Lee County, Illinois - Chapter 12, 1920

Chapter 12

The organization was perfected by the lurniiui!; i>l' Hrani'h (hapiers, witii workrooms at Amboy, Ashton, Frankhn Grove, Paw Paw, ("onipton, Stewaiil, liiadlnid, Scarljoro, West Brooklyn. WaUoii, Hann.m, SuMetie, and Peynolds, with a main woikrooni in the Supervisor's Room at the Cuurt, House in Dixon, this room being vacated by tlial body and turned over for the exclusive use of the Red Cross Society. In adthtion to these branches, there were nineteen Auxiliaries formed with Headquarters at various churches, school houses and homes throughout the County, - Pahiiyra, South Dixon, Nelson, Lee Center and Viola Townshijis being repicsented by Auxiliaries.

The Women of the.se Auxiharies aii.l blanches, working under the al)le direction of Mrs. Ida C. McCleary of Dixon, who at the time of organization was appointed ( leiieral Chairman of Women's work, turned out a vast amount of su|iplies as is sliown \iy the following production figures: skill of nimble Hngers to this work, for then was hardly a lannly in the c(,unty, some of the members of which did not assist the Red Cross in its production, practically all the knitted articles being made in homes or wherever a lady found time to add a few stitches, - even a few of the men turned their hands to knitting, making garments which compared favorably with the best work of the ladies.

Shortly after the organization. Mr. E. B. Raymond was appointed assistant to Miss McCleary. Secretary. He resigned before the expiration of the year and Mr. Louis Pitcher was appointed to fill out the term, and at the succeeding annual election, Mr. Pitcher was elected Seci'etary and assuming the duties of manager, he continued in this dual capacity for the <lur.alion of the war. No oilier change was made in llie otficaal foive of the chaptei' (luring the w.ai' period. Undia' the able leadership of Col. Ihinton. the officers discharged the iluties falling to their lot, cheerfully and efficiently.

In the fall of 1918. Mrs. .Malilon R. Forsythe was appointed General Chairman of the Junior Red Ci'oss and assisted by ]^Irs. H. E. Lager, as exectitive secretary, she organized the counlvsehonls. the woik meeting with such hearty co-operation on the part of the teacher and pujiils that williin a short time an enthusiastic membership of 2.500 had been eiu'olled.

The Home Scr\icc ami Civilian Relief Conunittee, the efforts of which were directed by Mr.Henry Sclniiidt and Miss Eleanor Powell, did a most worthywork in aiding dependent families of soldiers and sailors with advice, handlinc; their business transactions with Government Departments, and cxtendinii material and tiiiaiicial aid when such was needed, from the funds of the Chajitei-.

Lee Couiily may lixik with |)ride upon its Red ("I'uss War record for its workrooms turnetl out sui)plies in (luantities as hiph as ten times the average chapter productiiin for the United States, and the quality of its work was highly commended by the Central Division in Chicago where all work was sent for inspection and distribution.

During the first active campaign for membership, by Chapters generally throughout the county, undci- the management of John Der Kinderen, then Secretary of the Dixon Y. ;\I. C. A., Lee Cduiity tripled the quota of members assigned to it and enrolled the highest percentage of population of any county in the State of Illinois, the next nearest county having only 75% as many enrolled as Lee, in proportion to its population.

The First Red Cross War Drive, in the spring of 1917, was launched with a dinner for business men at the Elks Club, which was addressed by the Hon. Judge Kenesaw I\L Landis. Immediately after the dinner. Judge Landis addressed a mass meeting which packed the Opera House to hear this fearless and sterling jiatriot expound his views on the war.

President Brinton appointed a committee headed by Hon. Richard S. Farrand, to solicit funds and in a short time $12,000.00 had been raised, largely among Dixon business men.

The Second Red Cross War Drive was handled by the County Finance Committee of the State Council of Defense and on Monday, May 20th, 1918, the people of the County went to their respective polling places and voluntarily subscribed $39,747.04, 98% of the amount being paid in cash to the workers at the polls on that day. The novelty and success of this plan was the subject of an Associated Press dispatch, which appeared throughout the newsiiajieis of the country, and the Red Cross Bulletin circulated among the Chapters of the Cdiintiy gave an explanation of the plan, and highly commended the Cnunty. It also attracted the attention of the National Officers of the Red Cross, as is evidenced by the following telegram to the Central Division in Chicago:

Inasnmch as nearl\- all the people of the county at some time during the war rendered signal service to the so called "Greatest Mother of the World", the American Red Cross, it would be unwise and is unnecessary to give individuals, responsible for the splendiil a<'com]ilishments of this society, credit for their work. In its substitute for rules and regulations, "The Red Cross is directed by the hearts of the workers", - will the workers find comjiensation for their efforts for those same hearts cannot but swell with pride for having been a woikei' in an organization which did its work at the front so splendidly that it istliei-ecipieiit of t he thanks and commendation of every returning hero from overseas.

First Red Cross Drive

On the fullowinp: Monday morning, these men held a meetini;- at the Dixon National Bank and oriianized with .lud-.- B. S. Farran.l as Chairnian t,i lake ehargi' nf the w.irk to raise funds \nr the lied ( Vuss. In order tn make a l.efiinning they assessed tliemselves at this meetinti and raised si^si'.-, ; .ng themselves.

The names of the suhscrihers and the amomits given l.y each were puMished in the papers with the result that iieople from outside the city of Dixon telephone.! in orwrote, sending suhseriptions.

.ludgc- Farrand, Chairman, liecame ill the seeon.l day of the ,hive and :\lr. Fdward Brewster took his iilare, taking charge of the campaign and th<' ivconls.