MORE ABOUT . . .
Report—Auxiliary
(Continued from Page 5)
bers, either time I was through
their city, for the ships were in
at such an hour that I could not
reach any one by phone.
In the States, I was the guest
of several Alaska members who
now live there, including Past
National Chaplain, Ethyl West
and Past Department President,
Laura Johnson, both in Seattle.
Two of the National Convention
* Delegates for Alaska, who live
in Los Angeles and San Berna
dino, Winnie Daniels, Ketchikan
member and Elizabeth Hamilton
of the Fairbanks Unit, entertain
ed me at the close of the Con
vention. And when I returned
from the Conference, Amy Swan
son and Agnes Beck, two Past
Unit Presidents of my own Unit,
accompanied me on a visit to
the Auxliary Gift Shop at the
Portland Veteran’s Hospital,
when they were completing pre
parations for the Christmas
“shopping" for the veterans
hospitalized there. We were wel
comed most cordially and this
free gift service explained by
the women of the Portland Units
who gave their time for that
cause. As we left, we were in
vited to their “Open House” to
be held the following Sunday,
which I was not able to attend
to my regret, for I had to re
turn to Alaska in time for
Christmas.
While waiting between the
National Convention and the
Presidents’ and Secretaries’ Con
ference, I was guest at the Unit
at Everett, Washington, where
my late mother and I had been
Charter members. I also had the
privilege of attending a large
County meeting in Pocahontas,
Iowa, near where my brother's
wife and three nieces belong to
a Unit. These meetings are for
the instruction of Unit officers
and chairmen, so I learned much
of value and heard a good re
port of the National Convention
from their District President,
and was invited to talk on Aux
iliary work in Alaska.
I visited the City of Washing
ton D. C. long enough to spend
considerable time at some of
its shrines, the Capitol, and Su
preme Court Building. Thanks
giving Day was observed at
Church Services and historic
spots near by, including the
Great Falls of the Potomac. For
eign Relations being stressed in
our program, I looked up the
Washington D. C. branch offices
of the United Nations in order
to secure official information
and literature for Unit Study
and to complete the present De
partment files on t^c .subject
The Secretary oi Information
was interested and helpful, giv
ing considerable time to pick a
wide selection of material
me to take to Alaska, and con
tributing a quantity ox oooklets
that were scarce and which there
is a charge for normally. At a
later date our Department was
remembered and honored with
a few complimentary copies of
one booklet that was out of
stock, then. This Secretary also
made long distance calls to find
out if the Lake Success meet
ings would be held Thanksgiv
ing week end, and tried to se
cure reservations for me for
the hearing when the Chinese
Reds were in Conference, for
only a few hundred phones are
available and thousands would
wish to attend the sessions. But
a great storm disrupted all traf
fic and business in New York
area, so the meetings were post
poned, so I was not able to at
tend any, for I had to hurry to
Indianapolis for the Conference.
However, I was at the Hotel
where many Red delegates were
staying and witnessed the reac
tion of New Yorkers and others
to the presence of hese repre
sentatives of the government re
sponsible for the war that was
taking so many of our boys, es
pecially during those dark hours
on the Korean front.
Since our Department does
not provide funds for visiting
Units, I have followed the pre
cedent set by our former De
partment Presidents, and have
endeavored to keep in contact
with the Unit Presidents by fre
quent letters. Montaiy acivities
were stressed in general letters,
special irnormation from Nation
al sources copied ana sent, and
numberless cards and notes, as
well as letters, to officers and
e h a i r m e n. Membership was
stressed in nearly every monthly
letter: with production aims in
“Alaskan Oil Fields” the theme,
as suggesed by he Naional Mem
bership Chairman, since Mrs.
lieed’s home is in Oklahoma,
the Oil State. •
A monthly column was writ
ten for the Alaska Legionnaire,
the activity of the month used
as the main theme. The National
Convention and Presidents’ and
Secretaries’ Conference Wire al
so reported; as were the high
lights of tlie visit to Haines,
lloonah, and Alike Bay, where
Legion Posts are sponsoring
Units.
When it was evident that the
Posts tiiat were organizing Units
were meeting delays that were
holding up completion of their
earlier plans, I set out to visit
those in southeastern Alaska to
offer assistance. At Haines, I
found Mr. Boss I. Hevel, the Ad
jutant of Lynn Canal Post No
12 most cooperative and a meet
ing was called at which their
tempoiary Unit w^as established,
with Mary Hevel as President.
Their Charter applications were
accepted and their Charter lias
been received from national and
Department Headquarters, dated
August 3, which enables them
to elect delegates and partici
pate in this year's Convention.
My call at Hoonah found a
temporary Unit organized, with
Edith Bean, their President.
However they w at be unable
to proceed, until Fall, s nee the
Commander and Adjutant are
a*.ay on the fishing grounds,
and their signatures are need
ed on the applications. Their
Commander, Mr. sarabia, re
quested assistance and materials
for organizing of the Depart
ment Adjutant then in oiLes in
mid January, but word did not
reach Auxiliary Headquarters
until mid-March, and by the
time materials were sent their
men had gone fishing. The act
ing President expressed doubts
that ail cf the women would
still be interested alter the long
delay.
Commander Gnntillon and his
wife, of Auke Bay. invited me
to their Post picnic, where a
meeting was held to decide
whether a Unit was desired and
all voted in favor of organizing
Later a temporary Umt was or
ganized. which is meeting regu
larly, but it is not known yet
whether there are enough NEW
MEMBERS to make up the or
ganizing ten, necessary to form
a permanent Unit by signing the
Charter Application. Mr. Can
tillon, tiie Commander, has giv
en much time and effort to the
work of organizing this Unit
and it is hoped that his efforts
bear fruit at an early date.
Whle north, I took time to
drop in on the two year old Unit
of Skagway, ten minutes away
by air. There I was graciously
received by the Unit President,
Helen Clark, and other Unit Of
ficers. And was driven on a
sigiit-seeing tour, while Unit
problems were discussed.
Stopping at Juneau, between
other points, I had the privilege
of being present when the love
ly Memorial wreaths and sprays
were made out of left-over pop
pies by the Unit members, and
of attending the beautifully im
pressive Memorial Day ceremon
ies at the Juneau cemetery. I
also was present at the close of
their last meeting of the year
and enjoyed the hospitality and
opportunity to renew old friend
ships and become acquainted
with Mrs. Ernest Lincoln, the
Unit President.
Recently, several problems
made it necessary to call at
Wrangell, where I interviewed
several officers and members
and spent an evening with Mr.
and Mrs. Fisk. While in Wran
gell, Past Unit President, Irene
Coulter, arranged for a visit out
at the Wrangell Institute, where
several hundred semi-or-wholly
dependent children from infants
up to Sixth Graders are given
care and schooling. The Super
intendent and his staff gave me
considerable time, to discuss
pro jlcrns and show me the quar
t.rs. (At Haines, Mrs. Hovel look
me through Haines House, a
denominational institution that
cares for many children, under
excellent conditions, also) At
both institutions staff members
were cordial and, during the in
terview, pointed out projects that
could be undertaken by such
groups as ours, that would do
the most good on behalf of these
children.
Unit Presidents and other of
ficers of nearby Units, have
graciously invited me to visit
their communities, but I refrain
ed from doing so except in the
instances cited, since I could not
visit at all, being obliged to meet
expenses personally; for I did
not wish to show partiality. 1
sincerely appreciate their kind
invitations and hope to be able
to visit these places and revisit
the others, to renew friendships,
when my time is my own.
It would be a pleasure to tell
of the splendid achievements of
the Committees and Units in the
past year; but that is the privi
lege of the Department Chair
men who have work so faith
fully to accomplish the results
in membership and service
which you shall hear reported.
At the beginning of the year
we lost the Unit at Adak, one
of the smallest but most active,
because changes in personnel
caused these women to move
elsewhere. They are to ue prais
ed for the service they rendered
during the short time they were
organized. We may be sure they
are active in other Units in their
new homes.
However, as the Auxiliary
year ends, we gained a Unit,
when Lynn Canal Unit No. 12,
at Haines, with its twelve mem
bers, received its Charter. Their
numbers and desire to associate
•...m us will give us aaded
strength to contribute to the
woi'K of the Legion and lor serv
ice. I sincerely welcome them
into the Department of Alaska.
'Ihis brings our membership
percentage to over 97, with more
to be added. You will hear the
exact figures from the Secretary
and Membership Chairman. At
the Conference in Indianapolis,
I was challenged by Hawaii and
Deleware for the highest per
centage in the National Head
quarters by March 15 and June
1, respectively. We won ever
Hawaii, but lost to Deleware,
although the latest reports show
that we now have topped them,
nearly half of the Units have
reached 100 per cent of their
quota: several have gone higher,
including Palmer, which took
the Membership Award from
National. Congratulations to
their Matanuska Valley Unit No.
15! And also to Jack Henry No.
1, Anchorage; Seward No. 5;
Cordova’s John W. Jones No. 8;
Kodiak No. 17; and Petersburg,
No. 14! I was informed that Ju
neau No. 4, was 100 per cent,
but my records do not give it
Congratulations to the Depart
ment and Unit Membership
Chairmen for your fine record
achieved in a difficult year!
It is with sorrow that I record
the death of one of our Unit
Presidents, Thelma Smih, of Val
dez. My sincere sympathy to her
family and Unit members on
their sudden loss.
And now, as we near our
year's end, I wish to express my
sincere appreciation to the De
partment Officers of the Legion,
especially Ethel Lindley and Ora
Campbell, who as editors of the
"Alaska Legionnaire” cooperat
ed with us, giving much space
for Auxiliary articles; to our
own Department Officers in the
Auxiliary, who have worked so*
earnestly to promote our pro
gram; to the Unit Presidents,
Officers and Chairmen, who
have carried out the plans as far
as they were able under their
particular circumstances, so
well; and to all of the Unit mem
bers whose interest and efforts
have brought forth a harvest
you and the Department may
well be proud of, and which has
enriched not only your lives
and communities, but others you
may never hear from, but whom
you may be sure are grateful. (
The work you have done in
service to others, does not end
with the totaling of figures and
making annual reports, but goes
on to bestow blessings long after
the days of harvest, that this
Convention brings to a climax.
From our National President,
Mrs. Willis C. Reed, whose
leadership and example have
been as a beacon to guide us, to
the newest of our own members,
I offer heartfelt gratitude for
your confidence and for the
hours spent together in service
and enjoyment.
And to the late Mrs. M. E.
Leavitt of Las Vegas, Nevada,
our beloved National Vice Presi
dent of this Western Division, I
humbly dedicate this report; for
her personal interest and advice
have often guided me when I
turned to her for enlightenment,
and she made each Department
President in her division feel
that she was a long known
family friend. Her passing sud
denly in early July, is a great
loss to all of us in the Auxiliary
family!
These friendships and even
the hours of struggle during my
tenure in office, have left me
memories of love and devotion
and an experience that are my
richest reward for having tried
to live up to my obligations to
the best of my ability.
But I shall not say “Goodbye,”
for, though another will take up
the obligations and leadership
soon, I shall go back into your
ranks and serve at your side as
a fellow worker. As I said a year
ago, in my installation address,
although things look better in
Korea, the trouble is not yet
over and may even bmak out
more violently, there or else
where; so our Community, State,
and Nation needs our service
and loyalty, still, more than
ever!
DELIA SARFF,
Department President
Hai’l Exes. Woman
K«s Served
AarilHry 23 Years
r
Mrs. Ethel W. Tonseth, Na
tional Executive Woman. 1930
1951. was born near Hutchinson,
Kansas. The family moved to
Oregon when Ethel was a child,
and she grew up there, attend
ing Oregon State College where
she met her future husband.
Ethel taught piano music for
several years before her marri
age to Einar A. Tonseth in 1923.
The couple moved to Fairbanks,
Alaska to live. She joined the
American Legion Auxiliary,
Fairbanks Unit in 1923 through
her husband’s service in World
War I.
She served the local unit as
Secretary, 2nd and 1st Vice Pre
sident, and as President in 1935.
During these years Mrs. Tonseth
served on most of the important
committees in the unit. She has
filled several important Depart
ment posts, such as chairman of
the Committee on Community
Service, Childwelfare, Music,
Junior Activities, Rehabilitation
jnd this last year National Se
curity and Civil Defense. She
was also Department Historian.
Mrs. Tonseth was 1st Vive Pre
sident of the Alaska Department
in 1948-49 and served as Pre
sident during the 1949-50 per
iod. She attended three Depart
ment conventions, National Pre
sidents and Secretaries Confer
ence in Indianapolis in October,
1949. Attended National Execu
:ive Committee Womans Con
ference in Indianapolis, 1951.
Its* W_*. rju,..** • . ■,?
U v r«*i. » £3i & a I
Of! Americanism,
Reports Chairman
mm
“My Chairmanship of the ]
year in Americanism draws
a close with the deep convic
that this has been a good ye
states Mrs. Esther F. Clith
2nd Vice President and Dep
ment Chairman of American
“I do appreciate the coop
tion ox the Units in makin
so. Ours is a 100% report ai
am proud of my chairmen
their Units who have made
possible. j
“Americanism, truly a
field of endeavor to be explo
not alone by us, but by the
ture generations to come,
the advantages that a won
ful country can give us all,
ing only our loyalty and sup
in return, is ours for the tai
Can any other people sav t
Where can man take so it
for granted the full free
that is our American herit
In this day of unrest and ur
tainty let us guard it wel
that ours may truly be a sti
and proud America, with ’F
dom and Justice for all"
“During the past year I
attempted to bring Ibefore
Department a little inform
on Foreign Relations. There
not been as much done
would have liked as we a
little in the dark ourselves,
hope that by next year we
give a clearer picture of the
ditions. So much has gone
contradictory nature tha
has been almost imposs bl
condense the facts so that
could be brought before
units."
Esther F. Clithcro, 2nd
President, Department of Al
was born and raised in
fort. South Carolina, ahe
to preparatory school in
leston for three years, but
made college, she says, be
she was married in 1918.
She and her husband can
Alaska in the spring of
and except for the years
and 1938, she has made
home in the Territory
since. She is the mother of
boys and one girl.
Three sons were in the
War II, one in the Army, o
the Navy and one in the M
Corps. The youngest son di
Ketchikan in 1944, and
weeks later his brother wh
a Marine was killed at G
She lived in Ketchikan
Juneau most of the time, m
to Sitka at the time of he
marriage in 1948.
Mrs. Clithero has serve
president of the Sitka
worked on the Sitka ho
board, attended city co
meetings, and has been a
ber of Alaska Crippled Chi
Association 1950-51 in ad
to her duties as an Aux
member.
She also attended Women’
triotic Conference on Natl
Defense held in WashingtoiT
January 1951, and will aj
the National American Ai
ary Convention in Miami,
ida in October as National |
cutive Committee Woman.
Ethel Tonseth has been
ern Division Area ChairmaJ
National Junior Activities
mittee for 1950-51. She has
daughters, all of whom
been Junior Members of
Auxiliary.