1920s-1940s

 CHARTER MEMBERS

  • Miss Elizabeth Burdell (Mrs. Edward Hagler)
  • Miss Anne Campbell (Mrs. Herbert Greene)
  • Miss Louise Hankinson (Mrs. Stewart Phinizy)
  • Miss Margaret Montgomery (Mrs. William McGovern)
  • Miss Margaret McGowan (Mrs. Julian Space)
  • Miss Margaret Nixon (Mrs. John Mobley)
  • Miss Florence Richardson (Mrs. George Floyd)
  • Miss Mary Lyon Tobin (Mrs. Joseph Jacobs)
  • Miss Anne Thomas (Mrs. Richard Griswold)
  • Miss Ellen Thomas
  • Miss Constance Wright (Mrs. Elbert Jackson)

JUNIOR WORKERS

Miss Henrietta Alexander, Mrs. George Barrett, Mrs. Gould Barrett, Mrs. Julian Barrett, Mrs. Tobin Barrett, Mrs. Hollis Boardman, Mrs. Purvis Boatwright, Mrs. Lamar Burford, Mrs. Harry Burum, Miss Charles Kilpatrick, Mrs. William Bush, Mrs. Francis Calhoun, Mrs. Louise Coleman, Mrs. William Cozart, Mrs. Craig Cranston, Mrs. Robert Creighton, Mrs. Henry Cullem, Mrs. Joseph Cumming, Mrs. Camilla Danforth, Mrs. Carl Dohn, Mrs. Allen Edward, Mrs. Julia Fargo, Mrs. Louis C. Fink, Mrs. Anna Eve Fleming, Mrs. William Goode, Mrs. W.H. Goodrich, Mrs. Carroll Hagler, Mrs. William Haynesworth, Mrs. Walker Inman, Mrs. Best Jackson, Mrs. Sarah Jones, Mrs. A.J. Kilpatrick, Mrs. George Lamar,  Mrs. William Law, Mrs. Albert Lehman, Mrs. Alfred Martin, Mrs. Reginald Maxwell, Mrs. Edwin May, Mrs. Bowdre Mays, Mrs. Charles I. Mell, Jr., Mrs. Kenneth Merry, Mrs. William McCrary, Mrs. Henri McGowan, Mrs. Edward Oast, Mrs. Irvine Phinizy, Mrs. Walter Pope,  Mrs. James Potter, Mrs. Edward Roberson, Mrs. George Sancken, Mrs. John Sherman, Mrs. Ernest Sherman, Mrs. Norris Sherry, Mrs. John Slaton, Mrs. Wiley Smith, Mrs. Dawson Teague, Mrs. Nesbitt Teague, Mrs. George Wieda, Mrs. Paul Wienges, Mrs. Charles Whitney, Mrs. Maude N. Williamson, Mrs. George Wright

1920s-30s

In November l925, largely through the efforts of Miss Louise Hankinson (Mrs. Stewart Phinizy), a group of young women formed an organization known as the Junior Workers. Miss Hankinson was elected President. The policy of this group of young women was to endeavor to recognize needs in the community and find solutions to the problems.

Following Mrs. Phinizy as President were:

  • l926-1927 President: Mrs. John Mobley
  • l927-1928 President: Mrs. Joseph Cumming
  • l928-1929 President: Miss Helen May (Mrs. George Wright)

During this time, they assisted other charitable organizations and sewed at the Wilhenford and University Hospitals. The Dental Clinic was reopened by the Junior Workers, the room’s renovated and financial responsibility assumed. In l928, the Child Welfare Association turned over the operation of five Well Baby Clinics to the Junior Workers; a nurse’s salary was paid, and $3.00 a month supplied Public Health Nurses for distribution of milk to T.B. patients. These Clinics were held at Houghton and John Milledge Schools, the Augusta Factory, and at the Medical College – one each for black and white patients. Volunteer workers assisted in keeping records at the Clinics. A Milk Station, with an output of 35 quarts daily of milk, opened this same year. In addition to the above, members assisted with sewing at the hospitals, made bandages at the Public Health Offices and performed many useful duties with the YMCA, Red Cross, Little Theater and Associated Charities.

On February 26, 1929, during the Presidency of Miss Helen May (Mrs. George Wright), the Junior Workers were notified that they had been accepted into the Association of Junior Leagues of America. Sponsors were Columbia, proposer, and Charleston, second. Thus, with a membership of 73, the Junior Workers became the Junior League of Augusta, Georgia, and we can look back with pride upon the wonderful spirit of these first members of the League who won and established a real place in our community.

During the ‘30s, the JLA membership was busy volunteering at the Milk Clinics and Children’s Hospital. Almost every year there was a children’s play with some of the more popular productions being Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, Jack and the Bean Stalk and Peter Pan. In ‘35, The Follies were started with great financial success.

Along with their long hours of volunteering, the JLA never missed an opportunity to entertain. The St. Valentines Ball was one of their big social events raising money for their community projects like the well baby clinics, nursery school (with an average of thirty children), children’s library, and in Georgia, the first of its kind, birth control clinic started in ‘33. Other projects at that time were the Hard of Hearing project, the Children’s Branch of the Young Men’s Library and the Children’s Theater Project presented plays to local students in various theaters and schools.

JLA members’ eye for fashion was a common trait. They were always spotted in the Augusta Herald’s J B White and Co. ads or featured in one of the fashion shows.

One of the many highlights of this time was a fundraiser in ‘31 raffling off an airplane ride with Amelia Earhart who was also a member of the Junior League and the publication of the oldest AJLI cookbook, titled Old Southern Recipes, which took place in 1940.

With World War II lasting half of the decade, the 1940’s were a time of turbulence. However, in Augusta, GA, the Junior League provided a diversion for many women. They attended meetings at the Augusta Country Club and helped make the community a better place with community projects such as the School of Speech Correction, Children’s Library, Hospital Library, Red Cross, U.S.O, C.W.S, Traveler’s Aid, Nurses Aid, Gray Ladies, Girl Scouts, Empty Stocking Fund and Goodfellows. A blood donor clinic with the Red Cross was launched and a newsletter was mailed to all Augustans in the Armed Services.

The Junior League of Augusta also started a publication called the “Ack-Ack”. Isabelle (Mrs. Thomas Goodwin) and others helped with this newsletter, which was for service men. For its fourth edition, Attorney James M. Hull served as a guest editorial writer. The concern that Augustans had for those in the Armed Services was described in the “Ack-Ack”.

One of the exciting events of the 1940’s was the invitation of Emma (Mrs. James Mason), President of the Junior League of Augusta, to attend the premiere of the movie “God is My Co-Pilot” in Macon, Georgia on February 21, 1945. An event that created such great excitement had not occurred in this area since the Atlanta movie premiere of “Gone With The Wind.”

During the forties, the War preoccupied many minds, women gained independence and the women of the Junior League of Augusta showed great strength.