Evening star., 1915-09-28
w. R. C. ANTEDATES ALL OTHER
ALLIED G. A. R. ORGANIZATIONS

1ations. for when the first gun was
fired upon Fort Sumter the women who
were loyal, regardless of whether they
had father. brother. husband or lover
in the troops which answered the cal
of President Lincoln. banded themselves
together in aid societies in the north
the east and the west.
Loyalty and anxiously these womer
worked during the war. sending aid tc
the men IN the field, in hospitals OIL
wherever they might be- Many of these
women went to the front and to the
hospitals.
Out of the aid societies came perma
nent organizations, and these were still
In existence when Paul Van der WORT
comma pder in chief of the Grand Army
of the Republic. foresaw that the vet
their help and devotion, and called
upon the societies to send representa-
tives to the encampment which was to
meet in Denver in 1888 30 form a per-
manent organization.
The women met elected officers. were
adopted by the Grand Army of the Re-
public. and left free to frame their con-
stitution and plan their work.
Since the organization there has been
paid out for the aid of veterans more
than s4.000,000. The report of the ma
tional treasurer at the last convention
showed total assets of S19,5l5.4i. with
no liabilities. There are about 1o6,oOO
members.
The womans Relief Corps was incor-
porated in 1903 by Sarah ID. Winans,
Jennie S. Wright. Kate r. Sherwood,
Cora Day Young, Mary c. Wentzel,
Mary NJ. North. Sarah E. Phillips. Liza :
beth A. Turner, Clara Barton and AL
laseba NJ. Bliss.
The Woman's Relief Corps. both ma
tional and departmental. have owned
soldiers homes in several states. and
the one in Ohio, which belonged to the
homes were for the veteran and wives
and widows of veterans. Andersonville
prison pen was given by the G: a. k. OF
Georgia to the W. r. c.. which care
historic spots, planted trees, built
commodious house and other buildings.
and after several expensive monuments
had been erected by states. presented
Andersonville Prison Park to the United
States government, without encum-
brance.
Object of the Organization.
As stated in the constitution the OBJ
Ject and eligibility to membership are:
ITO specially aid and assist the Grand
Army of the Republic and to perpetuate
the memory of their heroic dead.
ITO assist such Union Veterans as
need our help and protection, and to
extend needful aid to their widows and
orphans. To find them homes and en-
and friends. To cherish and emulate
the deeds of our army nurses, and of
all loyal women who rendered loving
service to our country In her hour OF
peril.
ITO maintain true allegiance to the
United States of America to inclucate
lessons of patriotism and love of coun-
try among our children and in the COM
munities in which we live, and encour-
age the spread of universal liberty and
equal rights to all.
Those eligible for membership are
women of good moral character and
correct deportment, who have not given
aid and comfort to the enemies of the
Union, who would perpetuate the prin-
ciples to which this association stands
pledged. and who have attained the
age of sixteen years"
The Woman.s Relief Corps was the
hrst organization to introduce patriotic
teaching in the public schools and, to
offer prizes for patriotic essays.
the Dag law became effective and flags
hoat every school day over public
schools BY them flags are provided fo1
schools In the south and also for Sab
bath schools.
In addition to the work in cemeteries
Memorial day, II has originated serv-
ice for the soldier-sailor dead. and this
10 used when strewing flowers upon
the water Memorial day.
Officers Of the W. r. C.
National onlcers are: National presf-
dent. Mrs. Sarah E. Fulton. Rochester,
N. Y: national secretary. Mrs. Eliza
Brown Daggett. Attleboro. Mass; ma
tional treasurer. Mrs. Abbie Lynch.
Pittsburgh: national vice president. Mrs.
Bell w. Bliss. Baraboo, Wis: national
Junior vice president, Mrs Jennie L.
Pond. Lansing, Mich; national chap
lain. Mrs. Rosamond Densmore. Seattle.
Wash: national inspector. Mrs. Susie
Carr McGwire, Longmont, Col: national
counselor, Mrs. Ida s. Mcbride, In
dianapolis. Ind: national instituting
and installing officer. Mrs. Anna Van
Campen. Cannon Falls. Minn.: national
patriotic instructor. Mrs. Laura l.
Smith. Attleboro. Mass; national press
correspondent. Mrs. Rose E. May, Meri-
den, Conn; executive board, Mrs. Geor-
geanna Van Fleet, chairman, WASH
inston. D. C.: Mrs Eta K Martin. Bur
lington. VT: Mrs. Addie E. Hough,
Omaha. Neb.; Mrs. Elizabeth w. Risdon.
Trenton. n. j.. and Mary H. Dodge,
Berea, KY; chief of staff, Mrs. Addie e.
Unangst. Davenport, Iowa. and pianist,
Mrs. Ada G. Hair. Brooklyn, n. Y.
The woman's Relief Corps. as the
auxiliary of the Grand Army of the
Republic. was not a year old when Mrs.
Fulton became member. In her home
corps she was elected to the presidency
four terms, and was department secre-
tary one term, and in 1900 was elected
department president. great honor in
such large department as New York.
For Ave terms she was department
counselor. and has held many other
Offices in local corps and state. For
two years prior to Mrs. Fulton's cleo
tion as national president she was
urged by her department to be a candi-
date, and refused.
Once Chief of Staff.
Mrs. Daggett, national secretary. held
the same Office when Mrs. Kate E Jones
Of New York was national president.
She had also been chief Of STAFF. A
member In New York, she is living in
Attleboro. Mass. and has SO systema-
tized the work of her Office that she is
able to do II a such a distance from the
national president. She has held many
appointive offices in her own depart
ment, New York, and also in the ma
tional organization.
Mrs. Lynch, national treasurer, handles
many thousands of dollars during the
year She has held the Office since 1911.
She has shown herself to be a good
pared by long years as secretary OF
the Department of Pennsylvania. where
for more than twenty years she handled
the money of that department. Mrs.
Lynch has been a member of the order
for more than a quarter of a century,
and has been department president, be-
sides holding the Office of national sec
retary when Mrs. Annie Wittenmyer
was national president At the last