Build Freedom with Youth Contest Reports from Montana, 1951-1952

The Build Freedom with Youth Contest was sponsored by the General Federation of Women’s Clubs in cooperation with the Kroger Company. The contest was conducted nationwide, with each club working with the youth of its own community to select and complete projects that would meet local needs. These development projects covered broad aspects including health, welfare, education, culture, beautification and natural resources, government and citizenship, recreation, and employment. The competition ran from February 1, 1951 to February 1, 1952. Local results were announced in March, and the national results were announced in May of 1952.

All 15,000 federated women’s clubs across the United States were eligible to enter the competition, which yielded prizes totaling $25,000. Each state was judged for a winner as long as at least five clubs entered the competition. The top winner for each state, and the District of Columbia and Alaska, was then entered into the national competition. In Montana, 43 women’s clubs entered and 23 clubs completed projects and submitted reports for final judging. The Billings, Montana Junior Women’s group won the state competition with the creation and development of their Receiving Home Corporation, which provided a temporary shelter for abandoned or neglected children. Honorable mentions for Montana were the Miles City Women’s Club receiving second place; Sher-Mont Women’s Club of Plentywood, third; Bozeman Women’s club, fourth; and Sheridan Women’s club, fifth.

Judges for the Montana entries were John A. Harris, chairman of the department of Social Work at the University of Montana in Missoula (then called Montana State University); Reverend Bruce Wood, director of the affiliated School of Religion at the University of Montana; and D.W. Hutchinson, district probation officer.