Wooddale 1929-1979 - 50 Years

              THE W. I. AND THE LEGION
These two organizations have had a close and cooperative relation­ship
through the years. Less than a year after the W. I. was organized,
the President, Mabel Mellis, asked the women at the April 30 meeting
for donations of perennials or plants suitable for a hedge for the
Legion park grounds, and in June a letter from the Legion offered the
women free use of their hall at any time.
' The Institute felt that we should make a substantial donation to
the Legion because we were using their hall so often," so $ 10.00 was
given, with the suggestion that if this were spent for paint and kalsomine,
the women would help in redecorating the hall.
Feeling that our donation was inadequate, Mrs. Mellis wrote to
T. Eaton Company, asking for a donation of paint. Eaton's proved very
generous, sending gallons of paint, freight prepaid. Mrs. H. Veefkind
convened a work bee and the paint was used on tables, cupboards, and
even on the exterior of the hall. Mrs. E. George supplied curtains for
the windows.
In November, 1932, at the Legion's request, we served a chicken
supper on November 11th. For several years, this was an annual event.
In June, 1934, Mrs. Olive Whitesell was appointed " liaison person"
to contact the Legion members regarding assisting them in a clean- up
program of the hall and grounds.
In June, 1941, a letter was sent to the Legion commending their
decision to not sell their land, but to hold it for a Memorial Park.
In October, 1938, the two organizations made a business arrangement.
The Institute rented the hall on a yearly basis, at $ 7.50 per month,
beginning in January, 1939. At that time, Court was held regularly
in the hall, at $ 9.00 per meeting and the women hoped to make a profit.
Unfortunately, we received this rent only once as another location was
chosen for Court sessions, and the average rent received from other
meetings was less than $ 3.00. Total rent received was only $ 39.50, • " '
while our rent, lights, wood, and janitor bills totalled $ 113.91.
Needless to say, we did not renew our lease.
However we continued to use the hall for many of our activities, and
have held the annual Institute Handicraft Tea in the new Legion Hall
several times. Also, our older members are guests at the Legion annual
Christmas party and look forward to that happy event all year.
The old Legion hall was bought by O. B. Moore and moved to his
business area behind the theater. At the O. E. Moore estate sale it was
sold to James Jaffray, who moved it out to his farm.