Interpretation and Thumbnail History of Rotary

1940 – 1941

Clem White President 1940-1941

             “Rural Acquaintance” received particular attention this year.  Several meetings were devoted exclusively to agriculture and the entertainment of rural visitors.  “Youth Service” was particularly stressed this year and the club sent 75 worthy boys to summer camp.

             In the April issue of The Rotarian, the St. Joseph club was given a nice write-up under the caption “Youth Guidance – a New Facet”.

             1940:  Woolworth Ten Cent Store was entirely destroyed by fire which started in the Pennant Cafeteria.

             Young men registered for military service for the first peace time conscription in our country’s history.

             April 3, 1940:  New Post Office dedicated.

             November 5, 1940:  Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president for the third time.  First time any president was elected for more than two terms.

             January 1940:  Telephone users were switched to dial phones.

1941 – 1942 

W J Kennedy President 1941-1942

             George BeGole died July 6, 1942.  He was a member of our club in 1912.

             Club membership was 112. 

            December 7, 1941:  Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.  First St. Joseph men listed in official casualty list from Pearl Harbor are:  Lt. George A. Whitman and Joseph L. Richey.

             January 1942:  The “Lady Hawkins”, a ship bearing a group of workmen from St. Joseph was sunk by a submarine on its way to Bermuda.  Twenty-seven died.  They were to work on an airport there.

             President Roosevelt signed the Anti-Inflation Bill on October 2, 1942, stabilizing prices, wages and salaries.

1942 – 1943 

Russell Peck President 1942-1943

             Club membership was 105.

             Our club paid $393.00 to Y.M.C.A. Boys’ Camp in July 1942.

             Donated $108.00 to Rosecrans Recreation Room.

             May 25, 1943:  A “Rotary Quiz Program” under the direction of H.L. Dannen was broadcast over K.F.E.Q. at 1:00 p.m. at our regular weekly luncheon.  The program lasted ten minutes.  A dozen Rotarians were questioned and prizes of from one to four dollars were given the contestants for correct answers.  The only trouble for the winners was that President Russell Peck stood by and took the prize money as it was won for the Boys’ Camp Fund.

             W.J. Kennedy, who had served as president of our club the previous year, died November 12, 1942.  LeRoy Wood, auditor for the Union Pacific Railroad and a member of the Rotary Club, died March 6, 1943.

             Joseph Morton, A.P. War Correspondent and a native of St. Joseph and former News-Press staff member, was executed by the Nazis with 12 other Americans in Slovakia.

             Dannen Mills was damaged by a $25,000 fire.

             June 10, 1943:  President Roosevelt signed the “Pay-as-you-go” income tax bill.

1943 – 1944 

John Newton President 1943-1944

             The most outstanding project of this year of Rotary was the promotion of the sale of War Bonds and Stamps.  On one occasion during a street carnival, the Rotary Club set up a booth along with business firms on Felix Street, at which time, many bonds and stamps were sold. 

            April 18, 1944:  Lester B. Miller, executive of the Pony Express Council of the Boy Scouts, brought 30 boys who were members of Troop #3, Boy Scouts of America, as guests of the Rotary Club.  Mr. Miller presented the charter of this troop to John Newton, president.  At the close of the meeting, the boys gave the Scout Benediction.

             November 7, 1944:  Thirty-third Birthday of the St. Joseph Rotary Club.  All former members were invited to attend our luncheon and meeting on this day.  Twenty former members were present including four former presidents.

             October 31, 1944:  Rotarians were given their annual treat today.  James E. Hunt presented each member with a shiny read “Hunt Orchard” apple.

             St. Joseph observed “D-Day”, June 6, 1944, with prayer.

             Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president for the 4^th term on November 7, 1944.

1944 – 1945 

             December 6, 1944:  Three new members were introduced into the club: Leland E. Becraft, Bert C. Neely and Harry B. Russell, bringing the membership to 125, the highest in recent years. 

            January 30, 1945:  Col. Artie Hitch of Booneville, head of Kemper Military School, visited our club.  He is the present Governor of the 134^th District of Rotary.

             February 6, 1945:  Andre Morize, Professor of French Literature at Harvard University, was speaker at noonday luncheon.  His subject was “France – Her Present and Her Future”.  Because of the prominence of the speaker and the interest in his subject, all Rotaryanns were guests.

             St. Joseph was one of 30 cities to offer a site for Rotary International Headquarters.  Chicago, where Rotary was born, offered a site on North Michigan Avenue, at one and one-quarter million dollars, which was chosen.

             May 7, 1945:  VE DAY – War in Europe ends.

             August 15, 1945:  There were tears, laughter, hysteria and prayer throughout the allied world this day as Japan, last undefeated aggressor nation, announced it had surrendered.  To St. Joseph, the cost of crushing the axis into defeat included the sacrifice of the lives of 292 of its men and youth.  This was a toll more than double than was paid by all of Buchanan County for Victory in World War I.  In that struggle, 145 from Buchanan County lost their lives.

             St. Joseph put up 65 million dollars in war bonds during World War II.

             United Nations Conference opened in San Francisco, April 25, 1945.

             Franklin D. Roosevelt died at Warm Springs, Georgia, April 12, 1945.

             August 6, 1945:  First Atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

1945 – 1946  

August Fenner President 1945-1946

             During week of July 16, 1945, fifty-seven boys were guests of the Rotarians at Camp Marvin Hillyard.

             November 1945:  The 34^th Annual dinner was held at 6:30 p.m., in the Crystal Room, Hotel Robidoux; 250 were present.  Jarbell, the scientific marvel in mind reading and mysteries, was the entertainer.

             October 16, 1945:  Rev. George Dave, pastor of the First Christian Church, was our speaker and gave a most interesting talk on “Rotary”.  His theme was “Rotary” spelled as follows:

                                                                         R – Recreation and Religion

                                                                        O – Occupation and Order

                                                                        T – Tolerance

                                                                        A – Aim

                                                                        R – Reason

                                                                        Y – YOU

             December 4, 1945:  Walter L. Eshelman celebrated is golden anniversary in the music business in St. Joseph.

             First Pony Express Rodeo held September 20, 21, 22, 1946.

             Rosecrans Field put back in civilian use.  Army Air Transport Command Base closed.

1946 – 1947 

   Harold Niedorp President 1946-1947

June 1946:  The 37^th Annual Convention of Rotary International was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

             June 18, 1946:  James A. Wooten, General Manager of the Cargo Division of American Air Lines, Inc., was speaker at the weekly luncheon.

             August 22, 1946:  Annual Sunshine Picnic for the children of the St. Joseph Orphanages was held.  126 children attended, which was the largest attendance up to this date.

             August 20, 1946:  Dr. Foy Trimble was welcomed back today.  He had been absent for six years while serving in the U.S. Navy.  His travels had taken him to virtually every sea.  He retained his membership in the local club while serving in the armed forces.

             President Harold Niedorp started the move to present Past President pins to former Presidents who had not received them.  The diamond-mounted Past Presidents pins were awarded this year to William A. Bodenhausen, the first president of the St. Joseph Rotary Club, Luther E. Reid, Walter Eshelman and John Crowe.  These four members were all active in the club this year.

             It was in the fall of 1946 that the Northwest Missouri Rotary meetings were revived.  These meetings were very successful.  They had been started in 1939 but were dropped during  the war years due to the restrictions on travel.

             Club membership was 131.

             January 15, 1947:  Plymouth Clothing Company burned.  It was a two million dollar loss.  The building was restored and reopened by December 1, 1947. 

             June 1947:  The Missouri River reached flood stage.  Railroad transportation collapsed.  The river crested at 20.48 feet on June 16.

             Henry Ford, pioneer of the Automobile Industry, died at Dearborn, Michigan, April 7, 1947. 

            Taft-Hartley Labor Act passed on June 23, 1947. 

1947 – 1948 

             William V. Murchie President 1947-1948

District Conference of the 134^th District of Rotary was held on May 9, 10, 11, 1948, with headquarters in the Hotel Robidoux.  The three days, Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, were filled with many interesting meetings.  The Women’s Division of the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce, gave a tea on Tuesday afternoon in the Crystal Room for all Rotaryanns.

             Cedric Foster, Mutual News Commentator, of Boston, Massachusetts, gave a most interesting talk to all Rotarians and Rotaryanns.  His meeting was in the Missouri Theatre.

             Membership of the club this year was 126.

             Parking meters were installed in St. Joseph this year, 1948.

             Mahatma K. Gandhi of India was assassinated January 30, 1948.

 1948 – 1949 

             September 2, 1948:  Dr. Walter F. Kimball received his pin a the noon-day luncheon meeting today for 21 years of perfect attendance.

             October 19, 1948:  All Northwest Missouri Rotary Meeting was held at 6:30 p.m.  South Side Rotary Club was co-host for the meeting.

             November 16, 1948:  Fifty-six of the fifty-nine boys who attended Rotary Camp this summer were guests at the club luncheon this date, and were very happy to be so honored.  The old Indian Trader, Pat Read, helped to entertain the boys.  He brought an interesting display and stayed until 2:00 p.m. to answer the boys many questions.

             November 18, 1948:  We regret the death of our good Rotary brother and past president, Dr. Harry S. Conrad.  Dr. Harry was greatly interested in the work of Rotary and carried its principles of “Service Above Self” into practice.  He was one of our great and talented surgeons.

             December 8, 1948:  “Happy Birthday” today to our oldest living Past President, Luther E. Reid.   He was one of the original dozen men who decided that Rotary was a good movement and St. Joseph should get in on it.  Mr. Reid was our second president and served in 1915 – 1916.  He was meant much to Rotary and Rotary meant much to him.

            December 21, 1948:  A collection of $821.70 was taken up at our luncheon today for the Salvation Army Food Baskets.

             St. Joseph Historical Society was founded in August of 1949.

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