Grayson County TXGenWeb

Sherman Democrat
August 13, 1939

Circle Home is Decade Old
First Building Dedicated in 1930, Second Two Years Later

On a landscaped hilltop is a tract of 250 acres, one mile west of Sherman, is situated the Supreme Forest Woodmen Circle home for aged members and orphans, with property facing a half-mile stretch on both sides of U.S. Highway 82. The plant is composed of the Dora Alexander Talley administration building, the Pennsylvania cottage for children, a farm house and model farm buildings. Twenty-three aged members and 35 children live at the home which is under the supervision of Mr. and Mrs. H.E. Stout until Sept. 1 when J.A. Alexander of Garland will become superintendent and Mrs. Alexander will become hostess. Dr. Stout has been superintendent since 1931. He was preceded by Mrs. Mary Scott who served one year.

In June 1930, the three story administration building was finished, the surrounding ground landscaped and in a three day celebration attended by members of the Woodmen Circle groves from 41 states, was dedicated in a ritualistic service. Mrs. Mary LaRocca, national president, Mrs. Dora Alexander Talley, national secretary, Mrs. Annie Watts, national auditor, and other officials were present. Will Leslie was chairman of the Sherman committee for the celebration and Lee Simmons was master of ceremonies at the dedication. Drill teams from 65 groves presented an exhibition
of their work.

In 1931 groves of the state of Pennsylvania matched funds of the fraternal order and the Pennsylvania home, a two-story brick for children, was built. The late W.L. Hay was master of the ground breaking ceremonies at the beginning of construction. The building is in the same architectural style, Georgian, as that of the administration unit.

On the death of Mrs. LaRocca, Mrs. Talley became national president and in her honor the administration building was named in a special ceremony on June 4, 1938. Mrs. Talley is a native Texan. Her father, the late J.D. Alexander, worked for the Woodmen of the World; her sister, Mrs. Lena Alexander Schugart of Garland, is commissioner for the Texas region and the new superintendent of the home is her brother. The Supreme Forest maintains headquarters in Omaha, Neb.; it has a membership of 150,000 and assets estimated at $24,000,000. The Sherman grove, number 77, has
a membership of 300.