Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection of World War II papers


Collection 1479

( Bulk, 1938-1948 ) 1920-1981
(46.0 Linear feet 97 boxes; 38 volumes)
© The Historical Society of Pennsylvania1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Summary Information

Repository
The Historical Society of Pennsylvania
Creator
United States. Office of War Information.
Title
Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection of World War II papers
ID
1479
Date [bulk]
Bulk, 1938-1948
Date [inclusive]
1920-1981
Extent
46.0 Linear feet 97 boxes; 38 volumes
Author
Finding aid prepared by Celia Caust-Ellenbogen and Michael Gubicza
Sponsor
The processing of this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources' "Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives" Project.
Language
English
Abstract
In late 1942, the Historical Society of Pennsylvania solicited materials to form an artificial collection to document the war effort of a number of community and social service agencies in Philadelphia. The bulk of the material donated came from the Office of War Information, the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies, and the United Service Organization of Philadelphia. Smaller donations were made by other community organizations and volunteers such as Mrs. Weber, a member of St. Mark's church who corresponded with servicemen. The collection, which dates from 1938 to 1948, consists of press releases, administrative records, correspondence, financial records, photographs, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, posters, and ephemera.

Preferred Citation note

Cite as: [Indicate cited item or series here], Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection of World War II papers (Collection 1479), The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

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Biographical/Historical note

Life in Philadelphia during World War II was about sacrifice, community service, and patriotic support of the war effort. Philadelphians began conserving household goods in response to government rationing programs; they offered entertainment and comfort to servicemen on leave through USO clubs and motherly correspondence; they engaged in political discourse, bought war bonds, and stepped up industrial production.

In order to document the war effort from the perspective of organizations on the home front in Philadelphia, the War History Committee at Historical Society of Pennsylvania began soliciting war-related materials from a number of community and social service agencies in Philadelphia in late 1942. The materials they collected were exhibited at the time, before being permanently added to Historical Society of Pennsylvania's holdings as an artificial collection. Organizations represented include: Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies and the Fight for Freedom Committee; Office of War Information; and the United Service Organization of Philadelphia, including constituent agencies the Jewish Welfare Board and the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA).

The Office of War Information (OWI) was established by an Executive Order on June 13, 1942. It coordinated the informational activities of other governmental agencies and ensured accurate and consistent flow of information from the Government to the public, both in the United States and abroad. Its creation combined the existing Office of Facts and Figures, Office of Government Reports, the Division of Information in the Office for Emergency Management, and a few other agencies. OWI carried out its information program through the press, radio, motion pictures and other media. OWI was terminated on September 15, 1945.

The Committee to Defend America (also called Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies, or CDAAA) and the Fight for Freedom Committee were both anti-isolationist lobbying groups founded in 1940. The Committee to Defend America was a propaganda organization based out of New York City. Its founders hoped to use the Committee to mold public opinion in favor of American assistance to Britain. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, in January 1942, the CDAAA joined with the Council for Democracy to form Citizens for Victory: To Win the War, To Win the Peace. That group disbanded the following October. The Fight for Freedom Committee was an offshoot of the Committee to Defend America, and was a proponent of full American participation in the war. It monitored closely the activities of isolationists and isolationist groups such as the America First Committee. Fight for Freedom dispersed its message through state and local branches of the organization as well as through the news media. It was dissolved in early 1942.

The Philadelphia United Service Organization (USO) was established in 1941 through a partnership of six agencies: Jewish Welfare Board (JWB), YMCA, YWCA, Salvation Army, Travelers Aid, and the National Catholic Commission Services. Hospitality centers and entertainment clubs were founded throughout the city where servicemen and servicewomen could come to arrange for lodging and other services, or to enjoy free food and entertainment. One prominent club in Philadelphia was the Stage Door Canteen, located in the basement of the Academy of Music, which was the Hospital Entertainment Canteen after the war. Another popular club was the Labor Plaza, located near City Hall. Both were administered by the Philadelphia USO.

Although unaffiliated with the USO, Mrs. Louisa M. Weber, a member of St. Mark's Church in Philadelphia, similarly dedicated herself to providing comfort to servicemen. Over the course of World War II, she corresponded with over 76 servicemen.

Bibliography:

The preceding historical note was written using unattributed resources in the collection file at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania. Other sources consulted include:

"Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies records, Finding Aid." Princeton University Library, Mudd Manuscript Library (Accessed online on December 30, 2010: http://diglib.princeton.edu/ead/getEad?id=ark:/88435/vt150j254).

"Fight for Freedom, Inc. Records…, Finding Aid." Princeton University Library, Mudd Manuscript Library (accessed online on December 30, 2010: http://diglib.princeton.edu/ead/getEad?id=ark:/88435/xd07gs69m).

Weigley, Russell F., ed. Philadelphia: A 300 Year History. New York: W.W. Norton and Co., 1982.

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Scope and Contents note

The World War II collection is an artificial collection of materials solicited by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania beginning in 1942. The bulk of the collection was donated by the Office of War Information (OWI), the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies (CDAAA), and the United Service Organization (USO) of Philadelphia. Smaller deposits were made by other community organizations and volunteers such as Mrs. Weber, a member of St. Mark's church who corresponded with servicemen. This collection, the bulk of which dates from 1938 to 1948, consists of press releases, administrative records, correspondence, financial records, photographs, newspaper clippings, scrapbooks, posters, and ephemera.

The collection is organized into seven series: "Office of War Information, 1941-1943," "Committee to Defend America, 1940-1942," "United Service Organization (USO) of Philadelphia, 1940-1948," "Volunteer, government and community organizations, 1920-1947," "Photographs and newspaper clippings, 1941-1948," "Mrs. Weber's letters, 1943-1945," and "The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, War History Committee, 1942-1981."

The first series, "Office of War Information, 1941-1943," consists of two subseries: "Press releases, 1941-1943" and "Speeches, 1941-1943." The press releases subseries includes a mix of articles, reports, posters and pamphlets on numerous commodities, resources, products and industries. More specifically, the papers here are final reports that were released to the media by the OWI on everything from antifreeze to plastics, coal to clothing, as well as topics like absenteeism, sabotage and governmental departments. Rather than being a true archive of the OWI, this is a collection only of its public productions. It is organized alphabetically by subject or sponsoring agency/office/department. The speeches subseries covers similar topics, and is organized alphabetically by speaker.

The second series, "Committee to Defend America, 1940-1942," consists of correspondence, pamphlets, press releases, posters and ephemera from Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies and the Fight for Freedom Committee. Much of the collection is correspondence. The series is organized alphabetically by subject.

The third series, "United Service Organization (USO) of Philadelphia, 1940-1948" consists of five subseries. The largest subseries, "General administrative records, 1941-1948," includes financial records, internal memos and reports from the constituent agencies and affiliated clubs of the Philadelphia USO. "General administrative records" comprises material from the central USO body and is further subdivided into five sub-subseries: "Council, 1941-1947," is primarily financial records, legal documents, meeting minutes and correspondence; "Committee records, 1941-1948," comprises records from committees such as the Budget Committee, Publicity Committee and Women's Committee; "Agency activity reports, 1941-1948" contains reports submitted to the central USO body from constituent agencies and affiliated clubs regarding attendance and budget requests; "Correspondence, 1941-1948" is arranged alphabetically by subject; "Subject files, 1941-1948" contains mixed materials and is arranged alphabetically by subject. The second subseries is "Publications, 1941-1948." It includes press releases, pamphlets, newsletters, and flyers such as "On Leave," published weekly by the USO of Philadelphia to advertise events and activities for servicemen in the city. The third subseries, "Labor Plaza, 1943-1948," includes administrative records, correspondence, and ephemera. The fourth subseries, "Jewish Welfare Board (JWB), 1940-1948," contains materials related to JWB administration and servicemen clubs run by the JWB. The fifth subseries, "Stage Door Canteen, 1942-1948," contains administrative materials and ephemera, including signed guest books. Photographs from the Stage Door Canteen were removed to the fifth series, "Photographs and clippings."

The fourth series, "Volunteer, government and community organizations, 1920-1947" consists of correspondence, pamphlets, press releases, and posters presented by volunteer and community organizations. Included are: America First Committee, the American Palestine Committee, Fellowship House of Philadelphia, the American Friends Service Committee, and Friends of the Spanish Republic. Government organizations include a mix of local and federal organizations: the Office of Price Administration, School District of Philadelphia, and Office of Defense Transportation.

The fifth series, "Photographs and newspaper clippings, 1941-1948," is divided into five subseries. The first subseries, "War worker rallies, 1943-1945," consists mostly of photographs with scattered newspaper clippings related to rallies held at various industrial plants in Philadelphia. The folders are arranged alphabetically by company name. The second subseries, "United Service Organization of Philadelphia/Stage Door Canteen, circa 1942-1948," consists entirely of photographs. Most are candid shots of servicemen and entertainers taken inside Stage Door Canteen, but there are also press shots from the Philadelphia USO taken at fundraisers and events. The bulk of the newspaper clippings in the third subseries, "Clippings, 1941-1945," are related to war worker rallies such as those photographed in the first subseries. The fourth subseries, "Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES), 1944-1945," contains photographs of the women who participated in that federally sponsored program at work in factories. The fifth subseries, "Scrapbooks, 1940-1947," consists of scrapbooks related to the USO of Philadelphia, the Stage Door Canteen, the Committee to Defend America, and the Service Women's Club.

The sixth series, "Mrs. Weber's letters, 1943-1945," contains letters from servicemen to Mrs. Weber. During the course of World War II, Mrs. Weber, a member of St. Mark's Church, corresponded with over 76 Philadelphia servicemen lonely for a voice from their home town. The letters are arranged alphabetically by sender.

The final series, "The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, War History Committee, 1942-1981," contains correspondence between the War History Committee and prospective donors of World War II materials. There is also a folder with letters from an individual processing the collection in 1981, and photographs of Bob Hope.

Overall, this collection is a miscellaneous and uneven group of papers. The OWI series is extensive but consists only of publicly released materials. The CDA series contains correspondence and administrative documents but is not as extensive. The USO series is uneven. The Philadelphia USO and the Stage Door Canteen it administered are well represented in internal documentation as well as published materials, but the constituent agencies and other clubs are underrepresented. Many of these materials may be replicated elsewhere or available from government archives, but this collection is uniquely Philadelphian.

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Arrangement note

Series I. Office of War Information, 1941-1943

Subseries a. Press releases Subseries b. Speeches

Series II. Committee to Defend America, 1940-1942

Series III. United Service Organization (USO) of Philadelphia, 1940-1948

Subseries a. General administrative records Subseries b. Publications Subseries c. Labor Plaza Subseries d. Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) Subseries e. Stage Door Canteen

Series IV. Volunteer, government and community organizations, 1920-1947

Series V. Photographs and newspaper clippings, 1941-1948

Subseries a. War worker rallies Subseries b. United Service Organization (USO) of Philadelphia Subseries c. Clippings Subseries d. Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) Subseries e. Scrapbooks

Series VI. Mrs. Weber’s letters, 1943-1945

Series VII. The Historical Society of Pennsylvania, War History Committee, 1942-1981

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

 The Historical Society of Pennsylvania

1300 Locust Street
Philadelphia, PA, 19107
215-732-6200

Conditions Governing Access note

Most of this collection is open for research use. However, box 43 folder 3 and box 97 folder 1 (USO of Philadelphia, "Employee payroll records" and "South Broad Street Club. Payroll ledgers") are restricted until 2030. Please contact the Archives for additional information.

Conditions Governing Use note

Copyright restrictions may apply. Please contact the Archives with requests for copying and for authorization to publish, quote or reproduce the material.

Processing Information note

The processing of this collection was made possible through generous funding from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, administered through the Council on Library and Information Resources' "Cataloging Hidden Special Collections and Archives" Project.

This collection was minimally processed in 2009-2011, as part of an experimental project conducted under the auspices of the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries to help eliminate processing backlog in Philadelphia repositories. A minimally processed collection is one processed at a less intensive rate than traditionally thought necessary to make a collection ready for use by researchers. When citing sources from this collection, researchers are advised to defer to folder titles provided in the finding aid rather than those provided on the physical folder.

Employing processing strategies outlined in Mark Greene's and Dennis Meissner's 2005 article, More Product, Less Process: Revamping Traditional Processing Approaches to Deal With Late 20th-Century Collections, the project team tested the limits of minimal processing on collections of all types and ages, in 23 Philadelphia area repositories. A primary goal of the project, the team processed at an average rate of 2-3 hours per linear foot of records, a fraction of the time ordinarily reserved for the arrangement and description of collections. Among other time saving strategies, the project team did not extensively review the content of the collections, replace acidic folders or complete any preservation work.

Prior to 2009-2011, sections of this collection were processed to different levels. Portions of the collection were numbered 1534; the USO section, which was processed more fully around 1981, was previously numbered 1614; photographs previously in the V4 series were also added to the collection.

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Related Materials

Related Archival Materials note

Princeton University: Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies records, Fight for Freedom, Inc. records.

Stanford University, Hoover Institution Archives: Fight for Freedom Committee records.

Separated Materials note

Blueprints of a building for Federal Cigar Company (architects: Nimmons and Fellows, Chicago), dated 1906, have been removed from the collection. The container is labeled "Plans of building #4, 12th & Washington Ave., August 10, 1950" and had been placed in the USO/Labor Plaza section of the collection, although there is no evidence that the Labor Plaza nor any other USO club was at that location. The old finding aid (circa 1981) says of the blueprints, "relationship to the USO Collection is obscure."

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies.
  • Fight for Freedom (Organization).
  • National Jewish Welfare Board.
  • United Service Organizations (U.S.).
  • United States. Office of Price Administration.
  • United States. War Production Board.

Genre(s)

  • Correspondence
  • Ephemera.
  • Financial records.
  • Minutes.
  • Photographs.
  • Press releases.
  • Speeches.

Geographic Name(s)

  • Philadelphia (Pa.).

Subject(s)

  • Rationing.
  • War work.
  • World War II

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Collection Inventory

 Series I Office of War Information (OWI) 1941-1943 

 Subseries a. Press releases 1941-1943 

Scope and Contents note

"The Home Front," "Inventory Limitation News," "Town and Farm in Wartime," "The War and Business," and "A Week of the War" were weekly digests of news on particular subjects, sent to newspapers by the Office of War Information.
Box Folder

Absenteeism 1943 

 1 1

Advisory committees 1941-1943 

 1 2-5

Air transport 1943 

 1 6

Aircraft 1941-1943 

 1 7-8

Alcohol 1942-1943 

 1 9

Aluminum 1941-1943 

 1 10-11

Antifreeze and asbestos 1942-1943 

 1 12

Appointments (Office of Defense Transportation) 1941-1942 

 1 13-14

Appointments (Office of Price Administration) 1941-1943 

 1 15

Appointments (Office of Price Administration) 1941-1943 

 2 1

Appointments (War Production Board) 1941-1943 

 2 2-6

Army equipment 1943 

 2 7

Asphalt 1943 

 2 8

Automotive 1941-1943 


    Box Folder
Text   3 1
    Box Folder
Text   2 9-11

Box Folder

Banking with ration cards 1943 

 3 2

Batteries 1942-1943 

 3 3

Bedding 1941-1943 

 3 4

Beverages 1942 

 3 5

Bicycles 1942-1943 

 3 6

Bituminous Coal Division 1943 

 3 7

Blimps and helium 1943 

 3 8

Board of Economic Warfare 1942-1943 

 3 9

Board of War Communications 1942 

 3 10

Book binding 1943 

 3 11

Brushes 1943 

 3 12

Building materials 1941-1943 

 3 13-14

Bureau of the Budget 1942-1943 

 3 15

Bureau of Mines 1942 

 3 16

Bureau of Public Inquiries 1942 

 3 17

Bureau of Reclamation 1942 

 3 18

Cafeterias 1943 

 3 19

Camping 1943 

 3 20

Canned foods 1942-1943 

 3 21

Canning 1943 

 3 22

Chemicals 1941-1943 


    Box Folder
Text   3 23-25
    Box Folder
Text   4 1-6

Box Folder

Civil Service Commission 1943 

 4 7

Class B product symbols 1943 

 4 8

Clothing (general) 1942-1943 

 4 9-10

Clothing (men's) 1942-1943 

 4 11-12

Clothing (officer's uniforms) 1943 

 4 13

Clothing (women's) 1942-1943 

 4 14-15

Closures and fasteners 1942-1943 

 4 16

Coal 1941-1943 

 4 17-18

Coal 1941-1943 

 5 1-6

Coal, "Maximum Price Regulation #120" 1942 

 5 7

Coal strike 1943 

 5 8

Colloidal fuel 1943 

 5 9

Combat journalists 1943 

 5 10

Combined Food Board 1942-1943 

 5 11

Combined Production and Resources Board 1942-1943 

 5 12

Combined Raw Materials Board 1942 

 5 13

Construction 1941-1943 

 5 14-15

Consumer goods 1943 

 5 16

Consumer goods and fuel conservation 1942-1943 

 6 1

Containers 1941-1943 

 6 2-5

Controlled materials plan 1943 

 6 6-7

Controlled shipment 1943 

 6 8

Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs 1942 

 6 9

Copper 1941-1943 

 6 10-12

Copper 1941-1943 

 7 1-2

Cordage (rope) 1943 

 7 3

Cosmetics 1942-1943 

 7 4

Cost of living 1942-1943 

 7 5

Cotton 1941-1943 

 7 6

Crop Corps 1943 

 7 7

Dairy production 1943 

 7 8

Dental 1943 

 7 9

Department of Agriculture 1942-1943 

 7 10-11

Department of Commerce 1942-1943 

 7 12

Department of the Interior 1942-1943 

 7 13-14

Department of Justice 1942-1943 

 7 15-16

Department of Labor 1942-1943 

 7 17-18

Department of State 1942 

 7 19

Dies (manufacturing) 1943 

Scope and Contents note

This folder is about manufacturing dies used to cut or shape material using a press.

 7 20

Domestic affairs (general) 1942-1943 

 7 21-22

Domestic affairs (general) 1942-1943 

 8 1-3

Driving, nonessential 1942-1943 

 8 4

Dyes and dye-stuffs 1942-1943 

 8 5

Electrical equipment 1942-1943 

 8 6

Elevators, escalators, and dumbwaiters 1941-1943 

 8 7

Employment, alien 1943 

 8 8

Employment stabilization 1943 

 8 9

Entertainers 1943 

 8 10

Equipment conversion 1942-1943 

 8 11

Explosives 1941-1942 

 8 12

Exports 1943 

 8 13

Eyeglasses and sunglasses 1943 

 8 14

Fair employment practices 1942 

 9 1

Farm labor 1943 

 9 2

Farm machines and equipment 1941-1943 

 9 3-4

Fats and oils 1941-1943 

 9 5

Federal Security Agency 1942-1943 

 9 6

Federal Works Agency 1942-1943 

 9 7

Fertilizer 1942-1943 

 9 8

Floor coverings 1941-1942 

 9 9

Food processors and food dehydrators 1943 

 9 10

Foreign affairs (general) 1942-1943 

 9 11-13

Forty-eight hour work week 1943 

 10 1

Foundry equipment 1943 

 10 2

Fuel oil 1943 

 10 3-5

Fuel oil and gasoline 1942-1943 

 10 6

Fuel oil and natural gas 1942 

 10 7

Furs 1943 

 10 8

Gasoline, black market 1943 

 10 9

Gasoline shortage 1943 

 10 10

General 1943 and undated 

 10 11-12

General Maximum Price Regulation, commodities and services 1942-1943 

 10 13-15

General Maximum Price Regulation, commodities and services 1942-1943 

 11 1-3

Geological Survey 1942 

 11 4

Golf clubs 1942 

 11 5

Health and welfare services 1942-1943 

 11 6

Hide glue 1942-1943 

 11 7

"The Home Front" 1942-1943 

 11 8

"The Home Front" and "Your War," reviews 1942 

 11 9

Hosiery 1941-1943 

 11 10-11

Household equipment 1942-1943 

 11 12

Housing 1941-1943 

 11 13-19

Inflation 1941-1943 

 12 1

Insecticides 1943 

 12 2

Inter-American Defense Board 1942 

 12 3

Interdepartmental Committee on Employee Investigations 1943 

 12 4

"Inventory Limitation News" 1943 

 12 5

Imports 1943 

 12 6

Iron and steel 1941-1943 

 12 7-15

Iron and steel 1941-1943 

 13 1-4

Jewelry and precious stones 1942-1943 

 13 5

Labor shortage 1943 

 13 6

Lead 1941-1943 

 13 7-8

Leather and leather products 1941-1943 

 13 9

Laundries 1943 

 13 10

Looting of Holland and Belgium 1943 

 13 11

Luggage 1943 

 13 12

Lumber (firewood) 1943 

 13 13

Lumber (plywood and dogwood) 1943 

 13 14

Lumber and lumber products 1941-1943 

 13 15-19

Lumber and lumber products 1941-1943 

 14 1-5

Machine parts 1942-1943 

 14 6

Machine tools 1941-1943 

 14 7

Machines (general) 1941-1943 

 14 8-11

Manpower Commission 1943 

 14 12

Maritime Commission 1942-1943 

 14 13

Matches 1943 

 15 1

Meat 1942-1943 

 15 2-3

Medical care 1943 

 15 4

Metals (general) 1941-1943 

 15 5-8

Middle East Supply Center 1943 

 15 9

Mining equipment 1943 

 15 10

Munitions Production Report 1943 

 15 11

National Housing Agency 1943 

 15 12

National Park Service 1942 

 15 13

National War Fund 1943 

 15 14

Naval Department 1942-1943 

 15 15

Nazis 1943 

 15 16

Negroes 1943 and undated 

 15 17

Newspaper lists 1942-1943 and undated 

 15 18

Norwegians 1943 

 15 19

Nutrition 1943 

 15 20

Office of Alien Property Custodian 1942-1943 

 15 21

Office of Censorship 1942-1943 

 15 22

Office of Civilian Defense 1943 

 15 23-24

Office of the Coordinator of Fisheries 1942-1943 

 15 25

Office of the Coordinator of Inter-American Affairs 1942 

 15 26

Office of Defense Health and Welfare 1943 

 15 27

Office of Defense Transportation 1941-1943 

 15 28-29

Office of Defense Transportation 1941-1943 

 16 1-5

Office of Education 1942-1943 

 16 6

Office for Emergency Management 1942 

 16 7

Office furniture and equipment 1943 

 16 8

Office of Indian Affairs 1942 

 16 9

Office of Lend-Lease Administration 1943 

 16 10

Office machinery 1942-1943 

 16 11-12

Office of Price Administration 1942-1943 

 16 13-16

Office of Price Administration 1942-1943 

 17 1-6

Office of Price Administration in Harrisburg (Pa.) 1943 

 17 7

"Office of Price Administration News of the Week" 1943 

 17 8

Office of Solid Fuels Coordinator for War 1943 

 17 9

Paints and varnishes 1941-1943 

 17 10

Paper, newsprint 1942-1943 

 18 1

Paper and paper products 1941-1943 

 18 2-6

Paper, wallpaper 1943 

 18 7

Paper, waste 1941-1943 

 18 8

Paper, wood pulp 1942-1943 

 18 9

Pencils 1942 

 18 10

Persecution of German Catholics 1943 

 18 11

Petroleum Administration for War 1942-1943 

 18 12

Petroleum and petroleum products 1942-1943 

 18 13-15

Petroleum and petroleum products 1942-1943 

 19 1-11

Plastics 1943 

 19 12

Plumbing and heating equipment 1942-1943 

 19 13

Point rationing 1942-1943 

 19 14-16

Point rationing 1942-1943 

 20 1-5

Pottery 1942 

 20 6

Pressure cookers 1942 

 20 7

Price Posting Educational Campaign 1942 

 20 8

Pricing, mining communities 1943 

 20 9

Priorities system 1943 

 20 10

Prison industries 1942 

 20 11

Prisoners of war 1943 

 20 12

Public health 1943 

 20 13

Public health service 1943 

 20 14

Public Roads Administration 1942 

 20 15

Questions and Answers 1943 

 20 16-17

Rayon and silk 1941-1942 

 20 18-19

Reconstruction Finance Corporation 1943 

 20 20

Refrigerators 1942-1943 

 20 21

Rent control 1942-1943 

 20 22

Rent control 1942-1943 

 21 1-5

Rubber 1942-1943 

 21 6-13

Rubber 1942-1943 

 22 1-7

Sabotage 1943 

 22 8

Salvage 1941-1943 

 22 9-14

Salvage, automobile parts 1942-1943 

 23 1

Salvage, farm materials, National Scrap Harvest 1942 

 23 2

Salvage, fat 1942-1943 

 23 3

Salvage, Pennsylvania Salvage Bulletin 1942-1943 

 23 4

Second War Bond 1943 

 23 5

Selective Services 1943 

 23 6

Selective Service System 1942 

 23 7

Servicemen 1943 

 23 8

Shoes 1942-1943 

 23 9-10

Silverware 1943 

 23 11

Soap 1943 

 23 12

Smaller War Plants Corporation 1943 

 23 13

State Council of Defense 1943 

 23 14

Statistics, Office of Facts and Figures 1941-1942 

 23 15

Sugar 1942-1943 

 23 16

Telegraph and telephone 1942-1943 

 23 17

Textiles (general) 1942-1943 

 23 18

Textiles (general) 1942-1943 

 24 1-2

Tin 1941-1943 

 24 3-5

Tires 1942-1943 

 24 6

Tobacco 1942-1943 

 24 7

"Town and Farm in Wartime" 1943 

 24 8

Toys and games 1942-1943 

 24 9

Transportation 1943 

 24 10-11

Treasury Department 1942-1943 

 24 12

Utilities 1941-1943 

 24 13-14

United Nations News Division and Information Board 1942-1943 

 24 15

Vocational Training 1943 

 24 16

"The War and Business" 1942-1943 

 24 17

War costs 1943 

 24 18

War Department 1942-1943 

 24 19

War expenditures 1942-1943 

 25 1

War Manpower Commission 1942-1943 

 25 2-9

War Production Board 1942-1943 

 25 10-11

War Production Board 1942-1943 

 26 1-7

War Production Board 1942-1943 

 27 1-2

War Production Drive 1942-1943 

 27 3

War Relocation Authority 1943 

 27 4

War Shipping Administration 1942-1943 

 27 5-6

Wartime Food Bulletin 1942-1943 

 27 7

Wartime Food Situation Report 1943 

 27 8

"A Week of the War" 1943 

 27 9

Women in war 1943 

 27 10

Women's page editor 1943 

 28 1

Wool 1941-1943 

 28 2-4

Zinc 1941-1943 

 28 5

 Subseries b. Speeches 1941-1943 
Box Folder

Bane-Budd 1941-1943 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Frank Bane (National Defense Advisory Commission), John Baxter (Office of Production Management), Ralph Budd (Transportation Commission), George S. Brady (Office of Price Administration), William L. Batt (War Production Board), Otto S. Beyer (Office of Defense Transportation), John D. Biggers (Office of Production Management), W. H. P. Blandy (Bureau of Ordnance), A. E. Bowman (War Production Board), Robert R. R. Brooks (Office of Production Management), A. J. Browning (Office of Production Management), James F. Bogardus (Office of Price Administration).

 28 6

Cooke-Colton 1941 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Morris Llewellyn Cooke (Office of Production Management), Bruce Catton (Office of Production Management), Herbert S. Colton (Division of Defense Housing Coordination).

 28 7

Davis-Dean 1941-1943 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Elmer Davis (Office of War Information), Chester C. Davis (National Defense Advisory Commission), William H. Davis (National Defense Mediation Board), Joel Dean (Office of Price Administration).

 28 8

Eastman, Joseph B. (Office of Defense Transportation) 1942 

 28 9

Eliot, Martha M. (Department of Labor) 1941 

 29 1

Elliott, Harriet (National Defense Advisory Commission) 1941 

 29 2

Galbraith, J. K. (National Defense Advisory Commission) 1941 

 29 3

Gasser, L. D. (Office of Civilian Defense) 1942 

 29 4

Glancy, A. R. (Office of Production Management) 1941 

 29 5

Ginsburg, David (Office of Price Administration) 1942 

 29 6

Guthrie, R. R. (Office of Production Management) 1942 

 29 7

Hamm, John E. (Office of Price Administration) 1941 

 29 8

Harrison, W. H. (Office of Production Management) 1941 

 29 9

Henderson, Charles B. (Reconstruction Finance Corporation) 1941 

 29 10

Henderson, Leon (Office of Price Administration) 1941-1942 

 29 11

Hillman, Sidney (Office of Production Management) 1941 

 29 12

Hoffman, A. C. (Office of Price Administration) 1942 

 29 13

Horton, Robert W. (Office for Emergency Management) 1941 

 29 14

Hutson, J. B. (National Defense Advisory Commission) 1941 

 29 15

Jones-Knowlson 1942 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Jesse Jones (Secretary of Commerce), Ernest Kanzler (War Production Board), Donald D. Kennedy (Office of Price Administration), J. S. Knowlson (Director of Industry Operations).

 29 16

Knox-Knudson 1941 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Frank Knox (Secretary of the Navy), William S. Knudson (Office of Production Management).

 29 17

LaGuardia-Lubin 1941-1942 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Fiorello LaGuardia (Mayor of New York), James M. Landis (Office of Civilian Defense), M. Hugues Le Gallais (Minister from Luxembourg), E. A. Locke Jr. (War Production Board), Joseph A. Lubin (Chairman of Committee for the Review of Data Requests from Industry).

 29 18

Lund-Lynch 1941-1942 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Wendell Lund (War Production Board), George Q. Lynch (President of the Patternmakers League of North America).

 29 19

MacKeachie-Maxwell 1941-1942 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Douglas MacKeachie (Office of Production Management), John A. Martin (Office of Production Management), Maury Maverick (Division of Civilian Supply), Stacy May (Office of Production Management), Russell L. Maxwell (Administration of Export Control).

 30 1

McNutt, Paul V. (Office of Defense Health and Welfare Services) 1941-1943 

 30 2

Mehornay-Morgenthau 1941-1942 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Robert L. Mehornay (Office of Production Management), John J. McCloy (Assistant Secretary of War), Cyrus McCormick (Office of Price Administration), Thelma McKelvey (Office of Production Management), Frank J. McSherry (War Manpower Commission), Carl Henry Monsees (Division of Defense Housing Coordination), Mrs. Henry Morgenthau Jr.

 30 3

Nathan-Nicol 1941-1942 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Robert R. Nathan (Office of War Information), Samuel E. Neel (Office of Production Management), Peter R. Nehemkis Jr. (Office of Production Management), Eric Nicol (Office of Production Management).

 30 4

Nelson, Donald (War Production Board) 1941-1943 

 30 5

Odlum-OLeary 1941-1942 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Floyd B. Odlum (Office of Production Management), Paul M. O’Leary (Office of Price Administration).

 30 6

Palmer-Price 1941-1943 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Charles F. Palmer (Defense Housing Coordinator), Robert Patterson (Undersecretary of War), Warren Lee Pierson (President of the Export-Import Bank of Washington), Paul R. Porter (War Production Board), H. W. Prentis Jr. (War Production Board), Byron Price (Office of War Information).

 30 7

Reed-Sterling 1941-1943 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Philip D. Reed (Office of Production Management), Harold B. Rowe (Office of Price Administration), Samuel H. Sabin (National Defense Advisory Commission), Emil Schran (Reconstruction Finance Corporation), Jack Garrett Scott (Office of Defense Transportation), L. Edward Scriven (Reconstruction Finance Corporation), Henry C. Sherman (Office of the Coordinator of Health), Blackwell Smith (Office of Production Management), Donald J. Sterling (War Production Board).

 30 8

Stimson-Tuft 1941 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Henry L. Stimson (War Department), Peter A. Stone (Office of Price Administration), Charles P. Taft (Office of the Coordinator of Health), W. Clifford Townsend (Office of Production Management), Joseph P. Tuft (Office of Price Administration).

 30 9

Wallace-Wilson 1941-1943 

Scope and Contents note

Folder includes speeches by: Henry A. Wallace (Vice President of the U.S.A.), T. Semmes Walmsley (Office of Civilian Defense), T. Johnson Ward (War Production Board), Sidney J. Weinberg (Office of Production Management), Dan A. West (Office of Price Administration), Claude R. Wickard (Secretary of Agriculture), Russell M. Wilder (Office of the Coordinator of Health), G. Lloyd Wilson (Director of Transportation), M. L. Wilson (Director of Nutrition), Robert E. Wilson (Office of Production Management).

 30 10

Return to Table of Contents »

 Series II Committee to Defend America 1940-1942 
Box Folder

African-American concerns, newspaper clippings, correspondence and pamphlets 1940-1941 

 31 1

America First Committee 1940-1941 

 31 2-3

Anti-Defamation Council 1941 

 31 4

Audit books 1940-1941 

 31 7

Branch offices, correspondence, clippings, ephemera and reports 1940-1941 

 31 8

Branch offices, printed material undated 

 31 9

Branch offices, Baltimore (Md.) circa 1940-1941 

 31 10

Branch offices, Lancaster (Pa.), correspondence regarding publicity 1940-1941 

 31 11

Branch offices, Philadelphia (Pa.) 1940 

 31 12

Branch offices, Pennsylvania, correspondence 1940-1941 

 32 1

Cancelled checks 1940-1941 

 32 2-3

Chapter correspondence, addresses and pamphlets 1940-1941 

 32 4

College and youth groups 1940-1941 

 32 5

Committee for the Care of Young Children in Wartime circa 1943 

 32 6

Correspondence, A-C 1940-1941 

 32 7-11

Correspondence, D-G 1938-1941 

 33 1-3

Correspondence, H-M 1940-1941 

 33 4-6

Correspondence, N-R 1940-1941 

 33 7

Correspondence, S-Z 1940-1941 

 33 8-9

Correspondence 1940-1941 

 33 10

Correspondence 1940-1941 

 34 1-2

Correspondence regarding contributions and fundraising 1940-1942 

 34 3-5

Correspondence to special groups 1940-1941 

 34 6

Correspondence with US officials 1940-1941 

 34 7

Council of Defense 1941 

 34 8

Executive Committee address lists undated 

 34 9

Executive Committee correspondence 1941 

 34 10

Factories 1941 

 34 11

Fight for Freedom, correspondence between New York and Philadelphia offices 1940-1941 

 34 12-13

Fight for Freedom, correspondence regarding founding local chapters 1941 

 34 14

Fight for Freedom, ephemera 1940-1941 

 34 15

Fight for Freedom, National Headquarters printed material 1941 

 34 16

Fight for Freedom, Philadelphia office press releases 1940-1941 

 35 1

Fight for Freedom, print materials undated 

 35 2

Fight for Freedom and Committee to Defend America, petitions and letters 1940-1941 

 35 3

Fight for Freedom and Committee to Defend America, printed materials and pamphlets circa 1940-1941 

 35 4

Financial documents circa 1940-1941 

 35 5
Volume

Financial ledger 1940-1941 

 1
Box Folder

Financial statements 1940-1942 

 35 6

German-American organizations circa 1941 

 35 7

Italian-American organizations 1940-1941 

 35 8

Labor groups and unions 1940-1941 

 35 9-10
Box

Mailing list undated 

 37

Mailing list undated 

 38
Volume

Minute book 1940-1941 

 2
Box Folder

Newspaper letter-writing campaign 1941 

 35 11

Philadelphia headquarters circa 1940 

 35 12

Poster contest 1940-1941 

 36 1

Printed materials 1940-1944 

 36 2

Publicity 1940-1941 

 36 3

Publicity and policy statements 1941 

 36 4

Publicity and printed materials 1940-1941 

 36 5-6

Save Freedom Citizen's Committee, Save Freedom Rally 1941 

 36 7

Sending food to German occupied areas 1940-1941 

 36 8

Speaker's Bureau A-M 1940-1941 

 36 9

Speaker's Bureau N-Z 1940-1941 

 36 10
Box

Stop Hitler, receipt stub books 1940-1941 

 38

Return to Table of Contents »

 Series III United Service Organization (USO) of Philadelphia 1940-1948 

 Subseries a General administrative records 1941-1948 

 Sub-subseries 1 Council 1941-1947 
Box Folder

Annual report 1943 

 39 1

Board of Directors 1945 

 39 2-3

Budget reports 1945-1946 

 39 4-6

Budget requests 1946 

 40 1-2

Budgets (annual) 1944-1945 

 40 3-5

Budgets, completed sets, USO agencies 1944 

 41 1

Budgets, cost per attendant in clubs 1944 

 41 2

Budget disbursements 1944 

 41 3

Budgets, surplus copies 1944 

 41 4

Bylaws 1944 

 41 5

Campaign bills 1941 

 41 6-7

Campaign bills 1941 

 42 1-2
Volume

Cash disbursements 1942 

 3

Cash receipts 1942 

 4
Box Folder

Confirmed speaking engagements 1941 

 42 3

Consolidated financial statements, general office 1944 

 42 4

Contact activity reports 1946 

 42 5

Contributors, summaries 1941 

 42 6
Volume

Daily cash receipt record 1941 

 5
Box Folder

Director daily reports 1941 

 42 7

Directory of USO operations 1942 

 42 8

Directory of USO operations 1943 

 42 9

Disbursements 1945 

 43 1

Dormitory records 1944 

 43 2

Employee payroll records [Restricted] 1943-1944 

 43 3

Evaluation committee 1944-1946 

 43 4

Field service bulletins 1942-1944 

 43 5

Incorporation of council, legal records and correspondence 1944 

 43 6

Insurance, blanket liability 1944-1946 

 43 7-8

Insurance, fire 1943-1946 

 43 9

Insurance, various 1943-1944 

 43 10

Insurance, workman's compensation 1943-1947 

 43 11

Leases and contracts 1942-1947 

 44 1
Box

Minutes 1941-1947 

 44-46
Box Folder

National operating bulletins 1941-1947 

 46 5-6

National operating bulletins 1941-1947 

 47 1-4

Publicity kit 1943-1946 

 47 5

Publicity kit 1943-1946 

 48 1

Purchase of furniture from National USO 1945 

 48 2

Records borrowed from Salvation Army 1941-1946 

 48 3

South Broad Street Club, financial records 1943-1945 

 48 4

South Broad Street Club, insurance records 1945 

 48 5

South Broad Street Club, payroll ledgers [Restricted] 1943-1946 

 97 1

South Broad Street Club, social security tax abatement 1944 

 48 6

South Broad Street Club USO minutes 1942-1946 

 48 7

Speaker's bureau applications 1941 

 48 8

Staff meeting minutes 1942-1946 

 48 9

Staff meeting minutes 1942-1946 

 49 1-3

Treasurer's report 1941 

 49 4-7

War Chest budget committee, budgets and correspondence 1944-1945 

 49 8

 Sub-subseries 2 Committee records 1941-1948 
Box Folder

Budget Committee 1942-1946 

 50 1-5

Budget Committee, summary of tax withholdings 1941 

 51 1

Community Service Committee minutes 1943 

 51 2

Dayroom Committee minutes 1943 

 51 3

Hospitality Committee minutes 1944 

 51 4

Induction Center 1944-1945 

 51 5

Publicity Committee 1942-1948 

 51 6

Reading Lounge 1943-1945 

 51 7

Recreational Committee minutes 1942 

 51 8

Survey Committee, administrative records 1945 

 51 9

Survey Committee, data 1945 

 51 10
Volume

Women's Committee, Date Club, and Soldiers' Need Committee financial records 1942-1945 

 6
Box Folder

Women's Committee ledger 1943-1944 

 51 11

Women's Committee minutes 1942-1945 

 52 1

Women's Committee minutes and correspondence 1942-1946 

 52 2

Women's Committee treasurer's report 1943-1945 

 52 3

 Sub-subseries 3 Agency activity reports 1941-1948 
Box Folder

 1942-1947 

 52 4-17

 1943-1944 

 53 1-10

 1944-1945 

 54 1-12

 1945 

 55 1-9

 1945-1946 

 56 1-12

 1946-1948 

 57 1-3

Activities only 1945-1946 

 57 4-5

Actual and consolidated reports 1944 

 57 6-13

Attendance records, estimated 1947 

 57 14

Attendance records, in camp and in hospital 1947 

 57 15

Attendance, yearly 1941-1946 

 57 16

General Office, requisitions 1943 

 57 17

Monthly statistical reports 1947 

 57 18

Monthly statistical reports 1947 

 58 1

Navy Yard liaison 1944 

 58 2

Philadelphia USO attendance charts 1941-1947 

 97 13

Service clubs, financial statements 1943-1946 

 58 3-6

Service clubs, requisitions 1945-1946 

 59 1-5

Service clubs, requisitions 1945-1946 

 60 1-5

Service Women's Club, requisitions 1943 

 60 6

Service Women's Club, requisitions 1943 

 61 1

South Broad Street Club, statistical reports 1943-1946 

 61 2

USO Date Club, requisitions 1943 

 61 3

USO Labor Plaza, requisitions 1943 

 61 4

USO Women's Committee, requisitions 1943 

 61 5

 Sub-subseries 4 Correspondence 1941-1948 
Box Folder

Advertising 1941 

 61 6

Agency activity reports 1946-1947 

 61 7

Beginnings of Philadelphia USO 1942 

 61 8

Budget Committee 1942-1943 

 61 9

Budget matters 1944-1947 

 61 10-11

Collection of bottles 1941 

 61 12

Collection of cans 1941 

 62 1

Community Chest 1944-1946 

 62 2

Contributions 1942-1947 

 62 3-4

House organs 1941 

 62 5

Insurance 1941-1946 

 62 6-7

Leases and contracts 1943-1948 

 62 8

National Urban League survey 1946 

 62 9

Printing 1941 

 62 10

Publicity 1941 

 62 11

Publishing 1941 

 63 1

Radio addresses 1941 

 63 2

Safeguarding military information 1944 

 63 3

Segregation and South Broad Street building 1942-1943 

 63 4

Speakers 1941 

 63 5

United War Chest 1942-1943 

 63 6

USO Council 1943 

 63 7

USO donations 1941 

 63 8

USO Sabbath 1941 

 63 9

Veterans Administration 1946 

 63 10

War Production Board 1942-1943 

 63 11

Window displays 1941 

 63 12

 Sub-subseries 5 Subject file 1941-1948 
Box Folder

Beginnings of USO circa 1942 

 63 13

Benedict Club, ephemera 1945, undated 

 63 14

Block-to-Block campaign ephemera undated 

 63 15

Date Club correspondence 1942-1945 

 64 1

Date Club financial records 1944-1945 

 64 2

Date Club minutes 1943 

 64 3

Dramatics 1943-1944 

 64 4

Dramatics, list of theaters, USO Bremerton Theater Project and scripts undated 

 64 5

Fundraising circa 1941 

 64 6

Hospital Entertainment Canteen 1946-1947 

 64 7

Income tax instructions 1944-1945 

 64 8

Publicity, planning 1945 

 64 9

Publicity, printing cuts 

Scope and Contents note

These cuts (or plates) were used in the print-making process for newspapers. The Office of War Information sometimes sent newspaper companies articles in this form, complete with text and images and ready to be inserted directly into newspaper layouts.

 64 10

Publicity, restaurant menus circa 1941 

 64 11

Publicity, suggestions 1941-1943 

 65 1-4

Related agencies, ephemera and correspondence circa 1943-1945 

 65 5-7

Scrap Book Service 1942-1945 

 66 1
Volume

Service Women's Club, cash receipts and disbursements 1944-1946 

 7
Box Folder

Service Women's Club, Executive Committee minutes 1943-1945 

 66 2
Volume

Service Women's Club, financial ledger 1944-1945 

 8
Box Folder

South Broad Street Club, ephemera circa 1944 

 66 3

South Broad Street Club, income tax withholdings 1943-1946 

 66 4

South Broad Street Club, income tax receipts 1943-1946 

 66 5

Speeches 1941 

 66 6

United Service Club, 17th and Locust Streets undated 

 66 7

United War Chest campaign ephemera circa 1944-1946 

 66 8

War Fund campaign 1942 

 66 9

YMCA/YWCA circa 1943 

 66 10

YMCA 1945-1948 

 66 11

 Subseries b Publications 1941-1948 
Box Folder

Blank USO scrap book undated 

 66 12

Commendation certificates 1945 

 97 2

"Information Sheet" 1941-1945 

 66 13

"Information Sheet" 1941-1945 

 67 1-3

Musical scores 1941 

 67 4

Non-USO pamphlets on film and art undated 

 67 5

"On Leave" 1942-1947 

Scope and Contents note

"On Leave" (renamed "Time Off" in 1948) was a broadside published weekly by the USO of Philadelphia. It advertised events and activities for servicemen in the city. See also box 69, folder 12.

 67 6-11

"On Leave" 1942-1947 

 68 1-6

Posters undated 

 68 7-8

Posters undated 

 97 3

Press releases, New York office 1941, undated 

 68 9-10

Press releases, New York office 1941, undated 

 69 1

Press releases, Philadelphia office 1941-1944 

 69 2-5

Printed USO ephemera undated 

 69 6

"Prisoners of War Bulletin," Red Cross 1944-1945 

 69 7

"The Red Shield," Red Cross 1942-1945 

 69 8

Saint Stephen's Service Club ephemera undated 

 69 9

"Shifting Scenes," Traveler's Aid Association 1942-1944 

 69 10

Statement by Morris Wolf and letters to Philadelphia newspapers 1941 

 69 11

"Time Off" 1948 

Scope and Contents note

"On Leave" (renamed "Time Off" in 1948) was a broadside published weekly by the USO of Philadelphia. It advertised events and activities for servicemen in the city. See also box 67, folders 6-11 and box 68, folders 1-6.

 69 12

"The USO Bulletin" 1941-1944 

 70 1-3

"USO Reporter" 1943-1945 

 70 4

 Subseries c Labor Plaza 1943-1948 
Box Folder

Attendance records circa 1943 

 70 5

Blueprint 1943 

 70 6

Budget (tentative) 1947 

 70 7
Volume

Cash disbursements 1944-1946 

 9

Cash receipts 1944-1946 

 10
Box Folder

Contacts 1943-1946 

 70 8

Correspondence 1947-1948 

 70 9-10

Correspondence 1947 

 71 1-2

Correspondence, Canteen Committee 1943-1945 

 71 3

Correspondence, financial and legal 1943 

 71 4

Correspondence regarding closing utilities accounts 1947 

 71 5

Correspondence regarding Fred J. Scholer 1943-1944 

 71 6

Correspondence regarding removal contract 1947 

 71 7

Ephemera undated 

 71 8

Equipment and supplies, correspondence and financial reports 1943-1945 

 71 9

Executive Committee Minutes 1943-1946 

 71 10-13

Expenditure reports 1943 

 72 1

Expenses 1943-1944 

 72 2

Financial reports 1947 

 72 3

Food rationing circa 1944 

 72 4

Hostess Committee minutes 1943-1945 

 72 5-6

Indoor activities 1943-1946 

 72 7

Inventory closing out 1946 

 72 8

Junior Volunteer Council minutes 1945 

 72 9

Kurtz, William Fulton (Chairman) correspondence 1943-1946 

 72 10

Labor Plaza Committee minutes 1947-1948 

 72 11-16

Legal documents and meeting minutes regarding founding 1943 

 72 17

Minutes, reports and correspondence circa 1945 

 72 18

Mullin, Carolyn (Director of Volunteers) correspondence 1944-1945 

 73 1

Operating Committee minutes 1943 

 73 2

Organization set-up 1943 

 73 3

Outdoor activities 1943-1946 

 73 4

Payroll 1944-1945 

 73 5

Payroll stubs 1943 

 73 6

Petty cash reports 1943-1945 

 73 7

Policewomen's report and related materials 1943 

 73 8

Program Committee minutes 1943 

 73 9

Proposed permanent Labor Plaza 1946-1947 

 73 10

Publicity, newspaper clippings and radio scripts 1943-1944 

 73 11

Report on dissolution of Labor Plaza 1947 

 74 1

Sponsor fund, financial documents and records 1943-1944 

 74 2

Sponsors of "extras" at plaza (e.g. cigarettes) 1943 

 74 3

Unit Vending Corporation 1943-1944 

 74 4

USO consolidated financial statement 1946 

 74 5

Volunteer Committee minutes 1945 

 74 6

Worker's compensation reports 1945 

 74 7

 Subseries d Jewish Welfare Board (JWB) 1940-1948 
Box Folder

Annual meeting 1945 

 74 8

Budget reports 1944-1945 

 74 9

Canteen Committee 1945 

 74 10

Clubroom Committee 1944-1945 

 74 11

Correspondence, activities 1942-1943 

 74 12

Correspondence, Allied Jewish Appeal 1941-1947 

 74 13

Correspondence, awards 1944-1946 

 75 1

Correspondence, budget 1943-1948 

 75 2-3

Correspondence, Defense Council 1941 

 75 4

Correspondence, Hospital and Camp Volunteer Corps 1947 

 75 5

Correspondence, property 1944-1948 

 75 6

Correspondence, Rooftop Canteen/Rooftop Garden 1943-1944 

 75 7-8

Financial and statistical reports 1945-1947 

 75 9

Financial audits, Army and Navy Service Committee 1941-1946 

 76 1-3

Financial ledger circa 1943-1946 

 76 4

Food rationing 1942-1943 

 76 5

Hosts meeting minutes 1945 

 76 6

"Jewish Themes for Discussion" 1944 

 76 7

"JWB News" 1944-1946 

 76 8

Minutes of Committees Working for the Clubroom and Canteen 1941-1946 

 76 9

Monthly financial reports 1945-1948 

 77 1

Monthly statistical reports 1945-1947 

 77 2

Lists of cooperating Jewish organizations undated 

 77 3

Newspaper clippings, publications circa 1947 

 77 4

Program Aid 1940-1944 

 77 5-12

Program Aid 1940-1944 

 78 1-3

"Program Service" 1942-1943 

 78 4

Rooftop Canteen/Rooftop Garden, development 1944 

 78 5

"Sentinel" 1942-1945 

 78 6-7

Steering Committee minutes 1943-1948 

 78 8-9

Veterans Service information 1944-1945 

 78 10

"Volunteers in the USO Program" 1942 

 78 11

Working Committee minutes 1944-1946 

 78 12

 Subseries e Stage Door Canteen 1942-1948 
Box Folder

Activity reports 1945-1947 

 78 13

Activity reports 1945-1947 

 79 1

"Biography of a Canteen" undated 

 79 2

Board of Directors, minutes, correspondence, and reports 1943-1944 

 79 3

Budget reports 1944-1945 

 79 4

Building construction and maintenance 1942-1944 

 79 5

Canteen Committee book undated 

 79 6
Volume

Cash receipts and disbursements 1944 

 11

Cash receipts and disbursements 1944 

 12

Cash receipts and disbursements, United War Chest account 1944 

 13

Cash receipts and disbursements, YMHA & YWHA account 1942-1943 

 14
Box Folder

Certificates 1945 and undated 

 97 4

Committee lists 1944 

 79 7

Committee lists undated 

 79 8

Correspondence 1942-1945 

 79 9-11

Correspondence 1942-1945 

 80 1

Correspondence, American Theatre Wing 1944 

 80 2

Correspondence, Bainbridge Naval Hospital 1946-1947 

 80 3

Correspondence, England General Hospital 1945-1946 

 80 4

Correspondence, financial documents 1944-1945 

 80 5

Correspondence, mobile unit 1943-1944 

 80 6

Correspondence, New Castle Hospital and Byberry and Rush Hospital 1946-1947 

 80 7

Correspondence, statistics 1943-1944 

 80 8

Correspondence, US Naval Hospital 1945-1946 

 80 9

Correspondence, Valley Forge General Hospital 1946-1947 

 80 10

Donations Committee Correspondence 1944 

 80 11-12

Entertainment Committee 1943-1944 

 80 13

Entertainment Committee 1943-1944 

 81 1-2

Entertainment schedules 1944 

 81 3

Ephemera undated 

 97 5

Favorite, Harriet (President of Stage Door Canteen), personal and business correspondence 1945 

 81 4

Financial reports and correspondence with USD of Philadelphia 1944 

 81 5

Food and refreshments 1943-1944 

 81 6

Forms and passes circa 1943 

 81 7

Furnishings and household supplies 1944 

 81 8

Gas rationing 1943-1944 

 81 9
Volume

Guest book 1942-1943 

 15

Guest book 1942-1944 

 16

Guest book 1942-1945 

 17

Guest book 1943-1945 

 18

Guest book 1944 

 19

Guest book 1944-1945 

 20

Guest book 1944-1945 

 21

Hospital Entertainment Canteen, autograph book 1945-1946 

 22

Hospital Entertainment Canteen, event log 1945-1946 

 23
Box Folder

Hospital Entertainment Canteen, stamp and ribbon banner undated 

 81 10

Hospital Entertainment Canteen, petty cash reports 1946-1947 

 81 11

Hospital Entertainment Canteen, activity report 1947 

 82 1

Hospital Entertainment Canteen, monthly budget reports 1946 

 82 2
Volume

Information directory undated 

 24
Box Folder

Insurance documents 1943-1946 

 82 3

Legal documents 1945-1948 

Scope and Contents note

These materials were donated to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania by F. Coleman Starr on January 13, 1949.

 82 4

Legal documents and mailing list 1942-1945 

 82 5

Letters of thanks from servicemen 1942-1945 

 82 6

List of accounts 1945-1946 

 82 7-8

Matinee hostesses register circa 1945 

 82 9

Membership lists, Board of Directors, Hospital Entertainment Canteen, Women's Committee 1944 and undated 

 82 10

Memos, reports and minutes from USO of Philadelphia Council 1944 

 82 11

Men's Personnel Committee 1942-1943 

 82 12

Minute book 1942-1947 

 82 13

Minute book 1942-1947 

 83 1

Mobile Hospital Entertainment Committee 1943-1944 

 83 2

Monthly budget reports 1943-1944 

 83 3

Monthly statistics 1943-1945 

 83 4-5

Monthly statistics, treasury reports and correspondence 1944-1945 

 83 6

Organization regulations undated 

 83 7

Party budgets 1945 

 83 8
Volume

Payments 1945 

 25
Box Folder

Personnel instructions circa 1945 

 83 9

Petitions against closing Stage Door Canteen 1945 

 83 10

Petty cash ledger 1943-1946 

 83 11

Petty cash reports 1943-1944 

 84 1

Poster, servicemen signatures undated 

 97 14

President and Women's Committee 1943 

 84 2

Priority assistance forms 1944 

 84 3

Publicity Committee correspondence 1943-1944 

 84 4
Volume

Purchases 1945 

 26
Box Folder

Signs likely displayed inside Stage Door Canteen undated 

 97 6

Sketch artist applications undated 

 84 5

Sketches of servicemen 1945 and undated 

 97 7

Sales book 1943-1945 

 84 6

Statistical reports 1943-1944 

 84 7-8

Thank-you letters 1946-1947 

 84 9

Treasury reports 1943-1945 

 84 10-11

Ward, Charles F. (Executive Director) correspondence 1942-1944 

 84 12-13
Volume

Watercolor sketchbook of Stage Door Canteen designs, by Emlen Etting 1941 

 27
Box Folder

Women's Committee minutes 1942-1945 

 85 1-3

Women's Committee of Hospital Entertainment Committee undated 

 85 4

Women's Personnel Committee 1943 

 85 5

Return to Table of Contents »

 Series IV Volunteer, community, and government organizations 1920-1947 
Box Folder

Air Raid Warden materials circa 1942 

 85 6-8

America First Committee circa 1940-1941 

 85 9

American Friends Service Committee 1920-1947 

 85 10

American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee 1940-1945 

 85 11

American Legion undated 

 85 12

American Palestine Commission 1944 

 85 13

American Red Cross circa 1945 

 86 1

American-Scandinavian Foundation 1941 

 86 2

American-Serbian Cultural Association, "The New Leader" 1945 

 86 3

Browder, Earl 1941-1942 

 86 4

China Aid Council 1939 

 86 5

Civil Service Commission, in-service training program 1942-1943 

 86 6

Common Council for American Unity, leaflets circa 1945 

 86 7

Election materials 1940 

 86 8

Election materials circa 1944 

 97 8

Ephemera circa 1940-1947 

 86 9

Ephemera and radio program scripts 1943-1946 

 86 10

Fellowship House 1945-1947 

 86 11

Fellowship of Reconciliation, Philadelphia branch 1943-1946 

 86 12

Fighting France publications, "Victory in the Fezzan" 1943 

 86 13

Financing the war, 2nd War Loan Drive 1943 

 86 14

Financing the war, 3rd and 4th War Loan Drives circa 1943 

 86 15

Financing the war, 5th, 6th, and 7th War Loan Drives 1944-1945 

 86 16

Financing the war, International Stabilization Fund and miscellaneous savings bonds circa 1943-1945 

 86 17

Financing the war, Victory Food Committee 1942 

 87 1

Financing the war, Victory Loan Drive circa 1945 

 87 2

Foreign Policy Association undated 

 87 3

Friends of the Spanish Republic 1945 

 87 4

Industry and the War 1945 

 87 5

Institute of Life Insurance 1945 

 87 6

Jewish concerns, ephemera and correspondence 1938-1945 

 87 7

Labor's Non-Partisan Committee of Pennsylvania for Dewey and Bricker 1944 

 87 8

Leeds and Northrup Company circa 1944 

 87 9

Lutheran Service Center circa 1940 

 87 10

Marine Corps and Maritime Service 1943-1944 

 87 11

Mothers of America 1940-1941 

 87 12

National and Philadelphia Councils on American-Soviet Friendship 1943-1944 

 87 13

National Citizens Political Action Committee 1941-1944 

 87 14

National Conference of Christians and Jews 1941 

 87 15

National Council for Prevention of War 1943 

 87 16

National Convalescent Service 1945 

 87 17

National Republic circa 1940 

 87 18

Navy League circa 1942 

 87 19

Navy newsletters 1945 

 87 20

"News maps," Army Information Branch 1944-1946 

 87 21-23

"News maps," Army Information Branch 1944-1946 

 88 1-4

Office of Civilian Defense, operations letters 1942-1943 

 88 5

Office of Defense Transportation posters undated 

 88 6

Office of Price Administration, ration forms and tokens undated 

 88 7

Office of War Information, "Share the Burden Club" 1942 

 88 8

Paper conservation 1943-1945 

 88 9

Patriotic Order Sons of America circa 1944 

 88 10

Personnel Officers Training School, "Pot(s) Shots" 1942 

 88 11

Philadelphia Council for Conscientious Objectors 1944-1945 

 88 12

Posters undated 

 97 9

Russian War Relief circa 1944 

 88 13

Salvage and Conservation Committee, reports 1942 

 88 14

School District of Philadelphia, Board of Education circa 1942 

 88 15

School Front Curriculum Aids for Victory circa 1943 

 89 1

School Wars Service Committee undated 

 89 2

Segar Recreation Center, print materials circa 1944 

 89 3

Servicemen's Christian League undated 

 89 4

Society of Friends 1943-1946 

 89 5

State Council of Defense, Harrisburg (Pa.) 1942-1943 

 89 6

Technical Advisory Service, region 3 undated 

 89 7

"Uncle Sam's Problems" by Brown Lee Frix undated 

 89 8

United China Relief 1942 

 89 9

United National Clothing Collection circa 1945 

 89 10

United Nations Council of Philadelphia 1943-1946 

 89 11-12

United Seamen's Service Inc., "Hotel Tracy" circa 1945 

 89 13-14

United States Coast Guard circa 1944 

 90 1

War Commission of the Diocese of Pennsylvania 1944 

 90 2

War Department circa 1941-1946 

 90 3

War Price and Rationing Board undated 

 90 4

War ration wallet circa 1946 

 90 5

Women's Army Auxiliary Corps undated 

 90 6

Writers' War Board circa 1945 

 90 7

Yellow Cab Company, "Postscript" by Norman Jay 1944 

 90 8

YMCA, War Prisoners' Aid circa 1943 

 90 9

Youth of America undated 

 90 10

Return to Table of Contents »

 Series V Photographs and newspaper clippings 1941-1948 

Scope and Contents note

Most newspaper clippings can be found in the third subseries, "Clippings," or the fifth subseries, "Scrapbooks," although some additional clippings are disbursed throughout.

 Subseries a War worker rallies 1943-1945 
Box Folder

American Car and Foundry undated 

 91 1

Aluminum Company of America, Cressona Works 1944 April 15-16 and 1944 June 20 

 91 2

American Chair and Cable Company undated 

 91 3

Arcrods Corporation (Sparrows Point, Md.) 1944 February 16 

 91 4

Art Loom Corporation 1944 September 14 

 91 5

Art Metal Works (East Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1944 February 23 

 91 6

Atlantic Steel Castings Company (Chester, Pa.) 1944 June 22 

 91 7

Atlas Metal Stampings Company, Inc. (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1945 March 21 

 91 8

Bethlehem Steel Company (Williamsport, Pa.) 1944 February 10 and 1944 April 10 

 91 9-11

Bethlehem Steel Company (Williamsport, Pa.) undated 

 91 12

Bethlehem Steel Company (Bethlehem, Pa.) 1944 September 21 

 91 13-14

Bethlehem Steel Company (Baltimore Yard) / Bethlehem-Fairfield Shipyard undated 

 91 15

Bethlehem-Sparrows Point Shipyard, Inc. (Sparrows Point, Md.) 1945 January 9 

 91 16-19

Birdsboro Rally 1944 January 11 

 91 20

Congoleum-Nairn (Marcus Hook, Pa.) undated 

 91 21

Cramp's Shipyard (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1944 April 11 

 91 22

Croasdale and DeAngelis Inc. (Oakmont, Pa.) 1945 February 12 

 91 23

Dravo Corporation (Wilmington, Del.) 1945 March 9 

 91 24

Earle Gear and Machine Company (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1944 February 14 

 91 25

Exhibition, 20 mm Anti-Aircraft 1943 December 13-28 

 91 26

Exhibition, 40 mm Mobile Gun 1944 November 1-17 

 91 27

Exhibition, Bombing pictures 1944 January 31 

 91 28

Exhibition, Captured Enemy Equipment undated 

 91 29

Exhibition, Rockets undated 

 91 30

Frankford Arsenal 1944 November 9 

 91 31

Heintz Manufacturing Company 1943 November 11 

 91 32-33

Hendrick Manufacturing Company (Carbondale, Pa.) undated 

 91 34

J. T. E. Circuit Breaker Company undated 

 91 35

Joyce Machine Company undated 

 91 36

Koppers Company, American Hammered Piston Ring Division (Baltimore, Md.) 1945 January 19 

 91 37

Lebanon Steel Foundry (Lebanon, Pa.) 1944 August 1 

 91 38

Lehigh Structural Steel Company (Allentown, Pa.) 1944 May 9 

 91 39

McKay Company (York, Pa.) undated 

 91 40

Martin, Glen L., Company (Baltimore, Md.) undated 

 91 41-47

National Plastics Products Company (Odenton, Md.) 1945 January 19 

 92 1

National Plastics Products Corporation undated 

 92 2-5

Naval Operations Base (Norfolk, Va.) 1945 July 19 

 92 6

Naval Supply Depot (Mechanicsburg, Pa.) 1945 May 30 

 92 7

Norfolk Navy Yard (Norfolk, Va.) 1943 November 9 

 92 8

Philadelphia Gear Works (Philadelphia, Pa.) undated 

 92 9

Philco Corporation (Trenton, N.J.) 1944 January 12 

 92 10

Pottsville Mills undated 

 92 11

Proctor Electric Company 1944 October 27 

 92 12

Radio Condenser Company (Camden, N.J.) 1943 April 5 

 92 13

Rheem Manufacturing Company (Sparrows Point, Md.) undated 

 92 14

Rheem Manufacturing Company (Danville, Pa.) 1944 February 10 

 92 15

Richmond Foundry and Manufacturing Company, Inc. (Richmond, Va.) 1945 May 15 

 92 16

John A. Roebling and Sons Company (Trenton, N.J.) 1944 June 21 

 92 17

Sun Oil Company (Marcus Hook, Pa.) 1944 May 24 

 92 18

Sun Shipyard (Chester, Pa.) 1943 November 4 

 92 19

Thornton Fuller Company, Philadelphia Mobile Shop Depot (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1945 February 9 

 92 20

Triumph Explosives, Inc. (Elkton, Md.) 1944 November 1-2 

 92 21

United States Foil Company (Hopewell, Va.) 1945 May 15 

 92 22

Vulcan Iron Works (Wilkes-Barre, Pa.) 1944 April 5 

 92 23

Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company (Essington, Pa./Sunbury, Pa.) 1944 September 15 

 92 24

Whitaker Cable Corporation 1944 September 12 

 92 25

Wyeth Inc. (Marietta, Pa.) undated 

 92 26

Unidentified rally (Wilmington, Del.) undated 

 92 27

Unidentified rallies undated 

 92 28-32

 Subseries b United Service Organization (USO) of Philadelphia/Stage Door Canteen circa 1942-1948 
Box Folder

Miscellaneous recreation undated 

 92 33

Stage Door Canteen undated 

 92 34-40

Stage Door Canteen undated 

 93 1-3

Stage Door Canteen undated 

 97 10-11

Stage Door Canteen, Board of Directors 1945 

 93 4

Stage Door Canteen, Emlen Etting designs 1942 and undated 

 93 5

Stage Door Canteen, guests undated 

 93 6

Stage Door Canteen, entertainers undated 

 93 7-17

Stage Door Canteen, entertainers undated 

 97 12

Stage Door Canteen, entertainers, dancers undated 

 93 18

Stage Door Canteen, entertainers, movie actors undated 

 93 19-23

Stage Door Canteen, entertainers, musicians undated 

 93 24-30

Stage Door Canteen, entertainers, theater undated 

 93 31

Stage Door Canteen, space before and during renovation undated 

 93 32

Stage Door Canteen, special attractions undated 

 93 33

USO, 4th and 5th anniversaries 1945-1946 

 93 34

USO press shots undated 

 93 35-38

USO press shots undated 

 94 1-2

 Subseries c Clippings 1941-1945 
Box Folder

Airports, Florida to Brazil 1942-1943 

 94 3

Allentown, Pa. plants 1945 January 3-4 

 94 4

Auto Car Company (Ardmore, Pa.) 1943 November 11-22 

 94 5

Baltimore, Md. plants 1945 January 8-13 

 94 6

Bethlehem Steel 1945 August 30 

 94 7

Big Savage Refractories Company (Frostburg, Md.) 1945 March 7-9 

 94 8

Central Iron and Steel Company (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1944 April 26 

 94 9

Charlottesville, Va. Plants 1943 December 17 

 94 10

Clippings 1941 

 94 11-16

Clippings, local campaign 1941 

 94 17-18

C. R. Daniels Inc. (Daniels, Md.) 1945 January 8 

 94 19

Duplicate newspaper clippings undated 

 94 20

Frederick Iron and Steel Company (Frederick, Md.) 1945 April 26 

 94 21

Millersburg, Pa. plants 1944 May 

 94 22

Miscellaneous clippings undated 

 94 23

Moulded Insulation Company (Philadelphia, Pa.) 1944 October 

 94 24

Norristown, Pa. plants 1944 February 29 

 94 25

Pipe and Tube Products, Inc. (Reading, Pa.) 1945 July 23 

 94 26

Pottsville, Pa. plants 1944 February 9 

 94 27

Roanoke, Va. plants 1944 June 14 

 94 28

Salem, Va. plants 1944 June 6 

 94 29

Sunbury, Pa. plants 1945 February 15 

 94 30

Williamsport, Pa. plants 1944 February 10 

 94 31

 Subseries d Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) 1944-1945 
Box Folder

Burgess, Gladys 1945 November 18 

 94 32

Identified portraits circa 1944 

 94 33

Miscellaneous circa 1945 

 94 34

 Subseries e Scrapbooks 1940-1947 
Volume

Committee to Defend America scrapbook 1940-1941 

 28

Service Women's Club scrapbook 1942-1945 

 29

Stage Door Canteen scrapbook 1942 

 30

Stage Door Canteen scrapbook 1942 

 31

Stage Door Canteen scrapbook 1942-1943 

 32

Stage Door Canteen scrapbook 1942-1943 

 33

Stage Door Canteen scrapbook 1942-1943 

 34

Stage Door Canteen scrapbook 1942-1945 

 35

Stage Door Canteen scrapbook 1946-1947 

 36

United Service Organization (USO) scrapbook 1941 

 37

United Service Organization (USO) scrapbook 1942-1943 

 38

Return to Table of Contents »

 Series VI Mrs. Weber's letters 1943-1945 

Scope and Contents note

Mrs. Louisa M. Weber, a member of St. Mark's Church in Philadelphia, corresponded with over 76 servicemen during World War II. This series comprises letters from servicemen to Mrs. Weber, arranged alphabetically by sender.
Box Folder

Adler-Assenheimer 1943-1945 

 95 1

Baehr-Barth 1943-1945 

 95 2

Barth-Curry 1943-1945 

 95 3

Deissler-Caltenstein 1943-1945 

 95 4

Kappler-Nothe 1943-1945 

 96 1

Sorger-Wildberger 1943-1945 

 96 2

Newspaper article on Mrs. Weber 1944 

 96 3

Return to Table of Contents »

 Series VII Historical Society of Pennsylvania, War History Committee 1942-1981 
Box Folder

Correspondence regarding acquisition of World War II materials 1942-1946 

 96 4-6

Correspondence regarding processing of United Service Organization (USO) series and photographs circa 1981 

Scope and Contents note

Photographs, circa 1973, are of Morton Shaffro (former president of the Philadelphia USO), Bob Hope (entertainer), Frank L. Rizzo (former mayor Philadelphia) and an unidentified opera singer.

 96 7

Return to Table of Contents »