AMERICAN RED CROSS. SCENIC BLUFFS CHAPTER. LA CROSSE COUNTY (WISCONSIN) CHAPTER RECORDS, 1916-1994.   8.75 cubic feet (12 archives boxes and 3 record center cartons)

Abstract

Records of the La Crosse County, Wisconsin, chapter of the American Red Cross, known as the Scenic Bluffs Chapter. The collection consists of seven series: administrative materials, blood services, disaster relief, financial materials, Junior Red Cross, publicity, and service to military families. The best representative subseries are board minutes, 1916-1921; 1929-1992; blood program records, 1952-1994; financial gifts and bequests, 1950-1979; Junior Red Cross activities, 1957-1979; and publicity, consisting of newspaper clippings and scrapbooks, 1930s-1990s.

Acc. No. 1997/10; 1997/27
Donated by the American Red Cross, Scenic Bluffs Chapter, April 1997 via Executive Director Pam Hale Bradley [Board approved Feb. 17, 1997]; additions received Nov. 21, 1997 via Executive Director Neil Duresky.
Processed by Anita Taylor Doering, Sept. 1997, with assistance from Jaime Dechant

History

The La Crosse County Chapter of the American Red Cross began when President William Howard Taft visited the city in December 1915. Initial plans were discussed at a DAR [Daughters of the American Revolution] meeting, at which President Taft outlined a strategy for development. A formal organizational meeting was held in the Common Council chambers at City Hall on June 21, 1916, at such time Taft's college pal, George W. Burton, was elected chairman of the local chapter. Other officers were also elected, and by-laws adopted. The following June 29, the chapter was granted its charter by the central committee of the American National Red Cross.

World War I spurred on much activity for local Red Cross volunteers. Funds for the war fund were raised, and Red Cross branches were established in La Crosse, Monroe, Vernon, Buffalo, Trempealeau, and Juneau counties. The Canteen committee, the Red Cross shop, and the monthly subscriptions to support it were part of these activities.

By Oct. 21, 1917, the chapter had organized 44 branches in Western Wisconsin, and raised $19,320.77 for war purposes. In March 1918, the La Crosse Chapter limited its activities to the city and county of La Crosse. By this time the local chapter had over 12,400 members and a thriving Junior Red Cross membership of 6757. A full-time secretary was added with a $75 a month salary, and a clerk was added to help with office work.

Membership declined significantly after the close of World War I. In the 1920s a children's dental clinic was organized with funds from the Junior Red Cross. This effort and processing veterans' claims comprised most of the chapter's duties. In 1932, the local chapter participated in the national Red Cross commitment to distribute cotton goods and flour to families in need. Approximately 10,000 persons received services. City fire fighters distributed the flour, totaling 4120 barrels.

Other programs of the chapter at this time included first aid, disaster preparedness and relief, home hygiene, water safety, nurse recruitment, nurse aides, canteen, staff aides and Gray Ladies. Home service was the name given to the program now call service to military families. Production was the name given to homemade items such as knitted hats and mittens for families in foreign countries, families in need, or military personnel.

In 1940, the chapter was given a quota by the national office to fold 17,000 surgical dressings. Two La Crosse volunteers went to Milwaukee to be trained in how to do the work. The average worker could make about 60 of the 4"x 4" dressings in a full day. After the United States became directly involved in World War II, many more volunteers aided the local chapter in its work. By the end of Dec. 1942, 450 women were enrolled at various centers across the county providing surgical dressings. Now the chapter was not only folding and packaging the dressings, but cutting the fabric as well. Sewing and knitting comprised many volunteer hours. The Red Cross' peace time activities of water safety, etc., continued during this time.

Gray Ladies provided friendly and helpful services for the sick and convalescent at the Camp [now Fort] McCoy hospital, and later at the veteran's hospital in Tomah. They also worked at the local blood donor center as hostesses and guides. In 1944, a 10 day blood drive was conducted in La Crosse. A mobile unit from St. Paul provided the county with a doctor and two specially trained nurses. It was estimated that 250 people were needed each day of the drive. By late 1944, the mobile unit came to La Crosse with a trained staff of 13. These blood drives during World War II were held in rooms provided by the Vocational School [now called Western Wisconsin Technical College]. Mrs. Owen Jackson spearheaded the blood donor program during this time. The blood program was formally added to the local Red Cross chapter services in 1950, and the bloodmobile came from Madison thereafter.

After the close of World War II, the Red Cross was involved with the rapid number of veterans returning home from overseas. The Red Cross provided communication between local families and enlisted military personnel, sending telegrams and relaying emergency news. The Red Cross also helped to file requests for benefits on behalf of discharged veterans, and dealt with transient veterans. Gift box preparation for children in devastated countries also became a priority. At the close of 1946, Mrs. Eva (Herman) Wolf resigned as chairman of the board of the local chapter of the American Red Cross after 18 years. The membership had grown to 17,000 in the county.

Until the Community Chest [later known as the United Fund and now called the United Way] organized one annual fund drive for many of the charitable and social service organizations, the local Red Cross conducted an annual fund drive called the Roll Call. This was held usually in November, and consisted of a door-to-door campaign.

In the late 1950s blood donations had dropped off significantly and so had membership. While the local chapter celebrated 50 years of service in 1956, a special fund drive was launched to make up for a shortage of money. The blood program was "near collapse" as one newspaper headline read. But by 1961, the scene had changed and the local chapter moved to new quarters at 1024 Main St. For the first time, all services were consolidated into the rented quarters.

The 1965 flood disaster involved not only those associated with the Red Cross in La Crosse, but all over the country. The local chapter was heavily involved with not only emergency help but then later to the rehabilitation needs of the community. Area flood relief efforts in 1992 also drew attention. The Red Cross also responds to fire and tornado damage, and natural disasters of any kind. Disaster preparedness is also a way in which the local chapter gets involved with area kids.

The local chapter has also been active in community programs and the blood program, as well as first aid, cpr, infant car seat program, swimming and life saving instruction, and the like, for most of its existence. Aiding relief and disaster causes in other states and countries has also been a major focus, as well as services to military families.

Plans were underway for a new facility in 1980, and in March 1981 a new building at 2927 Losey Blvd. South was opened and became the headquarters for the Scenic Bluffs chapter. In May of 1997, Elizabeth Dole, national American Red Cross president, paid a visit to the Scenic Bluffs Chapter to give members a pep talk and to honor them for creating awareness of an international humanitarian effort to ban land mines.

Junior Red Cross

The Junior Red Cross has been active nearly as long as its parent chapter. The program was offered in the parochial and public schools. Besides fund raising efforts, some of the activities the children undertook was annual Christmas boxes to children in foreign countries, foreign pen pals, and food service tray favors to hospitals on holidays. Life saving certificates and home accident prevention check-lists were also important activities in which the children participated.

Board Chairs
Mrs. L.F. Easton (temp)
George W. Burton 1916-1918
L.C. Colman 1918-1919
Andrew Lees 1919-(at least 1921)
? no minutes exist for 1921-1928 to fill this gap
Mrs. Eva Wolf 1929-1946
Mrs. Rudolph B. Horschak 1947-1956
Mrs. Eleanore Wollschlaeger 1957-1963
Jerry Morrison 1964-1966
James McCord (interim) 1967
Mrs. Howard Dahl 1967-1972
Mrs. Harriet Yeske 1973-1975
Jerry Morrison 1976
Mrs. Mary Hebberd 1976-1978
H. King Holley 1979-1981
Steve Tanke 1982
Paul Schilling 1983-1984
Tom Zurbriggen 1985-1986
Bill Beranek 1987
David Onsrud 1989-1990
Douglas Mormann 1991-1992
Brad Dinsmoor 1993-1994
Margaret Neader 1995-1996
Roger LeGrand 1997

Executive Secretaries
Mrs. Emma L. Seide 1929-1954
Mrs. Ethel Thomas 1955-1959
Mrs. Celeste Mack 1959-1973
Mrs. Jean Arneson 1973-1976
Neava Sanders 1977-1980
Sara Brotton 1981
Nancy Lovold 1982-1987
Raymond Gardner 1988-1992
Phillip Hansen 1993-1995
Pam Hale Bradley 1996-1997
Neil Duresky 1997-present

Locations
1916-1933 home of secretary/executive secretary
1934-1941 Post Office or Federal Bldg.
1942-1957 406 Hoeschler Bldg., 115 5th Ave. So.
1958-1961 427 Cass St.
1961-1981 1024 Main St.
1981-present 2927 Losey Blvd. So.

Scope and Content

The collection consists of seven series: administrative materials, blood services, disaster relief, financial materials, Junior Red Cross, publicity, and service to military families.

ADMINISTRATIVE MATERIALS (1916-1992) consist mainly of board minutes (1916-1921; 1929-1992), newsletters (1982-1992) and volunteer information, though not comprehensive lists of volunteers. There are a few annual reports from the national office 1981-1985, but all the extant annual and financial reports from the local La Crosse County chapter are interfiled with the minutes. Some national Red Cross publications are also interfiled in this series. There are also local Red Cross annual reports in the Archives' annual report file.

BLOOD SERVICES (1950-1994) is well represented as one of the Red Cross' major focuses since World War II. The local chapter works in conjunction with its regional office in Madison, Wisconsin, the Badger Regional Blood Program.

DISASTER RELIEF is another major focus of the Red Cross, yet only two folders about this effort are in the collection. Many clippings in the PUBLICITY section more accurately demonstrate the workings of the Red Cross in time of disaster.

FINANCIAL MATERIALS are also lacking, as most financial reports are included in the board minutes. There is a cash book (1942-1953) and records of gifts, memorials and bequests to the chapter. The gifts over $100 have been alphabetically arranged by name of donor.

The JUNIOR RED CROSS was active in the schools from 1957 into the late 1970s. Adult committee minutes (1957-1971), financial reports (1959-1970), and two activity log books help to document their activities.

PUBLICITY is the largest series in terms of bulk. All newspaper clippings have been photocopied onto acid neutral paper and arranged chronologically. Wei To solution #3 has been applied to the pages of the scrapbooks, which contained largely newspaper articles glued onto acidic paper. These articles date from the 1930s into the 1990s. The Archives also maintains a clipping file of the local chapter. Photographs were given by the local chapter to the Area Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

Lastly, SERVICE TO MILITARY FAMILIES is another major focus of the national Red Cross, yet little of that is evidenced in the collection. Some committee materials from the later 1970s exist, as well as monthly statistics from the late 1970s into the mid 1980s. Again there are some national Red Cross office publications in this series.