The Puppet Guild of Greater St. Louis, Inc. was founded largely through the efforts of Iona Hedges. She had attended the first Puppeteers of America Festival in 1936 and signed herself and Susan Barnes as charter members of that organization.

In 1939 the Puppet Guild of St. Louis was formed, and dues were 10 cents. At that time, the main thrust of guild activity was to bring the Puppeteers of America National Festival to St. Louis in 1940.

Those persons at the first meeting on June 12, 1939, at the home of Iona Hedges, 5445 Maple Avenue, in the City of St. Louis were as follows:
(No listing of the charter members has been found. A transcript of a 1959 speech of Leona Thompson references 12 founding members instead of the listed 16 attendees.)

Miss Helen Addington
Mrs. Josephine Harrington
Miss Doritha Lancton
Mr. Joseph Peek

Miss Dorris/Dorothea Allen
Mrs. Iona Hodges
Miss Laverne Lockmueller
Miss Ruth Rubin
Miss Susan Barnes
Miss Margaret Johnson
Miss Nelly Mendham
Mrs. Beverly Stanford
Miss Elizabeth Green
Mr. David Kemmerer
Miss Sally O’Fallon
Miss Barbara Yore

The first two meeting were held at the Hedge’s home. The third meeting was held ON JUNE 26, 1939, at the Cabanne Branch of the St. Louis Public Library. It was at that meeting that Carolyn Meyer joined the guild and new officers were elected: Wendell Chilton, President; Ruth Rubin, office not specified; Doritha Lanctot, corresponding secretary; Robert Rowlson, office not specified.

According to 1993 interviews with Carolyn Meyer and Susan Barnes, and the 1959 transcript, charter members of the Puppet Guild of Greater St. Louis were as follows:

(Again the listing has 16 names not the 12 referred to in the 1959 transcript.)

Miss Helen Addington
Miss Louise Ewing
Miss Ruth Rubin
Mrs. Robert Rowlson
Mrs. Dorris Allen
Mrs. Edith Finney
Mrs. Ellen Proctor
Miss Sally O’Fallon
Miss Susan Barnes
Mrs. Iona A. Hedges
Mr. Romaine Proctor
Mr. Caroline Singleton
>Mr. Wendell Chilton
Miss Doritha Lanctot
Mr. Robert Rowlson
Miss Barbara Yore

Edith Finney and Louise Ewing were established performers using the name EdLo Puppets. Ellen and Romaine Proctor were also well known performers in puppetry touring throughout thecountry. They were particularly well-known in St. Louis for their Christmas performances in the fashionable Scruggs Department Store. Romaine Proctor is credited with designing the puppet
St. Louis for the guild logo.

The Rowlsons traveled and painted wagons. They had a beautiful, “gypsy” wagon that they had designed, and with which they would travel during the summers, painting and performing.

The guild grew and at the October 23, 1939, meeting, the guild had 27 paid members and a treasury of $24.25. At the March 25, 1940, meeting dues were raised to 50 cents.

Besides successfully bringing the 1941 Puppeteers of America Festival to St. Louis (and 3 others since), The guild published the Puppetry Grapevine, the official publication of the Puppeteers of
America…forerunner to The Puppetry Journal. From 1969 to 1982, guild member Don Avery
was editor of The Puppetry Journal, and the official publication of The Puppeteers of America was again published in St. Louis.

The Puppeteers of America, Inc. also “chartered” guilds who
apply and have 10 or more members who are also members of The Puppeteers of America, Inc. In 1963, the Puppet Guild of St. Louis was granted charter number 17.

In 1994, the guild
incorporated and was granted IRS recognition as a not-for-profit corporation.

Among the eighteen charter members of the Puppeteers of America in 1938, Susan Barnes, Iona Hedges, and Ellen and Romaine Proctor were also members of the Puppet Guild of Greater St.Louis.

The guild has been blessed that Carolyn Meyer, Susan Barnes, and Beverly Stanford have seen the guild through it’s first 50 years and a few years beyond.

In 1994, the guild incorporated and obtained a tax-exempt recognition from the IRS.