History

Americus Junior Service League

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Something Southern... Then and Now

Our New Cookbook!!!

A Look at Our History

The first scribed notes of the charter member of the Junior Service League began with..." Our Welfare League was organized...".

Welfare was the motivating word which drew twenty young matrons into a frenzy of plans and activities which had but one aim...hleping others. Despite an active membership roll which has tripled and a budget magnified many time, the group continues today in the direction set by its innovative predecessors.

The League was organized November 30, 1937, at the former home of Mrs. Charles Lanier, 155 Taylor Street.

In its infancy, the league's primary concern was the Negro hospital which required many hours of service from members in addition to the sizable funds which were poured into its maintenance and improvement.

In January of 1944, the League undertook a project which would have tremendous impact upon community activities for many years to come. A Youth Center was opened in the then unoccupied Taylor Street Grocery building. Soon, the need for ping pong tables and a band "for Saturday night" were problems rivaling those of acquiring adequate bandages and operating room equipment for the colored hospital.

But always there were money-making projects with League members pouring their hearts into every conceivable kind of effort-from Follies to cooking schools. The community responded with support of the League girl's newest scheme for "making money" to be applied to the needs of those around them.

A dental clinic begun in 1947 which was to function for may years as a source of dental care for children whose parents were unable to provide it. Local dentists volunteered their services. The Negro hospital had gradually become more self-sufficient with the League providing help when necessary.

In 1953, the Kate Witte Home on South Lee Street was opened as a residence for the elderly, co-sponsored by the League and Rock of Ages Corporation.

League girls continued to dance in Follies, wear aprons to advertise their cooking schools and urge friends to attend charm schools - all sponsored to raise funds for their multiple project which always included extensive welfare aid for needy families.

A Cookbook of Americus Recipes was published by the League in 1956 which became very popular, and following a later revision, has continued to be sold nationwide.

In 1957, the School for Retarded Children became a service project of the League and later, the pediatric wing of the Americus and Sumter County Hospital plus the patients novelty cart. In 1960, a large contribution was given to the Community Center recreation project which the League has continued to support.

During 1962, the League conducted a mental health survey in Sumter County. As a result, a guidance center for Americus and Sumter County was organized at Georgia Southwestern College. The League contributed funds toward the establishment of the center in cooperation with the Mix Foundation and League girls served as volunteer workers in the clinic.

Member help administer the revolutionary oral polio immunization program in 1964.

On her death, Mrs. Emma Lee Knight left a bequest to the League to be set up as the Emma Knight Memorial Fund. The organizational meeting of the League in 1937 had been held in the house on Taylor Street which Mrs. Knight had resided in and owned at the time of her death.

Successful projects continued to enable the League to contribute to the community's growth with the antique shoes, a tour of homes, and a raffle sponsored during the period.

In 1965, an audio-visual committee was set up which supervised eye and ear tests for four elementary school grades in the city.

In 1967, responsibility for the city playground - which had been a League project for many years - was relinquished and other endeavors were undertaken such as organizing the Newcomers Club and entertaining at the South Georgia Nursing Home, Magnolia Manor, and Golden Age Club. A scouting program for the special education classes was adopted and later the children's theatre was presented annually in conjunction with the Sumter Players.

In 1973, the existing dental clinic was discontinued and the TOOTHKEEPER PROGRAM was implemented to provide preventive dentistry in the schools.

Members worked twice weekly at the Cancer Clinic at the Americus and Sumter County Hospital and assisted at the Sumter County Training Center.

In 1975, the name of the organization was changed to the Junior Service League which was believed to be more in keeping with the type of work being done by the group.

A highly successful attic sale was conducted by the League in 1976, a revision of the by-laws was completed and a new cookbook, "Something Southern", was published to be sold concurrently with the earlier book.

Cultural enrichment programs in the elementary schools and craft classes at Magnolia Manor are examples of the wide scope of services offered by the League in 1976.

A record profit on a project of $16,000.00 was realized from our newest cookbook, "Something Southern" in 1977. We purchased "Dial-a-Story" for our Lake Blackshear Library.

1978 brought continued support to the Sumter County Recreation Program and "two" successful projects, a Cooking School and Champagne Dinner Fashion Show. Our community services included a cultural arts "mini-series", Magnolia Manor craft classes, and tutoring at Eastview School which proved worthwhile and rewarding to all involved.

In 1979, we sponsored a successful "Puppetry Arts Program" for all local 5th graders, over 400 children, in our Cultural Arts Service. We continued our service in tutoring. We also began working with patients in the Psychiatric Wing of the hospital.

"Dial-a-Story, after two years had received 58,000 completed calls, and support was given to Girl Scout Troop No. 119 along with our Toothkeeper Program.

In 1981 and 1982, we continued our service in tutoring and puppetry arts. Our mental health service included psychiatric patients at the hospital and the Day Treatment Center. Our ways and means project of Apple Annie was highly successful.

Our budget for 1982 was over $20,000.00 thanks to its success. The third edition of "Something Southern" was printed.

The League girls kept the ball rolling in 1983 with the expansion in many areas. Over 1,500 students were reached by our cultural arts committee and the clothes closet was formed after some of the girls saw a need in the community. The now familiar Apple Annie project realized a $10,000.00 profit.

Organization was the key in 1984 with the clothes closet in full swing aiding over 1,000 families and with the groundwork for the new cookbook being laid.

Work on our cookbooks intensified. 1985 found the League girls putting on weight from all the testing and tasting of recipes. The need for a puppet show about child abuse was met by the Education Committee.

The busiest year in the League's history was 1986, with each girl being asked to dig up talents she didn't know she had, so that the important work of the League could continue including the publishing of our new cookbook, "Unbearably Good." The members gave over 7,000 volunteer hours that year with over 3,000 of them being devoted to the new cookbook.

In 1987, the 50th Anniversary year of the Americus Junior Service League, there were many changes, The By-Laws were completely rewritten and changes were made to help the professional members feel more a part of the League. "Apple Annie" in its sixth year was the ways and means project, make a record setting profit of over $12,000.00!

(More to come!)