#awvs

[benkaden]

Ansichtskarte / Vintage Postcard

Ride in and look us over .... until then, "TAP'ER LIGHT!" Yours truly, Butte

Butte MONTANA THE RICHEST HILL ON EARTH CNETER OF MONTANA'S WONDERLAND

LAST OF THE WESTERN FRONTIER TOWNS METROPOLIS OF THE TREASURE STATE WORLD'S GREATEST MINING CAMP LAND OF THE SHINING MOUNTAINS

A.W.V.S. Train Service

1940s

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The American Women’s Voluntary Services began operations on January 4, 1942 at Sixth Avenue and 42nd Street. They ran a mobile kitchen serving hot drinks, doughnuts, and sandwiches to all men in uniform. This being the '40s, cigarettes were handed out, too. Some of the first “customers” are shown taking advantage of the free service.

Photo: Associated Press

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Lew’s mother at American Women’s Voluntary Services (AWVS) work (she was the first one from right in both photos)

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Talking about morale and optimism, it’s only D-day plus one and Mrs Stanhope Nixon was already reporting on postwar plans.

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While Lew was fighting in Carentan, mama Nixon was in New York having AWVS meetings on post-war plans. 

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04 June 1944: Left to right are Mrs Stanhope Nixon (standing), national A.W.V.S. vice president and chairman of the Western region; Mrs Kelley, member of the Montana and national boards of A.W.V.S. directors; the child model, and Mrs Franklin D. Roosevelt

[winnix85]

Map reading? No wonder Lew was taught so well.

[winnix85]

AWVS Goals Cited By Mrs. Nixon

Publication:The San Francisco Examiner 

Location:San Francisco, California

Issue Date:Saturday, May 16, 1942

American Women's Voluntary Services uniform filled the room yesterday when, for the first time since war's beginning, representatives from all the AWVS units in the Bay area assembled to honor their State chairman, Mrs. Stanhope Nixon, at a luncheon at the Palace Hotel. 

Although the luncheon was billed as a tribute to Mrs. Nixon, she having returned Thursday from conferences with AWVS leaders in New York and Washington calmly turned it into an opportunity to give AWVS workers some goals to shoot at. 

Of the Washington unit, Mrs. Nixon reported that Government officials say: "They have never once failed to do a job they were asked to do." 

THOSE WORDS, "they Have never once failed," will be the incentive for AWVS work on the west coast work that is be coming increasingly important as war goes on. "One of our immediate projects,'' Mrs. Nixon said, 'Is to help harvest the crops. Women CAN replace farm labor when necessary. English women have proved themselves capable to do farm work for the past two years. This summer, the AWVS will help harvest California crops. 

Any woman may enroll for this work now at 63 Market Street." Illustrating the strength of the national organization, Mrs. Nixon told of the AWVS units who act for the United States Treasury Department by selling war bonds. "In New York," she said, "the monthly quota Is $2,000,000. For the past two months, the AWVS has sold $2,500,000 worth of bonds a month. That's tops; but In a small unit in southern California, the AWVS gave a dinner, and each person who came bought a 25 cent war stamp. In one day, that unit sold $393 worth of stamps. From one end of the coast to the other, the AWVS is selling stamps and bonds." 

WOMEN, THROUGH member in AWVS, are discovering interests in the problems of other communities as well as their own, Mrs. Nixon believes. "Through such organizations as this," she said, 'We will break through the sectionalism, the harriers between classes and races to help build a true democracy," 

Mrs. George Bahm, State chairman of agriculture for the AWVS, says it isn't going to be compulsory for these harvesters to wear uniforms.: But she's planned carefully the things the girls are going to need when they go to the country to become farmerettes during vacation, and suggests blue jeans and checkered cotton shirt with big straw hats as the outfit most practical. 

FOR A TWO WEEK victory vacation on the farm they should have two pair of jeans AT LEAST: Four cotton shirts or more (long sleeved for protection). Sufficient underwear of extremely simple type (we suggest cotton). A big hat of loosely woven straw. Cotton dresses for after work (our suggestion). Slack outfit (ditto). Cotton robe of tailored housecoat variety. Sneakers to work in. Flat heeled. closed toed, sport shoes for off duty. Wool sport top coat (nights are cold). A cotton sweater and sweater coat. Workers must supply their own bedding. Luggage must be kept to absolute minimum because there is little or no space for storing. 

FROM WHAT we hear, these harvesters" are in for a lot of fun. Sort of a cross between a dude ranch and a camping trip with the satisfaction they're doing a perfectly swell patriotic job of bringing in the harvest having a vacation keeping fit with hard work (it isn't easy, this kind of a job) and getting paid for it ($4 to $8 a day). 

THEY'LL LIVE in tourist cab ins or in tents. The women who sign up through the AWVS" will be held as units. They will be accompanied by AWVS workers who will act as sort of "house mothers." They'll eat in community kitchens.

THESE FARMERETTE harvesters will be paid prevailing wages. The season starts in June ; with the picking of cherries and lasts until October. Most of the work will be done in northern California and Santa Clara Valley. And the girls may sign up for two weeks or longer. ENROLLMENT MAY be made at the AWVS office, 665 Market Street, where the United States Employment Service provides cards for registration. 

he AWVS plan is to have all physically fit women past 18 years of age, regardless of previous training or experience, enroll in the "Harvest for Victory" plan.