The Red Cross Phillips County was tremendous help in the war, and it wasn’t just the troops who contributed to the war effort; the women back home did behind-the-scenes work and showed true patriotism to their country as well. One such way they proved their patriotism was through the Red Cross, an organization that contributed to the war effort by providing clothing, food, money, and even volunteering.
The Saco Auxiliary was our hometown Red Cross in Phillips County. Many women joined, eager to help out, by knitting socks, sweaters, wristlets, scarves, and much more. Others who didn’t knit sent money, books, tobacco, or they made victory gardens. In Phillips County, there was even the Junior Red Cross who helped with food drives, made checker boards or knitted clothing, and did other things at the Boys’ and Girls’ Club.
Just like the men in battle, the women were forced to prove their patriotism, and some shown more than others. Mrs. Adolph LaFond Jr., Mrs. A. S. Hanscom, Mrs. E. Skowler and Mrs. Partridge of Phillips County earned the right to wear a Red Cross emblem on their aprons by doing 32 hours of Red Cross work. Even after the war, women still showed patriotism by ensuring that the men received a “cordial welcome home.”
by Jaycee Erickson Woods, Richard D, comp. “Good-Bye Malta-Hello France”: The Great War Comes to Phillips County, Montana, 1916-1920. Malta Enterprise, 2009.