In April, 1916, the Child Welfare Association printed an impassioned plea in New Orleans newspapers, seeking $7000 in donations to supply about 1400 poverty-stricken children with milk and in-home nursing care during the upcoming summer days of “hot sun and mosquitoes.”
New Orleans Lodge No 30, Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, answered their call immediately, pledging to hold a benefit baby parade the following month to save the babies of New Orleans.
Fundraising efforts began immediately. During the first week of the campaign, new voluntary subscription pledges to the CWA totaled $800. The Elks also planned two other successful events. A charity ball a few days before the parade at the Grunewald Hotel featured bridge and dance contests, with local retailers providing fancy prizes. A tea-dance the following afternoon was held on the terrace of Fuerst and Kraemer Candy Company located at Canal and Claiborne. Tulane University’s 6 and 7/8ths Band provided the music.
On May 20, the 30-member Elks band led the parade of about 400 Elks, all dressed as babies, mommies, or nursemaids. An additional 100 marching Elks carried between them a 300-foot long American flag, unfurled and stretched out to catch coins tossed onto it by parade viewers.
Elks costumed as various types of babies, mommies, and nursemaids in pinafores, bonnets, and nighties. These grown businessmen enacted various humorous vignettes to entertain onlookers, using bottles, blankies, and binkies as props.
While the men paraded, 200 female volunteers, including many Newcomb College students, conducted a tag sale. The tags, bearing the slogan “Elks Day Pure Milk for Poor Babies,” were sold in the commercial district. The ladies carried miniature milk cans equipped with coin slots to accept donations for the tags. It was successful, with thousands of coins collected. In total, about $6000 was raised for the CWA.
The day was captured on moving picture film, and “The Life Savers,” a short film made by the Harcol Film Co. of New Orleans, premiered at the Triangle Theater in July. The film showed the tragedy of poor nourishment on children, followed by footage of the Elks’ Baby Parade. Many Elks attended the showing and were delighted to see their good-intentioned antics and frivolity preserved and presented on the big screen.
Photo by John T. Mendes, taken May 20, 1916. Image provided courtesy of: The Historic New Orleans Collection, Gift of Waldemar S. Nelson, 2003.0182.20[/caption]
In April, 1916, the Child Welfare Association printed an impassioned plea in New Orleans newspapers, seeking $7000 in donations to supply about 1400 poverty-stricken children with milk and in-home nursing care during the upcoming summer days of “hot sun and mosquitoes.”
New Orleans Lodge No 30, Benevolent and Protective Order of the Elks, answered their call immediately, pledging to hold a benefit baby parade the following month to save the babies of New Orleans.