In the spring of 1948 a group of 18 farm wives living in Hayes and Iowa Townships, Crawford County, northwest of Manning, organized a club which they named the Happy Hour Club. They chose a motto: The secret of happiness is not in doing what one likes, but in liking what one has to do. Club colors are blue and white, and flower, a red rose. The purpose was to further the social interests of its members and their community. Any lady living in the two mile radius of Iowa Township School #2 was eligible to join. The third Thursday of each month was selected as the meeting day. Ten years later the day was changed to the third Wednesday to avoid a conflict with other clubs. Boundary lines were lifted when members retired and moved to town, so that they could continue as members.

Irene Genzen was elected the first president. Charter members were: Fern Anthony, Helen Boell, Aria Dammann, Mabel Dammann, Irene Genzen, Marie Hagedorn, Alice Kuhl, Leola Kuhl, Lena Kuhl, Norma Lamaack, Irene Meggers, Agnes Meggers, Eunice Meggers. Goldie Meeves, Dorothy Rowedder, Berniece Stammer, Iola Stammer and Erma Wiese. Members joining later were Dorothy Sharp, 1949; Lena Hass, 1949; Rudy Determan, 1953; Pauline Kruse, 1959; Vila Ranniger, 1959; Sharil Lamaack, 1966; Betty Schoba, 1966; Melvina Vollstedt, 1967; Carolyn Dammann, 1969; Deanna Dammann, 1971; Betty Schroeder, 1975; Malinda Dammann, 1976; and Wynona Hill, 1979

Some of the activities have included family picnics weddino anniversary celebrations (divisible by 5) Dad's night out, dress up parties comic strip characters, beatnicks. Halloween cats, wreck, bathing suit contests. homemade Easter hats, hula skirts and nightgowns complete with pot and hot water bottle.

The club celebrated the Golden Wedding anniversary of Ed and Lena Kuhl with a 'This Is Your, Life' program. The silver anniversary of the club was observed in 1973. and the 30th in 1979.

Adverse conditions did not dampen the enthusiasm of the members. They traveled by team and wagon over muddy roads, and they walked when transportation was unavailable. When the electricity went off at one anniversary celebration, the party continued with lanterns and candles.

Donations have been made to worthy causes: Butternut coffee strips; Leanna Prill Kidney Fund; planting of shrubs and trees at the Manning Park, hospital and Plaza, and some of the Christmas and Easter Seal drives.

They have always helped at the Aspinwall yearly celebration, and they had a float in Manning's Diamond Jubilee Parade. Bus tours were taken to Omaha, Des Moines, Sioux City, Manning, Carroll and Denison.

Membership is presently at 16 and interest in the club is still high.

The Homemaker's Club was organized Dec. 5, 1939 by a group of ladies interested in receiving County Extension lessons. Charter members were Velma Knudsen, Estella Hinz, Regilda Stribe, Elsie Vollstedt, Mamie Eich, Naomi Schroeder, Helen Bell, Alma Jahn, Rose Stribe, Grace Andersen. Lena Bartels, Loretta Hinners, Arlene Musfeldt, Hilda Petersen, Elsie Struve and Abel Welch.

Members were required to live within a three mile radius of Washington No. 2 and the membership was limited to thirty. The meetings were to be held the second Wednesday of the month.

The purpose was to further the material and social interest of members and their community.

The group has held flower shows; sent boxes of goodies to soldiers during the war; took Red Cross lessons made quilts helped: sponsor the A.F.S program; donated wool blankets to polio patients and have helped the handicapped fn many ways. Each year a men's night and picnic is enjoyed The club has taken many sponsored trips Each member celebrating a fifth year anniversary is given a party and new babies and the sick are remembered with a gift. Many special programs are enjoyed by the club such as bake sales, plant exchanges, Halloween parties, school day remembrances, handiwork displays, Mother's Day celebrations and many others.

At one of the Extension meetings Lucile Bu

chanan, County Home Economist, mentioned the fact that in the near future many women would work outside the home and could not take the Extension Courses and that farm land would sell for over $1000 an acre. The group was reluctant to believe this but changing times have proven her statement to be true; however, the club still enjoys the Extension lessons.

The Past Presidents Club had its beginning Nov. 25, 1945, at the home of Mrs. Mayer Knudson, with a baby shower for Mrs. Earl Stribe. Others present were Mesdames Bert Petersen, Pete Struve, Albert Andresen and Emil Opperman. There they decided to meet socially, along with their husband, in their homes.

Each year Homemakers Club elects a new president, so each year another past president and her husband become members of the group if they desire.

When the group became too large to have parties in the home, they began renting the American Legion Hall four times a year for a potluck meal, card game, and coffee later. Fun times occur with initiation of new members. Gifts were presented to each married couple every fifth year of their wedding anniversary, or birthdays (widows).

By 1980 there have been 40 past presidents. Deceased were Mesdames Herbert (Verna) Frahm, Ray (Melvina) Vollstedt, Albert (Alvina) Klocke, Herbert (Margaret) Hinze, and Art (Loretta) Hinners.

Those inactive are Mesdames Pete (Else) Struve, Emil (Mabel) Opperman, Herbert (Regilda) Stribe, Virtus (Katherine) Vollstedt, Robert (Neva) Hinners, Amos (Dorothy) Kusel, Orville (Iva) Hinze, Leroy (Donna) Halbur, and Leroy (Sharlene) Albertsen.

Active members are Mesdames Mayer (Velma) Knudson, Bert (Hilda) Petersen, Earl (Garnet) Stribe, Albert (Grace) Andresen, Henry J. M. (Alta) Hansen, Virgil (Florence) Genzen, Julius (Naomi) Schroeder, Fred (Alice) Grau, Carl (Dorothy) Schrum, Alvan (Elaine) Hansen, Clifford (Helena) Tank, Harold (Bernice) Schroeder, Dean (Marge) Stribe, Joe (Erna) Muhlbauer, William (Phyllis) Opperman, Ronald (Lois) Frahm, Ray (Sally) Vetter, William (Leona) Brus, Robert (Hermanette) Tank, Donald (Lois) Hinners, George (May) Opperman, Larry (Cynthia) Genzen, Lowell (Lois) Stribe, Alfred (Lola) Ahrendsen, John (Dorothy) Fonken, and Larry (Carol) Muhlbauer.

A comparatively new organization in our town is the Manning Hospital and Plaza Auxiliary. This group was organized in the spring of 1975. The charter board members were: President, Janet Myer; 1st Vice President, Karen Amsden; 2nd Vice President, Lucille Wittrock; Secretary, Joan Petersen; Alternate Secretary, Johanna Danneman; Treasurer, Shirley McCollum, and Historian, Etola Willis. Presidents in the succeeding years have been Judy Bunz and Bernice Ohde.

Membership in the organization has varied from year to year, but has stabilized by now, and the 1979-80 membership consists of 245 members -- 135 which are active, and the remainder are contributing members.

The governing board of the auxiliary meets in the Plaza basement on the third Tuesday of each month. There is also a general meeting each May for all members at which time an election and installation of officers is held. Some of the services of the organization have been sewing, baking, visitation regulation at the hospital, person-to-person visitation at the Plaza, preparation of food and help at health clinics, health fairs, Plaza functions, and many more.

During its short tenure the auxiliary has subsidized the purchase of needed equipment for the hospital and Plaza -- such as an examining table for the emergency room, central heart monitoring machine, movie projector, not to mention a new van purchased and delivered in 1978.

The group was responsible for the initial planning and outfitting of a Snack Bar which opened in April of 1976. This facility is located between the hospital and Plaza and is staffed daily by a member of the auxiliary. The food is donated by a member of the auxiliary and baked fresh each day.

A newsletter is issued semi-annually to all of the members to keep them informed as to activities and achievements of their organization.

The Manning Hospital and Plaza Auxiliary has been a success due to the excellent support of its members and the entire community.

The local chapter was first organized in 1964 by a small group of young men and the membership grew to fifty. Keith Kelderman served as the first president and during their first year they sponsored Little League baseball; painted and did repair work at the Manning athletic field; sponsored a soap box derby; held teen hops; had Christmas bond drawings, and conducted a community survey.

In 1966 the Manning Plaza was built and the Jaycees contributed a great deal of time and money to this new home for the aged. In 1967 a room over the Crystal Theatre was rented, redecorated and furnished for their club room. It was at this time the Jaycees urged the town to consider fluoridating the city water. This project was never accepted.

The club had its ups and downs from a once active club. Membership dwindled in the early 1970's and it eventually closed.

I n 1978 a new effort was made and today the Jaycees have a membership of nearly 50. In the past two years they have sponsored many activities such as tractor pulls, spook houses, Christmas lights and treats, and a candidate to Hawkeye Boys State.

During 1979 they held a raffle ticket fund raising project. They gave $1000 to three local organizations. A check of $500 was given to the Manning Fire Department to help pay for the "Jaws of Life," $250 went to the Chamber of Commerce to replace American flags flown on Main Street during special occasions, and $200 went to the Manning Centennial Association. The fluoridation of the city water, one of the first projects undertaken by the Jaycees, was finally approved by the City Council.

Officers in 1980 were Rick Lohrmann, president; Craig Moeller, vice president; Dan Lorenzen, secretary; and Paul Hiatt, treasurer.

The Jaycee Jaynes of Manning was organized in November of 1978. The charter members include Lois Younie, President; Stephanie Jahn, Vice President; Malia Soll, Secretary; Mari Jahn, Treasurer; Gloria Anthony, Historian; Jo Anne Sawhill and Merry Smith.

The Jaycee Jaynes are a non-profit organization. Some of the activities they have done in their first year were a Christmas raffle of three ceramic items which included a Santa Claus, a snowman and a nativity; two minute grocery spree at each grocery store, with Gertie Dammann winning the spree at Thrifty's and Michelle Andersen winning at Manning Food. They gave a $200 scholarship to Linda Hansen, who was interviewed and voted on among five senior girls. The 1979 Ag Day Parade was organized by the Jaycee Jaynes. They also had a "Win a Fish" stand in the park on Ag Day. During the Jaycees' spook house, they had a concession stand and sold a lot of hot dogs and chili.

They gained new members of Cheryl Wanninger, Dee Dee Houghton, Carolyn Kerkhoff, Jan Lorenzen and Linda McCollum. Election of officers for 1980 was held with Stephanie Jahn, President; Gloria Anthony, Vice President; Carolyn Kerkhoff, Secretary; Malia Soll, Treasurer and Lois Younie, Historian.

Their main project for 1980 is organizing the "Sisters of the Swish". They will be traveling to all the area towns during their summer celebrations and will be promoting Manning's centennial.

1900 Mr. and Mrs. O.E. Dutton entertained a company of lady and gentlemen friends with a graphophone in their home last evening, Jan. 19.

LADIES' AID SOCIETY (LUTHERAN CHURCH)

Mrs. Max Schultz (Olga) submitted the following information concerning the Zion Ladies' Aid of the Lutheran Church.

In 1922 there was no church in Aspinwall. In order to go to church she and a friend would come to Manning on the nine o'clock train and would leave the services before the final prayer to catch the train at twelve o'clock which took them back home.

Rev. Ansorge, from Manning, would go to Aspinwall to visit the sick. He and his wife started the Sunday School which met on Sunday afternoons. In 1925 he confirmed a class of 14 adults. The later part of that year six ladies with the help of the pastor organized the Ladies' Aid in the home of Mrs. Sinow. They met in the home of the members with dues being 15 cents a month. From then on the membership grew. The organization sewed clothes for the orphanage in Ft. Dodge. Each year at Christmas time they use the last of their treasury and give candy, fruit and other items to the Old People's Home in Omaha and institutions in Clarinda and Glenwood.

At the beginning of 1980 the membership was 44. They have been asked to join the Dorcas Society but for sentimental reasons prefer to remain as it has always been. Charter members were Mrs. Emil Ehrichs, Mrs. Opal Sinow, Mrs. Elsie Siem, Mrs. Louie Ehrichs, Mrs. Harry Schroeder and Olga. Schultz. At present, the president is Mrs. Vernetta Hass.

Lambda Eta is a chartered member of an international social, service organization called Beta Sigma Phi. Its roots in Manning were established in the summer of 1978 as a result of Jan Keese, who had transferred from a sister organization in Princeton, Missouri. She along with ten other young women felt the need to do something for themselves and their community in a special sort of way.

These original members of Lambda Eta were; Jan Keese, President; Becky Venner, Vice-President; Linda Beaman, Recording Secretary; Mary Stuhr, Corresponding Secretary; Linda Steele, Treasurer; Tracy Norman, Extension Officer; Marcia Carter, Helen Ohde, Renee Pfannkuch, Jan Ranniger and Judi Stribe.

Lambda Eta has been very busy during its first two years of existence. Six new members, Pam Jensen, Judith Morgan, Zita Saunders, Pam Kaszinski, Marlene Lithe, and Merry Smith have been acquired and various projects have been successfully realized. One of the projects was to provide refreshments and prizes for story hour during the summer program at the Manning Library. The other projects centered around Spring activities: Lambda Eta sponsored the Easter egg hunt in the Manning Park, helped purchase sport shirts for the local Special Olympics team, helped at the annual special education track meet and provided flowers for those mothers who had to be hospitalized on Mother's Day.

Even though the service projects are an important aspect of Lambda Eta's existence, socialization and friendship are just as important. Monthly socials and bi-monthly meetings have provided an excellent opportunity for the members of Lambda Eta to form warm relationships among themselves as well as providing a service to their community.

Currently, the 1980 officers of Lambda Eta are: Jan Keese, President; Tracy Norman, Vice-President; Judith Morgan, Recording Secretary; Judi Stribe, Corresponding Secretary; Renee Pfannkuch, Treasurer; and Zita Saunders, Extension Officer.

Twenty-one members of a sewing circle of Sacred Heart Parish with the encouragement of their pastor, Rev. Father J.J. Keane, met at the home of Mrs. Arthur Bock, on February 13, 1935, with the intention of forming a study club, and combining it with the sewing activities. They chose the name "Little Flower Study Club" in honor of Saint Theresa, for the group. Mrs. A.H. Hinz was elected its first president, and Mrs. Frank Mentzer, the first secretary-treasurer.

In November of 1935 the sewing circle was discontinued, and Mrs. Arthur Bock became the new president, Mrs. Melvin Jentsch, vice president and Mrs. Joseph Horbach, secretary-treasurer.

The club meets in the homes every first and third Wednesday of the month, from October through May. It is active in community affairs, principally in its support of the Public Library.

Charter members include Isabel Smith, Florence Bock, Rose Nickum, Helen Kleespies, Mrs. Navin, Louise Jentsch, Flossie Hunter, Anna Enenbach, Alice Wehrmann, Mrs. Brady, Mildred Horbach, Nina Mentzer, Mrs. Butel, Pearl West, Antonia Hinz, Agnes Zerwas, Edna Kuhl, Mrs. Wilfong, Mrs. Claussen, Regina Mohr and Margaret Brady