Tribute to Ruth Current made at her portrait ceremony at the Jane S. McKimmon Center, October, 1976, by Mrs. Gilbert R. English
This opportunity to pay tribute to a great lady, I believe, means much to many this day. Miss Ruth Current was North Carolina’s first Lady in Leadership to some 50 to 6,000 Home Demonstration Club members and their families. As State Agent and Assistant Director, she served from 1937 to 1961.
The dedication and devotion which were so much a part of her work took her to all parts of the state to find, encourage, inspire people where they were to do better with what they had. Improved persons, home, communities, schools, churches, counties, areas—a better way of life for all were her goals.
In those years, rural women and their Home Agents were her treasurers. From her, dream-weaver that she was, they took heart and moved toward new achievements, attitudes, understanding; saw greater, broader realms of training and service attainable for themselves and those about them.
In fact, Miss Current literally practiced what the poet Robert Frost penned. He said:
But I have promises to keep
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
She personified these paraphrased lines in actions and deeds. She might have said:
But I have dreams to weave and reap,
And miles to go before I sleep.
And miles to go before I sleep.
And she did!
As State Leader, Ruth Current planned and toiled with her organization. Together they established statewide activities, programs, projects.
Beginning in 1938, the Reading Program expanded ideas for better living, presented a world of intriguing interests.
With improving access to libraries and bookmobiles, encouraged and aided by club members, reading tremendously influenced the ensuing 20 years. The 1940s and 1950s burst forth with statewide programs of:
- Letter Friends
- Assistance in establishing school lunch service
- Cooperation during World War II with health and food requirements and collection of needed war commodities
- Promotion of enriched corn meal legislation
- Established building fund for adult education, resulting in seed money for this building
- Entertained meeting of the National Home Demonstration Council
- North Carolina Cookbook of and by the club members
- Music program
- United Nations study tours
- Annual State Leadership awards
- Arts and Crafts training and promotion
- Attendance of organization officers and groups at Triennial meetings of Associated County Women of the World, Annual National Home Demonstration Councils, National Citizenship Conferences in Washington, D.C., National Leadership Training Workshops, National Safety meetings. And the list activities could continue.
Miss Current was adept at promoting participation. She would look at her staff and/or club members earnestly, pleasantly, but determinedly and say, “You Can Do It.” And they did!
There are those of you in the audience this morning who remember well certain assignments arranged by Miss Current in which you were involved. There were meetings with individuals or groups with which she had appointments or had had invitations—and sent you.
For instance, you have heard these greetings.
- “Welcome! We are glad you are here. Miss Current told us you would attend.” Interviews will be underway soon.
- “Come In! Miss Current arranged for this.” TV taping will be coming up presently.
- “Good morning to you. Miss Current called to say you were taking her place.” Air time is 15 minutes away.
When contacts were made regarding schedules or duties she always said, “You Can Do It.”
To and from such assignments, you went in faith, did the best you could because she believed in you. Starry-eyed, inspired, you performed for her as Dag Hammerskjold mentioned in Markings. He wrote: “Never look down to test the group before taking your next step; only he who keeps his eye fixed on the far horizon will find his right road.”
A few years after her retirement in 1961, Miss Current left us robed in red. Vivid, vibrant, a leader still! An inspiration to the numerous loved ones gathered for a final farewell, to continue their dreams and hers. To God, a Hymn of praise, “How Great Thou Art” rang through her home. And she was gone.
Her likes are not easily duplicated. Fortunate are those who find so wonderful a dream-weaver in their midst.
Today we are aware that many of her dreams—and ours—have come into being, are established. Others are still in the making. They stand to benefit, to bless the people of this state and beyond.
Serving as tributes to her memory are the fruits of her labors. The results of her influence and leadership remain and are cherished on the hills, in the valleys, across the level places in North Carolina and the Nation.
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