Miscellaneous Articles about the Forney Girl Reserves
Various Dates
Forney Girl Reserves
Forney Messenger, 1926
The Forney Girl Reserves who attended camp near Bachman’s Dam, Dallas, July 1926 were: Misses Alline Daugherty, Linn Griffin, Carolyn Rhea, Mildred Chapman, Lygia Trail and Ruth Edward.
SUNRISE BREAKFAST
A merry group of Girl Reserves met on the public square about five (5) o’clock last Thursday morning, July 18th, 1926 and motored to a small creek near Allen’s Chapel where a sunrise breakfast was enjoyed. They were chaperoned by Mrs. Joe H. Jones and Mrs. Lester Roland. After a large camp-fire had been built it was realized that the girls do know how to prepare a camp breakfast. Fruit, weiner’s rolls, lemonade and all that would make it perfect were had. Following breakfast, their voices were heard in song around the camp fire. The remaining part of the morning was spent visiting Mrs. Rufus Badingfield, (nee Agnes Ball) former president of the Forney local Girl Reserve Club, at her home near Rockwall.
The girls are looking forward to their next camp with much interest.
J.C. Griffin, and daugher, Frances, with Mattie Kincaid, visited the Girl Reserve Camp at Bachman’s Dam near Dallas Sunday afternoon.
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Forney Messenger, May 9, 1935
Miss Elizabeth Jones, of Forney, is the first counselor to be assigned for the annual Girl Reserve Blue Triangle Camp this summer, as announced by Miss Mary Elizabeth Griffith, executive secretary.
Miss Jones was in charge of the music in the camp last season.
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Forney Messenger, May 23, 1935
The Girl Reserves had a call meeting last Friday afternoon, May 17, 1935 for the purpose of electing officers for the coming yar. The following were elected:
President ——————– Jetta Jarrell
Vice-President ———— Margaret Lewis
Secretary ——————– Polly Pinson
Treasurer ——————– Virginia Yates
Other officers will be appointed next week. With the help of this new cabinet we hope to have the best Girl Reserve Club next year that we have ever had.
Camp folders have been distributed and we’re hoping to have a number of girls to attend camp.
The annual Girl Reserve Conference will be held at Glen Rose from Jun 2-12th. The president for the coming year and the advisor will attend. While some of our members will be away the rest of the club will carry on this summer. — Geraldine Trail.
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Forney Messenger, June 13, 1935
Misses Lois Pinson and Adele Criswell left Wednesday for Glen Rose where they will spend several days on an outing and camping trip with the Girl Reserves.
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Forney Herald, May 26, 1939
Installation Services For Girl Reserves
Candle lighting services for the installation of officers for the Girl Reserves were held Tuesday afternoon in the home economics living room.
The following officers were installed: President, Celestine Pinson; vice-president, Elizabeth Robertson; secretary, Doris York; and treasurer, Mavonne Trail.
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YOUNG WOMEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION AND
GIRL RESERVE CLUB 1924-1934
The Dallas District of the Young Women’s Christian Association had its beginning in Forney in the fall of 1924. Mrs. J.N. Andrews, a former Y.W.C.A. secretary and wife of J.N. Andrews, superintendent of the Forney public schools, 1921-1925, organized a “Be Square Club” in the High School of Forney in the fall of 1921. It was through her efforts that Miss Jewell Ross, National Y.W.C.A. secretary came to Forney and organized the adult Y.W.C.A, with the hope of organizing the Dallas District. The first public meeting was held in the basement of the Christian Church, and after some discussion a committee, consisting of members from each church represented, was appointed for the purpose of further conferring as to the advisability of this organization. A little later there was a meeting held in the home of Mrs. Frank Rhea and the organization was completed with the following officers: Mrs. Frank J. Bates, chairman; Mrs. Rhea Roddy, secretary; Mrs. George Riter, treasurer, Mrs. B.B. Hulsey, membership chairman; Mrs. E.M. Riggs, finance chairman; Mrs. W.A. Brooks, Jr., program chairman; Mrs. Dick Linn, service chairman. As this was the first and only unit in the district until Mar 11, 1925, the Dallas Y.W.C.A. furnished secretaries to keep the work alive in Forney, from December 1, 1924 to March 11, 1925. At that time Terrell was organized and soon Midlothian was brought into the district. The three towns then undertook to support the work of the organization. Miss Lula Mae Wagoner was the first secretary employed by the District Board. The Dallas District Board members were: President, Mrs. E.R. Alderson, Terrell; Secretary, Mrs. R.C. King, Midlothian; Treasurer, Mrs. Frank J. Bates, Forney; The District Chairmen were Program; Mrs. W.A. Brooks, Jr. Forney; Finance, Mrs. J.B. Roddie, Terrell; Membership, Mrs. James Oliver, Midlothian, Miss Wagoner was the general secretary for the district. These officers, and those that followed were responsible for the entire work of the district, which included the adult membership, the business and professional women’s clubs, and the Girl Reserve work.
Each unit has its separate organizations for the carrying forward of the work in the respective centers, the general secretary visiting each town at regular periods and giving valuable service to the local units. Dallas from the beginning contributed $1,500 per year towards the support of the work, until April 1932. The Dallas District included the following counties: Dallas, Denton, Collin, Hunt, Rockwall, Ellis, Van Zandt, Johnson, Navarro, and Kaufman.
Graham, in Young County, Texas and Ranger, of Eastland County, asked permission of the Dallas District Board to allow their entrance into the district until they could be organized into a district of their own. By general consent of the board, Gram came in, on November 3, 1926, and Ranger in September 1927, both going out in 1928.
Gainesville was organized November 3, 1927, Kaufman, November 14, 1927,; Kaufman was discontinued in 1930. Waxahachie came in September 28, 1928.
Miss Wagoner remained with the district for eighteen months. After her resignation Blanche Gilmore became the general secretary, with the following Girl Reserves secretaries: Mrs. Wink, Lone Wright, Fay Onnett, and Lucy Knapp. Misses Gilmore and Knapp resigned in 1930.
The district board then employed Lula Sasser as general secretary and Mable Ruth Strong as Girl Reserve secretary. On account of the depression it was necessary to dispense with the excellent services of Miss Strong, after one year. Miss Sasser then did the work of two women until July, 1933 when it was again necessary to resort to other methods of carrying on the work. For the past year, Waxahachie, Gainesville, Terrell and Forney have been carrying on the work with local women, and have held up remarkably well. The following district officers are at the local helm: Mrs. W.W. Leverett, of Gainesfille, president; A representative from Waxahachie, Vice president; Mrs. W.H. Barnes of Terrell, secretary, Mrs. George Riter of Forney, treasurer. These, with members of the Dallas Y.W.C.A. Board as advisors, hope to weather the financial storm, with the splendid co-operation of the workers in the Girl Reserve Clubs, in each town.
The following Forney women have served on the Dallas District Board during the years 1924-1934:
LOCAL CHAIRMAN: Mrs. Frank Bates, Mrs. Virginia Brooks, Mrs. J.T. Rhea, Mrs. E.M. Fowler, Mrs. Rhea Roddy, and Mrs. T.O. Gilkey.
LOCAL SECRETARIES: Mrs. Rhea Roddy, Mrs. W.E. Jones, Mrs. E.M. Fowler, Mrs. Charley Drake, Mrs. Arthur Pinson, and Mrs. Guyton McKellar.
LOCAL TREASURERS: Mrs. George Riter, Mrs. E.M. Riggs
District Girl Reserve Chairman from Forney were: Mrs. Rhea Roddy and Miss Elizabeth Jones. Miss Jones had the entire District Day program on her hands for 1934. She showed wonderful talent and executive ability. She was the sponsor also for the Forney girls during the year 1932-1934.
The District Treasurers, since the organization ten years ago have only been two: Mrs. Frank J. Bates, Forney 1924-1927 and Mrs. George Riter, Forney, 1927-1934.
Other towns in the district shared these responsibilities on the district board from year to year, as new local officers were elected. Always each town was represented on the board.
The annual adult membership teas in Forney were given in the following homes during the years of 1924-1933: Mrs. William H. Crawford (two); Mrs. Armstead Brooks (two), Mrs. James C. Reagin, Mrs. William A. Brooks, Mrs. E.M. Fowler, Mrs. Geo. Riter, and Mrs. Guyton McKellar.
Visitors of special prominence who attended these Teas were: Mrs. John Hanna, National president; Miss Jewell Ross, Miss Henrietta Rueloff, and Miss Anna Ruth Clark, National Secretaries. There were other national workers who visited Forney, but we fail to recall their names. Other visitors were: Mrs. E.R. Alderson, and Mrs. Ben Roberts, District Chairman, from Terrell; Mrs. Powell, District secretary, from Terrell, and ladies from Crandall, Mesquite, Waxahachie, Kaufman and other nearby towns.
During the years many homes in Forney were thrown open for monthly meetings of the Adult Young Women’s Christian Association, with refreshments served to forty and more members in attendance. The largest membership secured during the years were 102.
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GIRL RESERVES — 1924
At the beginning of the school term, 1924, the officers of the “Be Square Club” were: Bessie Taylor, president, Myrtle Roddy, Vice president, Juanita Mason, Secretary, Bobbie Lou Wall, Treasurer, Olive Chambers, Service Ch.; Marjorie Robison, program Ch., Myra Mills, Social Chairman.
In December 1924, the club was merged into the Dallas District of the Young Women’s Christian Association and took the name of Girl Reserve. To the above committee chairman list Frances Wilhoit was added as Ring Chairman.
Among the social events of the year 1924-1925 were: a New Year’s Watch Party; a Recognition Service; an Installation Service; a Valentine Party at Allie Dozier’s; a picnic in the Fleming pasture; Easter Vesper Service and a Father-Mother Banquet.
At the close of school May, 1925, the following officers were elected for 1925-1926: Agnes Ball, president; Helen Davis, vice president; Ruth Bailey, Secretary, Lorena Crittenden, treasurer, Alline Daugherty, service ch.; Allie Dozier, Social chairman, Juanita Mason, program ch., Myrtle Roddy, Ring chairman.
Misses Louise Dunn, Grace Ratcliff and Merly Van Meter, teachers in the high school did excellent work as advisors for the club. Some of the outstanding activities of the second years work were: a New Year’s Watch Party; a public recognition service, a membership tea; an Easter Vesper service; and a mother-father-daughter banquet with ninety five in attendance. Weekly meetings were held with programs including, inspirational, educational health and recreational features. Twenty of the girls began working for the Girl Reserve Ring, which is the insignia to be worn by a Girl Reserve and which is won after two years of consistant work along the lines of health, knowledge and spirit.
Miss Blanche Gilmore was made general secretary of the Dallas District in 1926, assisted by several Girl Reserve secretaries. Miss Gilmore was followed by Miss Sasser and Mable Ruth Strong.
Each year the Girl Reserves select a sponsor from the High School teachers. At the beginning of the third year’s work, 1926, Miss Amie Mansell was chosen. She was a sponsor for five years, until she resigned from her teaching position in May 1931. She was followed by Mrs. Claude Ribble who sponsored the club for one year. Miss Elizabeth Jones was chosen sponsor for the years 1932-1934.
At the head of the Girl Reserve cabinet is a president, who is elected annually. The presidents in order in which they served are: Bessie Taylor, Agnes Ball, Elizabeth Jones, Leona Belle Lewis, Eva Eudy, Ruth Edwards, Elizabeth Welch, Adelaide Criswell, Frances Jones and Mary Laura Lewis.
Many people do not know just what the Girl Reserves stand for and only those who have taken part in the work realize what it means to be a girl.
The purpose, “To find a give the best,” is the simplest manner of explaining just what it does mean. The slogan is “To face life squarely.” The code:
Gracious in manner
Impartial in judgment
Ready for service
Loyal to friends
Reaching toward the best
Earnest in purpose
Seeing the beautiful
Eager for knowledge
Reverent to God
Victorious over self
Ever dependable
Sincere at all times
G-I-R-L—-R-E-S-E-R-V-E
In practically every country there are girl circles in the Young Women’s Christian Association. They have different names in different lands, but all recognize the blue triangle as the symbol of a way of life which the young women accept and try to follow.
The Blue Triangle becomes more significant and valuable when it is understood and accepted as standing for continuous development and growth of body, mind and spirit of individual girls, to the end that each one may, day by day, and year by year, become more and more ready to meet her social responsibilities in the work in which she lives.
When the circle is placed around the triangle, it seems to represent the individuals world and responsibilities which she takes upon herself for developing and sharing her life.
The triangle and circle, combined and interpreted in such a way as this, picture an ideal fine enough for any human being to hold and pursue even to the end of life.
Contributed by Frances Jones, Forney, Texas
Note: For more information on the YWCA & Girl Reserves:
Girl Reserves at the Women and Social Movements in the US
Girl Reserves at Wikipedia
