LSI
LSI History
One day in 1929 a young legal secretary was chagrined to find that a paper she brought to the office of the County Clerk had not been properly prepared and it was necessary for the Clerk’s staff to correct it so it could be filed. The County Clerk suggested that it would be very helpful if the legal secretaries throughout the country would get together and learn what was required in the preparation and filing of legal documents.
That suggestion was taken to heart by the secretary in question, Eula Mae (Smith) Jett, and she mentioned it to her co-workers in Long Beach. The idea was enthusiastically received and soon they were meeting on a regular basis to increase their knowledge. Those meetings revealed that there were problems common to all legal secretaries and it was a good forum for discussion and resolution of many of them.
Soon news of the Long Beach meetings spread to neighboring counties where legal secretaries displayed interest in forming similar organizations. In 1934 representatives from Long Beach, Los Angeles, Pasadena and San Diego met to consider banding together into one association. At the conclusion of a two-day session, the California Federation of Legal Secretaries had been organized with the aim of educating legal secretaries in legal procedure and the preparation of a loose-leaf procedural notebook.
Bethine Kline, Orange County; Libby Krause; Evelyn McNiece, Long Beach; Doris Anderson, Long Beach; Eula Mae Jett, Long Beach; Alva Letson, Orange County; Judy Carter, Dallas (standing)
After organizational details were completed and the Federation was functioning, applications for membership were processed from throughout California. An Out-of-State Membership Chairman was appointed to encourage communities in other states to form similar associations, the seed of a national association being planted.
Soon a Code of Ethics as well as a slogan, motto and the official colors of blue and gold were adopted.
The Federation flourished and by 1940 had 12 member chapters throughout California. In July 1940 the California Federation of Legal Secretaries formed a California nonprofit corporation known as LEGAL SECRETARIES, INCORPORATED.
1940 Conference
The projects begun by the Federation were continued, expanded and increased. Bylaws and rules for the smooth functioning and growth of the corporation were prepared and adopted.
During the years of World War II, the efforts of the officers were of necessity directed towards holding this new organization together since travel was curtailed. In addition, many members enlisted in the armed services or went to work in war plants, but they could retain their membership status under those circumstances. Despite the difficulties encountered and thanks to the untiring efforts of the leadership, the association did continue and in post-war years began to grow.
1950's - Legal Secretaries Selling War Bonds
By 1949 there were 23 local associations and much thought was given to the ways in which a national association could be established. At the Board of Governors meeting in October 1949, the necessary action was taken and Articles of Incorporation were prepared and filed for the National Association of Legal Secretaries, thus bringing to reality the dream of the founders of the organization. Membership in the National Association of Legal Secretaries (“NALS”) eventually became mandatory for each member, so it became a tri-level organization, i.e. local, state and national. Legal Secretaries, Incorporated contributed much to the growth and prosperity of the National Association, both through per capita tax and personnel. However, in 1981 because of insurmountable differences, Legal Secretaries, Incorporated voted to withdraw from the National Association.
After the withdrawal from NALS in 1981, LSI once again set out to increase membership and by May 1992 there were 60 associations and almost 4000 members. In the mid 1990s LSI began to see a decline in membership due to the struggling economy.
As Legal Secretaries, Incorporated continued to thrive, it expanded existing projects and adopted new ones, all of which were discussed in other sections of this history. The basic structure and aims and purposes for which it was organized have remained the same. In 2003 with the resignation of the Executive Secretary, the Executive Committee evaluated the structure of LSI officers and determined that with membership declining it was no longer necessary to have two vice presidents. In November 2003 the Board of Governors voted to eliminate the position of Second Vice President and create the position of Vice President. The duties of the Second Vice President were added to the duties of the Vice President and other members of the Executive Committee.
Much credit goes to Eula Mae Jett and to Evelyn Atwood, who were characterized in bygone years as “founder” and “mother” respectively.
Chapter Achievement Award Contest
In 1972, during Ivy Person’s term, a Chapter Achievement Award Contest was established. The purpose of this project was to encourage local association participation at the state and national levels. Points are given for activities during the fiscal year in certain designated categories.
Entry forms are provided to each local association, which are to be completed and returned to the Vice President of Legal Secretaries, Incorporated, who is in charge of this contest. Monetary awards are given at annual conference to the winners in the various groups, the group into which each association falls being based upon its total membership.
Golda J. Cooper of Stuart F. Cooper Co. passed away in 1989. Because of her dedication to LSI and the contribution of Stuart F. Cooper Co. through the Chapter Achievement Contest, the contest was renamed the “Golda J. Cooper Chapter Achievement Contest.”
In 1992, a category on the Golda J. Cooper Chapter Achievement Contest was added encouraging local associations to sponsor charitable projects.
THE FOLLOWING IS THE STORY OF GOLDA J. COOPER AS PRESENTED BY MONTE JUSTESEN, PRESIDENT OF STUART F. COOPER COMPANY, AT THE 1997 ANNUAL CONFERENCE:
Golda ~ Circa 1975
Golda Marie Justesen was born on January 8, 1903 in Audubon, Iowa. She was the only child of Christina and Just Justesen who were both immigrants from Denmark. The family moved to Reedley, California, a small farm town southeast of Fresno, shortly after her birth. She attended Reedley schools and moved to Los Angeles to attend Woodbury College. She married Stuart F. Cooper in 1928. So Golda Marie Justesen became Golda J. Cooper. They had one child, Susan Francis, who was born in 1933 and passed away in 1975.
Stuart F. Cooper was the son of Milton G. Cooper who owned a very large wholesale clothing business. The Milton G. Cooper Company catered to the old southern California firms that have since disappeared—Broadway, Bullocks, Buffums and Robinsons. The only remnant of the Milton G. Cooper Company is the Cooper Building in the downtown Los Angeles garment district.
Golda and Stuart co-founded the Stuart F. Cooper Company in 1929; a very good year to start a business. Needless to say, they struggled during the depression and relied on old friends for business and there was Broadway, Bullocks, Buffums and Robinsons not to forget Jorgensen Steel, Byron Jackson Pumps and Purex whose founder, Adrian Pelletier, went to business school with Golda. The war years were rough primarily because of paper rationing, but by 1947 the company had bought some engraving presses and decided to look into the legal market. Harold Bennett, who worked for the company for 47 years, was instrumental in pointing the company to the legal profession. By the early 1950s, Stuart F. Cooper had heard of a group of legal secretaries that he thought would be a good organization to support. Well, there was an employee named Jack Lamp who worked for the company and that is when it all started.
On February 14, 1958, Stuart F. Cooper passed away. Shortly after his death, Golda returned to the company. Jack Lamp continued to represent the Stuart F. Cooper Company at Legal Secretaries functions, but Golda decided to become active also; and active she was. By the early 1960s she was attending conferences, board of governors meetings and going to business meetings, seminars and installations as if she were a voting member. She was an ardent supporter and she made genuine friends with the membership. She loved to party and have fun. She never lacked enthusiasm and was active into her 80s. Golda loved to correspond and never forgot to write a thank you note. Those of you who received her letters know that reading them was like having her in the room with you. They were alive. She was an honorary member of LSI and received many proclamations from the local associations. Jack Lamp left the company after 25 years of service in 1972. The following years, Golda was assisted by Dick Fowler, who worked for the company for 40 years; Bob Paskus who became president of the Stuart F. Cooper Company; Art Prosser, who was the son of a long time member, Frances Prosser, and Monte Justesen.
Golda’s last conference was in Fresno in 1987. She was 84 and had had a stroke and was in a wheelchair, but that didn’t stop her and away she went. She had over 20 good years supporting LSI and loved the organization and its members. She continued her friendships until she passed away on December 12, 1989.
So now you know the story of Golda J. Cooper and, in her memory, the Chapter Achievement Contest will continue to be remembered in her spirit.