A Rich History That Started 86 Years Ago...

Twenty-six young women founded the Junior Charity League under the leadership of Mrs. Henry Wheeler. The original members of the Charity Leagues of America on May 21, 1921 were Margaret Long, Helen Long, Dorothy Dempsey Prouse, Glenne Allen Doud, Phoebe Parker, Mrs. Eldredge Green, Dorothy Davis Wynne, Ruth Pratt, Martha Skewis Cochran, Shirley Skewis Hedden, Helen Keen, Ruth Kelly Johnson, Helen Bailey Murray, Mildred Abeel Monroe, Margaret Snell Snyders, Elizabeth Morrill Love, Mary Norton Smith, Martha Albertson Allen, Marjorie Sayre Happy, Ella Todd Crowe, Rhoda Vaeth Morill, Constance Rice Lyon, Eugenia Hufford Curry and Ethel Bailey Weddel.

The history of The Junior League of Tacoma reveals consistent growth and development, but the ideas of community service by the trained volunteer has remained constant. The Junior League highway has been walked by many; we shall retrace the road by the decades.1921–1931.

During these first 10 years, the League progressed from early sewing and motor corps services to its first major project, the endowment of a maternity bed in local hospitals. More than $4,000 was raised for the maternity bed endowment through fashion shows, cake sales and the first "Follies". The need for a permanent source of income lead to the establishment in 1930 of a Junior League Thrift Shop which has continued to support activities of the League to this day. Projects undertaken included sponsorship of the Tony Sarg Marionettes, a lecture by Will Durant and continued support of the maternity bed project. The JLT was incorporated in 1929.

1931–1941

Interest in the arts characterized the early 30’s when the League sponsored art shows, brought the Seattle Symphony to Tacoma and sponsored the Tacoma Philharmonic as well as began its long devotion to the cause of Children’s Theater. The maternity bed project was endowed again and Well-Baby Clinics were started by the League and received $1,500 in financial support. The milk fund was organized, and was supported by funds raised by an exhibition boxing match in the Stadium Bowl featuring Jack Dempsey. Important League developments included the adoption of a Provisional course, a formal placement system and the distribution of a monthly news sheet.

1941–1951

The outstanding project of these war years was the establishment of the Occupational Therapy Workshop at Tacoma General Hospital. The project, ultimately turned over to the community, was the early beginning of the Tacoma Crippled Children’s School, now a vital part of the Tacoma School System. Interest in children’s theater, children’s radio and creative dramatics was high and accounted for financial expenditures of close to $10,000. The League produced another Follies and the Thrift Shop moved to Market Street.

1951–1961

An outdoor play-shed was built at Remann Hall and a play school was started there with League financial responsibility amounting to more than $5,000. Children’s Philharmonic concerts were underwritten for years. League membership included an enthusiastic group of puppeteers who wrote, produced and trouped puppet shows to Tacoma schoolchildren. A cart to sell sundries and loan magazines at Tacoma General Hospital was organized. The League Bylaws were revised and a compulsory attendance system started.

The League became increasingly aware of its role as a leadership group in Tacoma and in the Association of Junior Leagues of America. Good public relations were fostered by a coffee hour honoring community leaders with whom the League had worked. In addition, the League hosted a regional meeting and Mrs. Herrick Allen (Bea) was elected Director of Region IX. Bylaws were again revised and a League office was opened.

In community work, the League continued sponsorship of children’s concerts, produced puppet shows and organized a League choral group. Important new projects were a library assistants program, which supplied reference material and trained volunteers to the public school libraries, and the Family Service Program for which we supplied office space, volunteer help and around $5,000 in financial aid. A major contribution was made to the Puget Sound Rehabilitation Center and the League continued to provide camperships for the Child Guidance Association. The "Daffodil Follies" was produced to augment the Thrift Shop income so that the League might continue to meet increasing demands for funds in the community.

1961–1971

Interest in Faith Home prompted volunteer work at the home and $12,000 in financial support. The League was instrumental in the creation of "Camp Six", a logging museum at Point Defiance Park and produced a film The Age of Steam Logging. Nearly $10,000 was spent to aid in renovations of the old County-City Building by Allied Arts and in repairs to the Girls’ Club.

1971–1981

The sixth decade of the League was characterized by a focus on community projects, internal restructuring and direction to the organization’s future. During these ten years, League members helped to fund and participate in such numerous projects as Planned Parenthood, Call for Action, Poetry in Institutions, the Greater Lakes Mental Health Center, Family Counseling Service – Strong Family, the Children’s Gallery of the Tacoma Art Museum, self-esteem kits, the Big Toy at Point Defiance, the Tacoma Arts for Youth Council, anti-child abuse publicity, the Parenting Project, Paint-a-Plug, the therapy pool at the Pearl Street YMCA, publication of Capitol Ideas, child advocacy, the Northwest Trek Golden Eagle Project, the Summer Child Development Center, Mary Bridge Hospital Visually Impaired Children’s Project, the Council for Children and Youth, FOCUS on KSTW, the Tacoma Council on Giftedness, the Tacoma Public Library Special Collections, YWCA Special Populations Program, Widowed Information and Consultation Service, Civic Arts Commission Arts, "Kids Art", and the Good Samaritan Hospital Rehabilitation Center.

In internal matters, the League grew to require a part-time secretary in 1972, and moved to larger headquarters in the Park Towers Apartments. Members instituted a Skills Bank and offered internal and community workshops. The Board continued to rewrite and revise the Bylaws, created a new board manual in 1975, initiated an Active Professional group and consolidated the Second Closet and League office at 945 Broadway. Optional Advisory Status was developed and, in 1978, the Board added a Community Vice President and adopted an evening-day Provisional course. Other important changes in 1979 included provisions for candidate self-submission and cooperation admissions, the implementation of a Future Planning Committee and a Finance Committee. In 1980, members adopted an Enabling Fund procedure and a Land, Building and Equipment Fund.

1981–1991

As the Junior League of Tacoma celebrated its 70th Anniversary, the League continued to develop meaningful projects and made contributions to the community while responding to the changing needs of its members. The 1980’s brought various changes to the structure of the League, as well as to the Association, which more accurately reflected its international expansion with a name change to The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc.

Some of the highlights of this decade include forming the Community Advisory Board, combining the Admissions and Provisional Committees into one more aptly named Membership Development, creating a Funding Development Committee, moving the JLT Office and Second Closet to a new location at 3735 South Park Avenue (near Lincoln High School)- Second Closet continued to be a priority of the League and served as a much needed community service as well as a funding source for JLT. During these ten years, there were other fund raising events to add to the financial well-being of the JLT. In 1985, the Follies called "Tacoma Tempo ’85" raised $103,600. "Follies - Cause for Applause" was produced in 1989 with proceeds of $82,971. The first Car Rally fund raiser was held in 1987 and became an annual event. The ever popular holiday auction, The Bid & Buy continued throughout the decade, and League partnered with Nordstrom in holding an annual fashion event to benefit JLT.

1991–2001

This was a very successful decade for the League. It was a time full of exciting events, collaborations and the focused efforts of many wonderful women. Serving as President during this decade were Kristine Croasdill, Mimi Hackleman, Carolyn Shain (two terms), Jean Wall, Karen Duffy, Shelley Angelo, Heidi Horst, Rosie Burton and Mari Wilber.

In the 1990’s our focus changed from women and children’s issues to the family unit, and the League ended the decade by focusing on literacy. Our projects were many and our efforts outstanding. We participated in the Festival of Trees every year, KSTW-TV focus shows and PSAs to educate viewers about community nonprofits, Director’s Institute Training for all nonprofits, LINC (League Information and Networking in the Community) – a presentation to establish community collaborations and recruit new members, an immunization project, Woodlawn Faith Homes Independent Living Skills Course, Kids on the Block puppet shows at Pierce County elementary schools, Girls II Women at the Gonyea Boys and Girls Club, Positive Parenting, the Henderson Bay Teen Parent Project, Plant A Seed…Read and initial planning of the Read To Succeed Literacy Workshop held in March 2002. Community Outreach projects touched many lives as well during the decade, and included the YWCA Battered Women’s Shelter, WWEE, AIDS housing, the first annual AIDS walk, Salvation Army Giving Trees, Habitat for Humanity, Tone School donations, the Crisis Pregnancy Center, Hospitality Kitchen, the Children’s Museum of Tacoma, Boys and Girls Clubs, Guadalupe House and many more.

The League left the State Public Affairs Network (SPAN) in 1995 and returned to the Junior Leagues of Washington State (JLWS) in 1998. JLT nominated its first JLWS chair in 2001.

The IMPACT continued to be the central means of communication for the League in the 1990’s. It went from being a nine issues a year news magazine to quarterly issues produced "in house". E-mailing everything from IMPACT articles and Board reports to Consent Agendas became the norm as the decade went along. The first League video was produced in 1998, for information as well as for recruitment purposes.

The New Member course also changed over the decade. It went from an eight month course to a two month course, and finally ended up as a three day course that was repeated as many as three times during the year. New member numbers were fairly consistent. By the end of each year we had the following number of new actives: 1992 – 30, 1993 – 34, 1994 – 24, 1995 – 25, 1996 – 27, 1997 – 15, 1998 – 37, 1999 –26, 2000 – 21 and 2001 – 24.

Over the decade, our training efforts continued with many engaging speakers and trainers. In 2001, after realizing the importance of AJLI’s national trainings for all members, it was budgeted to send at least three to five members to national conferences.

After much effort in November of 1994, the League relocated its office and Second Closet Thrift Store to 7 Tacoma Avenue North.

A League scholarship was initiated in 1995 with a $500 recipient. In 2001, it was renamed The Junior League of Tacoma Jane Russell Scholarship in honor of our former League President and Ruth Wheeler Sustainer of the Year recipient.

In 1999, the Executive Committee and 22 member Board style of governing was changed with the adoption of a new Council System governance type. Policy governance became a household word for League members, a Code of Conduct for the Board of Directors was established and more detailed finance policies were developed and approved.

The League’s financial reports included two major fundraisers in the 1990’s as well as some annual events. 1993 was the last year of the Follies, bringing in $96,200 for the League, and in April 1997, Martha Stewart visited Tacoma as a keynote speaker at our Decorators’ Showhouse and Garden Tour at Lakewold Gardens in Lakewood. A total of $118,000 was raised for League programs during the three week event. $15,000 in Showhouse funds benefited the Swan Creek Library Computer Center with plans for more community spending underway.

Community grants contributions to local nonprofits needing our assistance totaled over $60,000 and an Annual Fund campaign was started, raising $9,000 the first year. It was temporarily renamed the Relocation Drive Fund in 1993-94 in order to support a move to a new location. The Second Closet Thrift Store moved with the office in 1994. It went from netting about $20,000 and run solely by JLT volunteers at the beginning of the decade to netting a high of $38,000 in 1999 and operated by a manager and paid staff. During the latter part of the decade, volunteers at the Second Closet organized the backroom and worked with incoming donations.

Bid & Buy and wreath sales made almost $10,000 in 1991 and, by 1995, these fundraisers earned $16,000 with outside League procurements acquired. By 1999, the Bid & Buy Auction raised $47,000 and was a highly anticipated community event.

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