Bernard Smith, class of 1943, mentioned on June 24, 2004, that no class annual was produced for the class. Some person, or group of people, decided that it would be a proper gesture to not produce an annual, and instead save the paper for the war effort. Alas, the gesture to save paper was probably unnecessary. In reality, most of the materials drives during WWII were some combination of making the people on the front lines feel like the people back home were making any sacrifice at all for the war, and creating the same feeling on the home front. In fact, there were few real materials shortages at all in the US, and for those on the home front life was actually pretty normal. The war literally created labor shortages, and, following the Great Depression years, everyone that wanted a job had one. Often in a war production plant. But for the various paper, steel, and other drives, and some rationing of gasoline and tires, people on the home front were almost untouched by the war, save for the people they knew in uniform.
In any case, the 1943 class annual was a victim of this aspect of WWII. But, not to be out done by any shortages, real or imagined, members of the class of 1943 rolled their own. ( An old cigarette phrase from the 1940s, when people commonly bought loose tobacco, and paper, and made their own cigarettes. Sometimes mechanical rolling machines were used. ) The result was the Senior Year Book. Basically a scrap book in which each student placed the elements of class annual. The usual student and class photographs were included, newspaper clippings of Godwin sports and other events, class cards, etc. The result shows the spirit of the times, in that some gesture was made to the war effort, and yet a passable class annual was produced incorporating all the spirit and substance of the more formal versions of other years.
Whether any paper was saved in the process is questionable, but then there likely was no actual shortage. People on the home front had it pretty good all through WWII, and military people knew it. The government did what little it could to ensure that those at home and comfortable at least knew there was a war going on.
But the class of 1943 did join the military in large numbers, and paid the price of winning the war in that and other ways. Out of a population of perhaps 125 to 150 million, 16 million people were in uniform during WWII. Something like 400,000 died, and many more were injured to varying degrees. The war's outcome was still uncertain when the class of 1943 graduated, and the US was still converting it industry over to war time production. The times greeting the class of 1943 were anything but normal.
The cover of the 1943 senior year book.
Left click on the image for a larger image.
The 1943 senior year book, made available for scanning by by Robert A. McDonald, class of 1943, is presented below.
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The 1943 senior year book is not in a tradition annual format, and each one is in fact different since they are scrapbooks containing to the extent possible much of the same class related material as more formal class annuals from other years. To accommodate the more unique format, the material will be presented here in a slightly different way.
A class of 1943 diploma. Left click on the image for a larger version.
Frank Rackett was still on the school board in 1943, and would be for another five years, despite being 79 years old already. Most of the other members of the school board were also institutions, and would serve up to 8 more years.
Also see the class photograph on the previous page.
Duplicate names indicate more than one photograph.
One can see the influence of WWII on the class of 1943 in the photograph of Bernard Hull, in Navy dress. Before WWII the US military was small, and it would have been unusual for a Godwin graduate to join the military before the war. Large numbers either joined or were drafted during the graduation years 1942, 1943, and 1944. The outcome of WWII was far from certain in the early years for the US, and almost every male, except for those that could prove they were unfit, had to contribute in some way. Most did willingly. WWII was an example of a black and white war - few doubted the necessity and urgency of American involvement.
Left click on the image below for a larger version.
Material provided by Robert A. McDonald, class of 1943.
Material provided by Robert A. McDonald, class of 1943. The entries are just as they appear in the year book.
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Material provided by Robert A. McDonald, class of 1943.
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Material provided by Robert A. McDonald, class of 1943.
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Material provided by Robert A. McDonald, class of 1943.
Material provided by Bernard Smith, class of 1943.
Following a tradition dating back to the class of 1927, two women again captured top scholastic honors. With grade point averages of 2.965 and 2.964, it is hard to see why the top spot was not shared.
More remarkable, the top 13 students were all women. It appears that the men in the class of 1943 didn't study much.
If anyone has any other photographs pertaining to the class of 1943 they'd like to see included here please contact me.
