christian Association $100,000,000
Young Women's Christian Association 15,000,000 National Catholic War Council. 30,000,000 Jewish Welfare Board 3,500,000 War Camp Community Service. 15,000,000 Salvation Army 3,500,000
American Library Association 3,500,000
The plan of amalgamation struck the popular fancy and the Nation set itself to the task of donat- ing nearly two hundred million dollars for beneficent and humanitarian work in and about the moboliza- tion camps in this country and among the soldiers overseas. In fact, just a little later the amount de- sired was increased fifty per cent., and the public cheerfully took on the additional burden.
In Shelby County, of which $28,502 originally was asked, and later $42,900, the first steps in organizing for the campaign were taken Tuesday evening, Sept. 17, when the following officers were elected:
Chairman-C. E. Bolinger.
Secretary-treasurer-John J. Ward.
Chairman Bolinger at once named the following committees :
GENERAL
D. Leslie Davis
1. S. Storm
Chas. W. Waggoner E. N. Herron
E. E. Herron
V. E. Mullins
N. C. Leathers
T. B. Shoaff
WV. K. Andrews
J. A. Berchtold
T. A. Werner
B. E. Prater
J. K. Hoagland
A. W. Askins
PUBLICITY
D. Leslie Davis Thos. B. Shoaff Isaac S. Storm
Shortly thereafter the organization was extended by naming an executive committee, representatives of the several organizations benefiting by the cam- paign and the township chairmen, both men and women. These are as follows, namely:
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
L. F. Akenhead D). Leslie Davis
I. S. Storm T. B. Shoaff
E. N. Herron E. E. Herron
.C. W. Waggoner V. E. Mullins
N. C. Leathers
REPRESENTATIVES OF UNITED SOCIETIES
Y. M. C. A .- L. F. Akenhead.
Y. W. C. A .- Mrs. C. E. Walker. National Catholic War Council-V: E. Mullins.
Salvation Army-L. C. Westervelt.
Jewish Welfare Board-E. R. Goldstein. War Camp Community Service and American Library
Association-C. W. Waggoner. Victory Boys-N. H. Robertson. Victory Girls-Miss Georgie T. Ilopkins.
TOWNSHIP CHAIRMEN
Oconee-J. A. Werner, Mrs. Sallie M. Hill.
Herrick-Chas. Moon, Mrs. C. W. Kesler.
Cold Spring-Guy Foster, Mrs. William Morrison.
Tower Hill-C. R. Ellison, Mrs. E. G. Foster.
Rural-Edw. C. Eberspacher, Mrs. Edw. Eberspacher.
Flat Branch-Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Kuhle, Mrs. M. A. Dun-
can. Moweaqua-W. K. Andrews, Miss Ailene Day. Dry Point-B. E. Prater, Mrs. Delta Sayers. Lakewood-Mrs. Fred Brant, Mrs. Edna Bechtel.
Rose J. E. Kieffer, Mrs. Clarence Tice.
Ridge-E. 1). Kerr, Miss Rolfa Barrickman.
Pickaway-Mrs. Wm. Rawlings, Miss Frances Rogers. Penn-Claud Baird, Mrs. Floyd Weakly.
Holland-Frank Larimer, Miss Ada May Robinson.
Clarksburg-J. E. Gallagher, Mrs. James Wortman.
Shelbyville-1 .. F. Akenhead, Mrs. C. E. Walker.
Okaw-C. E. Coventry, Miss Lizzie Dazey.
Todd's Point-Mrs. J. R. Snapp. Prairie-R. Voris, Miss Effa Beck.
Richland-F. W. Risser, Mrs. J. E. Weher. Windsor-Alhert R. Storm, Miss Ida Barber.
Sigel-John Berchtold, A. W. Bigler. Big Spring-John C. Quinn, Miss Gertrude McClory. Ash Grove-H. C. May, Mrs. H. C. May.
The co-chairmen immediately organized their school districts and the campaign machinery was well oiled and working nicely before the date of the great nation-wide drive-Nov. 11-18-in which the largest amount of money that any people has ever been asked to raise in the form of a free will offer- ing for any cause in the history of the world, was asked.
In preparation for the active campaign and to engender enthusiasm and the spirit of giving, a big mass meeting was held in the county seat on the afternoon of Sunday, Nov. 3. The speaker was Dr. W. C. Sinsabaugh, an eloquent Chicago Jew, who caught the attention and interest of his audience at once, when in calling for wholehearted co-operation he said:
"Now that we have taken the 'bull' out of Bul- garia and the 'turk' out of Turkey, we must not stop until we have knocked the 'dam' out of Potsdam and 'hell' out of Wilhelm."
Dr. Sinsabaugh sounded the keynote for the cam- paign, into which the workers entered with an en- thusiasm and singleness of purpose that amounted almost to an obsession, and which carried Shelby County far beyond its original goal and well on to the attainment of the increased quota. Business and professional men gave days of their time; Chairman Bolinger worked far into each night; the Women's Glee Club rode all over the county and splendidly performed their service of song; men unaccustomed to public speaking but becoming eloquent under the spell of the righteous cause, moved audiences here and there to generous donations; men, women and children gave of their little or much, happy in deny-
Page Forty-Two
C. R. Ellison A. B. Storm F. W. Risser
1 .. C. Westervelt
ing themselves that the purpose of their sacrifice might be attained.
With the original quota all townships except Penn, Flat Branch, Pickaway, Todd's Point, Cold Spring and Herrick were "over the top," though with the increased quota only Shelbyville, Rural, Rose, Richland and Sigel were able to reach that plane. These ranged from an oversubscription of $5.00 in Richland to $4.196.33 in Shelbyville.
Local officials of the campaign were advised after. the drive that the head office of the United War Work Campaign in Illinois would not take the in- creased quota into account, but make its report on the basis of the original quota alone. On this basis Shelby County's report was as follows:
Township
Quota
Amt. Raised
Oconee
.$ 1,262
$ 1,351.20
Herrick
593
285.25
Cold Spring
640
592.25
Tower Hill
1,115
1,651.45
Rural
1,314
2,063.89
Flat Branch
1,347
1,132.00
Moweaqua
1,543
2,314.00
Dry Point
692
823.70
Lakewood
605
658.95
Rose
1,074
1,790.52
Ridge
1.533
2,009.88
Pickaway
1,253
900.20
Penn
1,138
587.02
Holland and Clarksburg
871
1,142.77
Shelbyville
4,006
10,205.33
Okaw
1,290
1,562.02
Todd's Point
839
615.95
Prairie
1,632
2,252.88
Richland
1,711
2,573.00
Windsor
1,307
1,960.00
Sigel
620
976.18
Big Spring
741
804.50
Ash Grove
1,476
1,503.20
Totals
.$28,502
$39,756.14
Considering the fact that of the final quota of something like $255,750,000 in the country at large, only about $202,000,000 was subscribed, Shelby County's achievement in raising all but a trifle more than $3,000 of her increased quota, $42,900, is a notable record and one for which the leaders re- sponsible for the splendid success were compli- mented by the high officials. Coming immediately on the heels. of the Fourth Liberty Loan campaign in which Shelby County was asked to and did loan the government more than a million and a quarter of dollars, the free gift of nearly $40,000 for the allied causes was no small thing to accomplish: but with a consciousness of the great need and the just- ness of the cause the men who took the matter thor- oughly upon their hearts gloriously succeeded.
C. E. Bolinger, reluctantly acceding to the de- mands of those who believed they saw in him ele- ments of leadership that were required to put the big job over, accepted the chairmanship and threw him- self, body and soul, into the work. From that time until the drive ended he was busy day and night, giv- ing himself to the campaign with a singleness of purpose that augured ill for his private interests but well for the United War Work cause.
His right hand man was the secretary-treasurer, John J. Ward, whose experience in the former Y. M. C. A. drive and systematic handling of the details of the work were valuable assets. Both men worked heroically, and were given valiant assistance by scores of men and women in Shelbyville and through- out the county, to the end that Shelby went far beyond her minimum quota and sustained splendidly her reputation for generous giving.
Lutheran Soldiers' and Sailors' Welfare
Patriotically loyal and instant in their response to calls for aid, the Lutherans of Shelby County did a fine piece of work in putting the county "over the top" in the week's intensive campaign, Feb. 18-26, 1918, to raise their quota of the $750,000 asked for one year war-time spiritual service to soldiers and sailors. The people of this religious denomination rallied magnificently to the call.
In Shelbyville the quota was $250, and the cam- paign was managed by the Rev. J. E. Kieffer, pastor of St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran church, who ap- pointed the following assistants:
Five Grandsons in the War
George W. Wade of Shelbyville, a veteran of the Civil War and a patriot still, derived great satis- faction from the fact that the patriotic loyalty which prompted his bearing of arms in the 60's was in- stilled so deeply into his posterity that no less than five of his grandsons served Uncle Sam in the mili- tary department throughout the World War. Three of these, Frank Wade, Elmer Flowers and Delbert Flowers. went from Shelby County, while the other two, Walter Smith and Oscar Smith of Burbank, S. D., were members of a company of engineers of the Seventh South Dakota regiment. Elmer Flowers is credited with being the first Shelby County man to reach France after war was declared. He enlisted April 3, 1917, anticipating the President's declaration of war by several days, and accompanied General Pershing to France when he was sent there at the head of the American Expeditionary Force.
W. F. Aichele
T. C. Wendling
Lewis Biehler
Take Augenstein
John Ruff
Miss Catherine Pauschert
Miss Clara Waggoner Miss Ruby Roessler
With a quota of $250, the church raised $405, while the Nation's call for $750,000 was increased by subscriptions totaling more than a million dollars. While the appeal primarily was for aid for Lutheran soldiers and sailors, the ministry made possible by the generous donations of the people was extended to service men of other denominations, as well.
Made Himself "Fit"
Charles S. Engel of Stewardson displayed true patriotism and proved himself really eager to get into the fray with the enemy, when after having been rejected after being sent to Camp Dix, because of physical disability, submitted himself to treatment that remedied the defect and then wrote the Local Board as follows:
"1 consider myself now fit for service, and am ready for a call for examination."
Engel got the examination, and when a selected man asked for deferred induction, was given his chance by being substituted and given immediate induction.
This spirit also pervaded other men, particularly in the summer and fall of 1918, and there always was a waiting list with the Local Board, of men who de- sired preference in call to service.
Page Forty-Three
Mrs. Adolph Reiss
Mrs. Birney S. Hite
Miss Lillie Stegmayer
Gus Mochel
-
KNOWII-DGF WIVS
-
WAR SAVINGS PLEDGE WEEK
Save a loaf a week help win the war
Y.W.C.A.
KEEP A COMING We must not only Toed our Soldiers at the trout but the millions of' women & chlidren behind our lines"
MAY SÍLY-18 Pledge >buelt to BUY STAMRI regularly ourks
Counties Auxiliary Committee, State Council of Defense
The parent committee, out of which grew the County Neighborhood Committees through which it was intended to co-ordinate the war work of the county, and the County Executive Committee of the State Council of Defense, was the Counties Auxiliary Committee, appointed late in 1917 and composed of the following named persons:
John C. Quinn, chairman, Trowbridge. Ralph E. Voris, Stewardson. Ralph W. Snyder, Moweaqua. Thos. B. Shoaff, Shelbyville. Miss Georgie T. Hopkins, Shelbyville.
This committee, appointed by the Counties Aux- iliary of the State Council of Defense, was directed
to take the initiative in the formation of the County Executive Committee, which at that time was com- posed of the following persons:
John C. Quinn, chairman County Auxiliary Committee. Miss Georgie T. Hopkins, chairman Woman's Organization. Walter J. James, Industrial Labor Representative. Geo. B. Herrick, chairman Liberty Loan Committee. Jacob A. Lovins, chairman Food Production Committee.
Dr. C. Henri Bogart, chairman Federal Fuel Administra- tion Committee.
Dr. J. C. Westervelt, chairman War Savings Committee.
This committee entered actively upon its work, and effectively discharged the duties placed upon it.
Neighborhood Committees of State Council of Defense
Organization of the Shelby County Neighborhood Committees of the State Council of Defense was per- fected in a meeting held in the circuit court room at the court house in Shelbyville on Wednesday, March 6, 1918, when as a feature of the meeting which called more than 120 representative men from all parts of the county together to lend further aid to war work, Ex-Governor Richard Yates of Springfield delivered a patriotic address.
At the assembling of the meeting at 1 o'clock, Temporary Chairman Gco. B. Rhoads introduced Mrs. Josephine Clement, organizer for the State Council of Defense, who clearly and succinctly stated the purpose of the Neighborhood Committees, de- claring it to be for the purpose of diffusing patriot- ism, combatting disloyalty and aiding the govern- ment in any project that it desires carried to the people.
With the approval of the members of the local units, Hon. John W. Yantis and Chas. E. Keller, both of Shelbyville, were made permanent chairman and secretary, respectively, of the Neighborhood Committees. Mr. Yates was then introduced and delivered his address.
·
Following discussion of plans and purposes and arranging for community meetings in various parts of the county, the body named the following cxecu- tive committee:
John W. Yantis, chairman, Shelbyville. Chas. E. Keller, secretary, Shelbyville.
S. S. Clapper, Moweaqua. Louis Kuhle, Flat Branch. George Galster, Rural. Charles Ash, Tower Hill. Charles F. Hunter, Cold Spring. J. A. Werner, Oconee.
G. S. Bolt, Herrick. Homer Hunter, Pickaway. Ira Baird, Jr., Penn. E. 1). Barnett, Ridge.
J. E. Kieffer, Rose. J. H. Eddy, Lakewood. John W. Conrad, Dry Point.
O. E. Stumpf, Okaw.
Edward Jones, Todd's Point.
Leo F. Akenhead, Shelbyville.
J. K. Hoagland, Clarksburg. J. E. Gallagher, Holland.
B. F. Moberley, Windsor. Dexter Mahoney, Windsor. Henry Faster, Jr., Richland. Ralph Voris, Prairie. Warren Purkiser, Ash Grove. John C. Quinn, Big Spring. John Berchtold, Sigel.
CENTERS COMMITTEES
The Centers Committees, named to represent the various communities of the county, were named as follows:
MOWEAQUA, MOWEAQUA TOWNSHIP
S. S. Clapper, Chairman Gid Housh
Harry Day M. K. Andrews Ralph Snyder Ralph Ayars
FLAT BRANCHI TOWNSHIP
Aubrey Duncan Louis Kuhle, Chairman
DOLLVILLE, RURAL TOWNSHIP
George Galster, Chairman Thos. C. Cartmell
W. E. Killam
TOWER IIILL, WEST IIALF OF ROSE, TOWER HILL TOWNSHIP
Charles Ash, Chairman H. H. Runkel John W. Rhodes COLD SPRING, SCHOOL HOUSE
Chas. F. Hunter, Chairman William Morrison
Abe Smith James Johnston
Page Forty-Four
PREE
.... ..........
MISS 'MARY FOX MISS GEORGIE T. HOPKINS
MISS CLARE B. SHOAFF
MRS. ANTHA KELLY
HERRICK, HERRICK TOWNSHIP
G. S. Bolt, Chairman
C. W. Kesler
M. L. Turner William Waters
Roscoe T. Clark
Robert Woolard
OCONEE, OCONEE TOWNSHIP
T. A. Werner, Chairman Ben P. Allen Austin Hendricks
J. W. Patterson
YANTISVILLE, PICKAWAY TOWNSHIP
Homer Hunter, Chairman
Edward Cole
Harry Rawlings
Levi Corley
TOWN HALL, PENN TOWNSHIP
Claud Baird, Chairman John E. Garman
Mr. Senna H. S. Thompson Harley G. Stewart WESTERVELT, RIDGE TOWNSHIP
E. D. Barnett, Chairman
E. D. Kerr
H. Christman, Jr. Bryant Corley J. C. Calvert
SANDY HILL SCHOOL, ROSE TOWNSHIP
T. E. Kieffer, Chairman
Theo. Roessler
Frank Stillwell Frank Warner Jos. L. White
LAKEWOOD, LAKEWOOD TOWNSHIP
J. II. Eddy, Chairman
Sandy Price
Henry C. Austin
C. A. Askins Joseph Lucas Caleb Bowman
COWDEN, DRY POINT TOWNSHIP
John W. Conrad, Chairman O. A. Jewett
A. Ward Moore
S. S. Scovill
John Berchtold, Chairman Frank E. McCormick
Ben H. Kunkler
Philip Ilanfland
William Paxton
Thomas Enoch
FINDLAY, OKAW AND TODD'S POINT TOWNSIIIPS
O. E. Stumpf, Chairman C. E. Coventry
C. E. Pogue R. D. Miner Fred Olmstead
Thomas Newby
CLARKSBURG, HOLLAND TOWNSHIP
James Wortman
J. W. Prosser
L. Spannagel J. K. Iloagland, Chairman W. R. Shuff
MODE, HOLLAND TOWNSHIP
I. E. Gallagher, Chairman
Floyd F. Yakey
W. B. Lantz
IF. O. Clausen
Leonard Moomaw
WINDSOR, WINDSOR TOWNSHIP
George Garvin, Chairman
Joseph McLain
E. G. Munsell C H. Sexson W. H. Gaddis
QUIGLEY, WINDSOR TOWNSHIP
Dexter Mahoney, Chairman
J. Will Herron
Ransom Robison
Chas. L. Reynolds
STRASBURG, RICHLAND AND PRAIRIE TOWNSHIPS Henry Faster, Jr., Chairman T. A. Garner
Martin Kull Abe Young C. F. Rincker
STEWARDSON, PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP
Ralph Voris, Chairman
D. M. Duddlesten
William Frede
William Bailey
Harry York Albert Meitzner
SEXSON, ASHI GROVE TOWNSHIP Sylvester Clawson, Chairman Warren Purkiser
Eli Storm
R. (). Watson
John McAlister
TROWBRIDGE, BIG SPRING TOWNSHIP
John C. Quinn, Chairman
loseph Schinzler
Marion Quicksall
SIGEL, SIGEL TOWNSHIP
TODD'S POINT, TODD'S POINT TOWNSHIP
Edward Jones, Chairman Ilarry Surman Harry Foster
SHELBYVILLE
Leo F. Akenhead, Chairman Isaac S. Storm
A. L. Yantis S. B. Jackson L. C. Westervelt E. E. Herron
H. D. Sparks
John J. Ward
The Neighborhood Committees organization was active throughout the war, performing splendidly the task for which it was created.
Woman's Committee of the Council of National Defense
So to co-ordinate the activities and the resources of the organized and unorganized women of the country that their power might be immediately util- ized in time of need, and to supply a new and direct channel of communication and co-operation between women of governmental departments, was the pur- pose of the Woman's Committee of the Council of National Defense, a unit of which was established in
Shelby County with the appointment of Miss Georgie T. Hopkins as chairman.
The organization was completed by the appoint- ment of the following: Vice Chairman-Mrs. S. S. Crook. Secretary-Mrs. W. C. Kelley. Treasurer-Miss Mary Fox.
Page Forty-Five
II. F. Grote
The departments of the Woman's Committee in- .cluded the following, some of which, however, werc not adaptable to local conditions, hence were not .actively developed:
Registration for Service.
Food Production. Food Conservation. Women in Industry.
Child Welfare.
Maintaining Existing Social Service Agencies. Safeguarding Moral and Spiritual Forces.
Educational Propaganda.
Liberty Loans.
Red Cross and Allied Relief.
Those familiar with the splendidly comprehensive work of the women in Shelby County during the .course of the war will readily recognize the avenues through which they worked. Miss Hopkins' able assistants, named by her as ehairmen of the various departments, were:
Finance-Miss Mary Fox.
Hospital Supply, Red Cross-Mrs. Mollie Isen- berg.
Home Charities-Mrs. Agnes Hamlin Mertens.
Registration-Miss Clare Shoaff.
Social Hygiene-Mrs. F. P. Auld.
Women in Industry-Mrs. Irvin Waggoner.
Publicity-Miss Edna Conn.
Co-Ordination-Mrs. J. D. Miller.
Allied Relief-Mrs. Rella W. Hoover.
Child Welfare-Mrs. S. S. Crook.
Food Production-Mrs. F. C. Bolinger.
Food Conservation-Mrs. F. O. Bisdee.
The State Council of Defense did a magnificent piece of work all over the state, but its activities largely had to do with questions concerning military matters, finance, crops, labor, business, etc., while the Woman's Committee had to do more with the women and children and with the practical details of the home. It dealt mainly with human beings.
CHILD WELFARE DEPARTMENT
One avenue through which the work of this com- mittee was done was the Child Welfare Department. Under the general direction of Mrs. S. S. Crook, many children in Shelbyville and throughout the county were weighed and measured, the work being done at different times over a long period. With the weighing and measuring, the parents were given in- struction as to the proper care of the children, that the child life of the county might be conserved in harmony with the state- and nation-wide plan. A great deal of literature was distributed, and even the school boys became intensely interested in the sub- ject. Mrs. Joseph T. Bowen, State Chairman, told of one lad who wrote a composition in which he said: "Now that we are at war, it is everybody's business to have a baby and to save it!"
Out of this work developed the school nurse who was and still is employed to look after the physical welfare of the school children in Shelbyville.
ALLIED RELIEF
Early in the war activities the Allied Relief Work was undertaken in Shelby County under the direc- tion of the Woman's Committee, C. N. D., with Mrs. Rella W. Hoover as County Chairman.
The making and shipping of clothing to Belgian refugees was undertaken, the work being done prin- .cipally from three centers-Shelbyville, Findlay and Clarksburg. Mrs. Arthur Birkett of Findlay and the Misses Mel Compton and Verna Ragan of Clarks-
burg co-operated splendidly with Mrs. Hoover and the women of Shelbyville, and many hundreds of aprons, dresses and boys' waists were shipped to destitute Belgian children.
The campaign for the adoption of Fatherless Children of France, directed by Mrs. Hoover, also was waged very successfully. The "adoption" con- sisted in furnishing sustenance for such children at the cost of $36.50 each per annum, this amount added to the French government allowance being sufficient to maintain the child and make it possible for it to remain with and under the care of the widowed mother. The following individuals and organiza- tions thus adopted French children:
Mrs. H. M. Scarborough.
Mr. and Mrs. O. W. Walker.
Mr. and Mrs. T. C. Dove.
Mr. and Mrs. F. R. Dove.
Mr. and Mrs. B. S. Yost.
Christian Science Society.
Geo. B. Roberts. Noble C. Leathers.
Miss Bessie Wilson.
Anna A. Dole, Findlay.
Unitarian Sunday School and Alliance.
St. Paul's Lutheran Sunday School.
First Presbyterian Sunday School.
Mizpah Class, First Methodist Sunday School.
Frances E. Willard Class, First Methodist Sun-
day School.
Clarksburg Branch, American Red Cross.
Miss Lizzie Dazey, Findlay.
J. E. Dazey, Findlay.
E. M. Vennum. Findlay.
Mrs. M. Maurer, Dollville Red Cross.
First Methodist Sunday School, Shelbyville.
Benjamin Kerr, Jr.
King Lantz.
Robert Richardson.
Miss Ida Diddea.
William Middlesworth, Jr.
Dr. J. C. Westervelt.
Sam L. Tilley, county treasurer.
Vine Street School.
Main Street School (two children adopted).
Church of the Immaculate Conception.
Mr. and Mrs. B. P. Dearing.
Mrs. Geo. D. Chaffee.
Baptist Sunday School, Mowcaqua.
In addition to the adoption of these children and the making of the garments already mentioned, a special drive was conducted on Dec. 7, 1918, Mrs. Birkett and the Misses Compton and Ragan taking charge in their respective towns. A total of $767.92 was raised-$586.42 in Shelbyville, $109.50 in Findlay and $72.00 in Clarksburg.
Shelby County thus assisted materially in swell- ing the totals of the State, which raised $788,130.68 for relief and sent to Europe 705,140 hospital sup- plies, 182,035 garments, 27,188 kits, and adopted 8,844 fatherless children.
FOOD PRODUCTION
Under the department of Food Production, of which Mrs. F. C. Bolinger was the county chairman, many hundreds of "war gardens" were cstablished. The need for increased production of vegetables, as well as of grains and other food products, was sys- tematically and convincingly laid upon the minds and hearts of the people, and there was a magnificent response in Shelby as well as in other sections of the country. Plots of ground that hitherto had been but waste tracts, were tilled, and while the increased
Page Forty-Six
production was the material and obvious result, there was a very real benefit also in the lessons of industry and the physical effect on the workers.
FOOD CONSERVATION
Another important work accomplished under the general direction of this committee was that of food conservation, of which department Mrs. F. O. Bisdee was the head. Notable among the activities of this department was the Food Show conducted at the Sparks Gymnasium in the county seat, extended mention of which is made elsewhere in this history, the effects of which were far-reaching and still are in evidence in practical economies in many homes in the county.
The conservation doctrine also was taught and its lessons clinched through the Hoover Food Card pledges that were signed by thousands, who were thus definitely committed to retrenchment in the use of food and foodstuffs.
THE REGISTRATION OF WOMEN
Early in 1917 the United States government re- quired of all Shelby County men of a certain age that they register for public service. Again, the question of food conservation coming up the men and women, regardless of age, were asked to con- serve the food supply to the best of their ability. The next request, in the week of Nov. 5, 1917, was for the women of the county to register.
When the country called for a great supply of men and they left for training camp and trenches, it meant for every man taken for war service a woman had to be found to take up the work he laid down when he went to fight for his country, or that of an- other man transferred from his accustomed occupa- tion to fill the vacant place. Therefore the registra- tion of Shelby County's women was directed, and it was pointed out that while by registering the women did not obligate themselves to go wherever ordered, the registration was necessary in order that it might be known how many women could be depended upon to perform certain work from time to time.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.