| Junior Women's Association of the Tulsa Boys' Home |
Our History: From Buttercups to the Junior Women's Association
In 1938, five ladies met in the home of Mrs. M.F. (Pearl) Waters to plan what to do with their leisure time. All five ladies felt that they
wanted to do something aimed at helping the less fortunate.
A nurse at the Tulsa Boys’ Home informed these five friends that the boys had plenty of stale bread, but no butter. So, the women
pledged then and there to “butter the boys’ bread”- thus becoming known as the “Buttercups”. They took butter to the Home for
five years.
After that the Buttercups were asked to furnish cookies for the 20th Anniversary Open House at the Boys’ Home. They were asked
after that to help raise money to pay off the mortgage. At the time, the home was 20 years old, but still had a mortgage of $15,000.
Mrs. Walters and Myra Whiteside worked for ten weeks and raised $4,500, and the Men’s Board of Directors raised the remainder
and the mortgage was burned.
Mrs. Waters had the idea of forming a Women’s Organization to better aid and assist the boys at the Home. She and Mrs. Smith met
two ladies who had been furnishing the milk for the boys and formed a Board. Pearl Waters became the first President. Notices were
sent to 150 prospective members. The response was overwhelming. Mrs. Waters’ original idea was for each member to give up
smoking, costume jewelry and pay $10 monthly dues. This idea was quickly doomed. However, out of that group Myra Whiteside
found 75 girls who were willing to pay $2.50 a month to become “Junior” members. Myra was their first President. In May of 1939
the Junior Association held a benefit bridge party at the Home. Some 500 men and women attended. The sense of commitment
grew and blossomed.
wanted to do something aimed at helping the less fortunate.
A nurse at the Tulsa Boys’ Home informed these five friends that the boys had plenty of stale bread, but no butter. So, the women
pledged then and there to “butter the boys’ bread”- thus becoming known as the “Buttercups”. They took butter to the Home for
five years.
After that the Buttercups were asked to furnish cookies for the 20th Anniversary Open House at the Boys’ Home. They were asked
after that to help raise money to pay off the mortgage. At the time, the home was 20 years old, but still had a mortgage of $15,000.
Mrs. Walters and Myra Whiteside worked for ten weeks and raised $4,500, and the Men’s Board of Directors raised the remainder
and the mortgage was burned.
Mrs. Waters had the idea of forming a Women’s Organization to better aid and assist the boys at the Home. She and Mrs. Smith met
two ladies who had been furnishing the milk for the boys and formed a Board. Pearl Waters became the first President. Notices were
sent to 150 prospective members. The response was overwhelming. Mrs. Waters’ original idea was for each member to give up
smoking, costume jewelry and pay $10 monthly dues. This idea was quickly doomed. However, out of that group Myra Whiteside
found 75 girls who were willing to pay $2.50 a month to become “Junior” members. Myra was their first President. In May of 1939
the Junior Association held a benefit bridge party at the Home. Some 500 men and women attended. The sense of commitment
grew and blossomed.
The Link Between Junior Women and TBH
Through the years, Junior Women have donated to the TBH Endowment Fund, the Arts and Crafts and the vocational shop
programs. They also organize holiday and Christmas programs and parties for boys and staff, and handpick holiday gifts for each
boy.
All of these activities and fundraising events support the treatment so badly needed by the troubled and neglected boys served by
Tulsa Boys’ Home. These highly specialized programs are for boys who come mostly from single parent homes. These boys were
unsuccessful in coping with the challenges they met with in their schools, families or in the community. The family approach and
individualized treatment, as well as caring adults enable boys and families to gather courage and determination. They also learn
skills needed to redirect their energies and relationships. This approach ultimately results in the building of constructive lives and
balanced family membership for these young boys.
The problems of the residents served by the Junior Women through TBH begin in troubled homes lacking safe and nurturing
environments. TBH programs focus on prevention or intervention to reduce delinquency, and on implementing skills and abilities
that buffer juveniles from self-defeating behavior. Therefore, the Home teaches corrective experiences for behaviors that are
socially unproductive or destructive.
The Home helps children become self-disciplined and directed. It addresses and treats alienation, rebelliousness, and lack of
bonding to society. Family influences such as parental conflict, child abuse, and poor parenting practices, and problem behaviors
like substance abuse and dropping out of school are also treated. Early academic failure and lack of commitment to education are
confronted. Peer influences such as friends with problem behaviors including minor criminality, drugs, gangs, and violence are
encountered through treatment.
Many of these troubled boys served through TBH and the Junior Association have attended college or acquired vocational
training, and established professional careers; others joined the military. Hundreds of these boys became successful, productive
members of society. Many served in wars, earning medals or dying for their country. Their vocations have included everything
from police officer to football coach, administrator to clergy.
Under the hardworking leadership of Executive Director Gregg Conway, and Program Director Mike Murphy and the entire Boys’
Home staff, TBH continues to deliver outstanding aid under a tightly managed and limited budget. They have not only sustained
the quality of services, but also initiated programs that have increased the number of people served annually by The Home.
Because families contribute based on their ability to pay, existing funds are still insufficient to cover expenses and The Home must
rely on contributions. JWA raise funds for these programs through annual fundraisers, the Run for the Roses, and Christmas Card
Sales.
JWA has become essential to the operation of the Home; the abilities, time and commitment of its 65 members have helped create
a Home of which they can all be proud. It is difficult to imagine that the first boys at TBH wandered the streets of Tulsa and slept in
alleys, lobbies, and trash bins, often stealing to survive. They were the first of over 10,500 who have lived there. TBH was the first
and remains the largest residential treatment center in the state. As the Home has grown and its needs have changed, the Junior
Women's Association of Tulsa Boys’ Home continues to help these troubled boys in new and heartfelt ways.
programs. They also organize holiday and Christmas programs and parties for boys and staff, and handpick holiday gifts for each
boy.
All of these activities and fundraising events support the treatment so badly needed by the troubled and neglected boys served by
Tulsa Boys’ Home. These highly specialized programs are for boys who come mostly from single parent homes. These boys were
unsuccessful in coping with the challenges they met with in their schools, families or in the community. The family approach and
individualized treatment, as well as caring adults enable boys and families to gather courage and determination. They also learn
skills needed to redirect their energies and relationships. This approach ultimately results in the building of constructive lives and
balanced family membership for these young boys.
The problems of the residents served by the Junior Women through TBH begin in troubled homes lacking safe and nurturing
environments. TBH programs focus on prevention or intervention to reduce delinquency, and on implementing skills and abilities
that buffer juveniles from self-defeating behavior. Therefore, the Home teaches corrective experiences for behaviors that are
socially unproductive or destructive.
The Home helps children become self-disciplined and directed. It addresses and treats alienation, rebelliousness, and lack of
bonding to society. Family influences such as parental conflict, child abuse, and poor parenting practices, and problem behaviors
like substance abuse and dropping out of school are also treated. Early academic failure and lack of commitment to education are
confronted. Peer influences such as friends with problem behaviors including minor criminality, drugs, gangs, and violence are
encountered through treatment.
Many of these troubled boys served through TBH and the Junior Association have attended college or acquired vocational
training, and established professional careers; others joined the military. Hundreds of these boys became successful, productive
members of society. Many served in wars, earning medals or dying for their country. Their vocations have included everything
from police officer to football coach, administrator to clergy.
Under the hardworking leadership of Executive Director Gregg Conway, and Program Director Mike Murphy and the entire Boys’
Home staff, TBH continues to deliver outstanding aid under a tightly managed and limited budget. They have not only sustained
the quality of services, but also initiated programs that have increased the number of people served annually by The Home.
Because families contribute based on their ability to pay, existing funds are still insufficient to cover expenses and The Home must
rely on contributions. JWA raise funds for these programs through annual fundraisers, the Run for the Roses, and Christmas Card
Sales.
JWA has become essential to the operation of the Home; the abilities, time and commitment of its 65 members have helped create
a Home of which they can all be proud. It is difficult to imagine that the first boys at TBH wandered the streets of Tulsa and slept in
alleys, lobbies, and trash bins, often stealing to survive. They were the first of over 10,500 who have lived there. TBH was the first
and remains the largest residential treatment center in the state. As the Home has grown and its needs have changed, the Junior
Women's Association of Tulsa Boys’ Home continues to help these troubled boys in new and heartfelt ways.
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