War Neighborhood Clubs, Formed Six Months Ago, Have Made Enviable Mark

Home Front Organization In The Home Stretch

Five leaders in the formation of Ann Arbor Neighborhood War Clubs are shown above pondering the problems facing the organization of the last three of the 51 War Club posts into which the city is divided. From left to right are: Mrs. Kenneth Easlick, zone C chairman; Mrs. Alton Hewett, zone A chairman; Mrs. Theophile Raphael, director of Civilian War Services; Mrs. Charles A. Fisher, War Clubs director; and Miss Elizabeth Slack, zone B chairman.

On The Home Front:

War Neighborhood Clubs, Formed Six Months Ago, Have Made Enviable Mark

Organizational difficulties still beset the formation of three neighborhood posts, hut otherwise the framework of the 51 Neighborhood War Clubs into which Ann Arbor is divided to facilitate speedy and sweeping maneuvers on the home front is at last complete. Mrs. Charles A. Fisher, War Clubs director, declared today.

Six months ago today War Clubs, one of the Civilian War Services, were instituted in Ann Arbor at the instigation of the Civilian Defense Volunteer Office. Using the block plan already set up for air raid wardens, the organization plans developed under the supervision of Mrs. Fisher. The city is divided into three zones. Zone B is the largest, covering two-thirds of Ann Arbor. Certain of the posts have as many as 1,000 members in their district. All but three posts have been organized, and plans for these are now under way.

Organization Difficult

The largest single task has been one of organization, according to Mrs. Fisher. Organizational assistance was given by the three zone chairmen: Mrs. Kenneth Easlick, Miss Elizabeth Slack and Mrs. Alton P. Hewett. The following list of chores undertaken and completed by the Neighborhood War Clubs during planning and organization are therefore doubly impressive, the director believes.

For the Nutrition committee, club chairmen were appointed to give lectures to explain the Share-the-Meat drive and to distribute pamphlets containing information on ”99 Ways to Share the Meat."

For the Victory drive, in spite of the fact that many books were taken directly to the depots at North Hall and various schools, 2,000 books and 728 magazines were collected by club members.

For the rationing hoard. 105 members co-operated with the schools in registering for War Ration Book No. 1, at the schools' request.

For the consumers interest, 15 committee stores requested the assistance of members to explain point rationing to customers, to speed up purchases which relieved congestion caused by shortages in help.

Helped Red Cross

For the Red Cross, 177 block leaders were asked to canvass their blocks for contributions. Four posts are also working each month to secure blood depositors for the Red Cross blood bank.

For the housing survey, which was made by War Clubs, under the supervision of CDVO Placement Service, 650 rooms and 28 apartments were located, furnishing housing facilities for approximately 900 war workers. Results of the survey are to be turned over to the national housing office to be set up here shortly.

For the salvage committee, chairmen were appointed who are in constant touch with housewives in their area and have raised the quota of fate, hosiery and tin cans collected. The clubs are also distributing written matter on salvage received from the government.

For the transportation committee, they have delivered "Share-the-Ride” information pamphlets.

For the Mack school district, some members have taken extra children home for lunch in order to relieve the congestion at the school, especially during the bad winter weather. This procedure was also followed at Bach school.

For the day nursery schools, many club members are assisting playground supervisors.

Complete figures are not available. but block leaders estimate that 75 per cent or more of the membership are co-operating in planting War Gardens.

Printed matter for the Cancer Control committee is scheduled for distribution through the clubs.

“The various government programs are often confusing,” Mrs. Fisher said, "from their sheer quantity and detail, providing one of the greatest challenges democratic education has ever faced This challenge is being met by our Neighborhood War Club leaders, who are distributing and clarifying official federal instructions and data for their neighbors.’’

The names of post directors for the three zones are listed below, with their post numbers:

Zone A

Post 1, Mrs. Frank Galpin; 2, Mrs. Fred L. Arnet; 3, Mrs. Nickolas Schreiber; 4, Mrs. George W. Lutz; 5. Mrs. Allen Smith; 6, Mrs. Melvin Hohlenkamp; 7, Mrs. Stuart Davis; 8, Mrs. L. E. Wenzel; 9, Mrs. Harold H. Kock; 10, Mrs. W. C. Truckenmiller; 11, Mrs. Freida Volz and Mrs. Kurt K. Newmann; 12, Mrs. George Schlecht; 13, unorganized; 14, Mrs. C. E. Betts; 15, Mrs. G. M. Gould; 16, Mrs. J. E. Tilt; 17, Mrs. C. M. Carpenter.

Zone B

Post 18, Mrs. Virginia Trevithick; 19, Mrs. R. M. Burr; 20, Mrs. A. K. Stevens; 21, Mrs. Norman Hills; 22, unorganized; 23, Mrs. P. L. Ivanoff; 24, Mrs. Ruth Buchanan; 25, unorganized; 26, Mrs. Gertrude Nickels; 27, Mrs. H. G. Johnson and Mrs. Lucy Austin; 28, Mrs. J. Palmer and Mrs. R. R. Solar; 29 and 30, Mrs. Leo Augspurger; 31, Mrs. Charles Brooks; 32, Mrs. Capitola Hutchison and Mrs. Jack Hathaway; 33, Mrs. Hillary Rye; 34; Mrs. James Gault.

Zone C

Post 35, Mrs. Herman Schlecht; 36, Mrs. Marshall Snyder; 37, Mrs. Stanley Dodge; 38, Mrs. George Bleekman; 39, Mrs. Dan Meikle; 40, Mrs. E. E. Brown; 41, Mrs. James Grace; 42, Mrs. George Blaich; 43, Mrs. George Carrothers; 34, Mrs. Flora Reinhardt; 45, Mrs. Joseph Hooper; 46. Mrs. Duane E. Edson; 47. Mrs. Allen Scherzer; 48, Mrs. Charles E. Jamison; 49. Mrs S. S. LaFever and Mrs. Robert Angell; 50, Mrs. Clarence Yoakum; 51, Mrs. Ira Smith.