During World War II, the need for increased work with teenagers becomes more apparent and teenage canteens are established through many organizations, including the YWCA of the U.S.A., to meet those needs. Pamphlets and correspondence concerning the canteens describe the purpose and aims of the services and the organization of canteens and their activity programs. During World War II the agriculture industry also sees and increased need for labor. To meet the harvesting needs of farms during the war "Victory Farm Volunteers" are organized as a way for teenagers to assist with the war efforts. The activities and safety of the children farm volunteers in addition to the benefits to the farms are tracked through studies and questionnaires. Government pamphlets explain the farm volunteer program and correspondence and reports from the YWCA of the U.S.A. concern the organizing and training of Girl Reserve farm volunteers. Other materials include a study of "The Bookshelf," a YWCA of the U.S.A publication for younger girls to evaluate and improve its service to the girls of the YWCA of the U.S.A. and suggested program activities for Girl Reserve clubs.
Girl Reserve
circa 1915-1945
Leadership in women
Christian stewardship
Leadership in adolescents
Youth movements
Teenage girls
Religious life
Child agricultural laborers
Recreation centers
Child labor
Rural children
Youth
Employment
Work environment
World War, 1939-1945
Children
World War, 1939-1945
War work
Teenage girls
Social conditions
Teenage girls
Societies and clubs
747 frames (1 partial reel)
This collection is open for use without restriction beyond the standard terms and conditions of Smith College Special Collections. However, by agreement with the YWCA of the U.S.A., microdexes known to contain financial records or personal health information (usually on job applications) were not digitized and/or not published in our online repository as part of the CLIR Digitizing Hidden Collections grant. These microdexes may still be accessed on the original microfilm, and digital files may be made available to individual researchers upon request.
To the extent that it owns copyright, YWCA of the USA has retained copyright in its works donated to Smith College, but has has authorized Smith College Special Collections to grant permission to publish reproductions or quotations from the records on its behalf. Copyright in other items in this collection may be held by their respective creators. For reproductions of materials that are governed by fair use as defined under U. S. Copyright Law, no permission to cite or publish is required. For those few instances beyond fair use, or which may regard materials in the collection not created by YWCA of the USA, researchers are responsible for determining who may hold materials' copyrights and obtaining approval from them. Researchers do not need anything further from Smith College Special Collections to move forward with their use.
Girl Reserve, Sophia Smith Collection of Women's History, MS 00324, Smith College Special Collections, Northampton, Massachusetts.
Box 1: Series 1; Series 2, Reel 84
smith_ssc_324_r084_m003