The globe-independent. (Hagerstown, Md.) 1943-19??, 1953-09-17
Kiwanians Induct
Five New Members
DIR. Perley Russell Talks On
Clubs Underprivileged Chill
dren Projects.

OluD OnuefpflVneBeu Onh-
dren Projects.
The program at the regular weekly
luncheon meeting of the Kiwanis
Club, held at the Hotel Alexander
on Thursday, was conferred around
the induction of five new members
into the club.
President Oscar Hansock presided
and the program was arranged by.
the Education and Fellowship Com.
mittee, of which PAUL S. Shields is
chairman.
The new members indicted were:
James l.. Askey, sponsored by Jack
Jennings; Donald Kepler, sponsored
by Paul Barnhart; j. Ronald Reed,
sponsored by Bob Clark; George +.
Snyder, sponsored by Fred Wright,
Jr.; and II. Allard Shallknecht, spon
sored by Douglas Wright.
Participating i'm the induction ceref
monies were Mr. Shields, Mr.. Hart
sock and Father Charles w. Dausch.
Then came an unrehearsed part of
the program, the honoring of DR..
Perley l.. Russell and Mrs Russell
on the celebration of their fortieth
wedding anniversary. Dr. and Mrs.
Russell were married at high moon
on September 10, 1913, and since that
day they have had lunch together
on their anniversary, every year
with the exception of two.
DR.. Russell, together with Roy A.
Letter, happens to be not only a
charter member of the club, but also
has a record of over 80 years of per-
feet attendance. Since this years
anniversary fell on the Kiwanis
meeting day, the club invited Mrs.
Russell to attend the luncheon, so
that their wonderful record would
not be broken.
The occasion was presented to the
membership by the clubs secretary,
Bruce Lightner, in one of his typical
humorous talks, after which he pre-
scented a beautiful basket of roses to
Mrs. Russell
The program closed with am adj
dress by DR.. Russell, aimed mainly
at the new members, in which he
gave a very fine resume of the his
tory of the club since it was formed
thirty-two years ago.
In his talk the speaker emphasized
the "Underprivileged Child Work."
that has been one of the major pro-
jects of the club down through the
years.
Dir. Russell pointed out that it was
the Hagerstown Kiwanis Club that
first sponsored the School for Grip
pied Children that was held at the
Antietam Street School, under the
direction of Mrs. Fannie Pennington.
At this school the youngsters were
not only taught the regular school
subjects, but were also instructed
on how to use their hands and do use
full work, despite their handicaps.
I'M addition to providing quite a
bit of equipment for the school, the
club also paid for all the childrens
lunches every day.
A striking illustration of the value
of the School is the case of a young
boy who started his school life there,
went right on through high school,
and today is successful young
businessman, working in one of the
large banks in Washington, D. c.
Another major project of the club
was the founding of the Infant Child
Health Center back in the middle
30's. At its beginning the children
were cared for in various places, but
in 1912 the present health center
was dedicated and carried on by the
KiwaniS Club until it was later taken
over by the Washington County Hos
pital, under whose direction it still
| functions.
The Doctor also pointed out that
during the past thirty years the Ha-
gerstown Kiwanis Club has bought
and paid for nearly two thousand
pairs of glasses for Underprivileged
Children, as well as number of
orthopedic braces and other surgical
equipment.