Kiwanis Club of Atlanta Centennial Presentation May 1

Kiwanis Club of Atlanta Centennial Presentation May 1, 1948 to May 1, 1958

KIWANIS CLUB of ATLANTA THE FIRST HUNDRED YEARS 1948 – 1958 (Presented on December 12, 2017) Thank you, President Blake. Today we are focusing on our club’s activities from 1948 to 1958, Before introducing our special guest, I’d like to make one comment. Harry Truman and Dwight Eisenhower were our U. S. presidents. 21 young officers from the armed forces served as Social Aids in the Eisenhower White House. Irv Schoenberg was one of them. (#1) You had to be commissioned, single and a good dancer. Irv qualified for two out of three and served with distinction until his marriage to Ann. During our centennial year several of our past presidents have been temporarily furloughed from the grave, allowing them to visit with us and share their Kiwanis memories. It is my pleasure to introduce the 37 th president of our club. Mr. Charles M. Brown. Mr. Brown was born in Atlanta, graduated from Georgia Tech. He ran his family’s mop factory, and was a successful politician. He served on the Fulton County commission twice and in between was in the Georgia State Senate. Mr. Charlie served a total of 32 years in elective office and was deeply involved with Grady Hospital, MARTA, the Atlanta/Fulton County Stadium Authority and the Fulton County Airport, known today as Charlie Brown Field. Fellow Kiwanians, please join me in extending a warm Kiwanis welcome to our Past President Charlie Brown. TEA Thank you, Reynolds, for your kind introduction. It’s great to be back at Kiwanis. Reynolds has been a wonderful host. We’ve gone to the new Camp Kiwanis, Hillside, Grady, and the airfield. He took me everywhere I wanted to go with one exception, the home of our Braves and the Falcons, ATLANTA/FULTON COUNTY STADIUM. Reynolds explained that it was no longer standing, that you had imploded more stadiums than we were ever able to build. And, what’s more, the Braves have moved to Cobb County. How could you let that happen. It is obvious, though, that your commitment to children is as strong as ever. When I think about Kiwanis, serving kids is the first thing that comes to mind. Some of these pictures will prove my point. For example, (#2) this picture taken on the steps of Kiwanis Cottage at Hillside during the Christmas Party in 1948, A lot of our wives were there and the bearded fellow kneeling with the children is Harrison Mc. Mains. Harrison made a great Santa. I’ve heard some good things about George Wieder, if he is half as good as Harrison was you’ve got a keeper.

In 1951 Kiwanis International introduced National Kids Day and encouraged each club to celebrate it. We went all out, starting with a parade from the Capitol to the celebration site at Cheney Stadium. The children enjoyed hot dogs, pony rides, cotton candy and lots more. (#3) In the picture to the left John Blick is presenting bicycles and footballs to lucky children and in the right he is giving a pair of roller skates to a little girl. Atlanta was still segregated back then but our club was concerned for all children. (#4) This was taken in front of the North Fulton Negro Boys Club in Roswell. Club President Fred Turner is presenting the building and equipment as a gift from our club. (#5) This was taken at the dedication of Kiwanis Kiddie Land at the Warren Boys Club. I remember being very proud of that sign. And, on the same day (#6) our executive secretary, Miss Leslie Rainey was photographed with members of the brand new Atlanta Girls Club. She is presenting a generous Kiwanis check to Miss Pat Head, the founding President of the Girls Club. (#7) This group was gathered for an orientation meeting. On the far right of the front row is Gen, Louis Truman. Louis was chief of Staff of the Third Army at Fort Mac and a cousin of President Truman. After retiring from the Army he was head of the Georgia Department of Industry and Trade for nine years. Before his death at age 96 he was believed to be the second oldest survivor of Pearl Harbor. I’m at the left on the second row and next to me is Hal Carithers, the 36 th President of our club and the great uncle of George Brandon, the 67 th president. The second from the left on the back row is Bill Schroder. An attorney, Bill represented Coach Wally Butts in a defamation lawsuit against the Saturday Evening Post. The trial was closely followed in the South and Bill won a big verdict for Coach Butts. Second from the right on the back row is Attorney Francis M. (Buster) Bird. Buster was instrumental in getting the Uniform Commercial Code adopted in Georgia. His grandson, Thornton Kennedy, is a legacy member of our club. (#8) Some of you will remember Maynard Smith, our 35 th president and founder of our Kiwanis Foundation. You named the foundation’s giving society in his memory. That was very appropriate. (#9) This picture was taken at a meeting at the Dinkler Plaza in 1956. President Lon Duckworth with assistance from Percy Perkins, recognized three young people for saving another’s life. Patricia Ann Strickland rescued her mother from a burning plane. Scotty Barton freed a young playmate who became entangled in a rope and was almost strangled, and George Redden, pulled a smaller boy from the path of an oncoming vehicle. (#10) This is the entrance to the original Camp Kiwanis on Lake Allatoona. It’s great to know that you are still supporting Camp Kiwanis, Hillside and many other children’s causes in Atlanta. I mentioned that Reynolds took me to the new Camp Kiwanis. (#11) I set the record for the oldest person to tube the Broad River. Thank you for allowing me to share my memories with you and congratulations on your 100 th anniversary.

Captain Irving B. Schoenberg, U. S. A. F. 1956

Kiwanis Christmas Party at Hillside December 1948 (Santa Claus is Club Member Harrison Mc. Mains)

National Kids’ Day - 1951

Kiwanis President Fred Turner presents the deed to the North Fulton Negro Boys’ Club in Roswell as a gift from The Kiwanis Club of Atlanta December 23, 1951

Kiwanis Kiddie Land is dedicated October 7, 1952 Located at the Warren Memorial Boys’ Club

Kiwanis Donation to the Girls’ Club of Atlanta October 7, 1952

Indoctrination Meeting, Nov. 19, 1954

G. Maynard Smith ______ Club President - 1953 ____ Founder of the Kiwanis Foundation

Kiwanis Awards of Honor Left to Right: Percy Perkins, Jr. , Patricia Ann Strickland, Scotty Bartow, Club President Lon Duckworth and George Redden. March 27, 1956