Girl Reserve, 1919-1946

File — Box: 2, Reel: 95, microdex: 2

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Documents concerning YWCA of the U.S.A. Girl Reserve war work, work with younger girls, and the Youth and food production project. War work materials suggest war work opportunities for younger and teen-aged girls, describe the attitudes and concerns of the girls during World War II, and other matters. In addition, materials address concerns about the effect of the war on girls including the rise of child labor and fair labor laws. Some activities suggested include harvesting, salvaging and collecting materials, hospital volunteering, red cross work, child care, foreign outreach, USO services, and others. Younger girls materials include reports, correspondence and studies regarding work with younger girls. Programs are evaluated in areas such as music, religion, health, vocation, economics, international relations, race relations, family relations, and other matters. Included is a handbook for leaders. Youth and food materials are comprised largely of responses to a questionnaire prepared by the Committee on Youth and Farm Labor of the Associated Youth Serving Organizations. Questions address wages, type of work, child labor standards, fair treatment, relationships with farms and government organizations, attendance, cost, and other administrative matters.

Dates of Materials

1919-1946

Language of Materials

English

Conditions Governing Access

From the Record Group:

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.