Her Life and Civic Leadership in a By Gone Era - Blog Tour and Book Excerpt for "Marie Conner - A Leading Lady"

BOOK EXCERPT

Chapter 13 Polly Potter (1950-51). “Our children are our future!” –Marie Conner, 1951.

Two short excerpts from this chapter to use together.

(In 1950)

The Christmas party for Santiam Unit 51 was on Sunday, December 17, and again with a turkey dinner. Marie attended that, as did several district officers. Gold Star Mothers were the unit’s honored guests on that night. For music, Mrs. Lois Abrell led group singing while Marie played the piano. Two young girls with accordions almost as big as they were performed two songs, and Santa officiated the white elephant gift exchange.

Marie enjoyed those social gatherings. She also thought of people who were less fortunate. Her last Polly Potter letter in 1950 detailed ongoing needs and expressed her gratitude:

Many, many thanks to all the fine people who helped to make Christmas a very happy day for so many needy families. I am sure that every one of you who made the day brighter for others must have had the true feeling of “Peace on earth, Good will to men.” I know these people were grateful although they do not have the ability to express themselves as others do. The look on one child’s face when I handed her a few used toys was enough to make me happy through and through.

I was asked how many needy families I had reported to me at Christmas time and when I said 43, they were amazed and didn’t seem to think there could possibly be that many. When I convinced them that there was, they couldn’t see why there were so many. But it all comes back to these men who just walk out on their wife’s children without a thought as to who could care for them.

(1951)

Polly Potter’s letter in the “Needs of the Needy” column on March 20 drew attention to her new clothing room, located in the American Legion hall. It had started in January and was open on Monday afternoons. [She] emphasized that it was the place to drop off donations and the place to come to for help. Of course, Marie also received many donations on her doorstep at home. She had several volunteers, some of whom were from church groups and one being her good friend Mrs. Peggy Hatfield. The room was an unheated space where she and her volunteers sorted and distributed clothing and household goods.

There was no formal application process for someone in need. Marie felt that if someone was brave enough to ask for help, they were desperate enough to need that help. The March 20 letter was printed on the Tuesday before Easter Sunday:

I would like my readers to picture if you will what it would be like to have just barely enough income to pay the rent for a tiny little house and to pay the light and water bill and the barest food necessities. We who worry about a new Easter bonnet or whether our shoes and purses match, please stop and think what it would be like to not have even the simplest of new clothes. Always someone’s cast-offs. And then something happens, like the 60th wedding anniversary of a couple who has been mother and father to us. How nice it would be to attend this affair. Now, remember we are nice people just like other people but through a great deal of sickness we have been reduced to living on a welfare check. I hope I have made the picture clear.

© Elle Mott 2026