DeLand's DAR celebrates 100-year history

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
Happy birthday — Una Snodgrass sports an early outfit a woman might have worn to play golf in the early 1900s. Snodgrass serves as chaplain of the Col. arthur ERwin DAR.

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
The Washingtons — Bill and Cara Elder attend the 100th birthday of the Col. Arthur Erwin Chapter DAR. The Elders came dressed as George and Martha Washington.

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
Helping dogs — Dan and Rebecca Sampson and their dog, Chance, attend the 100th birthday of the Col. Arthur Erwin Chapter DAR Jan. 9 in DeLand. The dog was representing the Paws for Patriots program of Southeastern Guide Dogs. The program provides guide dogs for free to servicemen and servicewomen who return home from duty with injuries.

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
Beautiful costumes — Col. Arthur Erwin Chapter DAR First Vice Regent Linda Williamson and chapter member Ann Horn model beautiful early-1900 costumes at the chapter's 100th-birthday celebration. The chapter first met at the home of Helen Erwin Stevens Gaulden Jan. 15, 1910. Gaulden was the chapter's first regent, and the chapter was named after her ancestor Col. Arthur Erwin, who served in the Bucks County militia and furnished boats and workers to carry the Continental Army across the Delaware River.

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
Celebrating 100 years — Col. Arthur Erwin Chapter DAR Regent Ruth Ann Fay and DAR Florida State Regent Barbara Makant, dressed in period costumes, welcome participants to the 100th-birthday celebration of the Col. Arthur Erwin Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. The birthday was recognized Jan. 9 at DeLand's Grant Bly House. The chapter was organized Jan. 15, 1910.

By Ruth Ann Fay
SPECIAL TO THE BEACON

posted Feb 5, 2010 - 2:33:44pm

The 100th-anniversary celebration by the Col. Arthur Erwin Chapter of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution was a huge success. Some 95 guests attended despite morning snow flurries Jan. 9.

We were greeted by lovely music by the Daytona State College String Ensemble. We had 100 years of scrapbooks and other memorabilia on display in the Grant Bly House. A slide show of photographs and newspaper articles, created by Shirley Cole-Cartman, was on continuous display in both the house and banquet hall. This included pictures of 48 of the chapter's 50 regents.

Moving into the banquet hall, we found the Hostess Committee, led by Jean Dixon-Anker and LaVerne Harden, had created a beautiful atmosphere. Every detail, including the gold doilies, was perfect. Pat Jarvis created flower arrangements in colors that were popular during the Edwardian era. The gift bags included a bookmark honoring the chapter and Organizing Regent Helen Erwin Gaulden.

We began the luncheon with our Ritual, led by this writer and Chapter Chaplain Una Snodgrass. The DeLand High School Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps presented the colors, and the string ensemble played "The Star-Spangled Banner." A proclamation from the City of DeLand was read by City Commissioner Leigh Matusick, and grace was given by State Chaplain the Rev. Joyce W. Holmes. Florida State Regent Barbara Whallin Makant offered a champagne toast.

We were delighted that one of our new members, Ashley Mize, was able to come to this luncheon, her first DAR meeting. Mize is on active duty in the Air Force and had made special arrangements to spend the day with us. We surprised her by having the state regent administer her DAR oath of membership.

The Edwardian menu included courses from the last dinner on the Titanic (1912). We enjoyed a cake with 100 stars, one for each year, and 50 roses, one for each regent.

Bill Dreggors of DeBary, winner of the National Society of Daughters of the American Revolution National History Award in 2001, set the scene for the program by describing DeLand in 1910.

The program, "Women’s Issues – Then and Now," was presented by this writer and Gay Harlowe, Florida state chairwoman of the Women’s Issues Committee. The program showed many of the hot topics of 1910 — with the exception of suffrage — are still topics today in some form or another. The Women’s Issues Committee focuses on women’s health, careers, and family.

In addition to those mentioned, guests included National Vice President General Sue C. Bratton, past National Vice President General Jean Dixon Mann, about 10 state officers and state committee chairwomen, and five prior regents of the Col. Arthur Erwin Chapter.

In honor of the chapter’s 100th anniversary, we have commissioned a bench that will be placed near the tree we planted at Bill Dreggor’s Park in DeLand.

— Fay is the Col. Arthur Erwin Chapter's current regent.

— info@beacononlinenews.com

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