Grand Rapids Historical Society

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="052085a3.jpg"> <div> <B>Grand Rapids Historical Society</B></div> <bR> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="053d2e83.jpg"> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="27eb5b40.gif" border=0 width="181" height="180" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>Collecting and preserving an accurate record of our past, and teaching our diverse local history to future generations.</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Calibri" > </FONT><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Papyrus" >  </FONT></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="05507073.jpg"> <div> <B>Welcome to the Grand Rapids Historica</B><B>l Society web site.</B></div> <bR> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="634" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 169 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Events Programs"><U><IMG SRC="10dc8890.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="137" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <I>Events and Programs</I></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Historical Info."><U><IMG SRC="086db890.jpg" border=0 width="219" height="137" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <I>Historical Information</I></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Features"><U><IMG SRC="109c8890.jpg" border=0 width="200" height="137" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <I>Features</I></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 170 ><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U><IMG SRC="07ac88a0.png" border=0 width="200" height="138" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <I>Related Links</I></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Items for Purchase"><U><IMG SRC="126ad8a0.png" border=0 width="173" height="138" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <I>Items For Purchase</I></div> </NOBR></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact or Join Us"><U><IMG SRC="07bc88a0.png" border=0 width="200" height="138" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></U></A></div> <div> <I>Contact Us</I></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>1  1  1      L  i   b  r  a  r  y      S  t  r  e  e  t      N   E</B></div> <div> <B>G  r  a  n  d      R  a  p  i  d  s  ,      M  I          4  9  5  0  3 </B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#663300" FACE="Tahoma" > </FONT><B>**</B><B>*</B>   <B>OUR NEXT PROGRAM!</B>   <B>*</B><B>**</B></div> <bR> <div> <B>February 9, 2012</B></div> <div> <B>Jesse Buttrick Davis and “His Boys”: </B></div> <div> <B>A History of the Early Grand Rapids Junior Chamber of Commerce</B></div> <div> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="752" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 495 WIDTH="460"><div> <B>Z.Z. Lydens</B> called<B> Jesse B. Davis</B> one of  “<B>Greeson’s Triumvirate</B>” and he was a prominent educational and civic leader during the 19-teens.  Today, this highly-regarded <B>Central High School</B> principal is remembered for serving as the first president of <B>Grand Rapids Junior</B> – now <B>Community</B> – <B>College</B>.  Others recognize <B>Davis</B>’ international reputation as one of the fathers of the vocational guidance movement.  Those reps are correct, but for members of one Central High club, he was much more.</div> <bR> <div> Hired to rid the GR’s public schools of bad influences including gambling and “other lewd activities” in downtown hotels, <B>Davis </B>formed innumerable school clubs, bands, and choirs. Collaborating with the <B>Grand Rapids Board of Trade</B> (now <B>Area Chamber of Commerce</B>), he started the <B>Junior Board of Trade</B> – the precursor to the <B>Junior Chamber of Commerce</B>, aka <B>Jaycees</B>.  <B>Grand Rapids Public Library</B>’s archival collections are rich with examples of how, by harnessing the exuberant energies of junior- and high-school boys, <B>Davis</B> and “his boys” helped make GR a better place to live, and the boys grew into respected members of the community.</div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#666633" FACE="Calibri" ><B>Nan Schichtel</B></FONT>, GRHS Trustee, is a <B>Grand Rapids Community College</B> librarian and life member of the <B>Grand Rapids Jaycees</B>. Her research on<B> Davis</B> and the <B>Jaycees</B> was the subject of a study written for completion of her Masters in Public Administration (Nonprofit Leadership emphasis) from <A HREF="http://www.gvsu.edu/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.gvsu.edu/"><U><B>GVSU</B></U></A> in 2005.</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="2d61b890.gif" border=0 width="283" height="393" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> <div> <B> <TABLE BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="571" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 298 WIDTH="345"><bR> <bR> <div> <B>Paths of Destruction</B></div> <div> <B>The story of West Michigan's Worst Natural Disaster: </B></div> <div> <B>the Tornadoes of April 3, 1956</B><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Calibri" > </FONT></div> <div> <I><B>by Ernie Ostuno</B></I></div> <div> <B>is our latest publication!</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Order it today by </B></div> <div> <B>clicking </B><A HREF="id37.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Books and Videos"><U><B>here</B></U></A><B>.</B></div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="1f3d8240.gif" border=0 width="216" height="292" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B> For optimal viewing, set your display properties at: 1024 x 768 pixels</B></div> <bR> <div> <A HREF="http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/promo_guidelines.php#!/pages/Grand-Rapids-Historical-Society/124767220882550?ref=ts" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.facebook.com/pages/manage/pro"><U><B><IMG SRC="25f902c0.gif" border=0 width="144" height="44" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></U></A></div> <bR> <div> <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Calibri" ><A HREF="id19.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Events Programs"><U><B>Events & Programs</B></U></A></FONT><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Wingdings" ><B>l</B></FONT><B>  </B><A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Historical Info."><U><B> </B></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Calibri" ><A HREF="id22.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Historical Info."><U><B>Historical Info.</B></U></A></FONT><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Wingdings" ><B>l</B></FONT><B>   </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Calibri" ><A HREF="id27.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Features"><U><B>Features</B></U></A><B> </B></FONT><B> </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Wingdings" ><B>l</B></FONT><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Calibri" ><B> </B><A HREF="id20.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Related Links"><U><B>Related Links</B></U></A></FONT><B>  </B><FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Wingdings" ><B>l</B></FONT><B>  </B><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Items for Purchase"><U><B> </B></U></A><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Calibri" ><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Items for Purchase"><U><B>Items for Purchase</B></U></A><A HREF="id35.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Items for Purchase"><U><B> </B></U></A><B>   </B></FONT></div> <div> <A HREF="id21.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact or Join Us"><U><B>Contact or Join Us</B></U></A></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>