Soundings (4/4/17)

Posted by G. Stowe Talbot on Apr 04, 2017
 
Flag Salute & Invocation by Steve Beringer
 
Visiting Rotarians:  None
 
Guests: Marian Allsop (Wells Fargo), Remy Talbot.
 
Announcements
 
Next Week (April 11) the lunch will be at Whatcom Community College! Do not come to Northwood Hall. Arrive before 12 for best parking.  Lunch at 12 noon. Meeting starts 12:30, with a talk on robotics and 3D printing at WCC.
 
SAVE THE DATE: Our club’s annual “Changing of the Guard” ceremony and induction of new club officers will take place last Monday in June (evening of 6/26) at the VFW.
 
Monthly BBRC Board meeting will be Thursday April 13 at 4:30pm at Dannon’s office.
 
On May 7th State Attorney General Bob Ferguson will be our speaker.
 
Steve Kimberly with reminder the annual Ciao Thyme fundraiser dinner (to raise money for the international committee) will be June 1st at Ciao Thyme, cost $190/person, half of which is tax deductible donation to the committee. Please sign up!
 
A Meeting of the Committee Chairs will take place Tuesday evening, April 18 at 4:30pm at Hotel Bellwether.
 
Business Promo Minute
Glen Groenig with an anecdote.
 
Bucks in the Bay
  • Curtis Dye said our Italian exchange student Joe’s dad is running for mayor in his hometown.
  • Tresha great trip to Puerto Rico, thanks to Curt Smith for filling in with a program today;
  • Phil X Hageman plug for Lydia Place expansion (and DVSAS) in the media recently with positive reports;
  • Andy Clay with sympathy bucks for Glen;
  • Eric Chambers also condolence bucks for Glen, as well as missed meetings while work traveling, and he said he will be making effort to visit other Rotary clubs while is away traveling on work;
  • Steve Kimberly daughter watched the Gonzaga game;
  • Stan Dyer with IOU check from Scott Walker.
Sergeant at Arms by Flo 
Fines for misc. misdeeds.
 
Program
Curtis introduced our speaker, Curt Smith, who talked about the history of the making of his book “Brothels of Bellingham”. Original idea came from Galen Biery who gave Curt some of the original historical material. Brothels started appearing in Bellingham in the 1890’s when the population was growing. Major industries were lumber, fishing, mining, and (during the wars) military. As late as the mid 1940’s during the war there were 12 to 15 such establishments. A few even catered to the Chinese population here in Bellingham in the fish canneries. 
 
The police set rules for the establishments / codes of behavior. The police would not raid them unless there was a big public outcry, then they would be raided and the owner sent out of town until everything settled down. There was a lot of pressure to shut the red light district down, but the brothels just scattered to other parts of town. But by 1948 it was discovered that Bellingham was a big recruiting area for the girls, and that, along with growing public condemnation, caused the authorities to shut it all down once and for all.
 
Respectfully submitted, 
Stowe Talbot