Florida Tracy, an active member of May Memorial during much of the first half of the 20th Century, was a fount of information about our church. Her involvement, observations, and memories are recorded in many places throughout the archives. Here are some of her remembrances.
During WWI, May Memorial was the first church in Syracuse to provide recreational activities for soldiers of the U.S. Army’s Rainbow Division (part of the New York National Guard and 42nd Division, the first Division sent to Europe in 1918 to support French troops). They were being trained in the Syracuse area and camped at the State Fair grounds, known as “Camp Syracuse.” Six days a week in the church dining room from noon to the evening we provided a free cafeteria service with church women serving as hostesses. Showers for the men were installed in the cellar and our church President at that time, Irving Merrill, taught literacy classes in arithmetic.
WWI affected us in other ways, too. Our minister during the time period, Rev. Dr. John Henry Applebee, took a leave to serve as a Red Cross Chaplin. This war service on battlefields and in hospitals undermined his health. On his return he found that his wife, Alice, was suffering from cancer and died after much suffering. He never really recovered and died soon after.
The Women’s Alliance, an active church women’s group during this time period and up into the 60s, carried out a number of community service activities. For example, each year the Alliance provided a noontime Christmas dinner and entertainment on the last day of school before the holiday for 75 to 100 of the poorest first and second graders in two nearby public schools. Eventually as the need for a meal lessened, it morphed into the “Mitten Tree” (providing warm clothing for those in need at the holiday time), a traditional still carried on today.
Church sewing groups also provided clothes and bandages for the Red Cross to use and after both world wars this energy went to producing clothing for refugee babies. As can be expected, and I am talking to the men of the church now, where would we all be without the tireless efforts, great energy, and super leadership of May Memorial women.
Rog Hiemstra, Archivist (written on May, 10, 2006)
