December 12, 2017
This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.
Today’s
story is about the County Commissioner of the Poor, Nellie I. Baker, and how
she solved a problem in December of 1930.
The city woodpile was created at her suggestion. The purpose of the woodpile was so that any
able bodied man, was sent to the municipal woodpile located on different city
lots, when he applied for groceries for himself and/or his family, because of lack
of financial resources. The man would
receive a dollar’s worth of groceries for every rick of wood he cut and in the
process he kept his self-respect and dignity.
County Commissioner, James Doyle, provided the free wood for
chopping. The trees were cut by
prisoners of the County Jail and hauled to town in County trucks. The wood, which was then cut and stacked in
neat ricks, was given to the sick and needy or older people who were not
financially or physically able to secure their own fuel. C.W. Rouse got compensation for the groceries
he needed by being the supervisor of the wood yard.
Everyone
benefitted from this suggestion in 1930 from Nellie I. Baker, Commissioner of
the Poor.
There are
only a few days left until Christmas and if you haven’t stopped by our Gift
Shop to consider some special gifts for that special person, you will want to
do so right away. There is pottery with
the words “Junction City” on them; Christmas tree ornaments of the Buffalo
Soldier Monument, the 1904 High School, the 1882 Opera House; souvenir salt and
pepper shakers, toys, puzzles and books about Geary County history. Our Museum is open Tuesdays through Saturday
from 1 until 4.
And…. thanks
for reading “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical
Society.
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