BETSY ROSS GIRLS

THE B.R.G.s
Dorothy Jacobs Buchanan
 Saga of the Sanpitch  ~ 1985
Professional Division
Honorable Mention Anecdote


Shortly after the turn of the century, a number of Mt. Pleasant young women organized a club called
the Betsy Ross Girls, better know as the B.R.G.s. Their objective was to do needlework, as the name implied,,  But I am sure that a great deal of sprightly conversation accompanied their stitching, for those young ladies were attractive, personable, and well informed.

They had a custom that each one presented a silver demi-tasse spoon to a member when she became
engaged to be married. The name of the donor was engraved in the bowl of the spoon. As my mother was one of the first to be married, she received several of those precious spoons. I loved to polish them and read each name Often, mother would relate information about those friends and some of their activities in the B.R.G.s.

Subsequently, I married and had a home and family in Richfield. Many years later, I met a charming
lady from Marysvale named Mrs. Etta Bertelsen. In the course of our discussion, she told me that her mother, Marie Syndergaard Long, was raised in Mt. Pleasant. I recognized her name as a good friend of my mother's and one of the B.R.G. girls. This discovery pleased us both.

I then told Mrs. Bertelsen that I had a silver spoon with her mother's name, "Marie," engraved in
the bowl. I could hardly wait to witness her happiness when I took it to her.

The next time we met, Mrs. Bertelsen opened the conversation by saying, "And NOW, I have a silver
spoon for YOU!" She handed me a spoon engraved with my mother's name, "Bertie." We were two delighted people — grateful that we were able, after those many years, to make that rewarding silver spoon exchange.