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this from the 1984 COWBELLES Cookbook
PRELUDE
To the "CowBelle" Organization
The Kansas Livestock Association has for many years
encouraged the attendance of women at their annual meetings. A
Ladies Luncheon, sponsored by the association, annually became one of
the highlights of the meeting, and was planned by a committee appointed
by the association Secretary. In 1948 the women attending the
Annual Luncheon decided to elect their own Luncheon hostess and thus
help the Kansas Livestock Association. Mrs. Bert Culp was elected,
and served as chairman for the 1949 meeting.
In 1948, Mrs. Herb Barr
first learned of the CowBelles, while on a trip to the Western states
with her husband, who then was President of the Kansas Livestock
Association.
The idea of organizing the wives of the cattlemen was started by Mrs.
Ralph Cowan of Arizona, when she entertained a group of sixteen ladies
in her Douglas County home. Mrs. Ben Snure suggested they call
them selves "Cow-Belles" and they planned to meet only for social
purposes. They were the only group of this kind until September,
1946, when the Wilson County CowBelles organized. Organizations in
other counties soon followed. It was not long until the idea
spread to Wyoming. They asked permission to use the name
"Cow-Belles", and in 1949 when they became a State Organization, it was
granted to them as it was to other states: Idaho, Colorado,
California, Oregon, Utah, Nebraska and others.
After correspondence with
several of the state presidents relative to their organizations, Mrs.
Barr presented it to the wives of the Kansas cattlemen at their luncheon
in Wichita in March, 1949. It seemed we were not quite ready to
accept the idea, but it was suggested that a committee be appointed to
look into the matter and present it at our annual meeting the following
March. Mrs. Mell Harper, elected presiding hostess for the 1950
Luncheon, appointed a committee of three--Mrs. Herb Barr, chairman; Mrs.
O.W. Lynam, and Mrs. Wayne Rogler.
At the 1950 Luncheon,
"Kansas CowBelles" organized, electing Mrs. O.W. Lynam as teh first
President of the organization. All members who joined during the
year 150 (301) went on record as charter members of the Kansas CowBelles.
Many of our charter members have
done outstanding work in Kansas CowBelles. Not only was Mary
Louise Lynam our first state president but she also became the
Organizing Chairman--and then first president of the American National
CowBelles. She endeared herself so much that in 1965 the American
National CowBelles instituted a fellowship named in her honor--The Mary
Louise Lynam Fellowship.
(Kansas CowBelle File)
special thanks to Donelda Perkins for
submission |
