{"id":58249,"date":"2020-04-30T13:35:01","date_gmt":"2020-04-30T17:35:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.genealogybank.com\/?p=58249"},"modified":"2020-04-30T13:35:38","modified_gmt":"2020-04-30T17:35:38","slug":"looking-back-in-time-letters-children-wrote-during-the-1918-flu-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/looking-back-in-time-letters-children-wrote-during-the-1918-flu-pandemic.html","title":{"rendered":"Looking Back in Time: Letters Children Wrote during the 1918 Flu Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Mary Harrell-Sesniak searches old newspapers to find letters children wrote during the 1918 Flu Pandemic to, hopefully, bring a smile to our readers in this tough time. Mary is a genealogist, author and editor with a strong technology background.<\/em><\/p>\n

Looking back in time is always a joy to a genealogist \u2013 and during these tough times, it\u2019s certainly a joy to let you know what children were thinking and doing about 100+ years ago. That\u2019s right.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve found a treasure trove of submissions by children to editors of newspapers. Some mention the influenza or WWI, but most don\u2019t. When there was a contest or prize incentive, children became creative.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve purposely not added comments so that you can read them with a fresh perspective. Enjoy!<\/p>\n

Dorothy Orlea Thomas and Mamie Woltmann had their letters published in Council Bluffs, Iowa.<\/p>\n

\"Children's<\/a>
Evening Nonpareil (Council Bluffs, Iowa), 15 December 1918, page 19<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

When the editor of the Jackson Citizen Patriot\u2019s<\/em> comics department asked readers to suggest a name for the Duffs\u2019 new baby, many children responded in Jackson, Michigan.<\/p>\n

\"Children's<\/a>
Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, Michigan), 17 March 1917, page 12<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Henry Kerr trapped some animals and had a swimming adventure in Norwich, Connecticut.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Norwich Morning Bulletin (Norwich, Connecticut), 1 May 1919, page 10<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Pauline Buckley and Yvette Ruth Deuberry were published in Omaha, Nebraska.<\/p>\n

\"Children's<\/a>
Omaha Daily Bee (Omaha, Nebraska), 16 March 1919, page 39<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ethel Holland\u2019s \u201cOut in a Blow\u201d won a drawing contest in Norwich, Connecticut.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Norwich Morning Bulletin (Norwich, Connecticut), 1 May 1919, page 10<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I\u2019d like to finish this article with a cooking tip. After all, aren\u2019t we all madly scouring the Internet for ideas as to what to do with our dwindling food stocks? Inez Orn had a suggestion from Norwich, Connecticut.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Norwich Morning Bulletin (Norwich, Connecticut), 21 March 1918, page 10<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Now that you\u2019ve read these, please ask your youngsters to write their own letters. Write them to newspapers, grandparents, friends and neighbors. Then tuck them away for future generations to uncover!<\/p>\n

If I\u2019ve found a little gem by your family member, please let me know in the comments section below.<\/p>\n

Related Articles:<\/strong><\/p>\n