• Abstract and Figures
• Public Full-text

A Volunteer’s Story Letter diary of volunteer Marian Bartol, 1920–21 The Morgan Library & Museum, gift of John G. Bartol, 1992 Thirty-year-old Philadelphian Marian Grier Bartol joined the American Committee for Devastated France in 1920 and served a six-month tour, assigned to work alongside French women in the community store in Blérancourt. In nearly four hundred pages of letters home, written in continuous diary form, she cheerfully described the day-by-day experiences of a typical post-war volunteer. She delighted in shopping, sightseeing, and socializing when she arrived in Paris, but adjusted with aplomb to simple life in the volunteers’ barracks. “I am feeling splendidly,” she told her aunt and sister after she had settled in Blérancourt. “The out-of-door life suits me perfectly, and since I have gotten accustomed to the coarse bread, my digestion equals an ostrich.” As she got to know the people of the devastated regions, she wondered if “America should have come into the war sooner, before such terrific sacrifices were required of France.” Bartol came from a prominent Philadelphia family with a home just off Rittenhouse Square, and her voyages to and from Europe were covered in the social pages of the Inquirer. At the time she joined the American Committee, several members of Bartol’s family had already provided wartime service. Her brother Grier, who met her in Paris, served in France with the U.S. Army’s Field Artillery Branch; her brother George joined the Army Signal Corps; her Aunt Kate worked in the Paris office of the American Committee for Devastated France; and Anne Farr, a cousin and fellow volunteer, welcomed Marian in Blérancourt. On the home front, Marian’s father, George E. Bartol—founder and longtime president of the Philadelphia Bourse—saw to it that army, navy, and marine recruitment booths were set up on the Bourse’s main floor. Under his direction, the Bourse also founded a domestic program to support American farm families whose sons had gone to war and established a marine engineering school to train crews for transatlantic service. Bartol’s father died in 1917, before the war was over. As she described the colorful group of volunteers with whom she served in post-war France, Marian admitted to her aunt and sister that “father would have hated these modern, independent women.” Note that Marian Bartol’s letters make reference to four different women named Anne: in New York, Bartol stayed at the apartment of a friend, Anne Hall; in Blérancourt she lived with her cousin Anne Farr, who would later marry Bartol’s brother Grier; Anne Morgan and Anne Murray Dike, heads of the American Committee for Devastated France, are also cited in the letters, but always with their surnames. Bartol also mentions several Katherines: her Aunt Kate, who lived in Paris and worked with the American Committee for Devastated France; Kate’s daughter, Katherine, who also lived in Paris; and Kate Lewis, a fellow volunteer, who sailed to France with Marian. Letter dated 5 August 1920 1 Lexington Avenue [New York] August 5th Dear Auntie & Eleanor, I have had a most successful day since I left you at 7:41 this morning. I traveled up to New York with Mrs. Whittaker, and discovered that she was born in Mississippi, and that her maiden name was Meade. Her uncle married a Miss Shields from Natchez! I met George [Marian’s brother] as per appointment in the station, and we retrieved my two trunks from the baggage room, and, placing them advantageously on a taxi, we drove to the French Line’s dock, at the foot of West 15th Street. It certainly is far more convenient than taking a boat from Hoboken. We left the trunks, got receipts for them, and then got in the taxi and drove to Gabriella’s, where I left my bag, coat, and umbrella. We met her just coming out of the door and she insisted on George spending the night here, as in Anne Hall’s absence, she has two spare rooms. So he is here also. Then we took the subway to Battery Park to get my sailing permit. That took about thirty minutes standing in line, in the usual Government way of doing business. After that George showed me the Curb market which I had never seen before, then we took lunch together at the Lafayette. After lunch I went to Gay’s and got washed and rested before going to see Miss Caldwell [a representative of the American Committee for Devastated France]. After my interview with her, I did a little shopping and then went back to the Committee’s rooms for tea. The other members of the party are five in number. First, Mrs. Wilson, who has been over twice before with the Committee, about 45; second, Miss Rockwell, Kansas City, about 40; third, Miss Clark, from Boston, 25 + or –; Miss Shaw (who goes to Prouts Neck [Maine] in summer and knows all the Farrs) about 38; Miss Lewis, from Chicago, about 30, and very pretty, worked as an ambulance driver in France during the war. They seem like a very nice group and I am sure will be nice to travel over with. I do not know which one I will room with yet, but I understand the Savoie has no upper berths, just two lower ones in each room. Miss Lewis has used Mothersill’s [a remedy for seasickness] very successfully, so I am most hopeful of equally good results. Aunt Kate is to be the official chaperone residing in Paris until Oct. 1st so I ought to have a good time. After that Mrs. Tracy, Miss Morgan’s aunt [sister-in-law of Anne Morgan’s mother, Frances], takes it for several months. Gay does not know any further details of Anna’s death. She had always had a weak heart, but it was not considered serious until two months ago. My boat sails at noon tomorrow, so I will go on board about 10 a.m. Typhus is carried by body lice, so all they had to do was to fumigate the steerage etc. Miss Caldwell had not received a letter from Aunt Kate since she landed, so I think all the French mail was delayed. You two are certainly great to make it so easy for me to take this trip. Love to Kingsley and a great deal for both of you. Affectionately, Marian Letter dated 6 August 1920 A bord de “Savoie” Aug. 6th 1920 Dear Auntie & Eleanor, Here I am on board the Savoie—George brought me over in a taxi from Gay’s and I fulfilled all the necessary sailing formalities without any trouble. George was not allowed to come on board, only passengers. I met three other members of the Committee as soon as I got on the ship, each of whom had been seen off by a brother. My cabin has a new white enamel wash stand in it, instead of the old fashioned wooden ones, customary to the German liners. The boat is very clean, and has no perceptible odor of oil cloth. This latter fact may be due to the dose of Mothersill’s Remedy which I took before coming on board. I got deck chairs for all of our party on the starboard side of the deck. My room-mate is Mrs. Wilson, the most experienced traveler, and oldest member of our party, so I will be well taken care of—I am enclosing a letter I got from Margaret Felton. Perhaps that small Maltese kitten back of the Man house would do for her, if you can catch it. I received your night lettergram also the letter enclosing Pet’s, and a letter from Mary Smith, but none from H. Smith. So far we are just leaving the dock now, and will have lunch as soon as we start down the river. I will try to send George a postal before we get off, but if I don’t, thank him for seeing me off. With lots of love, Affectionately, Marian Please mail me some magazines from time to time c/o Morgan Harjes & Co. [the Paris affiliate of J.P. Morgan & Co.] Letter dated 7–14 August 1920 La Savoie August 7th Dear Auntie & Eleanor, It is almost noon on Saturday and we are bowling along through the Gulf Stream. So far Mothersill’s has been entirely successful and not only have I not had the least feeling of sea-sickness, but I have enjoyed my meals in the dining room! Auntie will hardly believe that, as she knows my usual record. I am hoping I will continue as well during the whole trip. The ocean is bright blue today and dotted with white caps. Yesterday afternoon and during the first part of the night we ran through little patches of fog, but the fog horn on this boat is much sweeter than the Mexicano’s. The people on board are largely French, consequently even after we passed the three mile zone no one got drunk. Miss Caldwell carefully warned Miss Shope and Miss Clark about speaking to any strange men on the boat, but said nothing to Miss Lewis or me, consequently we are much set up. The Miss Rockwell in our party is a niece of Mrs. Chaffee, a great friend of Gabriella’s mother. She comes from Kansas City. We have seats in the dining room at a table which holds eight, and so far there is no one else at the table but our party.

Load more

  78

Copy Link