Mayor Edward J. Kelly Collection

Chicago Service Men's Center - Fragment

Transcript (Download)

Chicago's way of doing its bit for the Army and Navy men.

Quite a place for the Army boys to go.

This center of hospitality, which is sponsored by Mayor Kelly of Chicago, and he tells us about the good work that's being done.

This serviceman center, organized, financed, and maintained by the people of Chicago, has taken care of thousands of boys.

Only last Saturday, 7 ,500 boys, which does not mean the girls who are here usually to entertain them or any of the help, were fed sandwiches and almost a full meal.

We have 12 floors in this building.

We have room to sleep 1 ,200 boys who are going through or without a bed when they do come here.

We give away cigarettes, Coca -Cola, milk, everything that a boy would want, and not one penny can be spent, so that the boy goes away from here feeling that he is appreciated.

And of course Chicago appreciates the boys at the front and will stand by them at home and make them feel that this is their real club, the same as any other big club in the city of Chicago.

Presiding over the Edibles is Mrs.

Kelly.

Mrs.

Kelly has a busy time passing out the cake.

Stationary and cigarettes are passed out by Mrs.

Sartell of Brooks.

Paper envelopes and smokes are there for any soldier or sailor that wants them.

Trousers need mending? Well, Mrs.

Baker is skillful with the needle and she never makes a slip.

All sorts of games are available for the boys at Chicago's superb Center for Servicemen, a lively ping pong battle.

His honor, Mayor Kelly, joins in a game at the table, Kelly Pool.

The mayor is quite an expert.

These tables provide a favorite entertainment for the boys, and suppose the table should be too tall for a shorty? Well, they know what to do about that too.

The dancing is the lively kind because some of these lads from the camps are most adept at shaking a jitterbug foot.

Identifier
F.2018-10-0009
Date Of Production
circa 1942
Abstract
The film depicts scenes from Chicago’s Servicemen’s Center No.1, which opened in 1941 at the former Elks Lounge No. 4. It features Mayor Kelly highlighting the functions of the Center, and narrated scenes showing the Center’s amenities from the inside.
Description
This short film was produced to report on the opening of Servicemen’s Center No. 1 (located at 178 W. Washington St.) in August 1941, operated by the Chicago Commission on National Defense and sponsored by Mayor Kelly. In the first half of the footage, Mayor Kelly introduces the services of the Center and highlights its capacity - he notes that it had recently served 7,500 army and navy men. He highlights the hospitality and free services offered, which includes food, cigarettes, 12-floors of beds, and entertainment provided by women employed by SMC. The latter in particular is offered so that - to quote the mayor - "the boy goes away from here feeling that he is appreciated.” 

The second half of the footage features narrated scenes of gleeful servicemen inside the SMC: Mrs. Kelly serving cake in the Canteen, stationary is offered to men, clothes are mended, and others can be seen playing ping pong while Mayor Kelly joins another group for a game of pool.
 
Initiated in 1941 to support the needs of World War II military communities, many service agencies were opened across the United States as part of the United Service Organizations (USO). Servicemen’s Center No. 1 was located in a 15-story building that was formerly known as the Elks Lodge No.4, and included clubrooms and auditorium spaces. The City of Chicago also established Servicemen’s Centers at the Illinois Central Railroad Terminal on Roosevelt Road, at Union Station, and at the Auditorium Building.
 
Run Time
0:03:01
Format
35mm
Extent
500 feet
Color
B&W
Sound
Optical
Reel/Tape Number
1/1
Has Been Digitized?
Yes
Language Of Materials
English
Element
Print
Genre
Political
Form
Announcements
Subject
History
Politics and government
Militaries
World War II, 1939-1945
Recreation
Chicago (Ill.)
Related Collections
Mayor Edward J. Kelly Collection

Related Places
North America ➜ United States ➜ Illinois ➜ Chicago

Participants And Performers
Kelly, Edward J. (is participant)

 
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