By Mary Crandall
One can imagine a bunch of 
"girls" sitting around a warm parlor room fanning themselves as they wrote their articles for Tropical Topics. The reason I call them "girls" is because that is what they called themselves back in 1931. They were probably using those beautiful quill pens to write their poems and articles, then taking their articles to The Printcrafters Inc., where their work was then printed onto green paper in a flier format, half the size of our current Tropical Topics.
While looking through the articles they wrote in 1931, I learned about some of the problems they were experiencing. They wrote about how many of the banking institutions were failing, so they kept losing the money they had saved for League projects.
There were articles on the following: dressing "swank;" home notes, where children (from their Children's Home Project) were being placed; plays they were putting on in the community to raise money; book reviews; articles on trips some of the members had taken to various places, such as "Notes On The Orient," and information about the new provisional class.
You can recognize the more mischievous articles by their titles alone: "What Husbands Think of the Junior League," "On Being a Model," and "A League Son Speaks." I couldn't help but laugh at the humorous articles they had written. Here are some excepts from two of those articles:
"What Husbands Think Of The Junior League"
"I do not believe that any member of the League really cares a hoot what her husband (if she has one), or any member's husband, thinks about the League. I cannot think of any good reason why husbands' opinions on the subject should count, one way or the other. However, your very persuasive editor suggested this title. With the foregoing defense, I shall try to define the attitude of husbands towards the League. . .Another objection ofttimes heard is that the husband wearies of hearing the affairs of the League discussed. In view of the fact that most of us are unable to talk for five minutes except about business, golf, or scandal, I cannot believe that this objection can be urged with any degree of seriousness. It is my sincere conviction that the real attitude of the husband towards the Junior League is that he would be very much distressed had his wife not been invited to join; that he cannot help but profoundly admire the work the League is doing; that he would really like to say so, and would, but for the fact somewhere he has heard that women were frivolous, incompetent and incapable of perseverance. . ." (See also Husband's Lament)
"A League Son Speaks"
Paul R. Scott wrote:
"When Misses Barco asked me to rite a peece saying what I thot of the Jr. Leeg I knew she wouldn't print all I realy thot so I will just rite part. But I will try to be fare & forget that some one put my pictcher in the paper with a lot of other kids and called us all Perspective Jr. Leegers which made me get razzed something terrible. I think it is allright for my mother to belong to the Jr. Leeg because I am pretty old now and can take care of myself. Its just babies afraid of strangers that cry when they see their mothers come in. Working at the children's home or the hospital gives her something to do when I am busy or at school. I like to have her go to the hospital the best. She smells funny when she gets home but she sees people who were smashed up & once she saw a banditt that was shot and quite bludy. That is more exciting than kids with hooping cough which I have allready had. Rummedge sales are pretty dum. Once she bot me a pair of slippers for a nickle that were too small & another time she bot me a pair of book ends for a dime that fall off if I take out a book. Yesterday when she was going over to the children's home to manage the playground or something, Daddy peaked over his newspaper & said something like this:
I quite appruve of charaty
Filantropy is fine
But while you tend those little ones
Pray who looks after mine?
I laffed, but mother just looked pashent and put on her hat. In conclusion I will say I am glad I am not a girl and will never have to belong to the JR.Legg."
Advice Column
The article on being a model was also just as humorous. I was thinking to myself what a fun bunch of "girls"to have worked with. They were always thinking of funny things to write about one another. How about this list of "Don'ts for Provisionals" from 1932:
DON'T let your mind wander or your foot slip on the dizzy peaks of Parliamentary Law.
DON'T let your expression show how your legs feel after the first meeting.
DON'T forget that you are to be seen and not heard.
DON'T forget that you are sent to the home for the moral and social, but not the political upbringing of the children.
DON'T be fainthearted at the first blow-there are more to follow.
DON'T get discouraged - life is like that.
As the years passed, the articles began to reflect more of the activities the members were involved in. A regular editorial began to appear. One that made an impression on me was written by Anne Copeland where she made the following statements:
"As we look back over the year just passed, we cannot help but feel proud of the accomplishments of the League, especially in view of the nationwide economic conditions. . . .Our fondest hope is that in editing the Tropics for the ensuing year we may broadcast monthly bigger and better Junior League accomplishments and we feel certain that if the same ambition is cherished by all our members that this 'fondest hope' will not only be attained but surpassed."
The Economic Equation
Since I am on the staff of Tropical Topics, I thought I would share with you the fact that the editor is always talking to us about "getting advertisements." I wish I had a nickel for every time she has said that to me. I thought perhaps she was just picking on little ol' me when I found an article from the early years where the editor was pestering everyone in the League (even the provisionals) to sell an ad. They managed somehow to put a funny quip about the difficulties they faced when they were trying to sell an ad. Now I know, it's not just me. Some things change over the years but many stay the same!
Getting Better All the Time
In January 1963, the cover of Tropical Topics had a big balloon drawn on it with the center filled with silver and red sprinkles glued to the outside cover. On the inside was a red stone attached to another picture.
While the JLM continues with our mission of helping the community, we have professionalized the look of the League magazine to glossy pages with beautiful pictures and splashes of color. The articles take a serious look at our programs and their role in addressing community challenges.
While we still have a lot of fun (like the "girls" used to) when we go over to the editor's home to work on our articles, we have evolved as an organization. We no longer use typewriters, most of us are quite proficient with computers and disks! I'm not sure how they functioned before fax machines ever came along. I know my editor would be on the phone with me right now asking "Where is it (this article)? Did you mail it today?", but I just smile and hit the fax button and appreciate how far we've come.
Husband's Lament
There is a dark conspiracy,
There is a deep intrigue,
That tries to rob me of my wife
It's called the Junior League.
There once were smiles and gaiety
About my sweet abode,
But now, my wife is never home,
She's somewhere on the road.
Dust has gathered on the floor
The dishes in the sink
Unless I see my wife once more
I soon may take to drink.
I cannot use my telephone
I'm in a sorry plight,
Because with some provisional
She's talking day and night.
And so it seems that I am doomed
To monologues profaning
Until she joins that holy group
Of membership sustaining.
By Graham Miller
-Tropical Topics, November 1951
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