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Pack, Della (audio interview #1 of 3)
INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION - This first of three interviews with Della Pearl Pack was conducted at the Salvation Army Temple in Long Beach, California. The interview was an overall biography of her with a particular emphasis on her social work. Her memory at times was poor, particularly in reconstructing her younger years. At times she was very quiet, and at other times very talkative. The interviews were conducted as part of a summer session class in women's oral history. 7/7/1976
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- 2021-01-27
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- *** File: refdpack1.mp3 Audio Segments and Topics: (0:00-4:20)... Pack came a large family; six sisters and three brothers. She attended Presbyterian Church until her mother's health led the family to move to Trinidad, Colorado, where she was first exposed to the Salvation Army. Her father was unhappy about her relinquishing the Presbyterian church for the Army and withheld his consent for her to become an officer at age seventeen. By the time she was eighteen, she was ready to serve and was trained in Chicago. When she was first commissioned, she was appointed to a position in Ogden, Utah. Coincidentally, a granddaughter served at the same Utah location. (4:20-8:50)... Pack's first commission was in Salt Lake, taking payday collections at three somewhat remote mining camps. She traveled alone, walking back and forth to her hotel each day with her donations. Looking back she wonders how no harm had come to her. Everyone in the area knew her mission. Subsequent commissions led her to Colorado Springs, Albuquerque and Roswell in New Mexico, and Globe, Arizona. She became ill in Roswell during a flu epidemic and was hospitalized for a month and was on crutches, after which she took a furlough. (8:50-12:09)... When Pack recovered, the Salvation Army sent her to Fort Collins, Colorado, and then to Denver to carry on their work. She does not recall the dates and years of her assignments, but notes that she transferred from Laramie, Wyoming to Fort Lewis. She greeted servicemen returning from WWI as they were being discharged and informed them of the Salvation Army's work and presented them with a token. She describes her work as "interesting", commenting that she enjoyed meeting the servicemen. (12:09-16:00)... By the time Pack was sent to a small Corps in Anacortes, Washington, she had attained Captain status. As a young officer, she moved frequently, primarily in the Northwest states and Vancouver areas. In 1921 she married James Ray Pack who was not in the Army, but was a candidate for its training college. Following his acceptance in the Army, their first appointment was in Colfax, Washington. (16:00-20:45)... Pack's daughter was born in Hokrine, Washington in 1924 and her son, four years later, when they were posted to Bellingham, Washington. Living near the Canadian border made visiting Colonel Mary Booth, a relative of the Army's founder William Booth, a simple proposition. [Pack comments that there lived in so many places that it is difficult to recall dates.] From Bellingham, the Pecks were posted to Portland, first to LeGrande and then Medford. (20:45-25:19)... During the Depression and while stationed in Medford, Oregon, Pack ran a soup kitchen for the poor, helped those out of work, found food for those without, helped with lodging, and visited the families. Once canned goods were turned over to the Salvation Army following a warehouse fire and Pack's Corps had food for those in need. Her next assignment was Pocatello, Idaho, which was unpleasant because of the heat . Boise may have been one of their longest assignments. (25:19-29:55)... Pack notes that you were committed to moving a lot as part of the Salvation Army work. Assignments were based on need. Although she always hated packing up to move, she enjoyed making new friends. She talks about the effect on her children of moving from school to school, making new friends, only to move on. As an Officer Pack recognized her duties and never personally grumbled about the moves. In 1941 the family was in Portland when her husband died. Pack had to take over the Corps and stayed on until her successor was appointed, but was not physically able to continue in a strenuous position. (29:55-34:30)... Pack was in ill health following her husband's death and took a leave of absence. She was next commissioned to handle all the welfare work in Portland, from planning the camp out in the summertime for mothers and children, to the camp for spastics. The latter camp was the most interesting and challenging to set up. She was unnerved at the first camp, but received much satisfaction through the years, knowing these special campers looked forward to the summer activity. (34:30-36:35)... Describing her duties, Pack comments how much she enjoyed watching the faces of children as they received gifts and clothing at Christmas through a Community Chest program that she organized and coordinated. It was a tremendous undertaking, from investigating families to avoid duplications, to obtaining sizes and purchasing clothing. But it was extremely satisfying and gratifying for Pack and her Corps. Checks were sent instead of baskets. Note: narrators voice gave out and the interview stopped at 36:35, but the tape ran for another seven minutes. *** File: refdpack2.mp3 (0:00-3:25)... Pack's work in Portland was helping transient families; unlike local families, they did not get city public welfare. She also doubled as an employment office, taking calls for work that was available. Most people were appreciative, others were not and would become angry. She recounts some examples of turning people away who she knew were receiving assistance and how angry they became. In one instance she called the police. (3:25-6:25)... Pack recounts some of the cases that were particularly gratifying. In one instance, a vacationing couple on the verge of divorce came to her for advice and help. She talked to each of them separately and then together, and they went on their way. She never heard from them but always hoped she had helped them. (6:25-8:25)... Pack reflects on the impact of her welfare work, noting that while you can help some people, financial help didn't mean much to others. She was in Portland four or five years, and isn't sure if she did any good for some of them. She had meal and lodging tickets to give out. Some recipients would sell them for a little money. Were they helped or not? (8:25-12:24)... In 1951 Pack went to Booth Hospital in Oakland. She had worked in Evangeline, with working girls, but these were pregnant girls. She supervised them in their dormitories. Some of them didn't know how to do anything. This was so different from her upbringing and the way she'd raised her children. One older girl asked Pack to show her how to make her bed. Pack couldn't fathom what kind of home and mother had she come from. As receptionist she interviewed new girls when the social worker was off and did some casework. Some girls put babies out for adoption, others kept them. It was interesting work and she enjoyed her assignment there. (12:24-14:40)... Talking about the Booth Hospital, Pack notes that many of the girls there were a long way from home and pregnant. Some didn't want their parents to know. Sometimes parents knew and paid to send the daughter away to have the baby. Or an agency would send them and pay for them. And some girls had money themselves. Girls who put their babies out for adoption would never see them. Those who kept their babies sometimes went back home with them, while others needed help finding a place to live. (14:40-19:14)... From Booth Hospital, working with young, pregnant girls, Pack was sent to San Francisco. She was in charge of an emergency lodge for mothers with children, pregnant girls waiting for a Catholic home or similar facility that could take her in. The police would call at 2AM with a girl who needed shelter. Pack would get up and take the girl in. She also had women like the city worker who was an alcoholic. She stayed quite a while and would be quite normal, then would disappear on a binge. Another elderly woman with a drinking problem had a younger girl roommate supplying her liquor. They were planning to go to the dining room to eat, but Pack forbid it. They gave her a bad time until she had to call the police to remove them, without pressing charges. (19:14-21:22)... Pack always wondered what happened to a doctor's daughter who was an alcoholic. She was a beautiful young girl, on whom the family had spent thousands to try to straighten out. She recounts a terrible commotion in the dorm and finding the girl sitting on her bed in the dorm in terrible condition. Pack called the police, and when the girl refused to dress, the police had to go upstairs to get her. They asked what a girl like her was doing in this place, and Pack explained. (21:22-24:36)... Pack relates another experience with an alcoholic woman who had lost her job and had been referred to the lodge. The woman got a new government job and stayed without incident for a while. One day she didn't show up, but at 2AM began ringing the front bell. When Pack didn't open the door, she came to a side door, broke the window with her shoe, and got in. She had a cab driver with her and wanted the $100 Pack was holding in the safe for her. Pack gave it to her, less an amount for the broken window, and told her never to come back. There were lots of women with families, and Pack talks about a "darling" five-year-old who used to watch Pack work, using the phone and typewriter. One morning she found him in the office playing with the phone. Asked what he was doing, he said, "I've got to go make my bed," and scooted out. (24:36-27:12)... Many of the women who Pack helped were appreciative. At Christmas one year she took in two runaway girls, who had run out of money, and were referred to the lodge by Army workers. They claimed that they had gone to an aunt's home, but she wasn't there. Although Pack doubted the story, she always did so much for the residents at Christmas to give them a good time and took them in. Eventually they called home and were picked up. One left a letter saying that they were so ashamed, because she had been so wonderful and they had lied to her. Pack comments that her time at the lodge was one of the most educational experiences of her lifetime, because she met so many different kinds of people. (27:12-28:00)... When Pack received some money sent in appreciation of her work, she used it for new tables and chairs for the dining room. Note: interview ends at 28:00, but tape runs for another minute more.
- SUBJECT BIO - Della Pearl Pack joined the Salvation Army at the age of eighteen and eventually became a Major. Born in Missouri, she moved with her family to Trinidad, Colorado when she was a teenager. This is when she first encountered the Salvation Army. Despite her parents opposition, she joined the organization when she turned eighteen. After graduation from the training center in Chicago, Pack was stationed at several different posts in the west. In 1921, she married James Ray Pack, who then entered into training, after which they supervised various Salvation Army centers together. Their daughter was born in 1924 and their son four years later. After her husband's death in 1941, she continued her Army work, spending most of her time in social work. Her assignments included Secretary of Welfare in Portland, Oregon; working at a home and hospital for "unwed" mothers in Oakland, California and an Emergency Lodge for Women and Children in San Francisco. Pack officially retired in 1957 but continued working until 1968. At the time of the interview, she was in fair health and was still participating in Army activities. TOPICS - family background; childhood; introduction to Salvation Army; parents attitude toward Salvation Army; first commission after training; assignments; marriage, children; Depression; frequent moves; death of husband; and welfare work in Portland;welfare work; Portland; rank in Salvation Army; employment agency; Booth Home in Oakland for pregnant girls; and emergency shelter lodge for homeless;
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