After a simple flag ceremony twenty-two girls were presented Girl Scouts pins as they officially entered Girl Scouts. The members of Troop 172 of Northeast Tacoma are now intermediate Girl Scouts of the tenderfoot rank. Mrs. Makin, chairman of Marine View district, is shown receiving the troop into Girl Scouting. Assisting her are Mary Fontaine, Scout leader, and Veronica Mallette, assistant Scout leader. Names were listed in the newspaper. (TNT, 6/11/1950, p.B-12)

Children--Organizations--Tacoma; Girl Scouts (Tacoma); Rites & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960;

On June 22, 1950, the wrecking crane that was being used to tear down Whitman Elementary School, 1211 South 40th Street, fell over near one of the arched entrances to the old school. Known as "The Big Red School House," Whitman was the first brick schoolhouse in Tacoma, opening in March of 1892. The building was badly damaged by the April, 1949 earthquake and had to be replaced.

Demolition--Tacoma--1950-1960; Whitman Elementary School (Tacoma); Public schools--Tacoma; Hoisting machinery;

Father's Day, 1950. Dr. John J. Bonica delights in reading comic strips to his small daughters, left to right, Angela, 6, Linda, 2, and Charlotte, 4. The girls are wearing matching dresses. Dr. Bonica was a physician at Tacoma General Hospital and the head of the Department of Anesthesiology. After leaving Tacoma General, he went on to found and chair the Dept. of Anesthesiology at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle. While in Tacoma, the Bonica family resided at 44 Summit Rd on Prospect Hill. (TNT, 6/18/1950).

Fathers & children--Tacoma--1950-1960; Bonica, John J.; Bonica, John J.--Family; Physicians; Holidays; Father's Day; Newspapers; Comics; Reading--Tacoma--1950-1960;

The theme of the 1950s is "progress". Using both the concept of "modern" and "progress" plywood signs cover the alterations being made to the Schoenfeld Building and announce what is in store for customers: "New storefront", "modernization" and the city-wide theme "Progressing with Tacoma". Viewing holes for sidewalk superintendents and the junior superintendents have been provided. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

L. Schoenfeld & Sons (Tacoma)--Buildings; Furniture stores--Tacoma; Remodeling--Tacoma; Barricades--Tacoma; Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma);

Mrs. Henrietta Lange is presented with an orchid corsage by Mayor John Anderson at the Eagles lodge on her 101st birthday. Mrs. Lange was taken to the birthday party given in her honor at the Eagles lodge by a police escort. 350 guests were present. Refreshments were served to all guests and a motion picture, "The Eternal City" was shown. Ordered by the Eagles, Art Hefty. (TNT, 6/16/1950, p.A-7)

Lange, Henrietta; Birthdays; Birthday parties--Tacoma--1950-1960; Aged persons--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fraternal organizations--Tacoma; Clubs--Tacoma; Anderson, John H.; Mayors--Tacoma--1950-1960; Fraternal Order of Eagles Aerie No. 3 (Tacoma);

Two units of segregated U.S. Army troops. An African American unit is followed by a white unit in the Armed Forces Parade on May 20, 1950. This was the first Armed Forces Day parade. It was a combination of the U.S. Army, Marines, Navy and Air Force. It was estimated that 6,000 persons participated in the parade. Over 2,500 infantrymen of the 9th regimental combat team of the Second division and other units from Fort Lewis passed in review. Reserve units also played an important part in the event including the National Guard, Marine Corps, Naval Reserve, Army Reserve and Bellarmine R.O.T.C. (TNT, 5/22/1950, p.1)

Military parades & ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Soldiers--Tacoma--1950-1960; Marching--Tacoma--1950-1960; Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960; African Americans--Tacoma--1950-1960; African American soldiers--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Three women switchboard operators at the switchboard at the Court House. The two women who are seated wear head sets with ear phones and microphones together. They are busy with the cords connecting and disconnecting phone calls. A 1950 calendar from Great Northern Railway hangs on the wall behind them. Ordered by Llewelyn Advertising Agency.

Pierce County Courthouse (Tacoma); Telephone switchboards--Tacoma; Telephone operators--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Two men are constructing a silo by nailing sheets of plywood to an exterior form built with a circular shape cut from plywood and 2 x 4 lumber. Ordered by Douglas Fir Plywood Association.

Plywood; Douglas Fir Plywood Association (Tacoma); Silos--Tacoma;

On June 21, 1950, Don Falk, Veda Jo Vargo, Jerry Heltsley and Luetta Voigt (L-R) performed a play with puppets with Catherine McDonald, one of the the camp counselors, in the valuable role of audience. This was one of the many activities for children attending the Metropolitan Park and Tacoma School District summer program. The program was sponsored in co-operation with the Recreation Commission. The Tacoma Junior League also donated to the program. Ordered by the Tribune, Barbara Dana. (TNT, 6/25/1950, p.D-1)

Puppets; Puppet shows--Tacoma; Children performing in theatrical productions--Tacoma; Tacoma Metropolitan Park District (Tacoma); Summer--Tacoma; Junior League (Tacoma);

350 guests gathered at the Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club for the McMath-Prentice wedding reception following their evening wedding at the First Presbyterian Church in June of 1950. Tables were set with carved melon, floral centerpieces and tableware for at least three courses. Janet Ruth McMath and Gordon A. Prentice had both been students at the University of Washington. (TNT, 6/19/1950, p.5)

Table settings & decorations; Tableware; Glassware; Tacoma Lawn Tennis Club (Tacoma); Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Weddings--Tacoma--1950-1960; McMath, Janet--Marriage;

Yacht Club summer activities for Tribune layout. Ordered by Barbara Dana. This family was just one of several photographed on May 30, 1950, aboard their boat as Tacoma Yacht Club members prepared for the summer boating season. The names of the children and parents were not provided.

Tacoma Yacht Club (Tacoma); Families--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Yacht Club spring activities. A favorite mooring for summer outings of the Tacoma Yacht Club was Wollochet Bay. Some of the ships at anchor are the "Joannette" belonging to Roy Pietenburg; "Cardian", Everet Landon; "Helene", Don Davies; "Miss Cathleen", Wendel Emery; and "Frala", Rear Commodore Frank Heffernan. Ordered for Tribune layout by Barbara Dana. (TNT, 6/4/1950, p.D-1

Tacoma Yacht Club (Tacoma); Yachts--Tacoma;

The Tacoma Chamber of Commerce entertained the armed forces Friday night of Armed Forces Week at the Top of the Ocean in May of 1950. A Military Ball was to complete the week's festivities on Saturday night and was held at the Elks Ballroom. Ordered by the Tribune, Barbara Dana. (TNT, 5/24/1950, p.11)

Top of the Ocean (Tacoma); Balls (Parties)--Tacoma--1950-1960; Military uniforms; Ball dresses;

Pauline (Mrs. Henning R.) Nordlund, assistant director (left), and Marianne A. (Mrs. William A.) Willsey, director of the Capital district, including Pierce and Thurston Counties, are bound for Bellingham to attend the two-day convention of Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs. A chartered bus left Central Bus Terminal at 14th and Pacific June 14, 1950. Ordered by Mrs. Taylor. (TNT, 6/14/1950, p.11)

Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs (Tacoma); Nordlund, Pauline; Willsey, Marianne A.; Women--Tacoma--1940-1950; Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Buses--Tacoma--1950-1960; Bus terminals--Tacoma;

Shirley Lucille Llewellyn and Vaeth Hewitt were married July 14, 1950, at Mason Methodist Church. The bride and her attendants pose together at the church altar. They are, L-R, Lonna Savage (seated), Dianne Poole, Mary Lee Philip, Patricia Eldridge, Mrs. Hewitt, Holly Hewitt, flower girl, Donalda Moncrieff, Beverly Warner, Virginia Carr and Janis Jacobson (seated). The bride's gown was made of white nylon marquisette fashioned with a portrait neckline edged in imported French lace. The pointed bodice was enhanced by a lace peplum and lace cascading down the back panel of the full skirt extended to a court length train. She wore a floor-length mantilla of French lace. The attendants hold fan-shaped bouquets. Their dresses have short capes with Peter-Pan collars. (TNT, 7/16/1950, p.D-2)

Weddings--Tacoma--1950-1960; Brides--1950-1960; Altars--Tacoma; Wedding costume--1950-1960; Mason Methodist Church (Tacoma); Llewellyn, Shirley Lucille--Marriage;

Arlea Wood in costume. Arlea is wearing a long, white dress with a stole of netting. She is pushing a toy baby carriage decorated with crepe paper with one of her dolls riding inside the buggy and a fashion doll standing on top of the shade. Arlea also has a parasol attached to the carriage to screen both the baby and herself from the sun. Ordered by Wood Realty Co. which was owned by Robert J. Wood.

Wood, Arlea; Girls--Tacoma--1950-1960; Children playing with toys--Tacoma--1950-1960; Children playing with dolls--Tacoma--1950-1960; Dolls;

Service area of Steven Motor Company, Chrysler and Plymouth dealers showing maple floor treated with Lastincote sealer. Several late 1940s Chrysler Corporation automobiles are shown parked in the background. Banners overhead advertise available services. The floor coating was installed by West Disinfecting Company of Seattle.

Automobile dealerships--Tacoma--1950-1960; Chrysler automobile; Plymouth automobile; Steven Motor Co. (Tacoma); West Disinfecting Co. (Seattle); Floors--Tacoma;

The exterior of the Bank of California building. The Bank of California opened their Tacoma offices in 1928 in this building of Italian Renaissance style with four Ionic columns. It was built of Wilkeson sandstone and granite with an interior of walnut and Travertine masonry. John Graham was the architect. Ornaments have been added on either side of the engraved name of the bank and at the cornice. TPL-8449

Bank of California National Association (Tacoma); Banks--Tacoma; Columns--Tacoma; Architectural decorations & ornaments--Tacoma;

Barthel Chemical Construction Company was the first rubber vulcanizing plant in the Pacific Northwest. The plant was constructed on the Port of Tacoma "Quadrangle" in 1950. The firm covered equipment of all types and description in the west. The vulcanizing plant was the largest north of Los Angeles. Workmen are seen here working on storage tanks. Ordered by Barthel Chemical Construction Company, Mr. Barthel. (Clippings, 11/13/1953)

Barthel Chemical Construction Co. (Tacoma); Storage tanks--Tacoma; Industrial facilities--Tacoma--1950-1960;

Capital Coil & Equipment Company's refrigerator case, model DL - 9U, open dairy case with mirror; 109 1/2 " long, 52" high, 32" deep; 28 cubic foot storage capacity, 30 cubic foot display capacity. Ordered by Capital Coil & Equipment.

Capital Coil & Equipment Co. (Tacoma); Refrigerator industry--Tacoma;

A view along the east side of the 900 block of Broadway looking south features Oakes Apparel at 921 Broadway, Weisfield's at 925 Broadway, and Lerner Shops at 931 Broadway. Two buildings further along the street are undergoing renovations with scaffolding along their facades. In the left foreground, a large clock stands on the sidewalk in front of Mahncke & Company Jewelers at 919 Broadway.

Commercial streets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Cities & towns--Tacoma; Clocks & watches;

Tacoma Vocational School presented diplomas to 123 graduates from apprenticeship into the journeymen classification in 1950. The graduates were in 21 crafts. Each man had completed related instruction through facilities of Tacoma Vocational-Technical School as well as the required number of hours of on-the-job training. The apprenticeship periods of the graduates in the many crafts range between three and six years. Names were listed in the newspaper. Ordered by the Tribune, Mr. Knight. (TNT, 6/2/1950, p.A-9)

Graduation ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Vocational education--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma--1950-1960; Tacoma Vocational School (Tacoma);

1950 graduation class from Tacoma Vocational School. Tacoma's Vocational-Technical school held an open house that was highlighted by the graduation exercises. The facilities of the school including the distributive education class, the radio broadcast studio for KTOY, the restaurant trades department and the business education department. Visitors were also able to bid on a new pleasure cruiser built by students in the boat-building class. Ordered by the Tribune, Mr. Knight. (TNT, 5/31/1950, p.4)

Graduation ceremonies--Tacoma--1950-1960; Vocational education--Tacoma; Students--Tacoma; Tacoma Vocational School (Tacoma);

A view down the hallway and into the dining room at Pauline (Mrs. Morris) Kleiner's new home showing Simpson acoustical tiles. A chest stands at the end of the hall with a mirror hung above. The hallway is covered with wooden paneling in rectanqular shapes approximately 12 inches by 24 inches. The dining room seems filled with massive dark, wooden furniture. An ornately carved side chair is seen on the left. Ordered by the Condon Company, Inc., Mr. Kay Shinn.

Kleiner, Morris--Homes & haunts; Interiors--Lakewood; Paneling--Lakewood; Ceilings--Lakewood; Furniture;

A group of 260 school children from the Silverdale School in Kitsap County and Bainbridge Island School visited the Washington State Historical Society in June 1950. Chapin D. Foster (right foreground), Secretary and Director of the Washington State Historical Society museum, was giving a talk on Washington history prior to conducting them through the building. This was the largest school group in the building at one time in 1950. During the school year more than 200 bus loads of pupils totaling more than 6,000 students visited the Historical Society building as part of their study of Washington history. (TNT, 6/4/1950, p.A-4)

School children--Tacoma; School field trips--Tacoma; Art exhibitions--Tacoma; Galleries & museums--Tacoma; Washington State Historical Society (Tacoma); Foster, Chapin D.;

Several hundred people attended the Telephone Pioneers of America banquet in June of 1950 at the Winthrop Hotel. Membership in the Telephone Pioneers of America required that active and retired telephone employees have more than 21 years of service.

Telephone Pioneers of America (Tacoma); Banquets--Tacoma--1950-1960; Hotel Winthrop (Tacoma);

Copy of customer's retouched print, Mueller-Harkins used car building, Condon Co., a/c Mueller-Harkins.

Mueller-Harkins Motor Co. (Tacoma); Automobile dealerships--Tacoma;

Copy of customer's print of a young woman from the 1920's or 1930's. She smiles, looking upward over her shoulder. Her hair is worn short and wavy, close to her head. Her features have been accentuated with eyebrow pencil, mascara and lipstick. Ordered by A.H. Cox, Olympus Hotel.

Portraits; Women--Tacoma--1920-1930; Cosmetics & soap;

After picture of apartment house at 1115 South J. Blair Construction, 3022 South 38th St. The Minsch Apartments were originally built in 1910 by A.H. Minsch and designed by architect George Trust. The daylight photograph of this three story Craftsman-style apartment house was commissioned by Blair Construction Co.

Apartment houses--Tacoma; Minsch Apartments (Tacoma); Blair Construction Co. (Tacoma);

Window display at Rhodes Brothers Department Store. The entire window display is filled with Soap Box Derby memorabilia in a photograph taken in July, 1950. A small mannequin is dressed in racing attire and stands in front of a "Soap Box Derby Tacoma, Wash." banner. In front of the #135 Tacoma News Tribune racer is a trophy and photograph of the 1949 winner, Duane Swanson. There is a 26 piece Stanley tool board on display which is to be awarded for the best constructed racer, donated by Shell Oil Co. The 1950 Soap Box Derby is to be held on Sunday, July 23, on South 38th St. Boys 11-15 are eligible to enter and Rhodes Brothers will award each contestant a pair of "Buck-o-Brand" jeans as shown in the window.

Coaster cars--Tacoma; Rhodes Brothers Department Store (Tacoma); Shell Oil Co., Inc. (Tacoma); Mannequins;