Title: American Red Cross, Scenic Bluffs Chapter Records
Date: 1916-1994

Creator:

• American Red Cross. Scenic Bluffs Chapter.

Unique Identifier: MSS 034

Quantity: 8.75 cubic feet

Physical Description: 12 archives boxes, 3 record center cartons

Repository:

La Crosse Public Library
Contact Information

Archival Location:

La Crosse Public Library (Map)

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. Materials included within these series are board minutes, 1916-1992; 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.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.lcpl-mss034

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42396897

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.

(Accession Nos. 1997.010; 1997.027)

Materials in this collection are available for patron use.

[Identification of item], American Red Cross, Scenic Bluffs Chapter Records, MSS 034, La Crosse Public Library Archives, La Crosse, WI

Processed by Anita Taylor Doering, Sept. 1997, with assistance from Jaime Dechant.

Arranged in seven series:

Series 1: Administrative Materials

Series 2: Blood Services

Series 3: Disaster Relief

Series 4: Financial Materials

Series 5: Junior Red Cross

Series 6: Publicity

Series 7: Service to Military Families

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.

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.

Scenic Bluffs Chapter

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 checklists were also important activities in which the children participated.

Board Chairs

1916	Mrs. L.F. Easton
1916-1918	George W. Burton
1918-1919	L.C. Colman
1919-1921	Andrew Lees
1921-1928	(unknown)
1929-1946	Mrs. Eva Wolf
1947-1956	Mrs. Rudolph B. Horschak
1957-1963	Mrs. Eleanore Wollschlaeger
1964-1966	Jerry Morrison
1967	James McCord (interim)
1967-1972	Mrs. Howard Dahl
1973-1975	Mrs. Harriet Yeske
1976	Jerry Morrison
1976-1978	Mrs. Mary Hebberd
1979-1981	H. King Holley
1982	Steve Tanke
1983-1984	Paul Schilling
1985-1986	Tom Zurbriggen
1987	Bill Beranek
1989-1990	David Onsrud
1991-1992	Douglas Mormann
1993-1994	Brad Dinsmoor
1995-1996	Margaret Neader
1997	Roger LeGrand

Executive Secretaries

1929-1954	Mrs. Emma L. Seide
1955-1959	Mrs. Ethel Thomas
1959-1973	Mrs. Celeste Mack
1973-1976	Mrs. Jean Arneson
1977-1980	Neava Sanders
1981	Sara Brotton
1982-1987	Nancy Lovold
1988-1992	Raymond Gardner
1993-1995	Phillip Hansen
1996-1997	Pam Hale Bradley
1997-2000	Neil Duresky
2000-2002	Cathy Hopkins
2002-2009	Cheryl Hancock

Locations

1916-1933	Home of secretary/executive secretary
1934-1941	Post Office or Federal Building
1942-1957	406 Hoeschler Building, 115 5th Ave. South
1958-1961	427 Cass Street
1961-1981	1024 Main Street
1981-2009	2927 Losey Boulevard South

(Clipping file)

La Crosse--Organizations--American Red Cross

University of Wisconsin-La Crosse Area Research Center

Photographs were given by the local chapter to the Area Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

• American Red Cross. Scenic Bluffs Chapter.
• Charities--Wisconsin--La Crosse
• La Crosse (Wis.)--Societies, etc.
• Red Cross and Red Crescent--Wisconsin--La Crosse

(Series 1)	Series: Administrative Materials
Box 1   Folder 1	By-laws, 1931
Box 1   Folder 2	Historical background and ephemera, undated
	Minutes
Box 1   Folder 3-7	, 1916-1956
Box 2   Folder 1-5	, 1957-1981
Box 3   Folder 1-2	, 1982-1986
Box 15   Folder 1-3	, 1987-1992
	National Office
Box 3   Folder 3	Annual reports, 1981-1985
Box 3   Folder 4	Brochures, etc., undated
Box 3   Folder 5	Newsletters, 1961-1970
Box 15   Folder 4	Newsletters, 1982-1992
	Volunteers
Box 3   Folder 6	Budget, 1983
Box 3   Folder 7	Caller log book, 1948-1955
Box 3   Folder 8	Desk staff volunteers, 1943-1944
Box 3   Folder 9	Forms, undated
Box 3   Folder 10	Gray Ladies, 1961-1969
	National Office
Box 4   Folder 1	Handbook, circa 1964
Box 4   Folder 2	Handbook (draft), 1990
Box 4   Folder 3	Volunteer recruitment strategies (draft), 1990
	Nurses' Aide
Box 4   Folder 4	Class calls, 1952
Box 4   Folder 5	Time book, 1945-1949
Box 4   Folder 6	Orientation packets, circa 1992
Box 4   Folder 7	Positions, circa 1990s
Box 4   Folder 8	Volunteers, 1951-1953
Box 4   Folder 9	Volunteers & Paid Staff Working Together pamphlet, circa 1980s
(Series 2)	Series: Blood Services	⇧
	Badger Regional Blood Program
Box 4   Folder 10	Chapter manuals, 1968-1973
Box 4   Folder 11	Correspondence, 1972-1977
Box 5   Folder 1	Blood room, 1984-1985
Box 5   Folder 2	Bloodmobile history, 1975
	Donors
	Gallon donors [lists of names]
Box 5   Folder 3	Bloodmobile records, 1952-1964
Box 5   Folder 4	, 1960-1986
Box 5   Folder 5	, 1977
Box 5   Folder 6	Recruitment committee, 1966
Box 5   Folder 7	Trane Company, 1958-1975
	Hospital participation
Box 5   Folder 8	Correspondence, 1954-1985
Box 5   Folder 9	Outside hospital reciprocated blood, 1974-1977
	Statements of agreement
Box 5   Folder 10	, 1955-1974
Box 5   Folder 11	, 1981-1987
Box 5   Folder 12	National office publications relating to blood and blood donors, undated
Box 6   Folder 1	Publicity, 1978
Box 6   Folder 2	Replacements, 1966-1979
Box 6   Folder 3-5	Site directors records, 1990-1994
Box 6   Folder 6	Statistics, 1950-1993
(Series 3)	Series: Disaster Relief	⇧
Box 7   Folder 1	General information, 1950s-1960s
Box 7   Folder 2	National office publications relating to disasters, undated
(Series 4)	Series: Financial Materials	⇧
Box 7   Folder 3-4	Cash book, 1942-1953
	Gifts, memorials & bequests
Box 7   Folder 5	Under $100
	Over $100
Box 7   Folder 6	Bartel, Anne M., 1971
Box 7   Folder 7	Bell, Vern S., 1961
Box 7   Folder 8	Buchholz, Elmer J., 1967
Box 7   Folder 9	deRanita, Maria Catherina, 1972
Box 7   Folder 10	Dorset, Helen, 1965
Box 7   Folder 11	Gabel, Mathilda F., 1963
Box 7   Folder 12	Goodrich, Mrs. W.F., 1961-1962
Box 7   Folder 13	Gundersen Medical Foundation, 1963
Box 7   Folder 14	Hanson, Henry L., 1953
Box 7   Folder 15	Hoefner, Mollie, 1974
Box 7   Folder 16	Koethe, Alma, 1971-1972
Box 7   Folder 17	La Crosse Foundation, 1965
Box 7   Folder 18	Mack, Celeste, 1981
Box 7   Folder 19	McKinley, Effie L., 1973
Box 7   Folder 20	Phillips, Netta, 1978-1979
Box 7   Folder 21	Pierce, Cora E., 1950
Box 8   Folder 1	Reynolds, Elizabeth D., 1954
Box 8   Folder 2	Roggensack, Julius, 1967
Box 8   Folder 3	Rosenstein, Manuel, 1960
Box 8   Folder 4	Seide, Emma, 1970
Box 8   Folder 5	Thomas, Marianna, 1950
Box 8   Folder 6	Wolf, Eva, 1949
Box 8   Folder 7	Wright, Razy M., 1972
	Investments
Box 8   Folder 8	, 1960-1972
Box 8   Folder 9	Heileman stock, 1982-1984
Box 8   Folder 10	War fund (World War II) day book, 1944-1949
(Series 5)	Series: Junior Red Cross	⇧
Box 8   Folder 11	Adult Committee minutes, 1957-1971
Box 8   Folder 12	Financial reports, 1959-1970
Box 8   Folder 13	Gift box/package records, 1950-1979
Box 8   Folder 14	Production book, 1957-1978
(Series 6)	Series: Publicity	⇧
	Newspaper clippings
Box 9   Folder 1-8	, pre-1965
Box 10   Folder 1-7	, 1965-1990s
	Scrapbooks
Box 12	, 1936-1948
Box 13	, 1949-1950s
Box 14	, 1961-1973
(Series 7)	Series: Service to Military Families	⇧
Box 11   Folder 1	General information, undated
Box 11   Folder 2	Committee materials, 1976-1979
	Monthly statistics
Box 11   Folder 3	, 1977 July - 1981 June
Box 11   Folder 4	, 1985 July - 1986 June
	National office publications relating to service to military families
Box 11   Folder 5	Army family readiness packet, 1996
Box 11   Folder 6	Brochures and pamphlets, 1950-1991
Box 11   Folder 7	Handbook for Red Cross Workers, 1980
Box 11   Folder 8	Resource packet, 1995
	Videos
Box 11   Folder 9	Serving the Military, circa 1990s Physical Description: VHS cassette; color; sound; runtime unknown
Box 11   Folder 9	Red Cross in the Persian Gulf, circa 1990s Physical Description: VHS cassette; color; sound; runtime unknown
Box 11   Folder 10	POW information, 1981-1982