1945 Was a Busy Year for Pasquotank Club Members

Report by Mrs. Selma Harris James (Mrs. Vernon James) to District Federation meeting in Hertford, 1946 (April)

(Report of 1945 year’s work)

“All of you have heard that in Pasquotank

The bullfrog jumps from bank to bank

Lots of things jump in on county and city

For we have club women that are sure as a ditty

And to prove that some ladies are smart

I’ll report our accomplishments right from the start.”

We had 13 clubs with members totaling 328

23 new ones joined early in 1946 so as not to be late

Ninety percent of the club women a garden did grow

These helped to keep the food situation in tow

The women had to hurry and get 43 canners repaired

And with 22 new ones they all declared

Now in all there are 86 canners

24,991 containers saved deserves a banner.

Our agent said, “Your food budgets you must fill.”

Everyone work canning, drying, and had meat to bill

The number reaching goal were only 84

But everyone had gained and none were sore.

New clothes we wanted, but with prices to the sky

We began to feel out of date, but really why?

When all we had to do to be in style

Was touch up the ones we had all the while.

We ripped, turned and sewed in all 620

Everyone declared this was good if not a plenty.

With the food put by, and scores of babies new

There just wasn’t storage space, so closets we added totaling 52

Seven new dwellings made a pretty sight

46 remodeled ones were sheer delight

41 improved kitchens, spic and span

38 other rooms, just the best in the land

17 water systems were installed to help

And two vowed with cold water they would not yelp.

It was just before we heard that DDT was here

That 56 homes were screened to keep pests from coming near

Even though we were busy and had not time to spare

19 home grounds were improved and made into beauty rare

The curb market ladies topped all records with sales of $27,556.29

The home sales were $16,974.87 just so none could feel left behind.

In 1945, we all felt peace was sure to come

But that our fight on the home front had just begun

There was need of community service at every crossroads

So we all pitched in and helped carry the load

These please let me enumerate

Quickly before it is too late.

Fat collected – 840 pounds

War bonds - $9,800

Clothing relief – 2,500 pounds

Helped with 11 4-H Church Sundays

Hours helped in USO - 410

Cakes for USO – 61

Flowers for USO – 54

Purchased tuberculosis seals – 99

Infantile paralysis contributors – 87

Red Cross members – 212

Early this year our foreign neighbors needed help worse than ever

So we just collected 2,000 garments with this endeavor.

Just a word from the ladies of Pasquotank

To all of you for listening – thanks.