The Pascagoula chronicle., 1919-09-20
COMMUNITY HOUSE
FOR PAscAcoULA

AS per call issued last week ther
was meeting in the Red Cross room
on Tuesday afternoon to decide upo
and take steps toward the building {
a community center or house of ser,
ice that would at the same time b
a memorial to the soldiers and sal
ors of Jackson county who gave thei
services and some of them their live
to their country during the late an
great war. Thirty-six persons answer
ed the call, mostly women, repre-
sentative gathering, including all re
ligious denominations represented il
this city, and also various busines
and profesionl callings. There wer,
several from Moss Point.
Mr.. E. B. Martin, as chairman of tn,
Red Cross chapter presided and statet
the objects Of the gathering. Afte
much discussion of the various phase.
of the subject, it was unanimously de
cided to undertake the erection of {
suitable building in some central place
in the city Of Pascagoula, that would
serve not only as memorial to the
soldiers and sailors, but as a commun
ity center as we'll, building that could
house free public library, have free
reading and rest rooms for our home
foulks as well as visitors, accommodate
the Red Cross and similar organiza.
tiOns, Boy Scouts, ETC., and also con-
tain memorial hall where entertain
ments could be held by the various
charitable, religious, civic and benevo-
lent organizations. The discussion was
full and free. Addresses and remarks
were made by Messrs. G. H. Frank,
Ollie Rolls, Vincent Ros, Rev. John
Chapman, Mrs. J. I. Ford, Mrs. Gautier,
and others.
The local branch of the Red Cross,
1t was shown, had realized $3.50 from
the sale Of the little chapter house on
the court house lot, the county being
the purchaser. AS this was built by
private donations outside of the Red
Cross organization, it was deemed
proper that the money should be used
in manner to benefit the whole COM
munity, SO this amount was placed at
the disposal Of the promoters of the
new enterprise. 1t was stated also
that the soldiers who left Jackson
county with the original Hath Ammu,
milton Train still had about $4,000 in
their entertainment fund, which they
would no doubt be willing to transfer
to the new building fund
Rev. John Chipman stated that he
had pladges amounting to something
like $4,000 which were given for a
similar building that he proposed to
erect on the Episcopal church prop
erty, which, owing to some opposition,
he had decided to abondon for the pres
ent. This amount would be available
for the new community house. This
would give a nucleus of about $1S00.00
to commence on the new building. 1t
was the opinion of the meeting that a
building to cost not less than $10,000.00
including the lot, should be erected.
Permanent organization was then eff
fected by the election of the following
officers: e. B. Martin, president; Nc
Vey Young, secretary; John r. Watts,
treasurer. On motion it was voted
that committee of five be appointed
as an executive committee, which
would have full control of the matter,
to appoint canvassers to raise the
and appoint such other com
mittees as were necessary to carry out
the project. This committee will be
named by the president later. 1t was
voted to adopt the name, Jackson |
County Memorial Association, and all !
present enrolled themselves as mem
bers. The association then adjourned |
20 meet again on the call of the presi-
lent.