Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-08-29
Silver Spring Woman
Elected Leader Of
s and 40 Society
By Mary | Ycuqhon


By Mary l vaushan
Mrs. Frances Snow. Of Silver
Spring. Md. last night was
elected Chapeau Rationale Of the
Eight and Forty (honor society
OF the American Legion Auxiliary
at their 33rd annual convention
in the Mayfiower Hotel.
Mrs. Snow lives at 1902 Rock
wood road. Silver Spring.
She beat her only opponent.
Mrs. Leo Trudell of Detroit,
Mich, by Q margin Of 172 votes
out Of q total OF 234 cast by the
delegates. to the one-day con-
vention.
Mrs. Helen Gray Of San Fran
cisco. outgoing Chapeau Ma
tionale. presided ct the election
session which took up the entire
afternoon. The meeting lasted to
within q half hour Of the groups
closing banquet at 1880 pm.
Procedure In Problem.
Correct parliamentary proce-
dure seemed to be the main
problem throughout the election
session which ended on a good
natured note as delegates began
singing For she's a jolly good
fellow in support of their out
going leader, Mrs. Gray.
The trouble began over the
proper procedure to elect five
demi-chapeaux (vice presidents)
from the organizations five di-
visional regions. All had been
unanimously nominated by dele
gates from their regions and
there was no question of opposi-
ton.
The problem was in electing
them officially by the convention
body.
Mrs. Gray wanted to make
sure they had been declared duly
elected, while movements from
the floor were made for their
ratification. Some said ratifica-
ton was not necessary and the
women, impatient to get the cleo
ton over. disSented on how the
body should proceed.
Ratify Elections.
A delegate from Utah finally
ended the hour-long dissention
by moving that the convention
ratify the election of the five
mi-chapeaux.
- Mrs. Gray called for a vote
which was adopted and the first
hurdle was passed.
The flye newly elected regional
vice presidents are: Eastern di-
vision. Mrs. George Rollins of
Keane, N. H.: Southern division,
Mrs. Helen DeViny Of Oklahoma
City: Central division, Mrs. A.
M. Van Fossan of Springfield,
Ohio; Northwestern division, Mrs.
Agnes Christianson of Howard,
s. Oak, and Western division,
Mrs. Alyce M. Young of San
Francisco.
Also elected unanimously were:
Historian, Mrs. Bess Elizabeth
Harrison of Charleston, w. Va;
chaplain, Mrs. Thelma Ballard
of Middletown, N. Y; sergeant
alarms, Mrs. Mayo c. Cox Of
Denver. Colo.
Secret Ballot Issue.
More complications arose when
delegates were called upon for
a secret ballot on the two
nominees for the office of ma
tional chapeau.
The State delegations quail
fled votes did not jibe with the
number of mimeographed bal
lots officially allotted each. Mrs.
Gray ordered the body to check
each State delegation.
Well into the checking, which
included handing in the secret
ballots sealed in State envelopes,
Indiana delegates objected to the
method and declared it was not
a secret ballot.
The method was revised and
order was restored after Mrs.
Gray declared, 1--WE attended
many elections in my lifetime
and I want to tell you girls we've
just got something here today"
Good Nature Prevails.
The whole delegation burst in
to good-natured laughter.
The delegates, representing a
membership>of about 22,450, are
eligible for the organization only
If they have served So consecu-
tive months and have outstand-
ing records as members Of the
American Legion Auxiliary.
Their record of service comes
from work on their Child We'll
fare Committee which by special
assignment of their parent body,
the American Legion, is aimed at
the prevention and control of
tuberculosis among children.
Last year. the 8 & 40 spent a
record $302,168 on their Child
Welfare Division, which made
possible the care of 29.512 chill
dren.