Today’s blog post looks at news items from the Elizabethville Echo that described community efforts to educate and raise funds for relief for the tens of thousands of orphans of the aftermath of the Armenian Genocide.
On January 20, 1921, the Elizabethville Echo published a photo with the caption, “You Are Keeping Them Warm!” The photo, shown above, was by Photo International, and in the text that followed was a plea for funds to help feed and clothe the orphans in Armenia and other areas of the Near East who were left homeless as the result of the Armenian Genocide and World War I.
In the mile square of former Russian barracks in Alexandropol, Republic of Armenia, are housed 5,347 little Armenian orphans under the care of the Near East relief. Every bite they eat, every stitch they wear, is the gift of the people of the United States, through the Near East relief. in addition, the Near East Relief hospital has a daily average of 1,211 children patients, while 1,049 others are given medical treatment which does not require confinement to hospital beds. Over 54,600 little Armenian children are house, clothes and fed by the Near East relied in Armenia and Syria.
In all over 110,000 little children are being kept alive by American aid.
YOU are doing it! KEEP IT UP!
Subssriptions to Cleveland L. Dodge, Treasurer, 1 Madison Avenue, New York City.
It was after this plea was published that Fred P. Margerum, a successful manufacturer in Elizabethville, was selected to go to Armenia to administer the humanitarian relief program for Near East Relief. Blog posts pertaining to Margerum’s decision to go as well his reports from the field during 1921 and 1922, were presented here in the past weeks.
Today’s post focuses specifically on briefs that appeared in the Elizabethville Echo.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, January 22, 1920:
TRINITY U. B. CHURCH, United Brethren in Christ, Elizabethville, Pennsylvania. Sunday, January 25 [1920]. Sunday School 9:30 A.M. Sharp. An offering for Armenian and Near East Relief will be lifted….
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From the Elizabethville Echo, “Berrysburg School Notes,” March 11, 1920:
The Berrysburg Schools raised $79.45 for Near East Relief. The banner goes to the grammar school, A. B. Crook, instructor for raising the highest amount $38.20.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, March 11, 1920:
REPORT OF “THE NEAR EAST RELIEF DRIVE”
March 8, 1920.
We the undersigned who were duly authorized to oversee “The Near East Relief Drive” beg leave to report that $209.30 came to our hands for which we have the official receipt from H. S. Smeltz, Keystone Bank, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.
C. P WEHR – W. Z. ARTZ
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From the Elizabethville Echo, “Gratz News,” October 28, 1920:
Mr. J. F. M. Schminky was to Harrisburg last week and heard a stirring speech by an Armenian woman of the need of Armenian woman of the need of American help thru the Near East Relief Fund. Let us all do our best to save the people in Armenia from starving. We Americans have full and plenty, help us all to realize our condition how bountiful God has blessed us and yet how many do not as much as thank Him for their daily food.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, March 30, 1922:
“Motion Pictures” In the School SAuditorium
Tuesday Evening, April 4 [1922] at eight o’clock.
Through the efforts of the Civic Club, the Near East Films “Alice in Hungerland” have been procured and will be shown to the public on the above mentioned date.
No admission will be charged but a free will collection will be received, ALL of which will be given to the Near East relief fund.
In connection with pictures, Dr. Calvitt Clarke has been secured as speaker for the evening.
He comes to us very highly recommended as is shown below.
DR. J. CALVITT CLARK
Dr. J. Calvitt Clarke, a native of Brooklyn, was graduated from Washington and Jeffereson College and Western Theological Seminary at Pittsburgh. He was formerly pastor in Braddock, Pennsylvania. At the outset of the war, Dr. Clarke was sent overseas and was made Director of Russian Activities for the Y. M. C. A. In this work he had supervision over 200,000 Russian troops.
Due to conditions in the Near East he was importuned by Ambassador Morgenthau to join the organization which was then being established to bring relief to Armenia and Syria. This organization was later named the Near Est Relief. Upon Dr. Clarke’s return to this country he was put in charge of the work in Central Pennsylvania and was made Assistant State Director of Pennsylvania.
Dr. Clarke was chosen as the Pennsylvania representative in the American Commission which was detailed to make an investigation of the present conditions in Turkey and Southern Russia where the Near East Relief operates. When he again returned to America he was made Assistant regional Director of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia, and West Virginia. Dr. Clarke was formerly a Chautauqua lecturer and is an excellent speaker.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, April 6, 1922:
AUDITORIUM CROWDED TUESDAY EVENING
The Near East Pictures were shown in the School Auditorium on Tuesday evening to a crowded house. A very generous offering amounting to $137 was received and sent to the Near East Relief Station at Philadelphia.
The members of the Civic Club thank the public for their interest and aid in saving the lives of these starving children in the Near East.
As this is house cleaning time will the ladies save all the old clothing and lay it aside for Bundle day and a collection will be made soon for the Near East relief.
We wish to thank Mr. John Romberger for his kindness in lending and operating his picture machine.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, May 18, 1922:
NEAR EAST RELIEF REPRESENTATIVE IN LUTHERAN CHURCH
On Sunday evening at 7:30 in Salem Lutheran Church, Mr. James Arrol will lecture on “The American Influence in the Near East.”
Mr. Arrol was field director of the Near East Relief in the Russian Caucasus and Turkish Armenia. He went over in Y. M. C. A. work but turned to Relief Work. He established a factory for the manufacture of Armenian uniforms, which provided occupation for fourteen hundred people.
Mr. Arrol was Y. M. C. A. physical instructor at that time. He is said to have a wonderful message and is a plain, modest, athletic, young American.
We cordially invite the general public to come out to hear his interesting story.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, June 1, 1922:
Mr. Arrol, the New York business man who gave an address in the Lutheran Church on Near East Relief impressed the large congregation most forcibly. In answer to his appeal the cash and pledged offering amounted to $538.31.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, “School News,” November 23, 1922:
The schools are also cooperating with the churches and the Relief Committee in gathering clothing for the Near East Relief….
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From the Elizabethville Echo, “School News,” December 20, 1923:
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT
The Christmas Spirit is universal and inspires thoughtful persons to center their hope of making the world a better place for the teachings of Christ. It helps us to trust in life and on fellow men with a perfect faith, because we have sought good. Our pleasure at this season is in proportion to our efforts and sincerity….
The Christmas spirit has been shown in our schools in many ways…. [It] was shown by the responses of the pupils in contributing to the Near East Relief.
The contributions of each school were as follows: High School, $7.50; Grammar School, not reported; Intermediate School, $2.52; Secondary School, $2.00; Primary School, $4.05….
The Primary School thinks it a very appropriate time to teach our pupils what real charity means. They are demonstrating it by their splendid response for the relief of the suffering Armenian children….
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From the Elizabethville Echo, May 24, 1923:
A rare treat was given to the people of the Reformed Church last Sunday when they heard Rev. M. P. Kriporian of Philadelphia, who spoke of the Near East Relief. He is a native of Armenia and lost 75 of his relatives who were killed by the Turks. He told the thrilling incident of how his father was massacred. He is a highly educated minister and has made a lasting impression.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, “Gratz News,” May 24, 1923:
Gen. Messop Azgeptian gave a very interesting talk in the Lutheran and Reformed Church on Sunday.
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From the Elizabethville Echo, “School News,” November 23, 1922:
The amount contributed to the Junior Red Cross by the whole school was $39.10. The high school alone gave $20.00 to this helpful organization. The schools are also cooperating with the churches and the Relief Committee in gathering clothing for the Near East Relief.
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.