Mary F. Pendleton - 1947 Speech on American Legion San Diego Unit #6

early history of San Diego unit number six American Legion by marf pendon organizing president yes not again one of the now is this just right one of the proudest moments of my life was when in April 1920 I was appointed by judge WP kry commander of unit Post 6 American Legion to organize the first American Legion auxiliary in California there was no State auxiliary until 4 months later and all of our activities and of all of our problems were were advised and guided by the post our ideas were loyalty to each other and the post six our motive cooperation with the post in the community the records show that we lived up to all that was expected of us as an organization the first officers were Mary of penon President ber Mar stale vice president lawence Jones secretary Mina Parks Treasurer M Fagen parliamentarian we had 100 members at the first meeting all of whom signed the charter role and we grew annually holding the largest membership in the state until 1931 and because of the consolidation of several units in and around stockum the car Ros unit stepped into first place and we drop back to Second today unit stick is still listed among the Big 10 of California although at present there are some 16 units in San Diego city alone even though we drop back to second place we still had the largest membership in the history of the unit having 463 members that year our membership has maintained a steady level and many of the chter members have continued more or less active all these years when we were organized the question of dues came up we decided there would be a dollar a year so that any one El will be able to become a member we kept our dues of the dollar for 15 years even though every penny of the dollar went for state and National per capita one year when I was a delegate to the state convention in San Francisco I went into our state headquarters someone said had Mrs Pon do you know yours is the only unit in the state whose dues are a dollar I replied we meet our obligations to the state and Nation organization and we earn the Rest by hard work constant effort and National and cooperation of the members I'd rather have two eligible women at $1 than one eligible woman at $2 with the increased per capita and paper assessments we've had to increase our dues to $2 a year which is still among the lowest in the state our first work was to help the veterans in cap County Hospital this work we kept up till the gates closed it was satisfaction that we report that every request made from any veteran out there in the hospital was granted even to secur in a correspondence course in cartooning for a man from New Zealand through the kindness of Charlotte Baker a very dear friend one day a charter member Fay Davis who was serving as contact officer for our unit at the hospital went to pay her regular visit to the veterans in the MS she saw her t baby in the Sentry box the mother had to leave it since no babies could be admitted to the Ws that gave us the idea of a establishing a day Nursery which we not only established but maintained until the hospital closed down in the in in later years when telling of this incident at one of our meetings one of our members came up and introduced a tall fine looking young man and told me that he was the baby in the center box the member was eel Piper and the baby was was her son then came the problem of Transportation no bus service to Camp County our contact officer went to the Red Cross and asked if they could help us out the chairman said they would take the matter up but one of our members Mrs Stewart Lake was also a member of the Red Cross board and suggested reorganizing a motor which had been functioning all during World War One this suggestion was carried out and the Red Cross served us in time of need then as it is today still serving when help is needed the motor car made a fine show in all during World War II because of this suggestion years ago when I went to the Red Cross board to thank them for reorganizing the motor and giving us their assistance the chairman said Mrs penon we should thank you for giving us the incentive as a unit we had an opportunity to return the favor when the Red Cross needed our help one of our past president May pin took over the task of Distributing tons of flour and bread lat up blankets clothing and other Surplus commodities for the Red Cross the assistance of many of our members and other units of the American Ean auxiliary in the city hundreds of eans families were assisted through the distribution centers that were maintained out throughout the city who otherwise would have gone hungry and in need of clothing no veteran who applied was ever turned away empty-handed our very responsibility was to help post six at the time of the first American legent Convention held here in San Diego in 1920 just four months after we were organized the members of the unit joined with post six in putting on a night in Dreamland in the old Isis theater to raise funds for the convention one of our Charter Member Adam Morgan was sent by the unit to the first gate convention in freno again to the Convention held in New and is a delegate to the National Convention in Kansas City money was raised to pay her expenses by the unit members serving me of the San Diego County Fair in Bor Park $200 was realized for this service there was much that came between the first year when I was appointed to organize this unit and served its first president and the year 1922 and 23 when I was elected to serve as the president for the second time after meeting a few times in the nights of pus building it was learned that the community service quarters would be available I was asked by the legion to contact Mr JD Speers to ask if the legion could have it at the same price the community service had paid which is just a half the regular charge knowing where Mr spe had his lunch and I was at the top of the steps when he came up and I said to him Mr spers can I see you for 2 minutes at 2:00 in your office he replied yes I was there on the minute and explained why I was asking his help saying the American Legion is an outcome of the world war a new organization unted and unproven that hopes to mean much to the community we should I take the matter up and let you know in a half hour came the word that the legion could have it at the same price the community service had paid community service that have use of its equipment and Furnishings since our objectives were much the same as there with theal of our unit members the meeting Hall was in Readiness for the first meeting of the State Convention of the region had here in August 1920 after time post six said they could not pay even the reduced rate for the Broadway building and they planned to move into some office building the auxiliary had a meeting and informed them that they would pay the rent for two months hoping by that time something about a park building would materialize I said at that time we can't afford to have the legion say they can't pay the rent but there's a chance for the park building and we could move and save the money having an objective ahead just before this the auxiliary had the food concession at the count of fair in one of the park buildings 16 days and evenings of course I took the afternoon de time as my part of the work one day Mr Stuart Lake came over to me and said Mr penson I believe if we tried we could get the use of a park building a committee was appointed to contact the park board and they met without success several times but the last time one of the board members said we have decided that all the buildings in Balor Park will be a memorial buildings one of the Legion committee members Admiral Wales was on his feet at once saying then we'll make this a war memorial building thus with our precious building christm and we work beg to raise $115,000 to restore it all put their shoulders to the wheel but that was a lot of money to raise in the seven weeks before Memorial Day and we hope to dedicate it I said if the money is not raised we will wait in the meantime I talked before clubs and state societies advancing the idea of what a dollar contributed would mean 20 cents would help restore the park building which is so Priceless to the community 20 cents will provide Park buildings with a place for the legion to meet 20 cents will provide a place for the auxiliary to meet to sew and do its part 20 cents will provide the opportunity of raising money for the increase in expenses for the care of the veteran and his family and the last 20 cents is your own satisfaction for being able to contribut the weeks went by and many grew quite discouraged but one or two of the post said we won't give up till land mared dos there had been the extra expense of a retaining wall made necessary for the seepage from the lilipan and the Night Before Memorial Day the necessary stum had not been raised a small black border notice in the morning paper stated that the hope for dedication of the W mayor building will not take place as the necessary funds had not been raised at 8:00 that morning the phone rang and when my husband answered it was General Marshall o Terry an EXO neighbor who said how much more do you need General Pon he said the general said $5,000 Jan Terry replied it is yours Mary shall not be dis appointed so at the organ Pavilion at the close of the Memorial Day ceremonies it was announced that an informal dedication would take place at the Wall Memorial Building at once when the ceremony which I should never forget closed I took Stuart Lakes by one hand and general Terry by the other saying this is the man that brought me the first suggestion of having a park build for our meeting place and this is the man that made that dedication possible then began the work of restoration of the buildings in June Madame Schuman height sang at the foral dedication ceremony she sang There Is No Death and it was heard 20 blocks away soon after we had secured the consent to use the park building I got a message from a friend who was interested he said Mrs P how much of this finiture in the building you've been occupying do you want I replied all and of so Temple replied wait till I go to the Marine base and get a truck all of the F went up to the building and in b Park and that was the first Furniture we had there all given to me from the building on Broadway they used by some other organization one day this same young man met me on the street and said I want to give you $10 to use for something the legion needs I said it would get make the first payment on a stove in those early days many instan are recall that show the hardships that our members under in carrying on but prove that when there is a sincerity of purpose we never falter and eventually reached the ultimate goal I recall when Mrs M Fagan the four president was holding the first meeting in the new building there was no water in the building and we had to get water from the Japanese tea garden for tea many of us will remember it always seemed to rain when it rained number six was having a c body roof Le Not Unusual to have Shi card bers and tables and Dish bands things to catch Mrs B gave it to you on board her husband's Flagship and raised $500 and a band from one of the ships pled our first party it was during the same year that the San Diego County Council was organized when Mrs Jones was president in 1925 a motion was made and unanimously passed to certify 25% of all our funds raised from benefits to be used as a building fund that custom is still in effect and each year a quite substantial sum is added to that building fund all of the past presents comprise abroad to have custody of this fund and pass up on the spending of it to prove how useful and far reaching that notion proved itself to be in the year 1933 the hean cry everywhere was tear down the park buildings every one of them needed repairs and the city felt they could not afford to do it post six had many members out of work and there was much work needed on our own building our was asked to assist with funds to get the work done this far the past presidents met and again voted unanimously to give post six $600 needed they hired their own members to do the work and when the park commission saw how much could be accomplished with such a small sum of money the cry changed from tear down the park buildings to save the park buildings and the ti of public sentiment was changed the buildings all reconditioned and one of the first first world fairs in the United States was held one of the finest World fairs in the United States was held in these Park buildings in 35 and 36 post members worked hard for 13 days and 13 nights to have the necessary repairs completed so that we could hold our 13th birthday lunch in a remodel building our fund had made possible Mr Harry Foster had been in charge of the construction work and his wife Mary Foster was president that year the work was completed on the 13th birthday Lun held in our own building the unit contributed an add two additional $200 towards the expense of installing a heating and cooling plant that the post had secured all of these 27 years I have stood behind the ideas and activities of the American Legion auxiliary many charter members who still are still active represent the background of the future with all its problems which I am sure they'll be met with the same courage and loyalty cooperation and steadfastness of purpose we have followed all these years satisfaction and pride in that record is all of all individually and as members of unit six our struggles and accomplishments are in our history book for all to hear I do not have to refer to it to assure you that whether we have been called upon to lead or to help we have not faltered in spite of the personal effort and time it has taken we have celebr many birthdays since the dedication ceremony and birthdays are made to celebrate but it's the achievements of the years between that count unit six has a fine record of achievement and I'm happy to say I've been privileged to have had an active part in all th work all these years having missed but six regular meetings a blasting tribute to the women's Veterans of worldwi war is the beautiful Grove of 75 Cali on Redwood Trees planted in the Northeast section of Alor park near ping Drive dedicated to the women veterans of World War mark it stands a living breathing Monument to The Valor towers of strength and beauty whose grander will be enjoyed by Generations Yet to Come members of the unit bought the trees and they were planted by the park officials some years later as a part of our community service problem a huge Rock was secured and a br's marker placed upon it um also roadside markers proclaiming at Redwood Memorial Grove were installed along pushing drive by the Automobile Club of Southern California through our unit efforts and reest I wore my past president pin for the first time in Panama and both General penon and I were presented with gold life membership cards from the Poston auxiliary upon the occasion of our golden wedding anniversary I was also made a permanent member of the executive committee with voice and vote during Mrs Jon's year General and Mrs Terry present was the beautiful bronze Memorial plaque listing all the names of those who sacrificed their lives in World War I from San Diego County as long as we remained in the War Memorial building in Valor park it was my privilege to purchase poppies each year and plac in a Golden Basket in front of this Memorial PL in June 38 post six American Legion had an unbelling of a picture of their first Commander colel Ian Jones it was their 19th birthday celebration on that same program former members of unit six Le Club presented the unit with a beautiful painting of their beloved Aunt Mary which was also unveiled with fitting ceremony one of the speakers said years ago a woman had a vision and inspiration of service for God and country and organized this unit to the American e auxiliary she's been the inspiration to us all her loyalty her service her faithfulness has spurred us on to make this unit one of the most outstanding in the state of California the two pictures were draped with bunting from a reviewing stand and general ping reviewed the troops after World War One in Paris that piece of Buon that draped the picture of Aunt Mary is now framed and hanging in her house and now may I close with these few words for our radio speech made over kfsd April 3rd 1939 when I said within a few days we celebrate the 19th birthday of unit 6 American Legion auxiliary I'm happy to announce that we were more than holding our own standing steadfastly together all these years ases High proudly carrying on the ideas for which we organized loyalty to each other to post six and to the community and to cooperate with the state and National committees and carrying out the work programs outlined in this organization membership in which is by Divine Right fought for bled for and in all to many cases died for a Priceless Heritage and now our responsibilities grow greater as the years Roll by and we have not only carry on but brav stand ready for any emergency that faces us to do our part with God's help we will and may the future as the past hold the many opportunities of success for unit six is my hot F and Mary pen don't have to say that again you have just heard Mrs Mary pendon organizer and first president of the American Legion auxiliary of post six of San Diego California