P.E.O. Record
P.E.O.'s History in Local, State and International Events
And P.E.O. Members Cordially Invited to Visit Mount Pleasant and Attend The Midwest Old Threshers Reunion—September 2-6, 2010
Since our early history, the P.E.O. Sisterhood has made an effort to be visible within local communities as well as on the world stage. This is a tradition that carries on to this day. The Record office receives countless submissions from enterprising local chapters who have incorporated a P.E.O. component into their towns’ annual celebrations or festivals. Whether sponsoring a float in a parade or running a concession stand, many P.E.O. chapters recognize the importance of getting the word out about our sisterhood and the good works we do through our philanthropies.
1893
Although “It’s OK to Talk About P.E.O.” is a recent initiative, the 1893 Supreme Grand Chapter of P.E.O. knew it to be true. It was that year that P.E.O. was proudly represented at the World’s Fair in Chicago. P.E.O. obtained a coveted space in the Women’s Building in Jackson Park at the Chicago World’s Fair. Located in the Organization Room on the second floor of the building, the P.E.O. exhibit was described as “a cozy P.E.O. home as ever was.” Although the official color of the exhibit hall was blue, resourceful P.E.O.s took it upon themselves to decorate the space in yellow and white with a large silk star in gold and white with the letters “P.E.O.” in the center. It was unmistakably a P.E.O. booth. In October 1893, The P.E.O. Record reported “…this space was of great benefit and satisfaction to P.E.O.s all over our land. It was not only a place to register but a comfortable resting place, a ‘rendezvous’ where P.E.O.s from all over the world met and exchanged greetings, thus infusing them with pride and enthusiasm; also an excellent means of placing us prominently before people interested in women’s organizations.”
1895
Our progressive, energetic P.E.O. sisterhood was represented at Women’s Day of the 1895 Iowa State Fair. P.E.O.s once again decorated their space in the signature yellow and white colors. Each organization participating in Women’s Day presented a half-hour program. P.E.O.’s program was presented by Founder Alice Babb of Mount Pleasant. In her speech she compared pioneer women with the women of the contemporary generation. She made the eerily relevant point, “We are in a transition period today, the pioneer environments behind us, the coming women yet to arrive and the women of today are trying to bridge the chasm.”
1898
The P.E.O. Sisterhood was also present at the Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition in Omaha in 1898. Our headquarters there was similar to the booth maintained at the Chicago World’s Fair. 1904 P.E.O. appeared at another World’s Fair—the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in Saint Louis. Chapter O, the only P.E.O. chapter in Saint Louis at the time, raised the funds to finance a P.E.O. Day at the World’s Fair on June 18, 1904. This special day helped give P.E.O. prominence in the eyes of the public.
1915
In order to bring the Sisterhood more prominently before the public eye, five northern California chapters organized a P.E.O. Day at the Panama Pacific International Exposition in San Francisco, California, in October of 1915. The official headquarters of the Sisterhood for P.E.O. Day at the Expo was the Inside Inn. P.E.O.s in attendance that day were treated to a tour of the grounds, a luncheon and a program that included music and speeches.
1933
In 1933 the Illinois State Chapter maintained P.E.O. headquarters at the Century of Progress Exposition in Chicago. Located in the Social Science Hall, more than 5,000 P.E.O.s visited our headquarters at the expo. Many P.E.O.s and their families traveled far to see A Century of Progress— registration books from the fair reflect P.E.O. visitors from over 17 different states, including Hawaii.
1939
The San Francisco and East Bay Reciprocity Bureaus served as joint hostesses for P.E.O. Day at the Golden Gate International Exposition, October 18, 1939. P.E.O.s registered in the rotunda of the San Francisco building—more than 600 P.E.O.s from 16 states attended. One of the main events of P.E.O. day was a gathering of sisters in the colorful ballroom of the California building.
Get Involved!
From International World’s Fairs to local small town festivals, P.E.O. has a long tradition of getting involved and becoming a visible part of the community at large. It is a great way to build bonds with your P.E.O. sisters and get the word out about the Sisterhood and our philanthropies.
P.E.O. has been invited to be part of the Old Threshers Reunion in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, this summer. If you can, plan to attend the special P.E.O. events to be held during the Old Threshers Reunion, September 2-6, 2010.
P.E.O. Members are Cordially Invited to Visit Mount Pleasant, Iowa, Founding Site of The P.E.O. Sisterhood, and the Midwest Old Threshers Reunion September 2-6, 2010
Bring your family and/or chapter sisters to enjoy this one-of-a-kind summer celebration! Learn more about our stories of early P.E.O. heritage and see the historical collection of Chapter Original A on specially planned tours of P.E.O.’s birthplace at Iowa Wesleyan College. Visit with International President Elizabeth Garrels during informal meet and greet sessions.
- Transportation between reunion grounds and Iowa Wesleyan campus is provided.
- Present your P.E.O. membership card at Old Threshers’ gates for 50 percent off daily $12 admission. Children 10 and younger are admitted free.
- For information about this unique celebration of early Midwest living that includes steam power and agricultural demonstrations, reenactments of pioneer life, arts and crafts, antiques, homestyle food and musical performances, visit the website www.oldthreshers.com.