The Articles of Incorporation of The Junior Chamber of Commerce were filed on October 23, 1934, with the Secretary of State.

Having recruited a significant number of able-bodied members, the leadership of the chapter needed to select an initial project to utilize the services and talents of these volunteers to renovate a home and raffle the completed product. The "home of the times" was a resounding success despite the difficulty of trying to move the house through downtown Canton. By the end of the raffle, the chapter had grown to over one hundred twenty-five members.

The purposes of the early Junior Chamber of Commerce, as outlined in an early newsletter were:

• To promote business success
• To teach civic responsibility
• To express the younger man’s point of view
• To sponsor various social activities
• The Jaycees of the 1930’s sponsored a Yuletide lighting contest for several years and were instrumental in creating four major Social events for the younger professionals and business people in the Canton area, including such events which continue to the present day as The President’s Ball, the Harvest Hop, the Snow Ball and the Champagne Ball.

In furtherance of the service to the community, the Canton Jaycees in 1937 founded the Canton Symphony Orchestra Association, founded the first Child Welfare Center, and vigorously promoted the establishment and growth of the City Park System. The Junior Chamber were leaders in establishing the first Police Training School in the area and sponsored lectures by Dale Carnegie for personal growth.

The Canton Jaycees joined the National Jaycee organization in November of 1937 and were successful in electing the first State Treasurer to The Ohio Jaycees from Canton, and John Jacob from Canton assumed those duties. Shortly thereafter and following those of service to the Jaycee movement on the statewide level, Walter Firestone was elected Vice President of the Ohio Jaycees in 1939.

The young women of Canton likewise formed a leadership development and service organization, and the Jaycee Auxiliary was organized in 1938. The Auxiliary put their full support behind the activities of the Junior Chamber; and without their contributions, the Junior Chamber would not have been as successful.

The Junior Chamber, however, did not limit its activities to the serious side of its commitment to the community, as it also sponsored the Junior Chamber "Follies" to raise funds in a good-natured way for its philanthropic activities. No less a figure than the legendary Cy Young must have had fond memories of his participation in the sophisticated donkey baseball game of 1936.

The members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce, starting with the simple discussion of four friends, had grown to over three hundred members in a short six years and had brought recognition to the accomplishments of the young men in Canton by its dedication to community service and leadership training, both on a local and state-wide basis. It was upon these accomplishments and commitments that the Jaycees entered its second decade of service and leadership in the 1940’s.

Through the 50-year history of the Canton Jaycees, it was the Jaycees of the 1940’s that perhaps faced the widest variety of challenges to the continued success and operation of this fine organization. Despite the depletion of its ranks to service to the country in uniform, those who remained at home dedicated themselves to the support of the ware effort, as well as the continued support of local community activities. In the post-war years, the Jaycees faced even a greater challenge of post-war reconstruction and fostering a rebirth of community spirit and progress. The Jaycees of the 1940’s continued the spirit of growth of the Jaycee movement in the Greater Canton area. Canton was selected as the convention site for the 1941 Ohio State Convention and through the dedicated efforts of the Convention Committee achieved recognition for its hospitality and spirit. In 1940, Canton Jaycees initiated the Distinguished Service Award program for outstanding service to the community with its first recipient being Walter Allman.