Last week we learned about The Sons of the American Legion formed in 1932 and how male descendants of honorably discharged U.S. Military veterans are eligible for membership.
We also found out the American Legion Boys State began in 1935 and was created to help young men gain an understanding of the structure and operation of our Federal government. Today more than 19,500 from 49 states participate. In fact the Blanchard Post 261 sent four boys to Boys State this year.
Lastly, we learned about the American Legion National Oratorical High School Contest that began in 1938 in Norman, and is still active today. The purpose of this contest was to help students develop a deeper understanding of the U.S. Constitution and to assist them in academic speaking that creates important leadership qualities, a history of our nation’s laws, and a higher knowledge of our duties, responsibilities, and privileges of American Citizenship.
Today we move into the 1940’s era. In 1943, past American Legion National Commander Harry W. Colmery wrote on hotel stationary the first draft of what would eventually become the “GI Bill of Rights,” considered to be the Legion’s single greatest legislative achievement.
On June 22, 1944, President Theodore Roosevelt signed into law the original GI Bill or Servicemen’s Readjustment Act, ushering in monumental changes in U.S. Society. Higher education became democratized after 8 million veterans went to school on the GI Bill, got better jobs, bought houses and raised families.
For every dollar spent on educating veterans, the U.S. economy gets $7 back, a rather good investment.
Finally in May 1946, Dr. Leonard Rowntree, chairman of the American Legion’s Medical Advisory Committee, presented a check for $50,000 to a little known financially struggling non-profit organization called The American Heart Association.
Both the Legion and Auxiliary each donated $25,000 to seize the opportunity to take a national leadership role to inaugurate a nationwide program for the study, prevention, and treatment of rheumatic heart disease through The American Heart Association.
The funding provided a springboard to life-saving work that continues today.
Next week we move into the 1950s where the American Legion gets involved with helping to fund mental health and child welfare programs. Then in the 1960s we get involved with concerns over the prisoners of war (POW) of Vietnam.
