THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, November 23, 1995 TAG: 9511180368
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 03 EDITION: FINAL
COLUMN: LOOKING BACK
SOURCE: BY JANIE BRYANT, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 133 lines
SEVENTY-NINE YEARS AGO this week, readers of The Portsmouth Star got a daily update on the first World War, raging in Europe.
One story told how a hospital ship carrying wounded was torpedoed, and a photo another day showed the burned and scarred remnants of tree stumps on the Somme Front in France.
But here in Portsmouth, debutantes drank tea and danced in the glow of ``pink shaded lights,'' and residents geared up for the holidays and a gigantic Democratic parade to celebrate President Woodrow Wilson's re-election.
A story the day of the parade told readers:
``Preparations were completed last night for what promises to be by far the most pretentious parade ever held in the city of Portsmouth. Celebrating the only time in the history of the country that a Democratic president has been re-elected . . . the loyal Wilson men of this city and Norfolk county will march through flag-draped streets tonight under the flickering glare of torches.''
Another story described some of the excitement in the city.
``Everybody is decorating,'' the story reported. ``As someone remarked today, the coming here of President Wilson himself could not have caused a greater demon-stra-tion.''
Postmaster S.T. Montague, who lived at 201 Fourth St., was awarded a picture of President Wilson for having the best decorated home.
And an account of the event was preserved for history in the next day's Star. But it wasn't necessary for anyone in Portsmouth in 1916.
According to the newspaper, 20,000 people viewed the parade.
``The usual conditions on the ferries were reversed,'' a reporter stated. ``Instead of crowds thronging to Norfolk after 7 p.m., the boats brought the crowds to this city.''
The parade stretched about 12 to 14 city blocks, according to the account, with participants carrying torches and flares that looked ``from a distance like a swarm of gigantic fireflies.''
One day later, local residents had turned their attention to Thanksgiving.
But the big story that week was what was missing from some tables - and why.
``The market was not overflowing today with the usual Thanksgiving supply of good things to eat,'' the newspaper reported. ``Turkeys were scarce and the few that were there were selling for 25 and 40 cents per pound.''
Geese and ducks were 25 cents per pound and eggs were twice that for a dozen.
The problem, according to stories that week, was attributed to food suppliers rumored to be storing food to drive prices up.
Despite those prices, on Thanksgiving Day residents poured into churches to give thanks, and many women in the city apparently found a way to set out a decent family feast.
The same story described ``savory odors which arose in the rear of the homes and . . . wafted around to the street where youngsters dressed in their most joyful rags, sniffed the air from time to time and cast expectant looks toward the kitchen windows.''
There must have been some strategic planning around Thanksgiving and hopefully would last awhile, because a front page story on Thanksgiving Day declared:
``The Norfolk and Portsmouth Housewives' Leagues have planned on Monday to start a campaign against the high prices and urge all housewives and everyone to help. In a statement today, the league declares for a boycott on eggs and turkeys for two weeks, and longer if necessary to bring results. . . .
The league is not fighting the local dealers, but those back of them holding our food supply for exorbitant prices. The league stands for a square deal to all and desires the corporation of local dealers.''
The league members called on businesses to support them, ministers to bring the matter to their churches and Boy Scouts to ``help the cause by marking on the streets such slogans as `Eggs 35' and `Remember the High Cost of Living,' '' according to the report.
The local campaign was part of a larger effort by the National Housewives League, which represented 2 million women in 1916.
But despite the rising cost of living that worried Portsmouth families, there were lighter sides to life.
Thanksgiving then, as now, meant football; only in 1916, men in the family were not glued to the tube couch potato-style.
They headed for Washington park to watch the Sewanee team play or they took the ferry to watch a college game in Norfolk.
And mothers probably began perusing the newspaper for holiday ads.
Watts store at Main and Granby streets in Norfolk was advertising Children's Day, a time to visit Santa and see the opening of the store's toy department.
Free Christmas books were promised to all the children who came to the store ``accompanied by their parents or nurse.''
And with the holidays in mind, some of the city's movers and shakers were planning an event similar to today's holiday tradition - a Community Christmas Tree lighting.
A story that week told readers that the Community Christmas Tree had been ``such a success'' the previous year that planners hoped to make it an annual tradition.
They called on residents to send contributions to the Star to purchase lights for the illumination instead of renting them as they had the year before.
Members called to a meeting to discuss the holiday event included Professor Arthur J. Lancaster, School Superintendent H.A. Hunt and Mrs. N.R. Hamilton.
On the business side of the news that week readers learned from an editorial that $15 million was to be spent at the shipyard and that the yard would ``be practically rebuilt along the most modern lines . . . ''
And Harry L. Alexander was to build an eight-story building at High and Chestnut streets - Portsmouth's ``first skyscraper.''
The same story reported ``considerable building going on at Port Norfolk, Mount Hermon and West Park View.''
And the news at City Hall that week, was that there wasn't much news. The lead on a City Council story put it this way:
``A considerable volume of routine business was transacted at last night's meeting of the council, none of which seemed to be of especial importance.''
The business that did get taken care of included the ``an ordinance covering the removal of dead horses from the city streets'' and a report that ``no action'' had been taken ``as yet in the matter of regulating in what manner the Star Spangled Banner shall be played.'' ILLUSTRATION: This is how the South Side of High and Crawford streets looked
in 1915.
FOR HISTORY BUFFS
Barnabas Baker is available as a consultant on local and state
history from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays at
the Portsmouth Public Library, 601 Court St. For more information,
call 393-8501.
The Portsmouth Genealogical Society meets at 3 p.m. the fourth
saturday of each month, also at the Portsmouth Public Library. For
more information, call 393-1205.
Mail information about meetings and events of historical interest
to 307 County St., Suite 100, Portsmouth, Va., 23704-3702; or fax to
446-2607. Please include a daytime phone number.
by CNB