UNITED PRESBYTERIAN WOMEN

A women's group of First Presbyterian church was organized on February 28, 1918 and was called The Woman's Missionary Society. Eight members joined with the meetings to be held the fourth Thursday of the month. Dues of 50c per member per year were established. Devotions and lessons were presented at each meeting. Lessons were on Alaska, foreign affairs and the problems of Negro laborers as well as many other topics. Money was contributed to various missionaries. Work was also done for the White Cross.

The name of the organization was changed to The Presbyterian Guild, membership grew and activities of the group expanded. Church dinners were a means of making money as well as Rotary dinners. By 1951 membership had grown to 70.

On October 29, 1954 the name of the organization was changed to Presbyterian Women's Organization with changes in the by-laws and constitution. It was established that officers serve a two year term with the privilege of one reelection and funds needed to meet obligations be raised through pledges.

On January 9, 1959, the North West Iowa Presbyterial was re-organized and the name of women's groups was changed to United Presbyterian Women. Three Circles were formed locally for the purpose of group study. Each group plans its own yearly program.

Through the years the group has served funeral and wedding dinners, contributed to the church budget, sewn for the missions, sent contributions to the Presbyterian Home at Ackley and served the annual May Breakfast. Without the effort and generosity of the membership none of this would have been possible.

Manning's V.F.W. post, organized March 23, 1941, with 18 members, today has a membership of 343. Men and women who have served overseas during the two World Wars, the Korean War and the Vietnam Conflict are eligible.

The Post today includes members from Manilla, Westside, Irwin, Templeton, Dedham, Coon Rapids, Denison, Arcadia, Carroll and other towns both in Iowa and other states. Manning Post 3517 was the number one post in Iowa for having exceeded its yearly membership quota in 1978, 1979, and 1980. It attained this honor by maintaining a steady membership growth for the past 23 years.

Charter members of the club were Herman Claussen, Henry Grelck, Victor Henson, Henry Joens, John Karsten, Emil Kuhn, Clarence Kuhse, Herman Lamp, Louis Vogt, Ed McGinn, John Mohr, George Nissen, Herman Opperman, Robert Rudnick, Peter Siem, William Struve, Peter Vehrs, and William Wiese. Emil Kuhn, Herman Lamp, Henry Grelck, and Henry Joens are still active members of the club. The oldest member of the club is Emil Kuhn who will be celebrating his 90th birthday in 1980.

In July, 1948, the post purchased a roller rink at Fox Lake, Minnesota, and moved it to the intersection of Second and Main streets. A contest was held to name the rink and the name "Mid-Town Roller Rink", submitted by Ronnie Timmerman, was selected. The skating rink was managed by Glen Jensen, Elmer Schelldorf and Ralph Hagedorn and operated until 1951.

The regular Post meetings were held upstairs over the Rix produce company, which is now City Hall, until September, 1953, when part of skating rink was remodeled and used as the VFW Club rooms. In 1955, the hall was completely remodeled and has been used for square dancing, receptions, banquets, and social parties. The Congregate Meals Program, with low-cost meals and social activities for the elderly, began meeting weekday noons at the VFW Hall October 18, 1976.

Many renovations have taken place in the Club over the years. Some of these include moving the kitchen from the present bar area to the East end of the building. A new furnace and gas heaters were added to the Club to replace the old system. Air conditioning was also installed in the bar area. In December of 1979 the building was insulated. Two new restrooms were added in February of 1980 to the bar space.

In May, 1952, a uniformed ceremonial and drill team was organized and sponsored by the post. This team, now composed of 25 members, has participated in parades and attended funerals of their departed comrades. Awards have been won in several celebration parades and at state VFW conventions throughout the state. New uniforms were purchased in 1978.

A bowling team, sponsored by the post and comprised of post members, was organized in

1953. The team won the state championship in 1956.

Meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month at 8 p.m. An annual turkey dinner is held each year and is open to all members. It is held on the nearest Saturday to Pearl Harbor Day.

It was a cold night on Friday, December 12, 1941, when 18 women gathered at the Manning Opera House to form the Manning V.F.W. Auxiliary to Post 3517. Only five days prior, the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor in a sneak attack, and the entire nation was thrown into war. Many of the women who took part in the initiation ceremony that evening knew that sons, husbands and relatives would be called to serve their country. Several of these relatives would never return home.

The 18 Charter members installed that evening were: President, Elsie Siem; Senior Vice President, Marie McGrath; Junior Vice President, Hattie Schroeder; Treasurer, Ella Puck; Chaplain, Anna Karsten; Conductress, Elizabeth Nagl; Guard, Mrs. Herman Lamp; Secretary, Regina Mohr; Patriotic Instructor, Blanche Grelck; Color Bearers, Hilda Nissen, Ida Joens, Minnie Lamp and Amanda Clausen; Trustees, Mrs. Herman Hoffmann, Malinda Struve and Anna Claussen. Other members were Louise Hanson and Emma Halbur.

Department President Darlene Daily of Burlington assisted by Department Conductress Hedwig Olson of Denison and Department Chief of Staff Emma Huett of Fort Madison instituted the new Manning Charter. Members of the Manning Post and friends were present to witness the event. Emma Huett presented a Bible to the new unit, and the Manning V.F.W. Auxiliary to Post 3517 had begun.

During the first few years the annual dues per member were $1.50 and most of the money raised by the new unit was earned by selling lunch at the dances at the Manning Opera House. After the first meeting, the unit met in the building owned by Pete Ohrt on North Main street. When that building burned down, the meetings were held in the skating rink, the present building owned by the V.F.W. Post.

In an initiation held October 13, 1943, 69 members were installed. This was the largest group ever installed in Iowa at that time. More than 150 women were present to witness the even t.

One of the main objectives of the V.F.W. Auxiliary is to assist the post in giving aid to veterans in need and their families. During the war years, the auxiliary was a very busy unit. Money for the U.S.O. was raised by having a Home Talent Show, war bonds were purchased, poppy sales were held, blood was donated to the Red Cross, and packages were sent to local boys in the war zone and in Veterans Hospitals in the state. It was the V.F.W. Auxiliary who aided the Post in erecting the Roll Of Honor that stood proudly on Main Street until vandals destroyed it in later years.

Today's Auxiliary is still a busy and active organization. Donations are made to Veterans Hospitals, cancer aid, Community Chest, A.F.S. program, to the V.F.W. Children's Home in Eaton Rapids, Michigan and many more. The Auxiliary sponsors a local girl scout troop, the Voice of Democracy and I Love America contests held in local schools, and fruit baskets are distributed to local shut-ins and to the Plaza and hospital residents for Thanksgiving. The Auxiliary also holds Bingo parties at the Plaza from January to June.

As of January 1, 1980, the Manning Auxiliary has 163 members.

Perhaps the true purpose of the V.F.W. Auxiliary can be summed up in this definition of Americanism promulgated at a conference of all Commanders in Chief of all veterans organizations held in Washington, D.C. in February, 1927.

"Americanism is an unfailing love of country; loyalty to its institutions and ideals; eagerness to defend it against all enemies; undivided allegiance to the flag; and a desire to secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and posterity."

Marie Barlow is known to members as Mother of Wa-Tan-Ye, which she organized in 1921.

The Manning Wa-Tan-Ye Club was organized in the year 1942 by Marie Perkins with the assistance of the Carroll Club. Charter night and dinner was held on February 9, 1942 in the dining room of the Presbyterian Church with fifteen members present. Today the Club has nineteen active members. Two charter members, Vera Fischer and Eunice Hass are still active members. Known as a service club to the community the group has several projects which are Christmas nut sales, also knives and choppers. Bake sales are held and the proceeds from these various projects help provide favors for the hospital and Plaza Home for the aged, new nets for the tennis courts, birthday parties for the Nursing Home, favors and gifts for the special education classes, sponsor for Girl Scouts, assisting firemen with letters, and Christmas gifts to the Plaza.

The club enjoys and welcomes the opportunity to be of service to the community.

In 1943 C.H. VanSlack of the Iowa State College conducted a demonstration locally and explained a new method of farming the land to prevent further soil erosion. It was called "contour farming".

WOMAN'S RELIEF CORPS

The Woman's Relief Corps was organized March 8, 1888, by Mrs. Maty McHenry of Denison, Iowa. It was organized under the charter name, McPherson Relief Corps, No. 150, W.R.C. The first president was Minnie Kuhn. In 1894 the Corps moved into the G.A.R. and W.R.C. hall. Later the hall was sold and the Corps had to meet in various halls in the town, namely the old Opera Hall, the hall above the Manning Motor Co. and the hall above the Rix Produce. At present the meetings are held in the homes of the members.

The group meets the first Thursday night of each month. Membership in the order is open to any loyal woman. At first the object of the order was the relief of Union soldiers of the Civil War and their widows and orphans but over the years the object has extended to helping veterans of all wars and many other worthwhile projects.

The present officers are: President Edna Halbur; Vice Pres. Mary Steen; Sec'y Marion Knueven; Trea. Malinda Lerssen; Conductor Catherine Peterson, Ass't Conductor, Minnie Jensen; Guard Mabel Weems; Press Cor. Emma Hagedorn; Patriotic Inst. Edna Hiatt; Color Bearers, Selma Dalgety and Pearl Brandhorst. Other members are Fern Ramsey, Evelyn Volstedt, Anna Ewoldt, Bernice Grage, Irene Weinbrant of Manilla.

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