The Early Days of Mary Lee Tucker Part 4

Looking at these articles, it is pretty impressive to watch the 1926 Mary Lee Tucker campaign unfold in the pages of The Lorain Journal and watch the community come together for the charity ball at the Coliseum, as well as the show at the Lorain County Home.

Click on each article for a large, readable version.

The front page of the December 16 Lorain Journal (below) included a photo of dancers Doris and Thelma Streicker of Elyria, who were on the program for the charity ball and headed for jobs with the Ziegfeld Follies after high school.

The December 17 Journal included a photo (below) of Chauncey Lee's  orchestra, who were the stars of the gala event to be held at the Coliseum. The article also built anticipation for the charity ball to be held that evening, and noted that florist Lou Carek had given the interior of the Coliseum a holiday appearance.

According to the article below which appeared in the December 18, 1926 Lorain Journal, the benefit ball was a huge success. Mary Lee Tucker extended thanks to Chauncey Lee and his orchestra and entertainers for "the very fine program they arranged." She also noted the cooperation of the Loyal Order of Moose, and the extra street car service provided by the Lorain Street Railway.

This December 21 Journal article (below) described the wonderful show performed for the residents of the Lorain County Home.

Amazingly, Mary Lee Tucker adopted three more families which she wrote about in this December 22 article (below).

Finally, on Christmas Eve, the article below summed up the happy and heartwarming results thanks to the generosity of Lorain Journal readers and hard work of the Journal staff. It's hard not to get teary-eyed reading it.

All in all, it was an amazing and impressive effort put forth by the Journal – not only providing help and yuletide cheer to some needy families, but also showing what could be accomplished through the power of the newspaper. 

Today, in 2013, the Mary Lee Tucker charitable program continues, approximately 90 years after its beginnings. It would be quite difficult to 'adopt' families in this day and age, and The Morning Journal wisely has instead focused its efforts on making sure that the area's needy school aged children have warm coats.

Let's hope that the Journal continues the program for another 90 years and beyond, and keeps alive the spirit of the original Mary Lee Tucker.