Final Report as Rockingham Sewing Room Closes, 1919

From the Rockingham Post-Dispatch, Feb. 20, 1919

Final Report of Sewing Room of Rockingham Red Cross Chapter

It has seemed best for several reasons to close the Red Cross Sewing Rooms, though we hope to be able to have done in the homes whatever allotments of the refugee garments shall be offered us to do.

We wish to incorporate in this, our final report of work done in the Sewing Rooms, our most cordial thanks to these friends who have lent us much timely and material aid:

Mrs. Arenson

Mrs. Blacker

Mrs. E.B. Morse

Mrs. F.T. Biggs

Mrs. Lowdermilk

Miss Bessie Everett

Mr. R.S.L. Davis

Mr. T.C. Leak

Everett Hardware Co. for the machines they loaned us during the year and nine months the work rooms were open

Mr. Davis and Mrs. George Warburton who kept the machines in order free of charge, supplying the needles, shuttles, bobbins and oil necessary

Mrs. B.F. Palmer, whose electric iron pressed all the garments that went out to the boys at home camps or overseas

Mr. Egerton who made the work easier for some who were not physically able to “run the machines” by lending us two electric motors

Mrs. Blacker for the use of her two long cutting tables

Mr. Scott for the stout cloth-bound registration book and pencil

The Roberdel Co. for the coal we’ve used this winter

Mr. R.B. Waddell and Mr. Will Boone for the material and work of coloring the wall, staining and oiling the floors of the Sewing Rooms

Mr. John Allred for mending a broken lock for us

The old rest room for the comfortable rocking chairs

Mrs. Stephenson for her home

Mr. Bell for the Academy

The Manufacturer’s Building Co.

The Club and Mr. W.B. Cole for giving us the sewing room

Jennie Wilson, Martha Ingram, Jim Leak and James Ellerbe for help on many occasions, without charge.

The sewing room opened May 24^th 1917, at the home of Mrs. J.W. Stephenson, with Miss Mildred Stephenson as Director. From there, we moved for the summer to the Academy, with Miss Bessie Everett as Director.

When school opened it became necessary to move again, and we went to the Manufacturers’ Building; from there to the Club, then to the Hotel Rockingham for January and February of 1918. Finally, the 1st of March we moved into the splendid office rooms offered to us by Mr. W.B. Cole, rent free, over the Post-Dispatch office and Mrs. R.B. Waddell succeeded Miss Bessie Everett as Director, and she in turn, was followed in August 1918 by Mrs. J. LeGrand Everett.

We have made and shipped 2,505 garments, including hospital bed shirts, doctors’ or nurses’ operating gowns, pajama suits (2 pieces), underclothing (2 pieces), comfort bags, and refugee garments (girls’ pinafores). Of this amount the Mangum branch made between 75 and 100 garments. We shipped also a box containing 33 dozen towels, 16 dozen bath towels, 23 dozen handkerchiefs, 2 dozen napkins, and 91 sheets, having to make napkins and sheets. These were ordered for us at wholesale prices by the Leak, Wall & McRae Co. A shipment to the Belgian Relief Commission contained more than 2 ½ times our allotment of second hand clothing.

During the first epidemic of influenza, at the request of the County Board of Health, we made several bushels of influenza masks, the county furnishing most of the material. We kept back our shipment of sheets and towels to lend them to Mr. Gore for his hospital as long as he needed them.

Mrs. Willie B. Stansill, as director of knitting, has shipped 307 sweaters, 84 mufflers, 6 blankets, 208 pair of socks, 27 pairs of wristlets, and 38 pairs of gloves. Voluntary gifts of money amounting to $223.25 have been sent her at intervals during this time.

Our last allotment was a rush order of 125 pinafores to be finished Feb. 15^th. By hiring 4 dozen of them made, putting out in the homes most of the others, we made and shipped them in the two weeks at our disposal. The majority of our patriotic women more or less of the sewing, but as is always the way, the brunt of the work has been done by the “Faithful Few.” One little woman who could not for ample reason leave her home to work in the sewing room, but who still was anxious to do her “bit,” very quietly made hospital bed shirts that were sent her every week by a friend in a nearby town.

There have been many voluntary gifts of money, and several entertainments, the proceeds from which were given to the chapter work. Several of our women, Hannah Pickett and Steele’s Mills, the Cone Export Co. of Greensboro, Harrison & Land, and Stephenson-Belk Co. have given us bolts of outing and sheeting, and with Mr. Arenson, give us a 10 per cent discount on all that we buy from them. Watson-King Co., W.F. Long Furniture Co., T.C. Leak and Mr. E.B. Morse have done much hauling for us without charge. We thank them all most gratefully.

Many contributions of tin foil, peach stones and nut shells were sent in by children and grown-ups, in response to the request made for them through The Post-Dispatch, all of whom have our hearty thanks.

In closing, we all, with one accord, rise to a unanimous vote of thanks to Mr. Isaac London for the splendid help he has given in every branch of the Red Cross work. The columns of his—of OUR—paper, The Post-Dispatch, have always been open to any and every patriotic item, whether about the boys, War Savings Stamps, Liberty Loan campaigns, or sewing room items, and he, himself, graciously and gladly willing from his fund of knowledge, to give us the information we have needed. We thank you, again, Mr. London, and for the paper you are giving us, which we enjoy and look forward to as we do to the visits of the friend we love.