Valley Forge Soldiers' Hut and Bronze Tablet
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A Century of Service (continued)
Preserving Valley Forge, The Valley Forge Film
Through the decades, the Society has strengthened its early record of direct service to the community. Here a great range of trial and abandonment has been shown; fortunately, the process still continues.
The Society was the first voice to bring to public notice of preserving Valley Forge. It considered this subject as early as 1890, when a memorial to Congress was prepared urging that body to purchase the site. In the following year; Congress having failed to act, the purchase of portions of the ground was recommended. Before 1898 a state commission was appointed for the purpose, in which the Society was represented by eight members. In the 1930s a committee of our Society was appointed to inspire public sentiment favorable to the further development of the park. Through its efforts, the log hut of the winter of 1777 was recreated.
Although administration of the park has been turned over by the state to the national government, our efforts have continued undiminished. Of greatest importance has been the Society's vision for a Valley Forge documentary film conveying the heroic spirit of the 1777 encampment. This is shown throughout the day to visitors at the park's reception center. In 1970 the project was being considered; by 1971 a script had been drafted; in 1972 the film was in production; and in December, 1973 it was first shown by formal invitation. In 1974 the Council on International Non-Theatrical Events awarded it one of the Golden Eagle Awards from among a thousand documentary films from all over the world, in a Washington ceremony. After years of continuous showing, the film was re-edited and newly produced for the park's educational program, and, as revised, premiered in 1983.
In 1992, the Board of Managers
made the Valley Forge film available to America's classrooms through an
arrangement with Karol Media.
By 1994, the film needed to be upgraded to improve its historical accuracy.
An additional 15 minutes was filmed and added to the original Valley Forge
film. Also in 1994, the Board of Managers authorized the use of parts
of the Valley Forge film in the new film, "Valley
Forge Today." Over the intervening years, the Society has had several
requests to include parts of the Valley Forge film in other creative works
about the period, which the Society has generally granted upon approval
of the project's purpose and the intended use of the film by the Board
of Managers.
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Community Awards and Scholarships
Various community award programs have been tried through the years. As early as 1894, prizes were established at the University of Pennsylvania for excellence in student essays on subjects connected with Pennsylvania history during the Revolution. In 1950, the Society embarked on a college scholarship program for persons interested in a career of government service or teaching at any level. It was restricted to the University of Pennsylvania, which informed the Society after a few years of its inability to find any persons interested in such assistance. Throughout the 1990's, the Society has supported a doctoral dissertation fellowship at the McNeil Center for Early American Studies at the University of Pennsylvania. This scholarship program is conducted in partnership with the State Society of Cincinnati in Pennsylvania, was first funded in 1992, and has been funded every year since.
In the mid-1960s came came the Good Citizen Award and the Herbert Rorer Award, perhaps curtailed because of the lack of persons meeting selection criteria. In 1958 there began the award of a silver bowl at the Air Force Academy in Colorado for excellence in studies, which was continued for a number of years. In 1998, the Society revived this award in honor of Edward West Richardson, who had recently retired after serving more than two decades as the Society's Historian. The Society selected James Thorington, II, past captain of the Pennsylvania Society's Color Guard and past president of the General Society of Sons of the Revolution, to present the first Richardson award. Mr. Thorington's father, who was president of the Pennsylvania Society from 1967 to 1971, had traveled to the Air Force Academy to present the award during his presidency. It was hoped that the son could follow in his father's footsteps, but scheduling difficulties rendered the idea impossible in 1998.
In 1976, when the Society
had the French Ambassador to the United States at its Washington's Birthday
celebration, it presented to him a scroll attesting to American-French
friendship and cooperation.
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Distributing the Declaration of Independence and Constitution
In 1936 a flag committee commenced
the presentation of United States Flags to the public and private schools
in the Philadelphia area. This has evolved into the annual distribution
to area children of materials on the Declaration of Independence, the
Constitution, and the Bill of Rights. Begun in 1967 with a special ceremony,
60,000 copies were distributed in 1968. By 1970 the number rose to 75,000;
by 1986, to 100,000. For 1987, demand became exceptional because of the
200th anniversary celebration of the adoption of the Constitution: 140,000
copies were distributed widely to meet requests. The last printing by
the Society on its own took place in 1991. In 1998, the Society and Color
Guard agreed to underwrite together with the National
Constitution Center the printing and distribution of copies of the
Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights
to the public for free.
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In 1957, sponsorship annually
of a reception of new citizens commenced. This follows their induction
in ceremonies at the United States District Court in Philadelphia, and
includes instruction in flag etiquette. However, as early as 1918, the
Society was already writing to newly naturalized citizens in the United
States Army.
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Member Service of Volunteers on Committees
The Society has functioned
largely by committees acting under authority of the Board of Managers,
which includes the officers. The membership of the Board has been very
often recruited from conscientious committee members. As befits an organization
whose activities respond to new schemes for carrying out its purposes,
these committees have functioned in the widest variety of subjects. In
addition to committees for internal business, wartime needs have brought
committees into existence on cooperation in national defense, fifth column
activities, the protection of historic buildings, and the supplying of
air conditioners for Army hospitals. New committees meet new needs. In
1940 a Committee on Junior Council was formed to increase interest in
the Society among its younger members. By 1955 this became a Younger Members
Committee with a program of its own. In 1998, this committee has a very
active membership and an exciting program of events tailored to the interests
of members under the age of 40.
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Another valuable part of the
Society has been its Lancaster County Chapter.
It has been fully active in maintaining interest in the Society by organized
programs and activities conducted under the leadership of a locally elected
regent and other chapter officers. Acting under charter from the Pennsylvania
Society in 1925, it organized in the following year. Its current membership
is close to one hundred persons. A Lehigh County Chapter of our society,
formed earlier, has become inactive. In 1997, in order to help the Lancaster
County Chapter boost its membership and conduct its own events, has begun
to financially support the activities of this chapter. The Lancaster County
Chapter has also agreed to host the General Society annual meeting in
September 1998.
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Relations with the General Society
After assisting in the formation
of the General Society, we have always enjoyed the best of relations with
it. The triennial convention of the General Society has been held at Philadelphia
in 1918, 1940, 1962, 1976, and 1988. The Society will be host to the triennial
to be held in Philadelphia in 2003. Pennsylvania has contributed a goodly
quota of officers of the General Society, including five distinguished
General Presidents, John Morin Scott, 1934 - 1937, Judge Edwin Owen Lewis,
1943 - 1946, Daniel Waldo Boone Flint, 1974 - 1976, Joseph Louis Loughran,
1988 - 1991, and James Thorington, II, 1994 - 1997. Our current General
President, Thomas C. Etter, Jr. is a member of the Pennsylvania Society
as well as the District of Columbia Society. Pennsylvania has also contributed
substantially to the General Society Endowment Fund. At present the General
Society coordinates matters of mutual interest among the twenty-seven
state societies having an aggregate membership of approximately 6,800
persons.
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