WW1 U.S. Boys Working Reserve Bronze Badge - Historical Info

[GopherDaGold]

I'm brand new as a member but I've spent many hours in awe of the many spectacular finds I've seen here.
I had a Bounty Hunter Land Star for a while and hit a couple of the tot lots in my neighborhood to familiarize myself with the detector. I'd found some clad, lots of rusty Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars and a pocketknife.
I got a nice signal by a very large old oak tree and dug this bronze badge up from about 5" deep next to a root.


"Making boy power count"
War brought chronic food shortages to the United States. America's demand, coupled with the need to double exports to desperate European allies, led to calls for greatly increased production. But at the same time, the United States suffered an ongoing labor shortage. In an attempt to solve both problems at once, the U.S. Department of Labor organized the United States Boys' Working Reserve in May 1917. The goal was to enroll hundreds of thousands of 16 to 20 year old boys to work primarily on farms during summer vacation, thus boosting production and easing the labor shortage. Much of the remainder of 1917 was spent building an organization in each of the states in cooperation with the state councils of defense.

Enrolling members
Local libraries and high schools were targeted as conduits for enrolling members. The National Program of Library Cooperation asked local libraries to distribute various literature and applications to "all boy patrons" and to compile a list of all reserve age boys. The librarian was asked to be on the lookout for boys who did not attend school so that they could be recruited into the reserve. Likewise, high school principals were asked to steer boys into the program. In some states, school holiday and spring vacations were shortened in order to add weeks to the summer working season. And schools made provisions in the fall to help boys catch up with studies in the event that farm duties ran past the beginning of the school year.
Upon enrollment, each boy was required to pass a physical examination and provide an oath of service. He would then receive his enrollment button and certificate. Moreover, he was "then privileged to put on the military National Reserve uniform, with the arm chevron." The reserve "hoped" that each boy would buy a uniform. But it recognized that the cost of up to $10 could be too much for some families, and therefore made it optional. Boys who met certain criteria were eligible later to receive and wear special service badges.


Info from:
http://www.sos.state.or.us/archives/.../ww1/kids.html

[timekiller]

Neat badge,and welcome aboard Tnet! I can say if you use your title and do a goggle search it has some neat sites there that talks about this! Hope to see some more from you!
Cool Find!

[PAULWYO]

WOW WOW GREAT FIND NEVER SEEN ONE BEFORE WTG . WELCOME TO T-NET GREAT FIND

[GopherDaGold]

Thanks guys. I only hope to be as fortunate as many of the posters here once I get back to swingin'.
The Land Star is no more but I have my eyes on a Tesoro Vaquero.

[Deepdiger60]

Welcome to T-Net Great find you got there HH

[GopherDaGold]

Thanks Deep! I did a bit of research on the badge and the Reserve which I pasted into the body of my first post. Very interesting stuff!

[ragu]

That is some amazing history behind that. VERY interesting. Its always nice to find coin or jewelry. BUT to me finding REAL history like that is almost better. Especially if you start to think about the boy's history that wore that badge.

[hodge]

I agree with some of the other guy's in saying that its a nice find. Looking forward to seeing more of your finds in the future.
hodge

[GopherDaGold]

It should be a good tax refund year for me so that Vaquero I have my eyes on looms ever closer...
Unfortunately the divorce monster ate my Land Star
And my Harley
And my deejay business
And my Gibson geetar

BUT...

I came out smelling like a rose when I won custody of our tricycle motor and the house

So...

You WILL see me posting more finds soon but until then I'm content with drooling over YOUR finds! (What?? No drooly face smiley thingy? This is an outrage!! )


(tricycle motor - trī-sə-kəl mōt′ər n. def: young child, minor child, male or female)- Bikerpedia