Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-04-09
D. A. R. PLANS TEA FOR
noted BRITISH GUEST
Mrs. Purcell Sketches History
OF Commonwealth Chap
ter Fsm Origin.
no HAVE FLOAT IN PAGEANT
HnIscs Fnnd of 5000 for Virginia
rhetorical Society, md Mrk~s Me-
m"rinl ON Jnmestown Island Pow
"!blc by GIFT of S5Uc.


American Revolution. at the home
OF Mrs warner Moore. plans were
discussed for the tea to be given
I" Lady Geddcs, by Commonwealth
Chapter y, y. X. and tho Colonial
DANES in Virginia. Suggestions FOR
The pageant noat wcr. made. and
after the business OF the meeting
Was over. an account OF tho history
~ tho chapter was given ~ Mr..
H"njanin l.. Purcell
II would be practically iinpossi.
bic. MgH. Purcell said. 10 tell tn.
history OF the mmonwcalth Chap
ter without, going back and sketch
ing i's origin In the Old dominion
lis mother chapter. On January %
1892. there met in the parlorS of Mrs
James Dooiey's home. now the Tucker
Shha'"riun. group OF women inter
'e'cd III new society Just formed
IN Washington. which Was 10 .,lruu-
late an appreciate OF our his
tory. aud to do honor to ,hus.. ar
make this country free and indie
pendent. y charter. az unit ~
tn" society Was called. was formed
at once. with Mrs. Dooley - the
regent. and Mrs William Writ Henry
as stat" regent:
IN iTSt HTt y. me chapter
IN" raising az :UnG 81 about 5000
for tho Virginia Historical Society.
:" enable IL TO nr"proot m. build.
INK which II nov occupies. aud which
had been given bv Dr. Dan stewart
and tn. Misses Stewart on condition
mat ~ b" put IN proper order 10
receive aad safeguard tn" treasures
which belonged to the society
thnutrr'S second Achievement.
IN" second achievement was "a
loan exhibit OF R.yoIutionarv and
colonial relies silver glass. furni-
tar" aud portraits which surpa ss"d
anything ~ tho Kind ever collected
here. The next vital thing vas tn.
inauguration OF our state confer
'uc"S.
Then "" were the nrs, TO pen
sion real daughter. MISS Aruna
N-imar, OF Bedford city. whose las,
days "" mad" comfortable aro
happv. when she He'd she left Ms
her most valued possession, a nUte
'as" which her father had carried
all through the Revolution
Later, feeling that IL We were to
continue our WORK. ~" must do II
under din"ren, conditions. thirteen
members OF tho Old Dominion Chap
Ter resigned, and ON February >. 1902.
In the home az Mrs Warner Moore,
'ormed the Commonwealth Chapter
with such material as We had. No
could not have failed OF success. Our
charter members were Mrs WIFI
Henry, Mrs. james Lyons, Mrs. Mat
thew Bland Harrison, Mrs Warncr
Moore. Mrs. Reginald Gilman. Miss
Virginia ilcuSauts. Mrs Arthur lie
troy. Miss Helen Montague, Mrs
stephen putney. Miss Nellie Gree.
Mrs REM. Purcell. Miss Roberta Al
len and Mrs. Nirginus Hall. As soon
as we were organized, large ma
jori'y Of the old chapter joined US.
Has Done biggest Work.
Mrs Warner Moore the FIRST re-
gent. was succeeded. after two years
by Miss Allan. then came Mrs. rur-
cell. who held the position for many
lcars. ana gave place to Mrs. Allan
chambers. who vas. In turn. sue
r""drd by the present regent, Mrs
william jefferson PAINE. Mrs rnyu"
has don. tn" biggest work ever ac-
complish-d 10y any chapter in Nir-
giaju In IN. collection OF tn" fund
Gnr the starving children OF Europe
The cAaptcr has done SO many
things that II Is impossible 10 enUm-
crate them all. on Of our higG"S'
Jobs was tho kindergarten for for
.ign-horn children in the lower part
Of the city. We kept II up for =
wear. and only gave i, up at the car.
nest request Of the Council Of lew
ish Women. who promised to cnlarg'
and develop their own work. This
they have done. for tn" Ncighbor-
hood House on Nineteenth street
is the outcome. and it is a powc,
for good in that end OF the city.
"We made tho II. A. X. memorial
on Jamestown Island possible by ;
gift OF $500. And when the inter
national commission To celebrate thu
100 years OF peace with England
met here we were Invited by III,
Mr. ,Nf a.f hAE
tcsscs TO tho city'S guests. TO my
mind. that was the greatest compli
incnt ever paid MS. and I wish thai
there was some way in which We
could make the Chamber OF Com
merce and our municipal authorities
feel that we are mere largely fo'
that purpose. and are only too read,
10 lend our aid In tho building of :
greater Richmond.
On Another Occasion.
ION one other occasion. the cham
her called on us. when Miss Board
man. then head OF the Red Cross
came down to speak to the people
N the hope OF enlisting their inter
est in the wonderful organization
which she so splendidly represented
-Four times have we entertained
;he state conference. and our lunch
cons for the celebration OF the 22nf
"f February have become part OF
The social fabric OF tho CITY W.
have had at these gatherings man,
If our most noteworthy members
and brilliant speakers. During thu
Spanish American War, as the o!'
dominion Chapter, we sent man!
loXes OF comforts. az well as ncces
stiles, to our men. This work. small
as Il seems now. was the forerunne'
~ what we were TO do in the wori'
var
That is so recent that IL nccd
no recountng. hut let me say 70
the benefit of new members. tina
led the State in everything: an'
in the number OF our members II
active service overseas we led tn
country. Since the war. our child
feeding fund has been our outstand
ing work. and was the very best an
biggest single thing reported at tn
ID. 4. II. Congress.
I'VE have contributed largely T.
Mrs. Barrett's work at Ivakota Farm
and paid for a scholarship in tn
Indian school at Wichita. in mem
Org OF Pocahontas."
The remainder OF Mrs. Purcell
interesting paper will he publishe
in a subsequent issue OF The Sun
day Times Dispatch. on this page.