Figure 1.--The Boy Scouts during World War II promoted merit badges and activities like First Aid that seem to have the greatest relevance to the War effort.
|
Figure 1.--The Boy Scouts during World War II promoted merit badges and activities like First Aid that seem to have the greatest relevance to the War effort. |
All the important youth groups sponsored activities to promote the war effort. The Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts were the two most impoprtant organizations. But a variety of other organizations were also active. Groups like the Boy and Girl Scouts reached a much wider range of the country in the 1940s than was true in other countries with smaller middle classes. The Boy Scouts were very active during the War. Scouts begin campaign selling Defense Bonds and Stamps in 1941. They sponsored a variety of scrap drives beginning in 1942. The most important were for newspapers, scrap metal including tin cams, and old tires. The Girl Scouts was and continues to be a separate organization from the Boy Scouts in America. Girl Scouts collected silk stockings. Silk was needed for parachuttes and before the War, Japan had been a major supplier of silk to America. Camp Fire in the 1940s was exclusively for girls and known as the Camp Fire Girls. They sponsored programs in flag etiquette, first aid, and nutrition. The Minute Maids were active on college campuses during the War. They sold war stamps and bonds among other activities. There were also a varirty of other organizations, including local groups, which involved children in the War effort. The Junioir Commando program moddeled after the Army was adopted by some youth groups.
Virtually all American youth groups developed special programs to assist in the War effort.
The Boy Scouts were very active during the War. Scouts begin campaign selling Defense Bonds and Stamps in 1941. They sponsored a variety of scrap drives beginning in 1942. The most important were for newspapers, scrap metal including tin cams, and old tires. There were also cooking fat collections that I believe the Scouts were involved in. Scouts also distributed posters and war information, and participated in various Civilian Defense programs. They also collected books, musical instruments, and razors to send to the the troops overseas. Scouts also collected clothing for Europeans once countries were liberated. Many civilians were destitute because of the exploitive German occupation polocies and the damage resulting from the Allied bombing and fighting once landings took plave in Italy and France. The Boy Scouts promoted merit badges and acrivities that seemedcto have greater applicability to the war effort, like First Aid. One popular activity was to build model airplanes for aircraft recognition. These early model airplane kits were made from balsa wood. It was several years after the War ended before the first model airplane kits were available. After the War the SDcouts organized drived to help Scouts in the occupied countries reestablish their programs.
The Boys Clubs was one of the organiazations that participated in the Army's The U.S. Army develooped a Junioir Commando program that was adopted by some youth groups. The activities included phyical training and war games, sometimes with helmets and wooden rifles. Other activities included paper and scrap metal drrives.
The Girl Scouts was and continues to be a separate organization from the Boy Scouts in America. Girl Scouts collected silk stockings. Silk was needed for parachuttes and before the War, Japan had been a major supplier of silk to America. They also cut America off from Chinese production. Girl Scouts also sewed & knitted sweaters, socks and blankets, made scrapbooks of magazine stories for soldiers, and babysat so women could work in war industries. The mobilization of women workers for war industries was a major factor in the American production miracle. Older girl Scouts helped in hospitals as candy stripers.
Camp Fire in the 1940s was exclusively for girls and known as the Camp Fire Girls. They sponsored programs in flag etiquette, first aid, and nutrition.
I don't know much about the Minute Maids. Presumably the name was based on the Revolutionary War Minute Men. I note that they were active on college campuses during the War. They sold war stamps and bonds among other activities.
Neighborhood associations, community centers and churches also organized events for children to help "win the war at home." One important activity for children and adults alike was helping out with agricultural work. Participants would be picked up by a truck, given a bag, and then sent into the fields to pick cotton and strawberries or whatever crop needed harvesting. As a result of the War there was a critical wartime shortage of labor to maintain farm production.
Other volunteer associations involved with War-time activities for children and youths may have included: the Junior Red Cross, working at the canteens, and making model planes which could be used to train aircraft "spotters" along the coast recognize different aircraft types.
The Junior Comando program modeled after the army was adopted by some youth groups. I believe that it was a program rather than a organization, but in fact have relatibely little information. There were ranks just like the Army. We notice some uniformsm, especially caps, but are unsure if this was a standard uniform. The program included some phyical training and war games, sometimes with helmets and wooden rifles. I don't know of any actual weapons training. Other activities included paper and scrap metal drrives.
Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Web Site:
[Return to Main American World War II childrens page]
[Return to Main American 1940s page]
[Introduction]
[Activities]
[Biographies]
[Chronology]
[Clothing styles]
[Countries]
[Bibliographies]
[Contributions]
[FAQs]
[Glossaries]
[Satellite sites]
[Tools]
[Boys' Clothing Home]