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Chapter History
The chapter has established a role in the American and Mexican communities
by leading or participating in a wide range of activities.
The Founding Regent was a member of the Los Angeles Molly Barrett Chapter
when she came to Mexico City in 1950. Edna Hammond Tatspaugh
(Mrs. Melville) and her sister,
Adelaide Blumenkron, made prodigious efforts to get the eight qualified
members required to start an overseas chapter. An advance
organizational meeting was held Monday, February 23, 1953. Ads inviting prospective
members had been placed in "The News," posted on bulletin boards
in the U.S. Embassy, the American Society, and the library and broadcast on local
radio.
In its first year John Edwards Chapter joined the American Society's
Fourth of July community picnic in Mexico City at which members dressed in
colonial costumes and held a Boston Baked Bean Sale. This sale was a
big success and has become an annual event.
In the spirit of the times, John Edwards Chapter picked as its first project support of the Johnson School for child victims of polio and
cerebral palsy. It paid the tuition for a four-year-old girl. It bought a piano with five dummy keyboards and a member gave lessons, which
were beneficial in directing damaged muscles. This was greatly
enjoyed by the young students. In 1956 the Junior Chamber of Commerce took over
this project.
In her 1955 report to Congress, the National Chairman of the Units
Overseas Committee noted that the chapter in Mexico participated in a broadcast on
the American Hour.
Peggy Hinrichs, John Edwards Chapter's second regent, 1957-8, had been a
nurse. When she saw a pretty, appealing little crippled girl, she
felt something could be done. Thus began an eighteen-year commitment by
the chapter. The Daughters saw Graciela Martinez through seven
operations and supplies leg and back braces that enabled her to walk alone in her heart's
desire, a floor-length party dress. The DAR saw her through
graduation from business school where she walked independently to receive her
diploma.
The chapter's next project was the Asilo Orphanage for 85 abandoned girls.
The members raised funds with voices by holding tea-bridge
parties,
sponsoring history movies and a ballet for children. If short of
funds, they
gave by personal subscription. Their efforts rebuilt fences,
repaired the
roof, replaced broken windows and frames and painted the exterior.
For the
girls they provided food, Braille instruction books and music, held
posadas
and sponsored special occasion parties.
They also donated medicine to the dispensary for the poor, collected items
for the White Cross Home for Orphan Boys, and took food, candy and piņatas
to them at Christmas. They made tray boutonnieres for patients in
the ABC
Hospital. For years they paid for nursing care for an aged medical
doctor,
confined in the ABC Hospital through her 106th birthday. She had
joined
the DAR in 1895, dropping out when she came to Mexico, then rejoining in the 1950s. The chapter supported students attending the Presidential
Classroom in Washington and supported debate teams, so that members could
travel to compete with stateside groups. By personal subscription,
altar
appointments in Wright Chapel of the American Cemetery were refurbished
and
replaced.
Daughters of the John Edwards Chapter provided medals for History Essay
Contest winners and for Good Citizens selected for outstanding qualities
in
graduating classes each year. Members have served on Embassy
committees
such as the Bicentennial Program and the relocation of the Washington
Monument in Mexico City. The chapter cooperated with other patriotic
societies in maintaining traditional customs and in promoting friendly
relations.
The chapter is a member of the Board of Directors for the American Society
in Mexico City. George Washington's Birthday is a special event
every
year. The chapter provides a speaker at the American Legion's
Memorial
Service held at the statue of George Washington in Chapultepec Park and
presents a DAR wreath at the ceremony. At the American Benevolent
Society
event on the evening of George Washington's birthday, Daughters dress in
colonial costumes and serve cherry pie to members and guests. The
chapter
supports an American History essay contest for grades five through eight
in
the American School and provides instructions on the use of the American
flag to various groups. The state regent and chapter regent
presented a
flag to the Girl Guides of Mexico on June 7, 1988. Instructions were
provided on how to honor and respect the US flag and a copy of the flag
code and printed instructions on how to fold the flag were provided.
The
State Regent also spoke about the Mexican flag. Instructions were
provided
to Americans on how to fly the United States flag in Mexico on Flag Day.
At the American Friendship Fair, the chapter was represented by members
wearing colonial costumes. The John Edwards Chapter DAR patriotic
booth
was decorated with bunting and DAR, C.A.R. and American flags. All
members
baked Boston Baked Beans to sell. The locally famous "DAR Brown
Bread" was
also available. The US Ambassador to Mexico spoke to the American
Community attending this fair and after his remarks presented medals to
the
winners of the DAR History Essay Contest.
In 1988, John Edwards Chapter provided 15 copies of "DAR Manual for
Citizenship" for use by the American Embassy in Mexico City to present to
Mexicans seeking American citizenship.
Over the years, activities of John Edwards Chapter have become local
traditions. The Cherry Pie event, ceremonies at national holidays,
support
of historic awards to students and active participation in American and
Mexican community activities set a model for all Units Overseas chapters
to
follow in maintaining American traditions and improving relations with the
host country.
From the book "Daughters Overseas. A History of Units Overseas" by Virginia C. Russell, National Chairman, Units Overseas Committee, NSDAR 1986-1989, 1989-1992 (she also served 1996-98) published in 1990 by NSDAR. Mexico - pages 68-71.
Last updated 11/22/2007
