Snapshots of World War II

Front page of Aug. 20, 1942, Reading Eagle (Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum collection, photo by Claire DeVinney)

Editor's note: Today's guest blogger is Claire DeVinney, a junior at Millersville University majoring in Atlantic World Studies and minoring in Spanish. Claire was one of this summer's PHMC Keystone Interns and worked at Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum assisting curator Jennifer Royer with collections care and interpretation. One of her assignments was to create two exhibits for the museum's Collections Gallery display windows. As part of her research, Claire ran across an old newspaper that featured news of World War II, including significant events that occurred 80 years ago today. Given the timeliness of the info, I decided to feature that part of Claire's post today. Next week's post will focus on Claire's description of the two exhibits she prepared.

While looking through the Dr. Ezra Newcomer veterinary collection, I found a copy of the Reading Eagle from August 20th, 1942 (pictured above), which is eighty years ago this week. Most of the stories are focused on World War II, specifically on an attack on the German-held French town of Dieppe, which occurred on August 19th. The lead article, titled "Allies Map Europe Invasion Based on Commando Tactics," explains what Allied forces learned from the Dieppe invasion: "...it proved that a second front can be opened in the west." The Allies did utilize lessons from the Dieppe raid to open a front in France two years later with the D-Day invasion on June 6th, 1944. [Read more about the raid on Dieppe from the National WWII Museum website.]

While the front page details memorable historical events, the Reading Eagle also shows ways that local civilians contributed to the domestic war effort. One article, "Blood Donations Continue Here," reports that the Red Cross mobile blood-donor unit planned to increase monthly visits to Reading after the military announced a need for 3,000,000 pints of blood. Reading residents evidently rose to the occasion -- after the announcement, 50% of donors committed to more donation appointments. Another article explains how women could apply to join the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, or "WAVES," the navy's female division. As a visual illustration, the Eagle includes a photo of a WAVE volunteer applicant having a dental exam (see below). A third article cheerfully points out the bright side of gasoline rationing: "Tire and gasoline rationing has cut Pennsylvania's highway fatality toll...Speeding has fallen off 'noticeably,' [state motor police commissioner Col. Lynn G.] Adams said, expressing a belief it was due to a 'desire to conserve rubber and gasoline.'"

Source: Reading Eagle, August 20, 1942 (Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum collection)

On a related note, the Pennsylvania Military Museum has several World War II-themed events coming up in the next few months: Kids Day: Fun on the Homefront (Aug. 27); Battle of the Huertgen Forest (lecture, Oct. 8); Holiday on the Homefront (Nov. 19 & 20); and Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day Tribute (Dec. 7). - AKF

Up Next*

*Please note that calendar info is subject to change; we try to keep this up to date, but it's always best to check.

Today, August 19

• Learn at Lunchtime (virtual); 12:15-12:45 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Chris Kemmerer from the PA Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources will present a virtual program about PA's state parks. The program is free; please register to receive the link (Learn at Lunchtime info and registration).

Saturday, August 20

• Games Day (in-person); 9 am-4:30 pm; Bushy Run Battlefield
• A variety of historical miniature war games will be offered for experienced gamers, beginners, and folks in between. Admission is $5 and includes museum admission and a battlefield tour. Food and drink will be available for purchase (Games Day info).

• Family Fun Day (in-person); 10 am-4 pm; Brandywine Battlefield Park
• The day includes house tours, carpentry and blacksmithing demos, colonial cooking and dancing, food trucks, and more. Free admission. (Family Day info).

• Model Railroading Days (in-person); 10 am-4 pm Saturday & noon-4 pm Sunday; Railroad Museum of PA
• Watch the world of operating model trains in action and see static displays from a variety of participating groups and clubs. Don't miss the PA Middle Division HO-scale layout or the PA Landscapes layout. Included in regular admission (Model Railroading Days info).

• StoryTime (in-person); 10:30-11:30 am; The State Museum of PA
• Today's book is Tea Rex by Molly Idle. Feel free to wear your best tea party hat or helmet. For kids age 2 to pre-K and included in regular admission. Sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (SMOP StoryTime info).

• Lecture (in-person); 1-2 pm; PA Lumber Museum
• Lenora Henson, deputy director and curator at the Theodore Roosevelt Inauguration Site, will present "The Green Team: Theodore Roosevelt & Gifford Pinchot," exploring the personal and professional relationships that shaped their conservation efforts and their legacies (Green Team info).

Sunday, August 21

• Open Hearth Cooking Demo (in-person); 1-4 pm; Pennsbury Manor
• The cooks will be preparing their favorite recipes that use the bounty of the summer harvest. Included in regular admission (Cooking Demo info).

Tuesday, August 23

• Garden Workshop Series (in-person); 10-11 am; Pennsbury Manor
• Join Pennsbury's gardener to learn about 17th-century and modern gardening skills - today's topic is Seed Saving. The workshop is open to visitors age 12 and older; cost is $20 per session. Registration is required; call 215/946-0400 to reserve your spot (Aug. 23 Garden workshop info).

• Sensory Hours (in-person); 3-5 pm; Railroad Museum of PA
• Light, noise, and crowd levels will be reduced, and there will be some quiet spaces if you need a break from the activity. A few of the historic trains will be open, with staff on hand to answer questions. Advance tickets required (Aug. 23 Sensory Hours tickets).

Wednesday, August 24

• Family Gallery Tour: Mammal Hall (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Using hands-on objects, museum educators will help visitors explore the Mammal Hall dioramas together. Included in regular admission (Mammal Hall Gallery Tour info).

Thursday, August 25

• Storytime in the Garden (in-person); 10-11 am; Pennsbury Manor
• Enjoy a story with the gardener, then explore the grounds. Suggested for ages 4 to 8, but all are welcome. Cost is $3, which is a grounds pass; additional fee to tour the Manor House (Pennsbury Storytime info).

• Curiosity Kids (in-person); 11:30 am-12:30 pm; The State Museum of PA
• Learn about ice cream and PA's story of the banana split. Create and taste some hand-cranked ice cream. For kids in grades K-2 and included in regular admission. Space is limited; please sign up at the Ground Floor Info Desk when you arrive (Curiosity Kids info).

• Parade of Sails (in-person); 4-6 pm; Erie Maritime Museum & U.S. Brig Niagara
• This free event kicks off the Tall Ships Erie 2022 weekend (best spots to watch according to Erie News). Ticketed events run Aug. 26-28 and include a variety of activities and ticket options (Tall Ships Erie info and tickets).

Advance Tickets or Registrations

• 12th Annual Crush & Brew (in-person); Sat., Sept. 10, 5-9 pm; Old Economy Village
• Wine & beer from local breweries, home brews, and more, as well as food trucks and live music. Event is presented in cooperation with the Ambridge Historic District. Tickets are $30, which includes tasting glass, a food voucher, and admission to the off-site afterparty (Crush & Brew info and tickets).

• Sensory Friendly Visit; Wed., Sept. 14, 10 am-3 pm, and Sun., Sept. 18, 10 am-noon; PA Military Museum
• Background effects in the gallery will be turned off and the orientation film's volume will be reduced (captions always enabled). Standard admission rates apply. Please sign up for a timeslot in advance; you can pay when you arrive (visit PMM website and select your date and time).

• Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day; Sat., Sept. 17, hours vary; several Trails of History sites participating
• Download a ticket good for two admissions to a participating site - you can only choose one museum for Museum Day free tickets
• Ephrata Cloister
• PA Lumber Museum
• Railroad Museum of PA

• Colonial Tavern Night (in-person); Sat., Sept. 17, 6-9 pm; Hope Lodge
• An evening of local brews from Round Guys Brewery, food, music, and history to support the site and its programs. General admission is $60 per person; must be 21 or older to attend. Advance tickets are required (Eventbrite site for Tavern Night tickets).

• Harvest, Death & Renewal: Late October Traditions of the PA Germans (in-person); Fri., Oct. 21, 6:30 and 8:30; Landis Valley Village & Farm Museum
• This program explores funeral and burial customs, powwowing, healing and hexes. It is recommended for adults and older teens. The event involves two hours of walking around a cemetery and the Museum grounds, so please dress for the weather (including your shoes) and bring a flashlight. Tickets are $28 per person and must be purchased in advance (Harvest, Death & Renewal event info and tickets).