MICHIGAN JAYCEES HISTORY
The Junior Chamber movement is now 79 years old. Originally, a group
of young men led by Henry Giessenbier formed a dance club in St.
Louis. They believed that if young people were to improve their
prospects for social and career advancement, they would first have
to join forces socially. With the help and guidance of established
civic and business leaders they built the organization. Membership
swelled from 32 to 750 members in just five months.
In 1914, the group merged with six other dance clubs and in 1915
they formed the Young Men's Progressive Civic Organization (YMPCA).
Later, they changed their name to Junior Citizens and became
affiliated with the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce.
Lectures, speakers and training sessions provided the group with
needed knowledge. But some method was needed for members to apply
what they had learned. Service to the community provided the answer.
Community service allowed members practical application of the
insights they had learned. It was then the Junior Chamber movement
achieved its goal - building better leaders.
Over the years, Jaycees have been involved in many local and
national issues. In the 1920s, the Junior Chamber began the first
national program, "Get Out the Vote", designed to encourage citizens
to participate in government. Today, many Jaycee states run Model
Legislatures to involve young people in the lawmaking process.
In the '40s, the Junior Chamber went on record in favor of
compulsory military training. While more than 85 percent of our
membership were fighting in World War II, local groups were
conducting scrap drives, selling war bonds, and assisting USO
chapters to help the war effort.
More recently, Jaycees have promoted other constructive activities.
These include the formation of the National Wildlife Federation,
backing the "Big Brother" program, support of the adoption of the
Uniform Vehicle Code, and the creation of the National Center for
Voluntary Action.
In September 1924, representatives form Flint, Pontiac, Jackson and
Saginaw met at the Old City Club in Jackson for the purpose of
establishing a Michigan Junior Chamber of Commerce. Guest from
Toledo, Detroit and Chicago attended at the invitation of the
Jackson Junior Chamber. Kalamazoo and Bay City did not send
delegates. Martin P. Luthy, Executive Secretary of the Jackson
Chamber and President of the Jackson Junior Chamber, was named
chairman of the By-Laws Committee. Serving with him were Clarence
Smith of Pontiac, Elton Viets of Flint and Robert Frantz of Saginaw.
The 50 delegates voted to operate under the direction of a three man
committee; Martin Luthy, Clarence Smith, and Elton Viets, until the
first convention scheduled in the fall of 1925. Project reports on
Reforestation, Civic betterment, Get out the vote and Social
activities were presented to the delegation.
A tour of Michigan State Prison was conducted n the afternoon, with
entertainment by the prison orchestra and a short motion picture.
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Michigan's first State
President, Martin P. Luthy, had a full and fascinating career in
the Jaycees. As Assistant Secretary of the Jackson Chamber of
Commerce, he helped to organize the Jackson Junior Chamber as it
became the third chapter in the state. Only Pontiac and Flint
were in operation at the time.
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| In 1925, he was
elected as the first State President of the Michigan Junior
Chamber, and also served as Secretary of the United States
Junior Chamber. |
In 1926, he took the position of
Manager of the Chamber of Commerce in Defiance, Ohio ... while
serving another year as Secretary to the national Junior Chamber.
Previously Martin Luthy served as president of the Chicago Junior
Chamber. He remained active in Jaycee affairs until exhausting at
age 36.
Luthy lived to the age of 94, when he passed away in Newton
Highlands, Massachusetts, where he spent his retirement years.
Martin P. Luthy is interred at a Chicago area cemetery.
Here you will find the names of the individuals that followed Luthy
as President of the Michigan Jaycees.
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