Military Order of the Cootie

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Red illustration of a cootie on a white background

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VETERANS ENTERPRISES, INC. 44 COURT ST. BROOKLYN, N.Y. union bug

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The Military Order of the Cootie (MOC) is a national honor degree membership association under the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW).  Founded in 1920, the MOC provides social and entertainment programs to members of the VFW, and supports hospitals for veterans and their families. It aims to “Keep ‘em Smiling in Beds of White.” Membership in the MOC signifies exceptional service to the VFW and its affiliated programs. Notable members have included presidents Harry Truman and George H. W. Bush. 

The term “cootie” refers to the lice that afflicted many soldiers during World War I. These parasitic insects were credited to keeping soldiers’ heads down in the trenches. 

Sources

Military Order of the Cootie. (2022, September 29). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Military_Order_of_the_Cootie

Nevada Department of Veterans Services. (n.d.). Military Order of the Cootie. https://veterans.nv.gov/resources/military-order-of-the-cootie/#:~:text=...

Catalog ID CL0392

I'm a Rolling Reader

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Text on Button I'm A Rolling Reader
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Blue and orange illustration of a person doing a sort of handstand on a skateboard reading a book on an orange background with blue text

Curl Text Jaes Distributors Amherstview Ontario 613 389 9185
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"Rolling Readers" is the name for a variety of organizations with a shared mission to promote early literacy, typically for disadvantaged children. Most states participate in a Rolling Reader program that use "read alouds" or book giveaways to promote a love of reading. While each program varies, the overall mission is to promote literacy by engaging children and their families through fun activities.

Catalog ID CL0503

Friend

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Text on Button friend
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Blue text on a white background

Curl Text GLUG 1110 JUDSON EVANSTON 60202
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During the 1960s and 1970s, buttons with single-word designs gained popularity amid the counterculture, peace, and civil rights movements. These buttons featured simple, open-ended words like friendlove, or peace, intended to foster connection, show solidarity, or spread positivity without being confrontational. Unlike political buttons with specific slogans, these “statement buttons” were intentionally minimal, allowing people to assign their own meaning. They were produced widely during that era, serving as both affordable fashion accessories and symbols of broader social ideals.

Sources

Friend. (2025, September 7). In Wikipedia. Retrieved September 14, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friend_(disambiguation)

Jones, P. (n.d.). Buttons. Roz Payne Sixties Archive. University of Nebraska-Lincoln. Retrieved September 14, 2025, from https://rozsixties.unl.edu/collections/show/2.html 

Otto, R. (2011, February 11). Busy Beaver Button Co. Atlas Obscura. Retrieved September 14, 2025, from https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/busy-beaver-button-co

Catalog ID CL0483

Camp Fire Girls Do Dad Marvelous Mom

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Text on Button CAMP FIRE GIRLS DO-DAD-MARVELOUS MOM
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Illustration of a fire over a hammer and a broom with blue text around the outer edge on a white background

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The Camp Fire Girls of America organization was founded in 1910 by Dr. Luther Gulick and his wife Charlotte Gulick. The camp was created for youth to have experiences that would best influence how they learned to care for themselves, the environment, and other people around them. The camp program also thrives around family relationships with parents, grandparents and siblings. Camp Fire Girls was meant as a sister organization to the Boy Scouts of America. Membership was expanded to include boys in 1975 and the organization changed its name to Camp Fire USA and currently Camp Fire.

Catalog ID CL0505

Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks

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Text on Button B P O E
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Illustration of an elk over a clock face with a star above and white text on a purple outer background

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The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks of the United States of America was founded in New York City in 1868 as a fraternity for actors and entertainers. It is a non-political, non-sectarian society built on the virtues of charity, justice, brotherly love, and fidelity. They promote educational and patriotic community programs to enhance the welfare and happiness of both members of the fraternity and members of the community at large. As a charitable foundation, they also give millions of dollars to scholarships, athletic teams, veterans' programs, and other benevolent programs. 

Sources

BPO Elks. (2018). More information. Retrieved from https://www.elks.org/who/information.cfm.

Catalog ID CL0487

I Visited Bozo's Circus WGN TV

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Text on Button I VISITED BOZO'S CIRCUS WGN TV CHANNEL 9
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Red, blue and white illustration of Bozo the Clown with white text on a blue background

Curl Text union bug
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"Bozo’s Circus" was a children’s variety show produced in Chicago by WGN-TV, airing from 1961-1980. The show featured skits, circus performances, and games for a live studio audience. Buttons were given to audience members as souvenirs. The program and its alternate titles including "The Bozo Show" and "The Bozo Super Sunday Show" collectively aired from 1960-2001, marking it the most popular locally produced children’s program in the history of television. Bozo the Clown, the red-haired clown and show host, was played by Bob Bell from 1960-1984, then by Joey D’Auria from 1984-2001. 

Sources

Bozo's Circus (TV Series 1961–1980). (2018). Retrieved June 9, 2018, from https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0254011/

WGN KIDVID. (n.d.). Retrieved June 9, 2018, from http://www.chicagotelevision.com/wgntv.htm

(2016, May 15). Retrieved June 13, 2018, from https://youtu.be/1-w67OELBqs

Catalog ID CH0260

Live Wires

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Text on Button LIVE WIRES
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Illustration of a yellow electrical pole with wired on a blue background with blue and gold text underneath

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DAVID C. COOK PUBLISHING CO., C/O ELGIN, NEW YORK BOSTON

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David C. Cook is a nonprofit Christian publisher dedicated to delivering religious ideology via books and curriculum, as well as through their music division and global outreach efforts. The company was founded in Chicago in 1875 by David Caleb Cook with a mission to provide religious pamphlets and teaching materials for children to churches whose congregations were impacted by the Great Chicago Fire.

Live Wires (now known as Live Wire) is a weekly take-home magazine for students in grades 5 and 6 or kids who are of ages 11 and 12. They include short stories, articles, puzzles, and other lesson activities with integrated bible discovery to help engage kids in worship.

Sources
David C Cook. (n.d.). About. https://davidccook.org/about/ David C Cook. (n.d.). HeartShaper. https://davidccook.org/curriculum/heartshaper/ages/
Catalog ID CA0721

General Merchandise Scoop

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Text on Button J.F. PIER - GENERAL MERCHANDISE - EASTMAN, WIS.
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Illustration of two buildings with a car in front on an orange background

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J. F. Pier's general store was opened in Eastman, Wisconsin sometime before 1890. Pier also served as the town's postmaster at that time. In 1910, Pier became president of the newly formed State Bank of Eastman, while still running the general store and post office and managing the Eastman Butter Company.

Sources

Emery, J. Q. (1910). Biennial report of the Dairy and Food Commissioner of Wisconsin for the period ending June 30, 1910. Madison, WI: Democrat Printing Company, State Printer. Retrieved from Google Books.

State of Wisconsin. (ca. 1891). Wisconsin State gazetteer and business directory 1891-2 (Volume 7). Chicago, IL: R. L. Polk and Company. Retrieved from https://archive.org/details/wisconsinstatega1891921rlpo

Catalog ID IN0015

Keep On Truckin'

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Text on Button Keep on Trucking'.. ©KE
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Illustration of a man very large feet walking with text above and below on a red-orange background

Curl Text ©1971 KALEIDOSCOPE ENT (unlegible)
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"Keep on Truckin'" was originally a one page comic created in 1968 by Robert Crumb, an American writer and cartoonist whose work primarily satirizes contemporary American culture. Crumb was integral to the underground comix movement, which typically includes self published comics that are often satirical and feature taboo content. He further assisted the movement by creating and contributing to the publication "Zap Comix," which ran from 1968 to 2014. Since its creation, the illustration has been repeatedly recreated and sold; in 1973, Crumb fought with A.A. Sales, who claimed that the lack of the copyright symbol on the original image meant it was in the public domain. While the Federal Court initially sided with A.A. Sales, the Ninth Circuit Court reversed the decision in 1977, and the copyright remains valid today. 

Catalog ID EN0494