In the beginning…..chapter LQ was formed 70 years ago on April 16, 1947. Of the dozen founding members some still live with us through their daughters, Dolores Garren, Phyllis Kanouse, and Sharon Stone. The moms were (same order)- Wilma Dahlquist, who gave one of the first programs on “My Job”. Marjorie Squires was the first initiate and provided songs at the Christmas Potluck that year. June Higgs became much more active the second year serving on the yearbook committee, hostessing and probably selling real estate, as well.

 

The formation was well publicized and notable state officers were involved. Dorothy Weller, of scholarship fame, was International President and politely declined the invitation to attend. I became more and more fascinated with the tales of some of these prominent founding ladies as I searched our historical records. In particular, the first corresponding secretary, Elaine Allsebrook was a modern woman, educated at the University of Denver and also received a masters degree in guidance from Columbia University. She worked for the San Pedro YWCA and taught a course on “Understanding Personality” that was open to “any young woman of the community who was interested in studying personality and methods of reducing tensions and solving personal problems.” In another article, Elaine is pictured with a badminton racket in hand. A group of five ladies were teaching social skills such as makeup, carriage, grooming and ballroom dancing, but our Elaine chose this more active activity! Two years later she married Ben Hostmark at the Torrance Methodist Church and the newspaper clipping described her as wearing a “cream and brown flowered frock with a corsage of yellow rose buds and violets.” Many LQ sisters were in attendance.

 

Other names of this first year are familiar to many of us still today, and were active members when I was initiated 40 years ago. Thelma Hartry was prominent locally with her husband’s custom house company and did a program on “Our Town”. Her daughter-in-law, Margarita, was a member for several years. Helen Spires and Ruth Sproule were other actives. But one near and dear to my heart was Marjorie Poindexter, my kindergarten teacher at White Point. In the group picture she stands out with her Lucille Ball like grin from ear to ear, wearing a rather daring low cut dress with a large bright flower on her shoulder, upswept red curls and chic colored eyeglasses. These ladies told some of their tales through “one minute autobiographies” and shared favorite books. Meetings were held at homes as now, but the second meeting of the month was at 12:30 PM and must have included lunch. This first year ended with a B.I.L. BBQ at the Spires’ home. Their theme for that first year was “It is one thing to BELONG TO P.E.O and another thing TO BE A P.E.O.”

 

Stay tuned for more tales of these early founders. Next issue I will tell you about June Willison who served in the United States War Department and was ultimately assigned as a finance officer in the US Army Corps of Engineers in Athens, Greece!

(Karen Fleming, LQ Historian)