Three young women enjoy the camaraderie at the Spinster Club's annual tea held at the University-Union Club on October 19, 1941. The tea was to honor prospective members. Among the decorations on the table is a large "S" made out of flowers. The color scheme was blue and silver. Lea Mills, Club president, and Virginia Austin, secretary, were acting as hostesses. (T.Times, 10-25-41, p. 3)

Spinster Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Flowers--Tacoma--1940-1950; University Union Club of Tacoma (Tacoma);

From November 17-23, 1941, communities across America celebrated the second annual National Art Week. The Tacoma Art Association observed the celebration by sponsoring an exhibit of local artists at the former location of the Helen Davis dress shop in the Hotel Winthrop. An unidentified clubwoman was photographed opening the door to the exhibit, which featured a variety of art including water colors, oils, charcoal, pastels, wood carvings, photography and handicrafts. Local artists were able to enter their works free of charge, and the public was invited to view the show for free and purchase the works of the artists. (T. Times 11/14/1941, pg. 19; 11/18/41, pg. 8; 11/19/41, pg. 18- all story only)

Tacoma Art Association (Tacoma); Art exhibitions--Tacoma;

For six weeks, "Pennies for Happiness" would be the slogan of the Dr. Edward Rich Orthopedic Guild as they collected pennies in their annual drive. The drive would take place October 15-December 1, 1941, and would benefit crippled children. Guild members pictured above were not identified. (T. Times 10/15/1941, pg. 20)

Tacoma Orthopedic Association, Dr. Edward Rich Guild (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950; Automobiles--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Members of the planning committee for the University Union's Club pre-Christmas tea, scheduled for December 2, 1941, pose for this publicity shot at the Club. Standing, left to right, are Katherine (Mrs. John) Mueller, Mrs. Harry A.D. Smith, Kathryn (Mrs. H.R.) Pirret and Antoinette (Mrs. Harold K.) Nichols. Seated, L to R, Dorothy (Mrs. Jess) Read, Jane (Mrs. Edwin) Warren, Esther (Mrs. C.M.) Langhorne, and Marian (Mrs. J. Corning) Todd. (T.Times 11/29/1941, pg. 5)

University Union Club of Tacoma (Tacoma); Mueller, Katherine; Pirret, Kathryn; Nichols, Antoinette; Read, Dorothy; Warren, Jane; Langhorne, Esther; Todd, Marian;

Members of the Wauna Club planning committee admire a scroll with artful drawings of bamboo during a meeting at the home of the Arthur Reynolds. The committee is planning the club's first dance of the year, a Chinese extravaganza themed "Through the Moon Gate." It will be held Saturday, November 8th, 1941 at the Roof Garden of the Winthrop Hotel. Pictured are, left to right, Stella (Mrs. Arthur) Reynolds, Helen (Mrs. Otto) Siburg, Ethel (Mrs. George) Weller and Elva (Mrs. C.J.) Weller. (T. Times 11/1/1941, pg. 4)

Wauna Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Reynolds, Arthur--Homes & haunts; Weller, Ethel; Weller, Elva; Siburg, Helen; Reynolds, Stella; Committees--Tacoma--1940-1950; Scrolls (Visual works);

Members of the planning committee gather Chinese artifacts to add ambience to the first Wauna Club Dance of the Season. The theme of the dance is "Through the Moon Gate" and it is scheduled for Saturday, November 8th, 1941 at the Roof Garden of the Winthrop Hotel. Pictured, left to right, are Ethel (Mrs. George) Weller, Helen (Mrs. Otto) Siburg, Stella (Mrs. Arthur) Reynolds and Elva (Mrs. C.J.) Weller. The group is pictured at the Arthur Reynolds residence. (T. Times 11/1/1941, pg. 4)

Wauna Club (Tacoma); Clubs--Tacoma--1940-1950; Reynolds, Arthur--Homes & haunts; Weller, Ethel; Weller, Elva; Siburg, Helen; Reynolds, Stella; Committees--Tacoma--1940-1950; Scrolls (Visual works);

Publicity for Young Men's Business Club (Y.M.B.C.) sponsored wrestling matches at Armory. The matches were scheduled for October 24, 1941. The money raised would go to the athletic fund of the 103rd Anti Tank Unit at Fort Lewis. The poster promises All Star Army - Civilian matches in both boxing and wrestling. The officer seated at right has been identified as William M. Adams. He joined the National Guard in 1931 and stayed 44 years, retiring as a full colonel. (Identification provided by a reader)

Young Men's Business Club (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950; Adams, William M.;

Beginning April 6, 1942, the Young Women's Christian Association (YWCA) launched special "Keep Fit" classes at its 405 Broadway location. Instruction was being offered in golf, tennis, swimming and Badminton (pictured.) Classes would be held both morning and evenings to accomodate those working in the defense industries. The YWCA operated under the adage learned from war torn England, that adequate exercise was a morale builder. (T. Times 4/10/1942, pg. 3)

Young Womens Christian Association (Tacoma); Badminton;

The busy hands and needles of Red Cross volunteers prepare material in September of 1942 for servicemen in battlefields all across the world. The women in the cutting department are, left to right, Eva (Mrs. W.F.) Kerr, Cora (Mrs. George) Wing, Bessie (Mrs. W.C.) Wise, Hazel (Mrs. J.P.) Neville, Beatrice (Mrs. A.D.) Wise and Mrs. M.W. Blackiston. (TNT 9/4/1942, pg. 20)

+American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Kerr, Eva; Wing, Cora; Wise, Bessie; Neville, Hazel; Wise, Beatrice;

During the war years, busy Red Cross hands proved adept with needles and thread, sending handmade items to servicemen all around the world. Here, in September of 1942, some volunteers prepare cloth for stitching. They are, left to right, Bessie (Mrs. W.C.) Wise, Hazel (Mrs. J.P.) Neville, Beatrice (Mrs. A.D.) Wise; Mrs. M.W. Blackiston, Eva (Mrs. W.F.) Kerr and Cora (Mrs. George) Wing.

+American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); World War, 1939-1945--Women--Tacoma; Kerr, Eva; Wing, Cora; Wise, Bessie; Neville, Hazel; Wise, Beatrice;

On September 29, 1942, a German made field gun was being removed from the grounds of the Edward B. Rhodes Post of the American Legion by the Army. It was donated by the Legion members to be broken down and used to make weapons to fight its original manufacturers, the Germans. The cannon was a 1906 Krupp-Essen of World War I vintage. It was presented to the Post in the early 1920's by Hugh Wallace, then ambassador to France, who had a home in Tacoma. It had graced the grounds of their post on "G" St. for many years. Despite the good example set by the Legion members and a plea from Mayor Cain, the Park Board decided to keep all of its display cannons for the time being, rather than having them dismantled for scrap. (T. Times 9/29/1942, pg. 2)

American Legion Edward B. Rhodes Post No. 2 (Tacoma); Cannons; Scrap drives--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Scrap drives;

Members of the Edward B. Rhodes Post of the American Legion bid farewell on September 29, 1942 to the cannon that had graced their grounds for many years. The cannon was being donated by the group to the Army for scrap metal. The cannon was a 1906 Krupp-Essen German made field gun. It was given to the Post by Hugh Wallace, then ambassador to France.The cannon was being removed by the Army from the Post building at 407 So. "G" St. and taken to Fort Lewis where it was cut up for scrap. (T. Times 9/29/1942, pg. 2)

American Legion Edward B. Rhodes Post No. 2 (Tacoma); Cannons; Scrap drives--Tacoma--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Scrap drives;

Several women are pictured taking classes in September of 1942, most probably the ones required to become a Red Cross Nurses' Aide. They complete 80 hours of preliminary training and give 150 hours of service assisting graduate nurses in the wards of local hospitals, after which certificates will be issued. The aides can assist in hospitals or provide in-home nursing care.

American Red Cross Pierce County Chapter (Tacoma); Health care--Tacoma--1940-1950; Nursing--Tacoma;

October 15-30, 1942 was the fund raising campaign for Tacoma's War Chest. The War Chest was a branch of the Community Chest that specifically funded wartime charities, such as the USO and refugee relief groups. Part of the publicity for the upcoming drive was a play that emphasized that volunteers would be going to homes and businesses to collect donations and pledges for the drive.The campaign was very successful, it went over the top of the goal at $369,822, two days before the end of the drive.

Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950;

October 15-30, 1942 was the fund raising campaign for Tacoma's War Chest. The War Chest was a branch of the Community Chest that specifically funded wartime charities, such as the USO and refugee relief groups. Part of the publicity for the upcoming drive was a play that emphasized that volunteers would be going to homes and businesses to collect donations and pledges for the drive.The campaign was very successful, it went over the top of the goal at $369,822, two days before the end of the drive.

Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950;

October 15-30, 1942 was the fund raising campaign for Tacoma's War Chest. The War Chest was a branch of the Community Chest that specifically funded wartime charities, such as the USO and refugee relief groups. Part of the publicity for the upcoming drive was a play that emphasized that volunteers would be going to homes and businesses to collect donations and pledges for the drive.The campaign was very successful, it went over the top of the goal at $369,822, two days before the end of the drive.

Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Fund raising--Tacoma--1940-1950;

Publicity for Community Chest, photograph taken at the Tacoma Community Chest office, Room 409, Provident Building. A new committee of educators had recently been formed to introduce Tacoma public school students to the War Chest and its aims. Frank Gorow, director of the Department of Visual Education in Tacoma Public Schools, displays one of the War Chest posters at a committee meeting on August 12, 1942. Pictured, left to right, are Gorow, Miss Mary T. Pakenham, Mrs. Myrtle MacLennan, Miss Lola E. Friars and Mrs. M.D. (Blanche) Wilkinson. (T.Times 8/13/1942 p.4)

Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Teachers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gorow, Frank; Pakenham, Mary; MacLennan, Myrtle; Friars, Lola; Wilkinson, Blanche;

Publicity for Community Chest. A group of teachers gathers at a table in the Tacoma Community Chest office, Room 409, Provident Building. This group of educators had recently been appointed to a committee formed to educate Tacoma students about the War Chest and its goals. Pictured, left to right, are Frank Gorow, Miss Lola E. Friars, Miss Mary T. Pakenham, Mrs. Myrtle MacLennan and Mrs. M.D. (Blanche) Wilkinson. (TNT 8/13/1942 p.9)

Charitable organizations--Tacoma; Tacoma Community Chest (Tacoma); Teachers--Tacoma--1940-1950; Gorow, Frank; Pakenham, Mary; MacLennan, Myrtle; Friars, Lola; Wilkinson, Blanche;

Every year the Co-Ed Club held a party to honor those members going away or returning to college, and the war years were no exception. A "Back to School" dance was planned for August 22, 1942 at the Fircrest Golf Club. In deference to world affairs, the party would have a patriotic theme and a war bond would be given as the door prize. Pictured, left to right, are Noreen Inveen (going to Stephens in Columbia, Missouri), Marian Willard, Mercedes Russell, Mary Thomas (all leaving for the University of Washington in Seattle) and Carolyn Scharf (heading out for Scripps in Claremont, CA.) Photograph was taken at the Scharf home. (T. Times 8/15/1942 p.5)

Co-Ed Club (Tacoma); Inveen, Noreen; Willard, Marian; Russell, Mercedes; Thomas, Mary; Scharf, Carolyn; War bonds & funds;

Every year the Co-Ed Club held a party for all of the younger club members who were going away to college. The war years proved to be no different and the annual "Back to School" Dance was planned for August 22, 1942 at the Fircrest Golf Club. Influenced by local and world events, the dance had a patriotic theme and the door prize was a war bond. The five young women pictured are Co-Ed Club members who were going to college for the first time. Back row, left to right, are Noreen Inveen, Carolyn Scharf and Marian Willard. Seated at bottom are, left to right, Mercedes Russell and Mary Thomas. The photograph was taken at the Scharf residence. TPL-982 (T. Times)

Co-Ed Club (Tacoma); Inveen, Noreen; Willard, Marian; Russell, Mercedes; Thomas, Mary; Scharf, Carolyn; War bonds & funds;

On December 17, 1942, the Tacoma Lions Club held its annual Christmas party at the new Tacoma Boys Club, 711 So. 25th Street. Welcoming the Lions to the Club is Vincent Russell, center, managing director of the Boys Club. Pictured left to right are Paul Newman, Harry J. Lynch, Russell, Maj. Earl Williams of the Salvation Army and A. T. Norman. Forty underprivileged boys were the guests of the Lions at the banquet and received gifts as well. The Lions also dedicated the locker room at the Club that they had equipped and furnished. (TNT 12/18/1942, pg. 9; 12/16/1942, pg. 13)

Lions Club (Tacoma); Salvation Army (Tacoma); Charitable organizations--Tacoma--1940-1950; Community service--Tacoma--1940-1950; Holidays--Tacoma--1940-1950; Boys Club (Tacoma);

New officers of the Tacoma Club pose after their election October 19, 1942 in their clubrooms located in the Washington Building. Seated, left to right, are Lyle Abrahamson, vice president, and Fred Walker, president. Standing are James E. Fowler, treasurer, E.N. Eisenhower, trustee, and L.R. Bonneville, secretary. (T. Times 10/20/1942, pg. 3)

Tacoma Club (Tacoma); Abrahamson, Lyle; Walker, Fred; Fowler, James E.; Eisenhower, Edgar;

ca. 1943. Publicity for St. Patrick's Stag Night at University-Union Club. (work order dated 1/13/1943) Picture possibly from March of 1943.

University Union Club of Tacoma (Tacoma); Men--Clubs--Tacoma;

Community Chest. Portrait artist and subject at 13th and Pacific U.S.O. Volunteers provided many services for the military men stationed here. In January of 1943, portrait artist Laurie MacLeod posed with her painting of Chief Petty Officer Joe Catanzinto, of Punxsutawney, Penn., and the model himself. Mr. Catazinto drew the lucky number in the Wednesday contest at the USO Club at 13th & Pacific and won the sitting and portrait. He planned to send it to his family back home. Mrs. MacLeod held the drawing while her husband Robert MacLeod, also an artist, attended his Coast Guard Reserve meeting. The couple has a studio in New York until four years prior when they moved to this area and built a home at Lakota Beach. (TNT 2/3/1943, pg. 1)

USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Military personnel--Tacoma; Portraits; MacLeod, Laurie; Catanzinto, Joe;

Portrait artist Laurie MacLeod paused in her painting to admire her likeness of Chief Petty Officer Joe Catanzinto, of Punxsutawney, Penn. Mr. Catanzinto drew the lucky number at the USO Club at 13th & Pacific, winning the free sitting and portrait. He plans to send it back home to his family. Mrs. MacLeod held a drawing each Wednesday night while her husband Robert MacLeod, a marine artist, attended his Coast Guard Reserve meeting. The couple had a studio in New York until four years prior when they came to the area and built a home at Lakota Beach. (TNT 2/3/1943, pg. 1)

USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; Military personnel--Tacoma; Portraits; MacLeod, Laurie; Catanzinto, Joe;

Ten members of the Co-Ed Club were responsible for planning a social evening at the USO Club at 13th and Fawcett on July 21, 1942. Five members of the planning committee are pictured, left to right, Rosemary Stewart, Mimi Howell, Mrs. Mack Coon (Dorothy LaGasa), Sabine Phelps and Grace (Mrs. C. Nathan) Lynn. (T. Times)

USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Co-Ed Club (Tacoma); Stewart, Rosemary; Howell, Mimi; LaGasa, Dorothy; Phelps, Sabine; Lynn, Grace;

The Co-ed Club sponsored a social evening at the USO Club at 13th and Fawcett on Tuesday, July 21, 1942. Each Tuesday evening a different group took charge of the evening's entertainment and the late supper. Pictured around the punch bowl were club members and honored guests, left to right, Mrs. Kenneth Bourke, Mrs. Victor Vine, Pfc. LeRoy Strangeland, Marjorie Stewart, Peggy Shaw and Pvt. Sidney Jones. (TNT 7/25/1942, pg. 5)

USO clubs (Tacoma)--1940-1950; World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Tacoma; Co-Ed Club (Tacoma); Strangeland, LeRoy; Shaw, Peggy; Jones, Sidney; Stewart, Marjorie;

This group of Tacoma youngsters has been "diving" into swimming instruction all summer long at the YWCA pool and they are getting along "swimmingly." For the first time, the pool had remained open all summer long to provide recreation for those kids spending their long vacation days at home. The children pictured standing left to right, looking pretty identical in swim caps, are Larry Nell, Wilma Hartnack, June Otto and Nancy Lee Coons. Seated are Noble Halladay, Kenneth Robinson, Dale Anderson and Sonja Strauman. (T. Times 08-31-1942 p.10)

Young Womens Christian Association (Tacoma); Swimming pools--Tacoma; Swimmers--Tacoma;

This group of newly minted mermaids was photographed in the Y.W.C.A. pool, 405 Broadway, on August 27, 1942. For the first time, the pool remained open for the whole summer that year to expand the recreation facilities available to the children who spent their vacation at home. The youngsters pictured could not swim at all at the beginning of the season, but by the end of August they were all "at home in the water" according to Mrs. John McConnell, swimming instructor. Pictured clockwise, starting at the top center with the girl in the dark cap, are: Joyce Sheets, Jeanne Arkin, Patilou Babbitt, Margaret Ward, Laura Sheppard, Onnalee Dungan, Pat Sternberg, Ella Mae Goddell, mary Jean Harvel, Barbara Ann Combs, Carole Jenks, Virginia Gundstrom, Nancy Ann Wilhelmi and Mary Ann Norton. (TNT 8/31/1942 p.9)

Young Womens Christian Association (Tacoma); Swimming pools--Tacoma; Swimmers--Tacoma;

Publicity for Community Chest. Children at Y.W.C.A. pool. A swimming instructor helps a young student on the diving board while parents look on from the gallery above. The YWCA pool had stayed open for the first time all summer long in 1942. With a shortage of gasoline and tires and with both parents often working in the defense industry, wartime vacations were almost non existent. The pool gave kids stuck at home on those long summer days something to look forward to. [Also dated 08-24-1942]

Young Womens Christian Association (Tacoma); Swimming pools--Tacoma; Swimmers--Tacoma;