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Luncheon at the Y. M. C. A. in Columbus, in the early 1900's.

tarian work; Fanny Geer and Clara Howard, early librarians, who worked side by side with Mrs. James G. Reeder and Mrs. M. Brugger to stimulate the cultural growth of Platte County; Miss Martha Turner, who served on the staff of the Nebraska State Historical Society, and was on the Columbus Journal for many years; and Ethel Gossard, Mrs. Jesse Bisson of Columbus, the first woman to hold elective public office in the county, served as clerk of the District Court for more than five years.

WELFARE

Ever since the Park Hill Orphan Home was organized in Platte County in 1887, local citizens have felt keenly their responsibility toward the care of friendless children, as shown by subscriptions to all the Nebraska Orphans' Homes and the Father Flanagan Boys' Town. The Young Men's Christian Association has provided recreation and instruction for countless boys through their reading rooms, gymnasium, and other facilities at the modern "Y" building --- a Columbus product in the truest sense of the word, since all of the materials for its construction were either made or purchased locally.

Acting on the early building committee for the "Y.M.C.A." were Henry Hockenberger, G. W. Phillips, Howard Clarke and Clarence C. Sheldon. The latter has been active in this organization's activities all his life and served as a member of the State Y.M.C.A. Board from 1920 to 1950.

The State Y.M.C.A. Camp, established in 1918 on a camp site along Barnum Creek, south of Columbus, was named after C. H. Sheldon, who donated the land for the camp. The philanthropist, whose works aided many Platte County boys in the critical years of their youth, joined the first "Y" organization in Columbus, which was established in 1888 as one of the earliest in the State of Nebraska.

The Knights of Columbus State Boys' Camp

The swimming hole at Camp Sheldon, the State Y.M.C.A. Boys' Camp, southeast of Columbus.

A camp scene at the Knights of Columbus State Bay's Camp

Taken at the Knights of Columbus State Bays' Camp. Shawn here are: Mark Burke, Rochester, and Doctor Reynolds J. O'Dannell.

was also held at Camp Sheldon during the 1930's under the direction of Doctor Reynolds. J. O'Donnell, and Mark Burke.

KNIGHTS OF COLUMBUS
STATE BOYS' CAMP

From the early 1930's, the Columbus Council 938 of the Knights of Columbus sponsored a State Boys' Camp, with a full program of supervised camp activity.

The encampment was first held on Buck Island. Later, a camp period of a week was scheduled each summer at Camp Sheldon, the State Y.M.C.A. Boys' Camp.

From 1935 to 1940, Doctor Reynolds J. O'Donnell was active in this work and served as chairman of the State Boys' Camp with a local committee headed by Mark Burke.

The camp record for 1936 shows that there were one hundred and seventy boys enrolled for the camp period of August 2 to August 8, including boys from Columbus and the entire state of Nebraska.

Besides the regular camp staff for that year, the supervisory staff included the Reverend Father Murphy, of York, Nebraska, the Reverend Father Eagen, of Rulo, Nebraska, and the local Knights of Columbus committee: Doctor Reynolds J. O'Donnell, Mark Burke, Doctor Frank H. Morrow, John C. Miller, P. W. Lakers, and John Gahan.

PATRIOTIC ORGANIZATIONS

Platte County has always had an active coterie of patriotic organizations, ranging from the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War, G.A.R., Spanish-American Veterans, and Auxiliary, to the American Legion and the Legion Auxiliary. Veterans of Foreign Wars, Daughters of the American Revolution, Daughters of Union Veterans, Girl Scouts and the Platte County District of Covered Wagon Council of Boy Scouts, all serve to keep alive the national sentiments of home and country. A camp of United Spanish War Veterans and the Auxiliary of this organization act as reminders that Platte County also had done her share in this early involvement with a foreign government. In addition to the Columbus group, known as Hartman Post 84, there are Legion posts at Creston, Humphrey and Lindsay, which have been directed by William J. Langan, Doctor G. H. Leenerts, Edward Iwansky and others. Among the commanders of the Hartman Post were J. L. Jiranek and Frank Tooley. The Living Memorial athletic building in Pawnee Park was one of the projects of the Legion, and various other community programs, including the long established support of junior sand-lot baseball, have been an offshoot of Legion agenda.

In addition, the Legion Auxiliary has sponsored the special state projects such as aid to the old people, and children of the Ponca and Santee Indians living on reservations near Niobrara, Nebraska, as a result of the crop failure of the early 1930's. It also was responsible for moving the historic old landmark, the Wolfel House, to Pawnee Park.

Fraternal lodges, too, have played a large role in the social amalgamation of Platte County. Wildey Lodge 44, I.O.O.F., was organized in 1874, followed by Columbus Encampment Number Nine*, and the Columbus Rebecca Degree Lodge. The first Eastern Star chapter appeared in Columbus in 1876, and numerous other groups from the Masons to the Sons of Herman materialized. The Knights of Columbus are represented, and the Eagles and Elks are organized into active units which participate in the state programs as well as the local community affairs.

Other clubs which contributed to the mainstream of cultural and social life in Platte County prior to World War II, included: the College Club, Delphians (Thalia Chapter), and the Inter-Civic Club Council. The Izaak Walton League, the Lions Club, Rotary, Sixty-Year Schoolmates Club, Union Pacific Club and the Platte County Ministerial Association were active in 1949.

Among other lodges and societies were the Catholic Daughters of America, the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Modern Woodmen of America, Maccabees, Swiss Society, P.E.O. Sisterhood, Parent-Teacher Association, Rebekahs, Royal Neighbors of America and the Swiss Ladies Society, United Commercial Travelers, the Women's Benefit Association, the Girl Reserves of Kramer High School and Girl Scout Council.

Both the Platte County Medical Society and the Platte County Dental Society have worked unceasingly in the establishment and maintenance of high standards in their respective professions and these groups have done much to maintain the stature of medicine and dentistry throughout the entire state.

Considerable standardization has taken place in the socio-recreational structure of Platte County since the early days of the Chautauqua programs and the first efforts of the legitimate stage on the boards of North Theatre, at Thir-

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*Organized 1875.

© 2005 for the NEGenWeb Project by Ted & Carole Miller