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1922 The Staunton VA Kiwanis Club was sponsored by the Clifton Forge club. It was organized through Mr Al Stimers from International headquarters at Chicago, in June, 1922. The first meeting being held on the 15th of that month, with the Clifton Forge Club represented by Deacon Snead and the Harrisonburg Club. Senator George Conrad, both of whom made inspiring speeches, explaining Kiwanis ideas and ideals Credit is also due to Mr Charles A Holt, of this city, who wrote to International regarding the formation of a club, which resulted in Mr Stimers being sent to our city Weekly meetings were decided for Wednesdays at 1:15 p m. The officers and directors elected for the first year were as follows: W H Hall, President; Charles S Roller Jr, Vice-President; S 1 Davis Treasurer; Russell E Cover, Secretary; Hampton H Wayt, District Trustee Directors: Chas A Holt, P D Stratton, J Harry Bryan, E Russell Cover, J Harry May, Wm J Clem, Dr Fred E Hamlin and H E Pierce. 55 charter members signed up representing almost as many classifications The charter, dated June 7, 1922, was delivered on October 26, at a banquet held in the Beverly Hotel Governor Julian Y Williams of Alexandria presented the charter and Major Charles S Roller accepted on behalf of the club J Harry May was toastmaster and presented the different speakers in a most acceptable manner. The work of the club consisted in helping destitute children of the city and county A public Christmas tree was also provided for such children, at an expense of over $200. 1923 During 1923 the Kiwanis Club was especially active in putting over several public projects The Rotarians and Kiwanians together were instrumental in selling bonds for the erection of the million dollar Stonewall Jackson Hotel The baseball team was very successful from a financial stand point in putting money in the treasury, and one of the aims of the organization was to start a drive for the erection of a public swimming pool, more facilities for the public and high school children and a concentrated drive to help the under-priv& leged child At the end of 1923 the enrollment was 63 and the average attendance for the club during the year was about third or fourth in the whole Capital District During the year the meeting day was changed to Monday to give the men a better chance to carry out their projects during the week The Staunton Kiwanis Club has had but one death and that was a very beloved member, Leon C Ware, owner of the Beverly Hotel The Staunton Kiwanis Club has had delegates at all District Conferences, District Convent-ions and International Conventions since its organization. The Staunton Kiwanis Club has started the custom of having its anniversary meeting as near the 15th of June as possible and the last two years it has been held on the Augusta Military Academy grounds and all wives and lady friends of Kiwanians are invited. 1924 On February 25 we received the District Loving Cup from Clifton Forge and on March 27 we carried it to Harrisonburg. We were host to the Charlottesville and Harrisonburg Clubs on Inter-Club Day Governor E Lee Trinkle of Virginia was a guest at one of our meetings. We held an amateur show given by our members for the benefit of our crippled children fund, which enabled us to send five children to Richmond for examination and treatment In November we held a clinic for crippled children, with Dr W T Graham and Dr A F Voshneer of the University of Virginia in attendance. 1925 We entertained at an evening meeting 39 teachers of the public schools, the Superintendent of Schools and several members of the School Board We sponsored the new Kiwanis Club at Waynesboro. The big event of the year for our club was the entertaining of the District Convention on October 22-24 Besides the regular business sessions and the preliminary conferences, there was a banquet and ball and trips to the Augusta Military Academy for a review of the cadet corps and to Staunton Military Academy for a dress parade. We held a joint meeting with Rotary. 1926 We provided treatment at a nearby sanatorium for a tubercular boy Held an auction which netted about three hundred dollars, which was devoted to giving treatment to tubercular children The annual report showed that we had helped seventy underprivileged children. Was host at a dinner to the Confederate Veterans Sponsored the Rhondda Welsh Singers and realized $586 for our crippled children fund. 1927 We donated $10000 to the Mississippi flood sufferers relief Host to Covington, Clifton Forge, Lexington and Waynesboro on Inter-Club Day, and joined with the Waynesboro Kiwanis Club in a joint picnic at Grottoes, 150 present. We erected road signs directing traffic to various cities and to the birthplace of Woodrow Wilson. In September, we met with Rotary at the fair grounds as guests of the Fair Association, and entertained the Staunton baseball team who were the winners in the Augusta County League The team was presented a loving cup by us. Kiwanian P G Stratton had as his guests at the regular luncheon on October 27 32 underprivileged children from the Virginia School for the Deaf and Blind The children entertained the club for a half hour by calisthenics and games At the conclusion of the program, Stratton presented each child with a large and beautiful doll. Two Ladies' Nights were held during the year The second one was at Crofton Park with Jules Brazil as entertainer, and ninety of our ladies in attendance This meeting, held just before Christmas, ended with a tree and presents for all The poor and needy of our city were remembered at Christmas. 1928 All programs for February were in charge of the Underprivileged Child Committee The club in connection with the County Welfare League held a series of illustrated lectures on underprivileged child work These programs served greatly to stimulate interest and enthusiasm in this work. At one of the meetings a donation was made by the members for a child who had been brought to the meeting as an example of the results of the club's activities. Kiwanian R N Lineweaver donated a closed automobile to the County Welfare League for use in its work with underprivileged children and Dr Guy R Fisher supplied license plates A bazaar raised more than $1,000 for this work. Our members secured homes where several hundred children from the congested areas of large cities could spend two weeks in the open air These children were met by us on their arrival, taken to their temporary homes, and on the expiration of their stay, were safely started back to their destination. The club arranged to care for all the bills incurred during the year by the Welfare League in connection with the crippled child work This was in addition to the regular expenditure made during the year. At Christmas, President-Elect Powell Stratton presented to each of our nineteen underprivileged wards a five dollar gold piece and R N Lineweaver made a generous donation to the underprivileged child fund A special committee was appointed to located deserving poor of the community and provide them with necessities for Christmas, the club appropriating the necessary funds A large number of persons were helped in this way. We sent a delegation to Washington in April to attend Army Day Twenty of our members attended the inter-club meeting at Covington on May 23 We were host to Lexington on June 18 Over thirty visitors were in attendance on this occasion. In August, the Staunton Club entertained its two foster children, Lexington and Waynesboro, at a banquet in the mess hall of Augusta Military Academy, through the courtesy of Major Charles S Roller, coprincipal The entire institution, including the athletic field, swimming pool and barracks, was placed at the disposal of the two hundred and twenty Kiwanians and their guests There were games in the afternoon and a fine banquet in the evening. In January, we entertained 22 Confederate veterans who live in Augusta and adjoining counties Each veteran, introduced by his host gave his war record We sponsored and took an active part in the Confederate memorial exercises on May 30. We were represented by four members at the Seattle Convention The Staunton Club has been represented at every International and District Convention since its organization. 1929 At our first meeting in January, Mrs W W King, Welfare Secretary, addressed the club on crippled child work At a later meeting she brought to the club a child who, before receiving treatment from Kiwanis, had been unable to walk but now has the use of his limbs. In April, Dr Voshell, of the University of Virginia spoke on the work for crippled children Two clinics were held during the year under Dr Voshell which were attended by about 50 children Five children were treated at the expense of the club. We furnished the Welfare League with the expenses of operating an automobile which had been given it by a member of the club This car is used in crippled child work. We acted as clearing house for a large number of poor children from the tenements of New York sent by the Tribune We arranged for the homes to entertain them, met them on their arrival and gave supervision to them while they were here Staunton was given very complimentary mention in a large metropolitan newspaper for this work The total cost of our underprivileged child work was $458. Two meetings were directed to the subject of Vocational Guidance, one addressed by Lieutenant-Governor Converse and the other by Dr William Brown, District Chairman. A delegation attended the Richmond meeting in honor of International President 0 Sam Cummings Thirty of our members visited the Charlottesville club on June 10. Entertained the Confederate soldiers living in Augusta and adjoining counties Co-operated with Rotary, the Chamber of Commerce and the Young Men's Business Club in entertaining a delegation of 200 from Mississippi who were on a trip through our area A committee worked to secure a large municipal armory. We heard addresses by Dr Henry Smith of Washington and Lee University on Robert E Lee, the Man and by Prof Charles Halvey of the University of Virginia on Commercial Law. A joint meeting was held with the Business and Professional Women's Club Jointly with Rotary we were guests of the Shenandoah Valley Fair Association at its fair A meeting was had with Rotary, at which time General Le Jeune was the honor guest At his invitation, a picnic was held with our ladies present, at the camp of President Powell Stratton in the Allegheny Mountains We were called to mourn the death of the first president of the club, William H Hall, who died on October 22. 1930 Curry Carter served as Secretary for January, February, and March then resigned Fred T Prufer was elected Secretary for the balance of the year. A committee cooperated with committees from other organizations on plans for securing a municipal armory. On Lee-Jackson-Day we entertained the Confederate veterans at luncheon with Col Rudolph Bumgardner as the speaker. Entertained by the children of the Virginia School for Deaf and Blind Each child was presented with a gift We heard representatives of 4-H Clubs. All welcome signs on the outskirts of town were repaired and repainted Our club assisted the Business and Professional Women's Club to put on a show for charity Girls from Stuart Hall School put on a program for us Entertained the daughters and sisters of Kiwanians attending this school and Mary Baldwin College. During Interclub week we were host to Harrisonburg, Waynesboro, and Charlottesville during Inter-Club Week Division club officers met with LTG Rogers in our city for a meeting. Participated in the Woodrow Wilson banquet The principal speaker on this occasion was Josephus Daniels, Secretary of the Navy under President Wilson. Some of the other interesting speakers during the year were: Rev J E Wayland, on "Conditions Among the Chinese"; W Stuart Moffett and Walter E Beard on the work of the Assembly; J W Stanley, a 20 year resident of India, spoke of conditions in that country; Dr Harry F White on "Under-privileged Children in Europe"; Dr Hunter Blakely, on "Conditions in Germany as Compared to Ten Years Ago"; Dr Allen Vosliell, orthopedic surgeon of the University of Virginia, and Franklin Kean, International Field Representative, and Professor Edgar, delivered a talk on Business Standards. Mr George A Cottrell, a member of the City Council, spoke on the increasing number of misdemeanors and petty crimes committed by young boys in the city In the discussion which followed, Dr Blakely, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, and Mr R H Kinney, secretary of the YMCA spoke of their experiences with such boys. December 15 was Farmers' Day when Mr Nelson A Loucks, of the Virginia Department of Agriculture, was the speaker before a number of guests from the county. 1931 Lee-Jackson Day was celebrated by a meeting in charge of the Inter-Club Relations Committee, with many members from the Lexington club present, as well as several other guests Major General John A LeJeune, President of Virginia Military Institute and a member of the Lexington club, was our speaker. Other inter-club meetings were held We joined with Harrisonburg in a meeting held at Charlottesville Both the Harrisonburg and the Charlottesville clubs visited us and put on a program, and we reciprocated by furnishing programs for these two clubs Held two joint meetings with the Rotary club, at one of which we heard a talk by Dr Daniel A Polling, and on the other occasion we held a joint meeting at the county fair grounds, spending the day there to boost the fair. Held a meeting at Middlebrook, a farming community, with 26 members of the 4-H Club as our guests, who furnished most of the program Many farmers and their wives were present Part of the program was a hog-calling contest between 6 farmers and 6 town folk It was vociferous if not melodious, and of course the farmers won. Furnished musical programs by 9 groups, including girls from Mary Baldwin College, the Harrisonburg Teachers College, and an orchestra from Augusta Military Academy. We entertained our high school basketball team, champions of the state in Class B Division. Delegates attended District and International Conventions and brought back inspiration, to the club. Our under-privileged child work was a feature We handled eighteen individual cases for special service and treatment, held four clinics, at which an average of over forty cases were consulted each time, bought glasses, paid for x-rays, removed tonsils, gave blood transfusions, etc In addition we conducted a camp for underprivileged boys at which we took care of nearly 50 boys for ten-day periods, during which the boys gained in weight a bit more than one-half pound per day We had two meetings of the club at this camp and played with the boys. We were host to the Lieutenant-Governor's Training Schoo.l We distributed Christmas baskets to a considerable number of families The baskets were filled with provisions. The speakers at our club numbered many out-of-town people of note, in addition to the best talent of the city. We closed the year with all bills paid and over $300 in the treasury, due to the good work of our Treasurer, Bob Beam, and the approval of the good, active program by the members. 1932 The club held 3 crippled children's clinics during the year and carried on its case work including fitting glasses and braces and doing dental work, through the year It gave a show to make money for the work It gave an all-day picnic to 50 bov s ' sent out 30 Christmas baskets and gave a Christmas dinner and a Christmas tree to 100 under-privileged children The club held a voters' school for new voters and tried by means of poster s and stickers to get out a full vote at election time Held a Farmers' Day, Ladies Night at Tinkle Springs Church in the county with farmers as guests The club celebrated Washington's Birthday, Armistice Day and Thanksgiving Day, entertained the Confederate Veterans on Memorial Day, entertained the city officials, boosted the county fair, had programs on the Acts of the Legislature, The Abolltion of Bill-boards on Highways, and on Legislation for Traffic Safety The club a - so put on a benefit football game to aid the Salvation Army Attended an inter-club meeting in Harrisonburg, was host to Charlottesville, and furnished the program for two other clubs The club held two Ladies Nights Hosted the LTG's Training for Club Officers in 1932 and 1933 Sent delegates to the Midwinter Conference, the District and International Conventions, entertained the District Governor and the LTG and put on one program on Kiwanis Education 1933 Besides continuing the crippled children's clinic and carrying on the case work as last year the club entertained 200 children at the county fair, gave another party to 428 under-privileged children and gave a Christmas dinner to 150 of them, turkey and everything, and sent them home with fruit, candy and toys Two Ladies Nights were held in the county, one at Hebron Church with fortv farmers as guests and another at New Hope The club cooperated with other civic clubs in the interest of proper highway markers, with the Knights of Pythias in bringing their convention to Staunton and with the Augusta Garden Club in beautifying the highways It celebrated Washington's birthday and Armistice Day, and it had programs on The Work of the Chamber of Commerce, Business and Religion, Bankruptcy, The New Banking Code and The NRA. The club hosted Harrisonburg and Charlottesville and sent a delegation to the Division Meeting at Lexington. It held a joint meeting with Rotary and it had a Thanksgiving program. The club attended the Membership Stabilization Meeting at Lexington, entertained the District Governor and the Lieutenant-Governor and sent delegates to the Mid-Winter Conference and to the District Convention. 1934 The Under-privileged Child Committee outlined a big program for the year A periodic dental clinic was' organized which treated the teeth of more than 150 children After the first clinic the patients were entertained at luncheon An all-day picnic was given to 1100, boys and girls of the city and county at the park 1700 under-privileged children were carried to the county fair in trucks, given free rides and a grandstand show, and 180 children were given a real Christmas dinner and were sent home with toys, candy and fruit. A program was given on Vocational Guidance with a visiting speaker. Washington's Birthday and Armistice Day were celebrated The club entertained the remaining Confederate Veterans of the county at luncheon It aided other organizations in finding jobs for the unemployed It entered a float in the Autumn Festival Parade and it had programs on The Work of the Legislature, Crime and Its Prevention and the FHA Held a joint luncheon with Rotary and the Chamber of Commerce in bringing Lowell Thomas into the community in the interest of the Shenandoah Valley, Incorporated. The club was host to Charlottesville and Harrisonburg during Inter-Club Week. The club held a Ladies Day Picnic in the country Had a golf match with Rotary, entertained the District Governor and sent delegates to the International Convention. 1935 The dental clinic was continued, serving 120 children and the crippled child clinic served 59 The usual Christmas party was given for under-privileged children, more than 200 being present Supplies were furnished for a Christmas dinner for the inmates of the colored orphans home In connection with other civic organizations an egg hunt for approximately 3,000 children was held on Easter Monday, and the remaining eggs were sent to the orphanage Talks on Clean Speech, Clean Living, and Good Citizenship were given in the city and county high schools Two meetings were held in different parts of the county with ladies present Aided in promoting a safe and sane Fourth of July celebration, sponsored the exhibition of a safety film and aided in the Welfare League drives for funds It had programs on The State Chamber of Commerce, The F H A, The Social Security Act, The State Liquor Laws, juvenile Laws, Juvenile Crime, The Ethiopian War and Local History The club visited Charlottesville and in return was host to Charlottesville The club entertained the LTG and District Governor Held several Kiwanis Educational Meetings, and was represented at the Mid-Winter Conference, the International and District Conventions and the Division Meeting 1936 The club held a bazaar for the benefit of its under-privileged child work It fostered a summer camp for 50 girls and 50 boys for two weeks, each in a camp loaned by one of its members and spent $100 on making this possible It entertained 250 under-privileged children at a Christmas supper at which the ladies were present and gave the children presents It boosted the formation of an Empty Stocking Club Sent food to poor families, presents to sick children, and to the colored orphans home Held annual egg hunt for children on Easter Monday, in cooperation with other civic organizations One farmers meeting was held Entertained the city officials and it had programs on Better Government, City Beautification, The Secondary Schools, Community Welfare, Public Health, Public Education, Organized Recreation, The Medical Needs of the Community, The History of Electric Lighting, The History of the Railroads, Modern Communication, Highway Safety, Religion in Life, and The Situation in Europe Sent delegations to Harrisonburg and Lexington Put on a program at Clifton Forge Had two Ladies Nights and two joint Ladies Nights with Rotary Kiwanis and Rotary adopted a plan of having one man from each club present at the weekly meeting of the other Celebrated Kiwanis Anniversary, held two Kiwanis Education Meetings, entertained the LTG and was represented at the Mid-Winter Conference, the International and the District Conventions and was host to the LTG's School for Club Officers The new president trained his officers and committee chairmen The club invited the District Convention to come to Staunton in 1937 1937 On Easter Monday a total of 5,000 children from the city and county were given free movies in the morning and taken to an egg hunt in the afternoon, through the cooperation of the other civic organizations, the club taking care of 350 deaf and blind children from the state school The club kept one boy in high school Its dental clinic took care of the dental need of 59 Five pairs of glasses were furnished and milk was purchased for an indigent family In order to make possible a Christmas party for 215 under-privileged children the club met twice without luncheon (the luncheon fee going to buy food and toys) A church loaned its social room and dishes and the members of the club cooked and served the supper The Boys' and Girls' Work Committee formed a Junior Kiwanis Club of underprivileged boys, paying the remainder of their Y M C A fees providing each boy earn one dollar of the fee, The committee met with these boys on Saturdays taking them for hikes in the country The club had a Junior Kiwanis Day with these boys as guests and the boys put on the program This committee arranged a program on the Youth of Today and arranged a community Fourth of July program The club aided the Y in its effort to secure summer playgrounds The club had a program on The Duties of Citizens in Peace and in War Celebrated Thrift Week, Washington's Birthday, St Patrick's Day, Shenandoah Valley Day, Easter, Memorial Day, and Armistice Day It assisted the Salvation Army Drive, discussed the Community Chest idea and aided the Y drive It had programs on The History of the Telephone, Radio Broadcasting, The Industrial Development in the Community, The State Program of Educational Legislation, Safety, Public Utilities, and The Establishment of a Syphilis Clinic Sent a delegation to Roanoke on the occasion of the visit of the International President, and was host to the Division Meeting held at AMA Held two Ladies Nights, a joint meeting with the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary at the Fair The club had three meetings on Kiwanis Education, entertained the District Governor and the LTG, was represented at the Mid-Winter Conference and the International Convention, and was host to the District Convention and to the Division Training School for Club Officers 1938 The club held a series of dental clinics through the year and had one program put on in which children benefited by the clinic were present and took part It supported the community camp project, put on an Easter Egg hunt for 3,000 children, and a Fourth of July picnic with games for 4,000 children The club met on December 19 and 26 without luncheon and with the money thus saved furnished a Christmas supper for 200 underprivileged children, the members of the club cooking and serving the meal, and gave a party with toys and candy for 300 children at the School for the Blind and Deaf The club sponsored a junior Kiwanis Club It furnished this club with a number of band instruments The juniors put on two programs for the club and furnished the music with their band The club had a Playground program, with the staff of the Playground and a hundred children present The Vocational Guidance committee was responsible for 40 talks on vocations and character building in the city and county schools, and had one program at which 20 children told the club their reactions to the talks Organized a Citizens Committee which raised $10,000 for a Playground Held two Ladies Nights, a stag party at Marsh's Camp with horse shoe pitching, contests, and swimming, a joint meeting with Rotary and Exchange at the Fair, and attended an inter club meeting at Waynesboro Entertained the LG, represented at the Mid Winter Conference, the International and District Conventions 1939 The club furnished glasses for seven children and sent six to the Dental Clinic On the meeting day nearest to Christmas, the club dispensed with its regular luncheon The funds thus saved and the services of the members were used to put on a great Christmas Party for 27 underprivileged children The entire party from the cooking to the serving of the food and the putting on of the program was in direct charge of members of the club who did the work themselves For this dinner the club furnished 68 pounds of hamburger, 50 pounds of hot dogs, 700 rolls, 70 qts of beans, 400 slices of ice cream, and 40 gallons of milk At the close of the dinner, Santa Claus appeared and took charge of the remainder of the program When this was finished, the club went directly to the Virgiiiia School for the Deaf and Blind, distrihuting candy, nuts, apples, and orange to the 300 ininates, and thence to the Colored Orphanage where a like treat was given to 60 colored children The club put on an Easter Egg Hunt which was taken part in by 3,000 children It also had a prograin featuring the work of junior Kiwanis Lee jackson Day was celcbrated with 3 out of the 4 remaining Confed¬erate veterans, the count whose ages were all over 90 years present as hon¬ored guests The club had joint meetings with the Chamber of Commerce and Rotary Was visited by the LG, was represented at the Mid winter Conference, The International and the District Conventions, the Training School for club Officers, and one of member was elected to serve as LG for the next year 1940 Contributed money to the community camp, paid for the memberships of 10 boys in the YMCA and gave the usual Christmas Party to approximately 300 children Arranged for 4 prominent speakers to talk to High School students on Honor, Thrift, Character, etc, and it arranged conferences for 200 High School students who wished advice with regard to various vocations The club received the LG banner from Waynersboro, sent a delegation and plague to Harrisonburg, the occasion of the District Governor visit The plague came from Covington The club celebrated Kiwanis Anniversary, with all former members of the club as guests, and All Kiwanis Week It was represented at tile Mid Winter Conference, the International and District Convention, the Training School for Club Officers, and celebrated its own Charter Night The club furnished the LG for the year, 1941
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