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Show f Our llritn& THneiyi proved eould scrr Although Brigham Citys history had been greatly influenced by women and they had been banded together in the Relief Society and in other civic activities, it wasnt until March 22, 1906, that the first womens club was organized and it the name Civic Improvement Club in 1909. Although an organization for women, the club was orginally an outgrowth of the Box Elder Commercial club which had begun in 1904 to function primarily as a chamber of commerce but also was a social money-makin- g Joins Federation The club also joined the Utah Federation of Womens clubs, taking the name Civic Improvement Club officially at that time. The emphasis on sanitation continued under Mrs. Andrew Neffs term, with prizes given to youngsters who cleaned up their yards. The club also assisted in starting a youth gymnasium project in the basement of Knudsens store on Main street. Mrs. Marion W. Dunn was president for the next three years and continued the sanitary project. She was followed by Mrs. B. F. Boothe in 1912-1at which time the club helped to establish a kindergarten in the old Methodist Church building on First East. (In 1915 another club, The Kindergarten Club, was organized by mothers working for kindergartens. It is now known as the Ladies Community club.) 22nd. of object project and helped to finance many worthwhile projects. Due to changing times and seeing greater social needs in the community, the project was discontinued in 1951 after serving its purpose for over 40 years. Next president of the club was Mrs. Wynn L. Eddy, and the club was asked to decorate the city for Peach Days, responding with banners flying. On Feb. 13, 1906, a Valentines Day gesture of the board of governors of the Commercial club passed a resolution asking that the "wives and lady friends of members be invited to organize an auxiliary. The club was first mentioned in the local press in the March 15, 1906, issue of the Box Elder News as follows: The committee appointed by the Commercial Club to organize and perfect a Ladies Auxiliary to the Box Elder Commercial Club has been hard at work during the past week. Those on the committee are Mrs. J.D. Call, Mrs. F.W. Fishburn, Mrs. Wynn L. Eddy, Mrs. E.W. Dunn, Miss Olive Eddy and Miss Sarah Ward. They have made a house to house canvas in the homes of all club members and extended a special invitation to the ladies to meet with them in a little social function which will be given in the clubrooms on Thursday the at Home Editor Norman Lee added his own comments, If the women who compose the wives and lady friends of members of the club would covenant to do their shopping exclusively in this city, they would furnish the incentive to at least two or three home merchants to carry a high grade lines of ladies furnishings. Whether that object was their foremost concern or not, the ladies did take the matter of organizing a club seriously and rated a front page story in the issue of March 29, 1906, telling of the organization meeting and getting the editors praise: About forty ladies of this city met last Friday in the Commer- cial Club rooms to effect an organization, a ladies auxiliary to the Commercial Club. Mrs. Lulu B. Call was appointed temporary chairman and Olga K. Lee temporary secretary. F. W. Fishburn was present and talked to ladies as to the ttowm One of the citys leading social occasions was begun by the club in its first two years, also, in the form of the Civic Ball which was also a great nature. Shop WDomeini t Hosted Convention In 1913, with Mrs. A.M. Mer-re- ll as president, the club hosted the first state federation convention with meetings in the new Third Ward building and the tabernacle. While Mrs. L.W. Holst was the club president in 1914-1- 5 began a movement for sidewalks and culverts in addition to a continued push for city sanitation. Houseflies were a continual source of contamination in the city, and in 1916 the club began a fly eradication program during the presidency of Mrs. Eliza Hansen. Children were given free show tickets for each 100 flies killed and fly breeding areas were cleaned. Mrs. Orson Hudson carried on this cam paign, as well as spearheading a community musical production. World War I was at its height during the presidency of Mrs. Joseph A. West, and the club suspended its social activities and refreshments to give all its time to the Red Cross. This was also the time of the great flu epidemic when all public meetings were cancelled in the community to help halt the spread of disease, so club meetings were sporadic. Tabernacle Lights In 1920 the club sponsored a pie hop to raise funds for lighting the tabernacle at night, with Mrs. W. L. Lowe as president. Again the club turned its attention to health matters, and it was under the presidency of Mrs. Dan Petersen in 1919-2- 0 that they campaigned for a school nurse. In her term an invitation to again meet in the Chamber of Commerce rooms, free of charge, was received and accepted by the club officers. This was a wise move on the part of the men, for the club bought new curtains, installed a kitchen, and remodeled and decorated the rooms at their own expense through the years. Under Mrs. A. L. Stout the club helped in entertaining old folks and sponsored home talent programs. With Mrs. Wynn L. Eddy in another term (1921-22- ) as president, the club officially adopted the Christmas tree pro- ject. The clubs use of the Chamber of Commerce rooms must not have been completely satisfac- tory, for the club began a sinking fund for a clubhouse in 1922-2- 3 under the presidency of Mrs. C.H. Bryan. They also aided the maternity bundles program. Money to finish the tabernacle lighting was raised in Mrs. Frank Holmans term, and the club also served dinner to some 200 students touring Duckville. 25th Anniversary Mrs. W. L. Holst wrote a club history for the 25th anniversary and sent it to the Federated Club convention in Atlantic City. With Mrs. J. B. Thompson as president, the club jointly produced a play Confusion with the Kindergarten club. their ogranization, which was to work for the good of the community in all ways. They agreed to start the organization and elected the first slate of officers which included Mrs. Minnie H. Jensen, president; Mrs. Marion W. Dunn, vice president; Mrs. Olga K. Lee, secretary; Mrs. C. O. Christensen, assistant secretary; and Miss Rliza Hansen, BOX Purchases Paintings When Mrs. J. Leo Nelson was the literary president in 1931-3- program was expanded to include an art and music section, with the club purchasing two Rosenbaum paintings to hang in the clubrooms. Mrs. Frank Hinckley continued the clubs health projects in addition to again establishing a kindergarten. The next year Mrs. C. B. Stratford spearheaded the drive for weekly garbage pickup in the city, as well as helping to landscape the new high school gymnasium. New draperies for the clubrooms were an added project during the presidency of Mrs. Orville Merrell along with continuation of the clubs usual activities. Improvements of vacant lots and gardens was a special concern under Mrs. J. Wesley Horsley, as was the health program in 1936. CENTENNIAL FLOAT "Hats off to Utah" won themed sweepstakes for the club NECKLACE was the title of a melodrama Civic for 938 a Improvement club birthday parpresented ty as club members Alice Harmon and Leah Fishburn (front); Leona Reese, Mabel Christensen and Fern Brown dressed up for the comic roles. "THE FATAL 1 Noal Summer began book reviews for teenage girls, but moved to Salt Lake City and left club responsibilities to Mrs. Chester Hamilton. The club also sponsored a cancer drive, and continued entertainment of Bushnell Hospital patients until the hospital closed. Under Mrs. Harry Bloom, the club also continued its emphasis on youth programs and cancer control. Mrs. Theron B. Lee was president in 1948 when the club promoted the crusade for starving children in Europe, continued its youth programs, and helped with the lighting of the tabernacle grounds. When Mrs. Elma Klitgaard was president in 1949, she toured the Navajo reservation along with other officials as the Intermountain school was being organized. The club collected 3,000 coathangers for Intermountain school, and contributed to new uniforms for BEHS band members. Mrs. W. H. Griffiths was president in 1950 and the club continued with the tabernacle lighting project and organ fund, and assisted with the Teen Canteen. Meetings were changed to the War Memorial Home in 1951-5- 2 when Mrs. Orson Christensen was president and the club also presented the first nurses scholarship, wrote letters and read to sick children at Intermountain school. Civic Improvement club, with Mrs. Zenos Earl as president in the ladies were invited to form an auxiliary; they took the idea and proved that a group of dedicated women could be a major force in civic improvement. 60s. when it finally became a real- ity. Mrs. Roy L. Thompson was president of the club during its 50th anniversary years, and the club planned a special celebration in honor of the occasion. It also proposed to plant 50 peace roses on the tabernacle grounds in commemoration of the special anniversary. It was noted at that time that a grand total of $13,851.86 had been used by the club in various community projects during which those first 50 years didn't count the many volunteer hours that multiplied the value of those funds greatly. Projects have been varied, with the club continuing to support the nursing home dream which finally became reality with a groundbreaking in 1962. The emphasis on art continued and the club sponsor art teas and school poetry contests, along with a posture parade in the high school. They pushed for school safety, lighting in public parks, and club member Mrs. R. N. Price worked diligently to have every family own and fly a flag and to obtain flags to decorate Main street on holidays. Community Center Toward the end of the 60s a project took shape in the minds of community leaders, including members of the Civic that of a Improvement club center for senior citizens, youth, Mrs. Nels Jensen . . charter president Mrs. Wynn . . L. Eddy served two terms and communitywide events. The club lent its full support to the project, and the result was the community center where the club has held its meetings ever since on the fourth Thursday of each month. Continuing its service into the (KUnKE nmiSMTrav-TOiii- uw mimmQ helped to organize the Women's Legislative council in addition to its regular projects. Mrs. Raymond Daines was when the president in 1953-5club purchased a television set for the teen cantfeen, paid for the rebuilding and refinishing of the piano in the War Memorial Home, and supported various welfare projects. During the term of Mrs. Norwood Hycr in 1954-5the club started working on the promotion of u home for the elderly in Box Elder county and raised funds to help furnish the fueility MULTI-SPEE- LARGE CAPACITY WASHER Filter-Fl- o system traps lint Four cycles including Permanent Press Regular Price $389 95 LESS SALE $ A A00 4U DISCOUNT YC'J PAY ,34995 QUALITY-BUIL- T AUTOMATIC DRYER Four drying selections Normal, Permanent at Press, Delicate and Fluff Five cycle selections 25 DIAGONAL COLOR TELEVISION 100 Solid-Sta- te chassis Black Matrix. picture tube system One Touch Color Cabinet of System hardwood solids with side and top panels of simulated woodgrain composition board and decorative drawer panel of simulated woodgrained molded polymers. Regular Price $259.95 LESS SALE DISCOUNT YOU PAY $4A00 ZU 649 239 1952-5- j 4 5 I long way from that day Appearing on the float was Geraldine Thompson, daughter of Mr, and Mrs. R. L. Thompson; while pages were John Peters, son of Mr. and Mrs. Milton Peters; and Dee Ward, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ed Ward. After 50 Years The club embarked upon its second half of a century under the leadership of such presidents as Mrs. Orval Sackett, Mrs. G. B. Pett, Mrs. Alf L. Freeman, Mrs. Howard S. Mills, Mrs. Lloyd Davis, Mrs. Clyde Glover, Mrs. Fred L. Petersen, Mrs. Lewis Olsen, ' Mrs. Roy F. Barnard, Mrs. Verl L. Petersen, Mrs. A. Gordon Lilac Hedge A project that still lends its Felt, Mrs. A. Calvin Jenson in the late 50s and decade of the to and beauty spring fragrance Brigham City was undertaken by the club in 1937-3- 8 with the purchase of lilac bushes to be planted at the city cemetery. Mrs. C. V. Forsgren was club president at the time, and the group also hosted the federated clubs convention. Mrs. W. H. Gleave was president during the next year, and the club again gave a living gift to the community through planting blue spruce trees at Lincoln and Central schools. Mrs. Mont Harmon is given credit for beginning a kitchen project at the clubrooihs, which was continued in the terms of Mrs. Mack Fishburn and Mrs. Norm Jensen. Suddenly the country was at war again. The club united in an effort to bring the federal hospital to Brigham City. During those war years the club conducted salvage drives, sold bonds and stamps, presented magazines and gifts to Bushnell hospital, donated funds to the hospital, Red Cross and USO, as well as assisting in many other ways. Mrs. Vosco Call, Mrs. Fred Sorenson, Miss Mabel Start Council I Its a in 1906 when the 1947 Peach Days parade. in MIAMI R Mf MBfRS of Civic Improvement club honored at the club's 1952 birthday R. ifi lo'fo'f Mri f.liot los T Anderson, the first president Mrs. Nels Jensen, and Mrs. that sinro of ho ve time. 'til vliom passed away ii, 12" DIAGONAL BLACK A WHITE TELEVISION To see The New Naturals, from General Electric! Starting now, GE maior appliances come in six soft, natural colors for you to mix or match. Almond; Onyx; Fresh Avocado; Harvest Wheat; Coffee, Snow. Yet, new as they are, you don't have to redecorate to enjoy them. The New Naturals harmonize beautifully with whatever brands and colors you already own. AC-D- C Plays on 1 2 volt battery power or regular AC house current. (Ex- THE TV NEW ternal battery pack not 100 Solid included) State High impact plastic cabinet Cigarette lighter cord and earphone included HjRALS W". Dials) FUMTURMPPLIAMS - C&RPET 69 South Main THE STORE THAT SERVICE BUILT Brigham City d 200-plu- After the War -- poit drug-relate- With war ended, Mrs. Albert by-la- w I strong, Mrs. Reed Burke, Mrs. Leland W. Ward, and at present by Mrs. Lyle Stoner as president. Projects have included cases for the museum-galler- y (which provide exhibit space above and closed space below for the record books of some 70 years of the club activities), furnishings for the public library, support of the AFS student program, promotion of environmental causes among youth, a nurses scholarship, elementary school poetry contest, and high school art contest. Presently the club is turning its attention to education and treatment of alcohol and problems in addition to its regular ongoing projects. On Saturday, March 26, the s clubs members will gather at the community center to celebrate a special occasion: the 71st birthday of Brigham Citys oldest womens club. Bennion served as presidents during those years. appointed to draft some s for the new club: Mrs. Wynn L. Eddy, Mrs. W. H. Glover, Mrs. L. Berg, Mrs. C. O. Anderson, and Miss Bodel Thompson. The next meeting was set for April 12 to hear the report of the committee. IMkl Brigham City, Utah Thursday, March 24, 1977 JOURNAL, 1970s, the club has been served by Mrs. Leon C. Packer, Mrs. J. Oleen Palmer, Mrs. Marilyn Miller, Mrs. Byron K. Arm- supported the idea strongly. The club also continued to give to the school milk and playground funds. Mrs. J. W. Peters urged building another section of the park grandstand in 1929, with the club also offering prizes for beautiful gardens. The garden contest and milk program continued under Mrs. Louis O. Bowen in 1930, as well as sponsoring a child culture course. A literary section was added to the club. ELDER Christensen and Mrs. Glenn treasurer. A committee ofvfive was First Project The new club swung into action immediately with a petition to the city council to keep the cows off Main street, and launched a continued drive to clean up the street and keep it clean. During the holiday season they decorated the evergreen tree on the courthouse lawn for the first time, with Mrs. Jensen serving the first two terms as president during these projects. In 1926 the club took a firm stand to prohibit tourists from using the lavatories at Central school while they camped on the grounds, and urged the building of tourist facilities. Each year the club built a Peach Days float, and it is noted that the float cost $3.65 to build that year. Mrs. LeRoy Young was president. During the term of Mrs. John M. Burt the club held a benefit card party and raised $50 for a free health clinic; redecorated a home for a better homes show, and gave $25 for light fixtures for the Girls Home. There was hope that a junior college would be located in Brigham City in 1928, and Mrs. George Anderson as president 723-525- 8 |