In the early 20th century, Halloween was changing from a night of pranks and vandalism into a community celebration. For Olympia during World War II it became a patriotic holiday, too.
1940s Halloween in Olympia Goes to War
Celebrating Halloween became a way for people on the home front to defy the war’s gloom. “In a world fraught with trouble,” the Daily Olympian commented on October 29, 1943, “it is gratifying to know that Americans are still celebrating this old-fashioned holiday, and can drop the cares of everyday life for an evening of hearty enjoyment.”
But even on Halloween, the war was impossible to forget. A 9 p.m. curfew for children was imposed for the first wartime Halloween in 1942 for the “dimout.” Business, street and home lights were to be turned off in case of air raids.
While trick or treating was becoming increasingly popular, sugar rationing limited the availability of candy and donuts to pass out. The Garfield School started a Trick or Scrap Club in 1942, collecting scrap metal door to door instead of treats. Other kids did the same. Dressing up like soldiers and nurses became popular.
Cracking Down on Halloween Destruction in Olympia
But the one thing that would not be patriotic, authorities urged, was destructive Halloween pranks and vandalism. Knocking over garbage cans and soaping windows might be tolerable during peacetime, but it wasn’t when the country was at war.
“It will be utterly impossible,” the Daily Olympian cautioned on October 29, 1943, “to restore damaged property in many cases…. Unnecessary work of this character is certainly a distinct interference with the national war program. Surely Olympia youngsters will be able to find fun this Halloween in other channels than vandalism. They owe it to their older brothers and relatives fighting this most devastating war.”
Community organizations from PTAs to churches held parties, dances and events to keep young people busy and out of trouble on Halloween. The YMCA even distributed party idea booklets through public schools.
Vandalism decreased, but remained a problem. In 1943 Olympia police counted only a few broken streetlights and a woman called to report that kids had pelted her front door with enough tomatoes to make several bottles of ketchup.
Heavy rain and strong winds should have kept most vandals at home in 1944, but it didn’t. “Nearly every downtown storekeeper,” wrote the Daily Olympian the day after, “was wielding a razor blade and window mop this morning. The street gutters fairly were running soap suds.” Some “soap shooting commandos” were even able to target the governor’s office windows at the Capitol. Four young men were convicted of vandalizing nearly 50 mailboxes in rural South Bay, Pleasant Glade and Johnson Point.
Olympia Halloween in the 1940s: Cheering up the Troops
Olympians found Halloween a great time to welcome visiting soldiers even before the war. In 1941 the South Union Grange invited a group of men from Camp Murray to their annual Halloween dinner, serving up dozens of pumpkin pies.
Once the Olympia USO Club was built, volunteers held annual Halloween parties. Everything from the fresh squeezed apple cider to the decorations were donated by the public. Junior hostesses and soldiers decorated the clubhouse into a festive haunted house for the event.
They outdid themselves for the 1943 party. The USO was decorated with ghostly lights and phosphorescent paper skeletons. There was a long line to see Madame le Fortune Teller dispense her predictions. The Catholic Daughters of America served up “Witches’ Brew” – fresh squeezed apple cider – and donuts.
Thirteen visitors at a time were ushered into the “Ghost Room.” The room was dark, the Daily Olympian explained, “except for a glow emanating from behind a tombstone.” A voice from behind the tombstone explained how poor Elmer Pettibone had “simply gone to pieces.” Then a ghost rose from the coffin, spooking everyone.
The “ghost” was junior hostess Peggy Fitzmorris and the voice from the Great Beyond was USO director J. Dermid Nallin.
A band from Fort Lewis – now JBLM – provided music for a masquerade ball. Junior hostesses wore costumes and many soldiers wore masks. The ballroom was decorated with festive black and orange streamers. A fence with black cats lined the walls. The USO Spookettes put on a ghost dance and the USO Hostettes performed the hula.
“We should have Halloween more often,” the Daily Olympian quoted a sailor saying as the party dispersed.
The Olympia USO also encouraged people to invite soldiers to their Halloween celebrations. The American Legion Post No. 3’s Auxiliary hosted annual Halloween parties at the American Lake Veterans Hospital.
War Over in Time for Halloween 1945 in Olympia
With the war wrapping up in summer 1945, Halloween that year felt like chance to get a little bit more back to normal. Vandalism returned with a vengeance, with the Olympia Fire Department kept busy turning off downtown fire hydrants all night.
With most soldiers still far from home, the USO put on another party. Servicemembers didn’t have costumes, but two enterprising friends tied anchors to their backs with bunting and called themselves the “anchor twins.”
While there were shortages of sugar, rationing was gone and Liberty Theater managed to save up free candy for the first 700 kids to attend their matinee Halloween party.
That the United States was now at peace made the celebration all the sweeter. The war had helped transition the holiday from a night of pranks and vandalism to a community holiday. The Baby Boom would make that change permanent.
