To: Mrs. J. Clarkson, From: Ruth. 1945
Monday Evening
10:30 PM
Sept. 3, 1945
Dearest Mother,
Haven’t seen this yet, but there’s a view for you. (unclear) badly put in our first work day and it wasn’t too bad. Spent the morning registering and signing forms. Had a picnic lunch out on the lawn and back to lectures and instructions until 5 p.m. Came back to hotel, changed, and (unclear) to a place called “Treasure Island” for dinner. Did some window shopping on the way back and here I am. Have to be Johnny-on-the-spot tomorrow at 9 a.m. Howe’s everything?
All my love,
your, Ruth.
September 3, 1945 was “Victory over Japan” day, or V-J Day, as that’s when Japan officially signed documents of surrender. Though, you wouldn’t know it from this particular postcard. In fact, there’s no mention of the war at all, not even a passing relief that it was finally over. As a historian, I find this fascinating.
In 1945, citizens of the United States had borne witness to the horrors that came out of the end of World War II. Liberated concentration camps, sunken faces of POW’s, and Nuclear Bombs pervaded newspapers for months. It’s no wonder, then, that Ruth simply tried to lead a normal life. As we know so well, when everything around you feels like it’s tumbling down, you cling to what you can control. Perhaps that’s what Ruth was doing, leaning into the mundane because she could control it.
When I started out, I wasn’t sure I would find Ruth or her family. I did have her first and last name, but I didn’t have the name of her mother, or father. However, after digging a bit on the internet, I found that in 1938, Ruth was teaching high school. The entry is as follows:
Miss Ruth Barbara CLARKSON
Who has taught at the Lincoln School for several years and is completing her first year at Manistee High School, received her A.B. degree from the University of Michigan. She teaches civics (12), economics (12), sociology (12), and English (11). Miss CLARKSON was born in Highland Park, Illinois, and is a graduate of Manistee High School. She assisted the Junior Class sponsor with the J-Hop.
(“Most Popular” female faculty member)
Since Manistee is a relatively small town, and since the time-frame sits right, I figured I had our Ruth. More digging, and I confirmed that Miss Ruth Barbara Clarkson, the most popular female faculty member at Manistee High School in 1938 is very likely our Ruth. I managed to find her grave, which lists her father as Joseph W. Clarkson. Hence, “Mrs. J. Clarkson.”
Ruth was born on October 9, 1910 to Joseph and Bessie Clarkson. Because of that wonderful yearbook blurb, we know that she earned a degree at the University of Michigan, and taught high school for several years. She died on April 13, 1963 at only 52. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to find an obituary.
Why was she in Washington D.C? The tone of the card indicates she was doing some sort of work, and that she planned on going to Mount Vernon. And, I have to wonder, did she take students on a trip out there? Was it some sort of Civics convention? I myself will be taking the 8th graders I teach to Washington D.C. this Spring. It’s possible that she was on some sort of school trip. Perhaps that’s why she went through a list of everything they did. And maybe that’s why she had to be “Johnny-on-the-spot” in the morning. She had a bunch of students to wrangle!
It’s only conjecture, of course. The postcard gives us a lot of detail, but very little actual knowledge. What is apparent, however, is that she must have been close to her mother.
I do love this postcard. I hope Ruth had a wonderful time, and I hope she spent more lovely days in Washington D.C. seeing the sights, and taking picnics on the last days of summer.
“Washington’s Home” Mount Vernon, VA.
Hipstory 