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—Unotter Farming, Saturday. Nov. 16, 1974
Mrs. Charles Weaver
President of Lancaster County’s W.C.T.U.
Mrs. Charles E. (Mary) Weaver, 72 S. Heintzelman
Street, Manheim, president of the Lancaster County
Women’s Christian Temperance Union since 1958, is
leading the twelve Lancaster County Chapters in
celebrating this year and centennial celebration of the
National W.C.T.U. which organized November 18,1874 in
Cleveland, Ohio.
Frances Elizabeth Caroline Willard was credited with
organizing the National W.C.T.U. and later served as its
president. She not only went about organizing the W. C.
T.U. in America but also organized on a world-wide basis
until today there are 72 countries organized. She was the
first woman to have her statue placed in Statuary Hall in
Washington, D.C.
Mrs. Weaver says “Alcohol is America’s number one
drug problem now. Young people affected with the drug
habit usually start with alcohol. We are a Christian
organization and stress Bible study and prayer. All the
members are Sunday School teachers, church leaders etc.
We recognize that people need help - alcoholics need God’s
help to overcome the problem.”
The W.C.T.U. puts emphasis on education, legislation
and social service. They have certified teachers, women
and men, on alcohol education who visit schools and
emphasize the dangers involved with alcohol and other
drugs, tobacco and venereal disease which is in the text
books but often is skipped by the teachers in the schools.
They might spend a week in a school in their health
education and home economics classes. They show films,
lecture and answer questions. They put resource material
in school libraries in the form of books and pamphlets
where the students can go to supplement their textbook
information on these subjects.
In the 1973 annual Pennsylvania Woman’s Christian
Temperance Union report 400 schools were contacted,
181,340 pieces of literature sold, 200,000 leaflets
distributed, 75 resource kits sold, conducted poster and
essay contests in Senior High, Junior High, Elementary
schools, also churches, collegiate oratorical contests were
sponsored, films and film strips shown, books placed in
school, church and public libraries, information booths
erected atP.S.E.A. meetings and at local and county fairs,
and Scripture memory contests held for all ages.
They use the positive approach giving recipes to home
economic departments for many delicious and nutritious
beverages and foods that some folks think must contain
alcoholic drinks. They give suggestions to make gala and
attractive table settings for special occasions. They put
emphasis on “Fruesta” parties and give suggestions to
carry out a theme for holiday, seasonal and special oc
casions, even to decorations and wholesome en
tertainment. The county units have a Fruesta at P.T.O. or
•P.T.A. meetings where they furnish the punch and give
the recipe for it.
In legislation the state W.C.T.U. works with the Pa.
Council on Alcohol Problems at Harrisburg who have
lobbyists. The National W.C.T.U. has a full-time lobbyist
in Washington, D.C. In Pa. last year 7000 communications
were sent out to local, state and national officials, at-
Mrs. Mary Weaver is making a crib afghan on a
hairpin lace loom. She made the afghan on the sola
also. Note the white ribbon bow W.C.T.U. pin she
proudly wears.
by
Mrs.
c Charles
McSparran
Farm Feature
tended legislative hearings, served through the Federated
Legislative Committee, assisted in local option elections,
held luncheons for newly naturalized citizens, assisted in
Daily Vacation Bible School and Head Start programs.
In social service lap robes, scuffies and ditty bags were
donated to Veteran hospitals, nursing homes, children’s
hospitals, county home parties held and Home cheer
baskets packed for Indian projects. Lancaster County
concentrates on Veterans’ hospitals. Last week they
packed boxes, each containing a wash cloth, soap, comb,
facial tissues, pen, greeting cards with postage stamps on,
calendar and footlets. These boxes will be delivered in a
few weeks for Christmas. The members make lap robes of
patchwork washable material and terry bibs for the
Lebanon Veterans Hospital. Some of the women give
volunteer labor as Gray Ladies at the Lebanon Veterans’
Hospital.
The Women’s Temperance organization not only in
cludes women of all ages and honorary men members but
also the Youth Temperance Council for ages 12 years to 24
years; the Loyal Temperance for ages 6 to 12 years and
White Ribbon Recruits for children under 5 years. Lan
caster County has chapters at Manheim, Akron, Ephrata,
Elizabethtown, Lititz, Mountville, Quarryville, Lan
caster, New Providence, Upper Leacock, West Willow and
New Holland. There are Y.T.C. chapters at Mountville
and West Willow and six L.T.L. chapters in Lancaster Co.
The county W.C.T.U. has been having centennial ac
tivities all year. They held a centennial tea at Grace
Evangelical Congregational Church on Locust and
Shippen Streets, Lancaster, in February. It was a public
meeting. Their county convention was held September 28
at the New Providence Church of God. They had an an
niversary cake for the purpose of reminding the members
of the 100th anniversary of the National W.C.T.U. A
busload of Y.T.C. members and a few W.C.T.U. members
went to Cleveland August 29 and 30 for the national con
vention. A number of the local chapters held teas and
special events. The county has more plans for the future,
including presenting their work in various organizations.
Mrs. Weaver is on the state historical committee to
update their history. The last history was compiled'in
1937. They hope to have the history from 1937 to 1974 off the
press a year from now. She always attends the state
convention. A pageant depicting the first 100 years of the
National W.C.T.U. was presented at the convention this
year.
Mrs. Weaver joined the W.C.T.U. in 1942 and was the
first president of the reorganized Manheim W.C.T.U.,
which office she held for 22 years at various times. She
was county promotion secretary from 1948 till 1956, vice
president from 1956 to 1958 and president ever since. Her
husband, Dr. Charles E. Weaver, was president of the
Lancaster County Men’s Christian Citizens League about
25 years.
Mary is the daughter of the late Rev. Jacob G. and Mrs.
Hess who now resides at the Mennonite Home, 1577
Harrisburg Pike. Rev. Hess was the minister at the
Millersville and Rohrerstown Mennonite Churches. Mrs.
Hess, 91 years young, recites poetry and crochets to make
herself useful and entertaining. Mary graduated from
Manor High School and the General Hospital School of
Nursing in Lancaster.
Dr. Weaver grew up on his parents farm which is now
enveloped in Ephrata borough. At ten years of age he
moved with his parents to a farm on Mount Joy Road, just
outside Manheim. His parents were the late Rev. George
and Mrs. Mattie Weaver. Rev. Weaver in addition to being
a farmer was a minister of the East Fairvrew Church Of
The Brethren on Hossler Road, between Manheim and
Mastersonville, where Dr. and Mrs. Weaver are still
active in church work.
Mrs. Weaver is chairman of the Nurture Commission of
'^Tf
their church. The commission is responsible for Christian
education and nurturing the spiritual needs of the
members through the Sunday School, Daily Vacation
Bible School, music and worship. She is Moderator elect
now of their church district and will be Moderator in 1975.
As Moderator she will work with District Executive
Harold Bomberger, a full-time employee. Their district
encompasses 64 churches east of the Susquehanna River,
two churches in New York state and one in Delaware
state. She meets with representatives from the churches
at District Board bi-monthly meetings. In the future they
plan to meet in the various churches in the district.
Dr. Weaver is an assistant teacher of the Crusaders
Men’s & Women’s Bible Class of their church and on a
historical committee of their local church to bring their
church history up to date. He is also on a study committee
of the National Church Of The Brethren to prepare a
statement on alcohol education. He and Mrs. Weaver
attend the annual Conference of the Church Of The
Brethren every year which meets all over the United
States.
Dr. Weaver was graduated from Elizabethtown
College and the Hahnemann Medical School in
-ry pi )t ov the .ancaster Cc
W.C.T.U., holding a copy of the National W.C.T.U.
history, shows a picture of Mrs. Fred J. Fooze who
served as president from 1959 till August 1974. In
front of her is a poster “Think—Stay Alive!” and a
copy of the 'book "Alcohol Our Biggest Problem"
written by Joel Fort M.D.
Philadelphia and has been a general practitioner since
1931. He is House Physician at the Pleasant View Nursing
Home, Manheim RD3, between Penryn and Manheim
where he has 50 patients. His office hours in Manheim are
from 9 A.M. to 12:30 P.M. and 3 to 6 P.M. daily except
Wednesday and Sunday. He goes to the General Hospital
Wednesdays. Mrs. Weaver is a R.N. and receptionist in
his office and he also hires another nurse and receptionist.
Dr. Weaver was a charter member of the Manheim
Rotary Club and belonged to the club about 15 years,
having served a term as president.
Mrs. Weaver, while not having time at present to’be a
member of Farm Women, does attend Farm Women
Society 2 meetings sometimes and occasionally does a
book review for them. Weavers have three sons and one
daughter. One thing they all have in common they have
wonderful gardens and each family freezes and cans lots
of vegetables and the girls sew. Charles Jr. graduated
from Elizabethtown College and is a school teacher near
Ithica, N.Y. He married Jane Fillmore, a farm girl from
Idaho, and they have two sons and two daughters. He
grows his own plants from seed for their garden.
Catherine graduated from Elizabethtown College. She
married Forrest Collier and they have two daughters.
They live in Millersville where she is a nursery school
teacher. Forrest is a Supervisor of The Lancaster Office
of The Pa. Department of Public Assistance. Catherine
loves to sew and bake rolls and bread.
James also graduated from Elizabethtown College and
-is-a Director of Inter-City Youth project in St. Charles, 111.
His wife, a native of Lansdale, Pa., is church organist and
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