The last History Mystery question: What national women’s organization with a chapter in Kenosha was formed by women whose children answered the nation’s call to military service?

The answer: The American War Mothers Chapter No. 4 was founded in Kenosha by 11 women in 1919, soon after the end of World War I.

In 1917, federal authorites were trying to get Americans to conserve food in the war effort. Americans were accustomed to a table of plenty and really couldn’t see the point in food conservation efforts.

The new organization was formed with the help of the Women’s Civic League in Indiana and grew from there. By the summer of 1918, the national organization had written bylaws, but it wasn’t until Feb. 24, 1925, that it received a charter from Congress.

The group’s purpose was “to keep alive and develop the spirit that promoted world service; to maintan the ties of fellowship born of that service, and to assist and further any patriotic work; to inculcate a sense of individual obligation to the community, state and nation; to work for the welfare of the Army and Navy; to assist in any way in their power, men and women, who served and were wounded or incapacitated in the world war; to foster and promote friendship and understanding between America and the Allies of the world war.”

The national charter was revised during World War II to include mothers whose sons or daughters served in that war. It was later revised again to include mothers of offspring who served in the Korean War and all future wars.

The local chapter raised funds through an annual carnation sale. These sales were no small effort.

Club records at the Kenosha History Center archives show that it ordered 10,000 carnations for the 1953 sale.

The funds raised in the carnation sale went to the state veterans hospital, the veterans rehabilitation fund and needy families of veterans.

Each year it “adopted” a local Boy Scout and sent him to camp.

In 1953, the local group had 36 members, but from there, the chapter’s numbers began to shrink.

Wisconsin had 14 American War Mothers chapters in 1956.

Ida Roepke served as local president and later as state secretary.

The American War Mothers were a visible group in the community and always marched in Kenosha’s Memorial Day parade. But by 1959 the group was beginning to age; by then their marching days were over, and they began to ride in cars.

This week’s mystery: What Wisconsin Public Radio personality taught English in two Kenosha high schools in the 1970s?

History Mystery appears weekly in the Kenosha News. The answer to today’s question will run next Tuesday.