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Temperance
and Prohibition
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The Metz Women's Christian Temperance Union
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| The Metz Women's
Christian Temperance Union was organized April 8, 1908, by Mrs. Alice
Scott Abbott of Springfield, with six active and two honorary members.
It has made a good growth in numbers and its membership is now
fifty-three -- thirty-seven active and sixteen honorary. It is
third in number in the district, Butler and Rich Hill being first and
second. But as a band of untiring workers it stands at the head of
the list. Following are the officers: Mrs. Julia Compton,
president, Mrs. Carrie Copeland, vice-president; Mrs. Minnie Morris,
secretary, and Mrs. Ethel Reed, treasurer. Regular meetings are
held twice a month.
The Metz Times, Metz, MO.
Friday, Nov. 11, 1910.
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The search for a still that
is said to be in operation within five miles of Metz is baffling the
searchers. The still is thought to be no small affair and is
supplying a large territory. Some are predicting that it is
operated under ground.
The Metz Times, Metz, MO.
Friday, June 17, 1927.
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The small 5" x 2 1/2" card to the left
would appear to
have been used prior to a "wet - dry" vote in neighboring Rich Hill.
The card is from memorabilia of a Metz area family.The wording on the card is:
A Parody of Tipperary
It's a long way to Kansas City, it's a long
way to go;
It's a long way to Kansas City, where the
beer is good I know;
So long, Tom and Jerry, farewell Rock and
Rye;
It's a long, long way to Kansas City, when
Rich Hill goes dry.
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A bunch of men and young men
staged a party on a road east of town early Sunday morning. They
were supplied with liquid refreshments, so the story goes, and were
having a gay time. A car with two men came up and members of the
party halted them. Bottles were passed to them and they sampled
the stuff, one of the men remarking that it was not a brand he was very
familiar with. At this instance the men threw their coats back and
the members of the party saw stars. The bunch was lined up and
their names jotted down. "We're not after you now, we want bigger
game," one of the men is alleged to have remarked. After
delivering a lecture the federal officer and deputy departed. As a
farewell shot the federal officer remarked: "You fellows are not
half as drunk as you were when we drove up."
The Metz Times, Metz, MO.
Friday, March 16, 1928.
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There is a sequel to the
story about the federal officer and his deputy coming in contact with a
number of young men east of Metz a few nights ago, if reports are true,
and they are pretty well verified. The story is that the two
officers partook of the liquid refreshments until they thought the last
drop was gone. The boys were shrewd enough to hold back a few
drinks to be used in case of sickness. It is said that the
officers had beautiful appetites for the stuff.
The Metz Times, Metz, MO.
Friday, March 30, 1928.
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"Missouri's Going Dry" Prohibition Song
To the right is a post card with the photo
identified as "Clara C. Hoffman and
Grandchildren." The front of the card says:
LET EVERYBODY SING:
Missouri's Going Dry, Missouri's Going Dry,
Pass Along The Watch Word, Missouri's Going
Dry,
Missouri's Going
Dry, Missouri's Going Dry,
Praise The Lord Who's Leading Us,
Missouri's Going Dry.
(Repeat)
Tune (Chorus, Bringing in the Sheaves)
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The back
of the post card shows that it was printed by the Missouri Woman's
Christian Temperance Union, 22d District. The card is addressed to
Jones Port & Co., Kansas City, MO. The correspondence says:
"1K 8024 Popular panama cloth width 36 inches price 24¢." The card
is from memorabilia of a Metz area family.
A brief excerpt from The
Annotated Life-Story and Personal Reminiscences of Col. John Sobieski
(A lineal Descendant of King John III, of Poland), at
http://www.ecolitgy.com/it/ShelbyCountyChautauqua.html gives this
information about Mrs. Clara C. Hoffman:
"Mrs.
Clara C. Hoffman for twelve years has been president of the Woman's
Christian Temperance Union of Missouri, and for some three or four years
recording secretary of the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
She is one of the most remarkable women that has been developed by that
organization. For some years she was connected with the city schools of
Kansas City. When she became connected with the Woman's Christian
Temperance Union work, she forged rapidly to the front, and soon took
her place among the foremost women of her day. From a purely
intellectual standpoint, I doubt whether she has her equal on the
platform to-day."
Mrs. Hoffman was
president of the Missouri WCTU in the 1890s and early 1900s.
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Please let us know if you have information, pictures,
or scans which can be used on this web page.
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