The National tribune., 1884-07-24
MRS. sHERwooD's REPORT.
The Gratifying Growth Of the Wonian's Relief
Corps in the Vest
OFFICE OF SENIOR PRESIDENT,
TOLEDO o. July l5 1884.
e. FLORENCE BARKrR.

TOLEDO, o.. July Is, 1884.
e. FLORENCE BARKER,
National President. woman's Relief Corps:
! have the honor TO make the first annual report
of the Viee-President, Woman's Relief Corps. For
the year ending July Is, 1884, have sent out 263
applications for charter, with instructions in or
genization; have written 500 personal letters
on ReiiefCorps work; issued three sets of general
circulars; have directly through my immediate
assistants, instituted 80 Relief Corps and five State
Departments have received 500 letters for the
Woman's Department, NATIONAL TRIBUNE, ac-
knowledging many of these by postal or letter and
answering questions according to my information,
after receiving from you official decision. OF
applications sent out, 20S were upon applications
received through the Woman's Department of THE
NATIONAL TRIBUNE and it is gratifying to report
that of that number fully fourffths have reported
organization and work; Others are forming, and
only two or three have reported temporary dis
enlargement, but the intention to go with their
work at some future time. 1t has been my care,
as far possible, to follow up each society form
ing and TO render such aid and encouragement as
was possible at the distance we were removed from
each other.
at Denver you asked me 20 "look after the
West" Upon returning and looking over the sit
uation, became convinced that the West was a
mighty territory to cover. therefore asked that
| be made Chief Instituting and Installing Oflcer
for the States of Ohio, Indiana Illinois, and Michi
gan, with the power to take such steps and ap-
point such assistants as might be necessary the
work. The appointment was granted, coupled
with the general discretionary power, under Off
cial sanction to extend my labors into other States
and Territories, as the demand might arise, or as
might have the time TO give for the same. This
seemed necessary, as with the rush, after Denver,
Tor the first six months, we were all very Hard
pressed 10 supply information and service fast
| enough.
The plan of work proposed for myself has been
carried out, though it has been less in its accom-
pshment bIan it was hoped, owing to the fact that
the time wSs limited which came to me for Relief
| Corps work. This plan threefold: o. to call
| upon the Auxiliary Societies, working under the
Toledo plan, to reorganize; ~ 10 communicate
| with Department and Post Commanders partieu-
! larly with those to whom / had the pleasure of
| talking Relief Corps after Denver and upon our
! Rocky Mountain excursion; 81 20 continue my
1 charge of the Womans Department of THE Ma
| TIoNAL TRIBUNE, temporarily assumed, through
/ the recommendation of Commander-in-Chief Van
Dervoort, and to do what ! could 10 create an in
terest among the Posts by the publication of letters
| and communications from comrades all over the
country, who had tried the experiment Of Relief
Corps and found II success. To THE NATIoSAL
| TRIBUNE, which had made the National Relief
Corps living possibility, TO its readiness to supply
printed instructions and 10 give much Of its val
/ liable space TO Relief Corps records, coupled with
! its ringing editorials upon the necessity and the
value of woman's work In the g. A. r., must be
attributed largely the success that has crowned
efforts everywhere. And mere cordial recog-
milton has been made OF this than by the National
President herself
| Ny first care upon returning from Denver, early
| In August, was TO place myself IN direct cornInu-
nicailon with the Ohio Auxiiiaries, asking them
to take their places among the charter Relief Corps
! of the Buckeye State. This was not done without
| some apprehension, since l well aware OF
their partiality for open meetings as, like Forsyth
Auxiliary OF Toledo, they were all working the
| Toledo plan. At Denver had made applications
for charters for these Au1liaries conditional upon
their reorganization and had the happiness TO see
| Forsyth, Toledo, take her place No /, Depart
meDt OF Ohio. without dissenting vote. Ford Aux
ilisry, Toledo declined, after due deiiberaton, TO
organize. as did Mccoy Auxiliary. Columbus while
few others are still hating between two opnious
Six Auxaries came forward TO claim their num-
bers as charter Eorps-viz., Robert L. McCook,
| Carthage Tod. Youngstown; Canton, Canton; /;
Stout, Fayette; Brint and Mcbride Richfied These
! Corps were speedily mustered, and have formed
| strong missionary centers throughout the State /;
while among the 80 Relief Corps, numbered by the
Department OF Ohio to date, numbers of stanch
Auxiliaries all bound together by stronger and truer
ties than possible under their independent or
glniZation.
Correspondence was not confined to the Ohio
| Auxiliarles but extended to Michigan, Pennsyl-
! yania Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, Kansas, Colo
| RADIO and California, and in all these States the
| Anxiliaries came promptly with the Order. Some
I OF these hesitated about reorganizing upon the
grounds that they would lose the records they had
| made III their years Of work But this has been
| obviated with Forsyth, Toledo, which gives Its
date of organization March, 1879 an Auxiliary,
reorganization q Relief Corps, November, 1855,
the date Of initiation
From my memorandum book kept at Denver and
upon Rocky Mountain trip, the names Of De-
| partmert Commanders and others interested IN the
Relief Corps were taken. and the information they
asked was forwarded In nearly all instances the
promise extended 10 do personal work IN their own
Post, or Department, has been kept. The Last 70
report organization was Col. Sterrett, y. e.,
Custer Post, St Joseph, No True TO a soldiers
word the loyal ladies OF the western border OF Mis-
souri are enrolled, and viii be represented al
the minneapolis Convention. The Department
Commanders personally addressed were @. l.
Clarke. Ohio; II. 7. Harper, Illinois; o. a. James
Michigan; r. j. Anderson, through Fl. V. Deven-
dorf, Kansas, and Phil. Cheek jr., Wisconsin. Col
Carnahan, of Indiana, was not addressed by me foi
the reason that Indiana was represented N con-
ven.ion at Beaver, by delegates from an Auxiliary
Department, who had promised to lead of in thf
| work IN that State Not until they had declined Il
go on owing to dissatisfaction with the terms
Of reconstruction. was the work taken UP by my
self in behalf of National Headquarters. With tht
Ill.
Howe. Of Toledo, in April last, new interest has
sprung up IN that state.
From the Commanders whose names are record
ed. most cordial and efficient aid given, anf
my request that in their annual addresses the i'm
portance Of te formation of Relief Corps be urged
upon the Posts granted aud presented IN tsrm
to excite the warInest gratitude. Col. Check, 0
Wisconsin, following the honored example OF thS
honOTed Communicating Gblef of the Grand Army
made the recommendation part OF his first Gen
efal Order after Denver, and Gen James, OF MieiIi
gan embodied it III his General Order con vening ti
Department in annual meeting at Detroit, Januar!
8 -, 1851 The result ci my conference with Gen
James a call, issued by me TO the Relief Corp
OF Michigan, TO meet at Detroit simulisneoasl,
with the Department. and form a State Department
present Al the meeting and met III open ses
4 sion many comrades and loyal ladies Interested
D but, bat few regular delegates were present. j
was deemed best 10 adjourn the meeting 70 Lans
ing. the State Capital TO date TO be fixed later
Accordingly, another call was issued for April 9
when Lois Z. $. Hoibrooke, of Toledo, was presen
s aud conducted the meeting. Col Rush j. Shank
a | Of Lansing, having been elected Department Com
! nander at Detroit, has proved stanch friend {
the Relief Corps as his popular predecessor and il
2 his General Orders following the Encampment com
Il nlendcd Loyal Woman's Work and the establish
nlent ola Corps IN connection with every Post Lans
!, ing had already pledged herself 10 the work. an
Mrs Shank President Of the large and flourish
Ing Corps, Charles T. Foster, at that place. II wa
most proper that she be elected Department Pres
}, dent which Office she is Cling with zeal and credi
n For valuable assistance in Michigan am indebte
s. to Corrade ". L. Smith, editor OF the Hetera,
which has column devoted to the Relief Corps {
that State
y Tie Department Of Kansas through Col H.
DeVendori A. A. G.. jealous from the first AM
e through the active and unceasng encouragement
Of the Department and the comrades Kansas stand
close to Ohio in the number and influence of Corr
u formed and rapid growth aud development Wi
s. consin promises well, Department having bee
n formed June z with Clara b. Sloane az Presden
o. and which was Instituted by the Department Con
naander Some OF the most inspiritng letters CON
,, from the Wisconsin Corps.
r BY special request, the Department Commando
CO OF Ohio, Michigan and Illinois were appointed
N Conference Committee from the Eneampment
= confer with the ladies assembled. Gov Richard
= Ogesby, of Illinois, was appointed by Col Harp,
III to bead the Conference Committee in that Stat
70 The Committee visited the ladies ut their hall
Decaaur, June 80. when the Department W.
formed, and gave them cordial Endorsement All
Godspeed In their work. Lois l.. S, Hoibrooke
In Toledo, instituted the Department. julia G. Sin
10 of Rockford who had been serving as Institutir
= Officer, elected President. The officers of q
Relief Corps with the Institnting officer were /,
u yted TO seats the platform Ill the Encau1pmel
CT Campfire. Gov. Oglesby and Gen. Bcath Con
Id mander-in-Chicf, were both eloquent in their al
n peals for Loyal Womans Work, and Mrs Ho
4, brooke was given an opportunity TO speak for Il
!, Relief Corps, an honor and privilege duly appr
r. ciated BY ms all.