WE’RE ON THE WEB!
WWW.FRIENDSNAS.ORG
Announcing the Premiere of
“Stories from the Great Depression”
THE CIVIL HISTORY The Regional Newsletter of
Starring The Friends of the National Archives and
National Archives Southeast Region
Bob Arnold Stanley Blackburn
Jack Gray Guy Hall Fall, 2007 Volume 6, Number 3
Jim McSweeney Susana Munguia
Fred Munguia
Henry Smith
Peggie Sides
Mary Evelyn Tomlin A FAMILY HISTORY CHRISTMAS
Ed Trippe Brenda Wright
Saturday, November 17, 2007 1:00pm Creating a Family History Christmas Tree
Special Guest: Join us on Wednesday, November 28, County. Her photos have been featured on
2007, from 10:00a.m.— Noon for a local news shows and their websites, and
“Eleanor Roosevelt” from Warm Springs, Georgia special workshop on making your in local newspapers. She will be
Christmas Tree a “Family Tree.” presenting a second workshop in January
Students will learn to incorporate on preserving your family photographs.
family photos and documents in their
holiday trees.
Bring Your Camera!
The workshop will be taught by Donna
Rosser. Donna is the proprietor of Check out Donna’s website at:
Donna Rosser Photography in Fayette www.thebarefootphotographer.com.
Friends of the National Archives
Southeast Region
5780 Jonesboro Road
Holiday Shopping at the National Archives
Morrow, GA 30260 Join us on Wednesday, accessories, etc! Included
Friends of the National November 28, 2007, from
Archives will be a demonstration of
Southeast Region
8:30a.m. – 5:00p.m. for a Order Online!--an online
special shopping day at the feature requesting
George Jacobs, President National Archives, with gift reproductions of National
items ranging from books, Archives microfilm and
Linda Geiger, Vice President
documents, preservation other records.
Helen Lissimore, Secretary supplies, apparel,
Salina Pavlovick, Treasurer
Mary Evelyn Tomlin, Editor,
Discover Your Family’s Roots:
The Civil History A Beginner’s Genealogy Workshop
Erica Bethel, Layout Editor,
The Civil History
Thursday, November 1 , 2007 10:00 a.m.- Noon
This workshop offers a basic overview for those just beginning to search for their family’s
history. Learn how to get started, what kind of information is available, and what types of
records are in the National Archives. This class is for beginners with no experience in
research.
A r c h i va l F in d s M i l i t a r y R e c o r d s P a g e 3
P a g e 2
WHAT IS SCRIP? ARE YOU IN THE ARCHIVES?
One of the most interesting a box containing two exquisite in scrip, rather than wages, Military records can be valuable resources in personal
experiences that all archivists have cigar boxes. Intrigued, he was especially common in and genealogical research. The National Archives is the
from time to time is stumbling explored further. coal mining operations and official repository for records of the U.S. Air Force, Army,
across the unusual—something The file was a U. S. District mills throughout the country.
Marine Corps, Navy and Coast Guard and other govern-
compelling, funny, beautiful, or just Court case involving a saw Large timber and mining ment agencies. These records include service records;
curious. In searching for another mill in central Florida. The corporations created their
file, archivist Rob Richards noticed
textual documents including unit reports and rosters;
evidence submitted during the own towns, with company
maps and plans; photographs; posters; motion pictures
trial was not the cigar boxes, housing and company stores
examples of scrip. The practice and sound recordings; and electronic records.
but rather what was inside. for their workers. In many
situations, workers were was outlawed in 1938.
The boxes contained tokens The National Archives in Atlanta now has draft registra-
deeply in debt; they owed “You load sixteen tons and what do
and “checks” distributed to you get?
tion card for Southerners of the “Greatest Generation.”
employees of a saw mill. Also their souls to the company
Another day older and deeper in debt.
known as scrip, these tokens store. Saint Peter, don’t call me ‘cause I • Millions of men living in America completed draft
were to be redeemed only at The U. S. District Court can’t go. The 1942 DRAFT REGISTRATION CARD FOR “FARMER-WRITER” WILLIAM FAULKNER.
I owe my soul to the company registration cards between 1940 and 1943 as part
the company’s commissary. records, particularly in Nearly 16 million Americans served in uniform during World
store.” — Tennessee Ernie Ford of the WWII draft.
The practice of paying workers Kentucky, contain numerous
War II. The National Archives website contains an exten-
sive list of information available online and to researchers • The National Archives offers unrestricted access to
The Unwritten History of TVA who visit one of our facilities.
•
cards of men born up to and including 1940.
Contact us for restricted access to draft registrants
Checkout the resources listed at:
In May of 2008, the Tennessee Valley Authority were all in it together, and we were. . . http://www.archives.gov/research/ww2/ born 1941 – 1957.
“They warned us the men were not
(TVA) will celebrate seventy-five years of work. To . I feel like he was probably a master
going to like it.”
observe that anniversary, the Southeast Region at that.”
plans a number of special events. Since the
records of TVA are one of the largest and most
“There were four of us hired at the
same time, and we were the first four
When asked about how she felt to
hear about the atomic bombs in
Military and Veterans Records
interesting of agency records in the Southeast girls to be hired in that department., Friday, November 9, 2007 “A Date Which Will Live in Infamy” Friday, December 7, 2007
Japan, Mrs. Brooks said it was “very
Region, we plan to feature various series from that and they warned us that the men were 10:00 – Noon 10:00 – 12:00
scary. . . . We had to use those fallout
agency in upcoming issues of The Civil History. not going to like it. At first, I don’t think
shelters, and they also planned Early in the afternoon of December
they did. But they weren’t too bad. . . . In honor of our veterans, please join us for an The National Archives, Southeast
We begin with an overview of the oral history evacuation routes to leave the cities. . 7, 1941, President Franklin D.
They had to give up one of their overview of military records housed in the Region, remembers Pearl Harbor
interviews conducted by the agency, beginning in . . Our church had a big basement, Roosevelt and his chief foreign policy
washrooms, which didn’t help any.. National Archives. Learn about America’s Day with a workshop focusing on
1965. TVA realized that a large quantity of and they stored water and canned
aide, Harry Hopkins, were
significant information can only be found in the “I think they had been used to telling foods. . . . Everybody planned what diplomatic and military records—from the World War II.
interrupted by a telephone call from
memories of those people who have been their kinds of jokes, but they were they were going to do if we did have Revolutionary War to the Vietnam War—which
Secretary of War Henry Stimson and
employed by TVA or who have been affected by its pretty nice to us really, all in all.” that kind of an attack.” paint a vivid picture of heroism, inspiration,
policies and decisions. The interviews serve a told that the Japanese had attacked
When Mrs. Brooks remembered what About Oak Ridge, Mrs. Brooks said and service. The workshop will include a
unique purpose in that they capture and preserve Pearl Harbor. At about 5:00 p.m.,
life was like during the war she said that “You knew it was there, but you discussion of eVetRecs, an online system for
the unwritten history of the agency. Several of the following meetings with his military
that she got most of her news from the didn’t know what was going on.” requesting military personnel records for
early interviews relate to women workers during newspaper. “They were still giving out advisers, the President calmly and
veterans and next of kin of deceased
World War II. ‘extras’ for the newspaper, which was decisively dictated to his secretary,
veterans.
Amy Brooks went to work for TVA in 1942 and an experience to be downtown when an Grace Tully, a request to Congress
continued until the end of the war. In her interview, extra came out.” for a declaration of war. He had
Mrs. Brooks discussed what it was like to be one of “As I remember it, I think the morale composed the speech in his head
the first women employed by the agency and what was very, very high. Everybody was after deciding on a brief,
life was like on the homefront during the war. She working together. I think you have to uncomplicated appeal to the people
provided particular insight into morale and security give the President credit for pulling us of the United States. He declared
at TVA during World War II. together and making us feel like we that December 7th would be a date
which would live in infamy. “AIRRAID ON PEARL HARBOR X THIS IS NO DRILL”