In the early 20th century, Halloween was changing from a night of pranks and vandalism into a community celebration. For Bellingham, during World War Two it became a patriotic holiday, too.
Halloween Goes to War
Celebrating Halloween became a way for many people on the home front to defy the war’s gloom. “Don’t let Halloween slip by,” cautioned Mrs. Alexander George, AP Food editor columnist in the October 28, 1943 Bellingham Herald newspaper, “without some sort of jollification for the youngsters in your family. A little witchery, good food, frolic and friends can make it a gala evening all at small cost in money or ration points.”
The war was impossible to forget, even as adults flocked to dances and horror films in the theater. And while people saved up sugar for the holiday, rationing limited the availability of donuts and candy, favorite Halloween treats, especially to hand out to trick-or-treaters.
And for the first wartime Halloween in 1942, a curfew was imposed for the “dimout.” Kids needed to be home early as businesses and homes turned off their lights to protect them from potential air raids. The lighting restrictions included streetlights and jack-o’-lanterns. These restrictions would be lifted in later years.
Cracking Down on Halloween Destruction
These restrictions also, unintentionally, limited Halloween vandalism and pranks. Knocking over garbage cans and soaping windows might be tolerable during peacetime, authorities argued, but were unpatriotic when the country was at war. Things could not be easily replaced, and repair work took time away from the war effort.
“Halloween should be different this year,” the Bellingham Herald declared on October 31, 1942, “Maybe it should be different every year, for never can hooliganism be condoned, but the sobering effects of war should make youthful pranksters think twice now before committing Halloween depredations … Organized intra-school campaigns are being carried on to impress upon thoughtless students the theme that it is unpatriotic to run amok, damaging property and perhaps placing human lives in jeopardy.”
Schools certainly did their part to promote a “safe and sane” holiday. Whatcom Junior High School students continued their annual pledge to behave. Halloween vandalism was treason and helped the enemy, one student poster published in the Bellingham Herald proclaimed in 1942. “Don’t Be a 5th Columnist,” the artist warned, depicting a giant Hitler shaking hands with a rock-throwing boy.
Community organizations from PTAs to churches held parties, dances, and events to keep young people busy – and out of trouble – on Halloween. The Fairhaven Community Center and South Bellingham Girls’ and Boys’ Club held annual parties for young people, with magic shows for the youngest kids and live dance music for teens. Both also held costume contests. Soldiers and nurses were popular costumes.
The Bellingham YMCA held a free annual party for the boys of the city. The kids enjoyed games in the gym, swimming, a movie, a “House of Horrors,” and refreshments like apple cider and donuts.
Through these efforts and stepped-up police patrols, vandalism and destructive pranks decreased, but remained a concern. Damage was light in 1942. “It was one of the quietest Halloweens in recent years,” the Bellingham Herald reported the next day, “… Celebrants were numerous, but they confined themselves chiefly to soaping windows and to neighborhood ‘trick or treat’ visits.”
Damage continued to be moderate for the rest of the war. Vandals managed to soap windows on Cornwall Avenue shops in 1943. The next year, despite wind and rain, there were almost 90 calls to Bellingham police departments on Halloween, including 34 for open fire hydrants.
Cheering Up the Troops
Halloween was also a great time for Bellingham to welcome visiting soldiers. The public was encouraged to invite service members to their celebrations, and the Hospitality Center held annual Halloween parties.
The Junior Hostesses Club decorated up the recreation room at the Center for the event. “Halloween trimmings,” the Bellingham Herald described the 1942 party on October 31, “were placed about the ceiling lights and strung between them and huge cutout black cats were on the walls.” Cornstalks, pumpkins, and broomstick riding witches completed the scene.
A band provided live music for dancing. Junior hostesses served pumpkin pie, donuts, and a buffet supper. They led games, “stunts” and novelty acts. The “honeymoon race” proved particularly popular.
Everything at the party was donated. In 1944, the Hospitality Center put out a special call for pumpkins for the club’s upcoming Halloween “pumpkin party” and dance.
War Over in Time for Halloween
With the war ending in summer 1945, Halloween that year felt like a chance to get a little bit more back to normal. That included vandalism, which returned with a vengeance despite heavy rain.
The American Theater held a special “kiddies” matinee Halloween party. Children enjoyed two cartoons, “Speaking of Animals in the Public Eye” and “Who Killed Who” (episode four of “Zorro’s Black Whip”), Ernie Pyle’s story of “G.I. Joe,” and the comedy horror film “Henry Aldrich Haunts a House.” First prize for the costume contest was $5 cash and everyone got free candy, now no longer rationed.
That the United States was at peace made the celebration all the sweeter. The war helped Halloween transform, if only temporarily, from a night of pranks and vandalism to a community holiday. The Baby Boom era would make that change permanent.
