Documentary Concept: "America's Youth During World War II As Scrap Metal Pickers"

Hello All,

I'm tossing forward a second "Gem of Opportunity" concept for this month. For any budding historical film maker out there looking for a topic of interest. I've done a cursory search online on this very topic of American youth during World War II. Conducting various kinds of scrap heap drives such as metal, rubber, paper, and even rags. House wives during this era were urged to preserve kitchen fats for explosives. My online search results only yielded still photos and a few article write ups without any accompanying video stock. Perhaps a specialized archivist historical collection may do better for such a search parameter.

Allow me to paint the picture during this time in scrimping and saving even junk in America. Just so it can be recycled for the War Effort in Europe and in the Pacific for the Allied Troops. Here's a brief summary from a web page of Florida's history during the 1940's.

Florida Remembers WWII With Children Activities (Link)

Children's Activities:

America's children played a contributing role in the nation's war effort. Youth groups like the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H Clubs, the Junior Red Cross, and the Junior Commandos mobilized American youth. Nationally, patriotic children purchased war stamps and bonds worth more than $1 billion. They took part in scrap drives, collecting metal and rubber, as well as stacks of old newspapers and magazines for recycling. As metal and rubber became scarce, children made do with wooden toys. They also built airplane models used to train military personnel in aircraft identification. War games became popular, and most children's books and comics were filled with war-related themes. For many children, World War II also was marked by periods of separation from fathers who were serving in the armed forces and mothers who worked long hours in war industries. (Source: Museum of Florida History)

Here's another Image to recall from Cape Girardeau, Missouri in 1941 from a local Boy Scout troop. (Photo by Southeast Missourian)

I received the inspiration for such a topic when a documentary regarding America's manufacturing prowess during the Rosy the Riveter period. Took the nation by storm in how many mothers went to work in the factories. Where the fathers if not some of the grandfathers were deployed abroad during the war effort. Talk about the extreme version of yesterday's both parents away at work. Versus today's families with both parents working their butts off just to put a roof over their heads and food on the table. In many instances, the public schools were the surrogate parents to such children during WW2. If not the aforementioned social activity groups of the Scouts. (ie Boy / Girl Scouts)

This WWII documentary I saw briefly mentioned the youth during this era in America's 1940's. Where they seized everything that wasn't nailed down mostly as scrap metal. Since during such a period various drives for scrap metal, rubber, paper, and rags were held at even the public schools for salvage. I predict some children (ie boys) even got into mischievous predicaments stealing scrap metal where they weren't suppose to be in the first place.

Now consider this was during the early to mid-1940's in America. These kids were in the 8 to 15 age bracket from the tweens up to teenagers. Today in 2014 how many do you suppose such children of a bygone generation are still with us? They would be in their late 60's to late 70's in age. This is a crucial time to capture on film their interviews as historical recollections for the public record. Such direct testimonials are living gold to a documentary film maker.

Even the famous actress "Rita Hayworth" as an ambassador selling war bonds got into the act.

This story in American history should be told on a medium that is more than still black & whites images and editorial write-ups. In many ways, I suspect personal individual film reels must exist out there especially from organizations like the "Boy Scouts". Treasures showing the cultural influences of a very frugal society in many respects not since the prior "Great Depression" period. That shocked a nation into ultimate humility for all. Then it was more a matter of defending the free world from Fascism and Imperialism.

For today's audiences, the story can be retold in an entertaining fashion to capture the imagination for children of all ages. The somberness of those times aside from the quirky realization of what could just be around the corner was to keep the bogeyman away. This is a jewel in the rough that should be mined and polished. To be presented to those that may be enlightened in the following generations.

Ivan "Atrayo" Pozo-Illas, has devoted 21 years of his life to the pursuit of clairvoyant automatic writing channeling the Angelic host. Ivan is the author of the spiritual wisdom series of "Jewels of Truth" consisting of 3 volumes published to date. He also channels inspired conceptual designs that are multi-faceted for the next society to come that are solutions based as a form of dharmic service. Numerous examples of his work are available at "Atrayo's Oracle" blog site of 11 years plus online. Your welcome to visit his website "Jewelsoftruth.us" for further information or to contact Atrayo directly.