Our History | 1949 National DSA Banquet
The 1949 National Distinguished Service Award (DSA) Banquet project was chaired by Charles Schlink, with several smaller project committees under this project. Chapter president for the 1949-50 year was Ray Neumann.
The idea of bringing the National Junior Chamber of Commerce DSA to Peoria started with a letter from Ray Neumann to then chapter president Charles Schlink, dated February 3, 1949. "What does St. Joesph, MO got that Peoria doesn't?" the letter quoted. [St. Joesph, MO hosted the DSA the year before] On May 19, 1949, the Peoria Jaycees sent in their bid consisting of a check list and signed contract. In addition, a certified check for $4,000 was drawn, ready to be presented to the executive committee of the US Jaycees on June 7, 1949 in Colorado Springs. On June 8, 1949, in a Western Union telegram from Charles Schlink, who was in Colorado Springs, stated "Peoria was selected today as the site for the 1950 DSA Banquet of the United States Junior Chamber of Commerce." The project was given to the Peoria Jaycees.
The 1950 National Distinguished Service Award Banquet, held on January
21, 1950 at the Shrine Mosque in Peoria, IL. It recognized the ten most outstanding young
men of 1949.
The June 16, 1949 issue of The Peoria News ran a story regarding the project. The article, titled "Jaycees Do It Again - Peoria Site of National Honor," stated that Peoria beat out Westwood Village, Los Angeles and Baltimore, the final cities in the balloting. So on July 25, 1949, the first committee meeting was held at the home of Charles Schlink. The project was under way.
The winners of the Distinguished Service Awards were: Harold Russell, age 35, national president of the Amvets; Gerald R. Ford, age 36, congressman from Michigan; Charles Harting Percy, age 30, president of Bell & Howell; Robert L. Floyd, age 31, former mayor of Miami; C.B. "Bud" Wilkinson, age 33, coach, Oklahoma University football team; Charles E. Hastings, age 35, outstanding inventor; John B. Shepperd, age 34, lawyer; Theodore Roosevelt III, age 35, secretary of commerce, Pennsylvania; Franklin D. Murphy, age 33, dean, University of Kansas School of Medicine; and Kenneth Sanborn Pitzer, age 35, director, division of the US Atomic Energy Commission.
The ten outstanding men of 1949, at the 1950 National Distinguished Service Award Banquet. Pictured from left to right: Robert Floyd, Gerald R. Ford, John Shepperd, Charles Percy, Franklin Murphy, C.B. "Bud" Wilkinson, Kenneth Pitzer, Charles Hastings and Harold Russell. Not pictured: Theodore Roosevelt III.
The judging panel for the ten outstanding young men of 1949 included Henry R. Luce, the Editor-in-Chief of Time Magazine, Dr. Charles W. Mayo of the Mayo Clinic, L. B. Neumiller, president of Caterpillar Inc., and the Hon. Clinton P. Anderson, U.S. Senate.
Paul G. Hoffman, administrator of the Economic Cooperation Administration, served as the principal speaker for the banquet. Jacque Mercer, crowned 1949 Miss America from Arizona was also in attendance.
The event took place on January 21, 1950 at the Shrine Mosque in downtown Peoria. The Shrine Mosque is still there today, and the Peoria Jaycees conduct their monthly membership meetings right next door at the local Amvets post.
Public exposure of the event was made by a radio broadcast by WEEK, the Peoria NBC affiliate, between 8:30 - 9:30pm the evening of January 21, 1950. Coast to coast coverage was provided by NBC between 10:30 - 11:00pm. Several dignitaries were invited other than the DSA winners and judges.
A letter dated January 16, 1950, from Illinois governor Adlai E. Stevenson, stating that he would be unable to attend the banquet. It is personally signed by the governor himself, with no indication that this letter was written by any assistant.
A letter from then Rep. Gerald R. Ford, indicating that he would be in attendance. His letter, also dated January 16, 1950, is signed Jerry Ford. Other letters and telegrams received came from Henry Luce, Clinton P. Anderson and Dr. Charlie Mayo.
The Peoria Jaycees received a lot of local press after the event was completed. The Journal Star even ran a cartoon, (pictured above) depicting a tiny Peoria Jaycees welcoming the ten outstanding young men at the National DSA Banquet.