In the 1930s there was an organization of young girls in Elgin called Rainbow Girls. They were part of Eastern Star, which was composed of adult women. My mother, Mattie Belle Upchurch Smith, was a Rainbow Girl along with her friends Betty Wilson Dildy and Joy Cole Fromme.They were having an election to vote on accepting into membership a girl that most of the group did not like. One girl was chosen to “black ball” the unpopular girl. The girls lined up, and Miss Nell stood by the voting box and watched each girl drop in her ball. The black ...