(H)our History Lesson: Civilian Volunteerism and Contributions to the Home front in Pascagoula, Mississippi, World War II Heritage City

Father’s Day War Bond advertisement paid for by the Ritz Theatre in Pascagoula

The Pascagoula Chronicle-Star on June 16, 1944.

About this Lesson

This lesson is part of a series teaching about the World War II home front, with Pascagoula, Mississippi designated as an American World War II Heritage City. The lesson contains three primary reading sources and photos to contribute to learners’ understandings about volunteerism and contributions of civilians at the home front in Pascagoula, such as children volunteering in the Junior Red Cross, local war fund drives, and victory gardens. The lesson closes with a reading about a recreation site built by the Civilian Conservation Corps for service members as another unique way the community contributed and partnered to support U.S. troops and Allies.

For more lessons on World War II, visit Teaching with Historic Places.

Objectives:

1. Identify examples of contributions and volunteerism by civilians in Pascagoula.

2. Evaluate the impact of civilian contributions on the city of Pascagoula and to home front efforts in supporting U.S. and Allied troops.

Materials for Students:

1. Photos (can be displayed digitally)

2. Readings 1, 2, and 3 (primary sources)

3. Recommended: Map of Pascagoula, Mississippi

Getting Started: Essential Question

How did civilians volunteer and contribute to home front efforts in Pascagoula?

Read to Connect

Teacher Tip: In Reading 1, ‘by the numbers,’ and ‘quotations to consider’ there is the use of the term ‘colored’ in describing segregated schools and volunteerism in Pascagoula. Discuss the wrongful segregation by race in the South at this time prior to reading and acknowledge this term is not used today. 

Reading 1: "Junior Red Cross Members Are Active"

Junior Red Cross Members Are Active in Jackson County 

The Chronicle-Star, Nov. 24, 1944; p.12 

Numbered among those who are too young to make war headlines, those not quite old enough to wear uniforms, are 6,000 children in Jackson County who are members of the American Junior Red Cross, according to Miss Mary O’Keefe, chairman of the Junior Red Cross in the county. 

In classroom groups they are actively backing their brothers, sisters and fathers in the Armed Forces, devoting time, energy and imagination to the tasks of turning out millions of comfort and recreational articles for camps and hospitals. They are working hard within their own communities to carry out service projects and relieve critical manpower shortages. In the classrooms of Jackson County under the leadership of teacher-sponsors they are making slippers, holiday tray favors, lapboards, lap robes, menu covers, toys for the blind, and supplying Christmas stockings and gifts for hospital shut-ins.  

In Pascagoula, Mrs. Karl Wiesenburg is achieving splendid results with her large corps of Juniors, and in Moss Point Mrs. Juanita Hull is supervising an enthusiastic group. Mrs. Emily Davis of Wade Public school and Mrs. C. Wilson of Daisy-Vestry report 100 per cent enrollment and at Our Lady of Victories school Sister Mary of Lourdes has completed a most successful enrollment and service projects which resulted in the collection of over 1000 Christmas cards for Army hospitals.  

The Pascagoula Colored school was the first school in the county to report 100 per cent enrollment. 

Reading 2: "Six Pound Turnip Grown by Adkins in Victory Garden"

Tip for reading: The definition of lagniappe is something given as an extra gift, or bonus. 

Six Pound Turnip Grown by Adkins in Victory Garden 

The Pascagoula Chronicle-Star, June 1, 1945; p. 5 

They said it couldn’t be done, but S.A. Adkins, 916 Williams Street, showed ‘em-- and threw in a six pound turnip for lagniappe.  

A farmer at heart, Mr. Adkins moved to Pascagoula two years ago to go to work at the Ingalls Shipyard. At first he listened to the neighbors who said nothing would grow in this sandy soil but this year he couldn’t resist trying a garden in what was left of his yard after he fenced off one part for his four-year-old son and another part for chickens. And for one bag of commercial fertilizer and considerable work with a hoe, he has a garden full of ripening watermelons and cantaloupes, running and butter beans, tomatoes and turnips, plus one pumpkin for a jack o’ lantern for his little boy next Hallowe’en.  

The turnip which he pulled out of the ground Thursday is 26 inches in circumference and weighs six pounds. And Mr. Adkins has a right to be proud. 

‘Shucks,’ he said modestly, ‘they asked me to talk before some garden group and tell how I raised my garden but all I can tell is just put some seed in the ground, work hard with the hoe and water every day.’ 

Reading 3: "Pascagoula Chosen First Recreation Center for Trainees"

Teacher Tip: CCC is the Civilian Conservation Corps. Give a brief overview of the CCC to connect to the first paragraph of the reading and to connect to how civilians contributed to home front projects in a variety of ways and roles. 

Pascagoula Chosen First Recreational Center for Trainees 

CCC Starts Work on Camp Under Direction of Major Breth, As First Project Of Its Kind In County 

The Chronicle-Star, March 7, 1941, p. 1 

The first recreational area for U.S. Army troops training in this country will be established in Pascagoula, it was announced by Major Breth, who is here to supervise the construction and establishment of the recreational base. The work was started Tuesday and will be carried out by the CCC trainees at Ocean Springs. The center will be located at the Pascagoula Municipal Beach Park grounds. 

Pascagoula has the distinction of being the first place in the entire United States where such a project will be completed and where such a project will be completed and where the men in training at Camp Shelby near Hattiesburg, those at Mobile and other nearby training center may spend the weekends in relaxation. 

Other camps are to be established in the Coastal area and will be located at Biloxi, Gulfport, New Orleans, Mobile, Pensacola and Panama City, Fla. 

The camp at Pascagoula will have accommodations for approximately 500 men at a time, it was announced by Major Breth, following a tour of the city, with Mayor Walter R. Gulley, and selection of the recreational site. . . .  

The tents will have wooden floors, and screened sidings with regulation tent tops. The camp will be in charge of a corporal and detachment of eight men, who will be here permanently to take care of this property. 

Major Breth stated that the U.S. Army officials recognize the need for recreational facilities for the men in training and that they felt it would be an imposition on the various communities to bring the men to any one of several communities and deposit them, leaving them on the hands of the residents. Therefore the camps are being established. 

They will be housed at the recreational camps but will be fed by concessionaires at the points where the camps are located. Contracts for meals to feed the soldiers will be let to local agencies.  

The soldiers will be brought here, as well as to other recreational centers by trucks, which will furnish them transportation. While here they will be privileged to enjoy golf, sail boating, swimming, fishing and other recreation.  

By the numbers:

One example of a successful War Fund drive in Pascagoula, ending in November 1943 included these contributions:

• “Pascagoula area, E. L. Mancil, chairman: Pascagoula business establishments, M. L. Funkhouser, chairman, $4,670.00; house to house canvass of Women’s committee, Mrs. Katie Daniel, as chairman, $1,101.44; Pascagoula schools, $711.95; Coast Artillery, $93.85; Pascagoula colored, $65.00; Ingalls Shipbuilding Corporation, $500.00; Ingalls Shipyard employees, $3,728.00.”

• This totals to $9,870.24, or approximately over $170,000 today.

Source: The Chronicle-Star, November 12, 1943, p.1

Quotations to consider:

Three newspaper quotations, highlighting volunteerism and contributions:

“The colored women of the Nightingale Bridge Club presented a silver tea last Sunday at Carver Village auditorium. The entire proceeds, amounting to $25.00, was donated to the American Red Cross. F. S. Titus, chairman of the 1944 War Fund drive, thanked the colored citizens of Pascagoula for their support of the drive, and urged them to continue to contribute to the Red Cross.”

-The Chronicle-Star, June 16, 1944, p. 8

“A group of colored women is being organized to sew in the colored school building on Market Street. Annie Wimbs, county demonstration agent, will be in charge. Their first assignment will be slides [slippers] used by patients in Army and Navy hospitals on the coast.”

- The Chronicle-Star, Aug. 25, 1944, p. 4

“The Jackson County division of the State Salvage for Victory Program will meet in the office of A. P. Megebee. . . The object of this meeting is to inaugurate a program of salvaging material principally rubber and metals, for war defense purposes.”

-The Chronicle-Star, March 24, 1942; p.1

Victory Garden supply advertisement paid for by Head Furniture and Hardware Company in Pascagoula.

The Pascagoula Chronicle-Star on March 12, 1943.

Student Activities:

Questions for Reading 1, Numbers, and Quotations

1. In “By the numbers,” who were contributors to the November 1943 War Fund drive in Pascagoula?
2. What were contributions by the American Junior Red Cross? How is this an example of civilians of all ages contributing to home front efforts?
3. Identify evidence of volunteerism and contributions by the African American community in reading 1, numbers, and quotations.
   • What challenges may African American community members have faced in supporting home front efforts? How does this make their contributions even more significant?

Questions for Reading 2 and photos

1. Why did Mr. Adkins move to Pascagoula?
2. Pascagoula was one of many communities advocating for the use of Victory Gardens. What were some challenges or limitations that Mr. Adkins overcame with his garden?
3. Why do you think this story would be of interest for others to read at the time?

Questions for Reading 3

1. What is significant about the center being built in Pascagoula?
2. What reasons did Major Breth give for establishing recreational camps for U.S. Army troops? How did he address the potential impact on local communities?
3. How might the presence of this recreational center impact a) local service members, and b) the community of Pascagoula?

Lesson Closing

• How did civilian contributions and volunteerism impact Pascagoula and overall war support?
• Using primary source details, how would you describe Pascagoula’s resilience and spirit on the home front?

Additional Resource: Pascagoula City Nomination

The city of Pascagoula has made available the documentation from their successful designation as a World War II Heritage City. Not all civilian contributions have been detailed in the lesson’s readings. For more examples, you may read the sections titled:

• Production of foodstuffs and consumer items for Armed Forces and home consumption
• War bond drives
• Volunteer Participation

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This lesson was written by Sarah Nestor Lane, an educator and consultant with the Cultural Resources Office of Interpretation and Education, funded by the National Council on Public History's cooperative agreement with the National Park Service.