I babysat for 2 small children that lived in the apartment behind us to earn spending money.  We had a part chow puppy that we called “Teddy”.  The first half of the school year of 1945-1946, I attended Jefferson Junior High School and then returned to Chattanooga for the second half of the school year.  Mr. R. McKeehan was principal and Mr. G. B. Bond was Assistant Principal of the Jr. High.  I rode the city bus down the hill to the Junior High School.  We had dances in the school gym and I remember learning to “jitterbug” there.  We danced to song like “On the Atchison, Topeka and Sante Fe”, “In The Mood”, “Chattanooga Choo Choo”, “Juke Box Saturday Night”, “Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive”, and “Tuxedo Junction”.  There were many popular songs that we sang that were about the war such as “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree (with Anyone Else but Me)”, “Rosie the Riveter”, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”, “Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition”, and “Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer”.  This era created the most romantic love songs because of the boys and men who were serving their country and away from home.  I still remember many friends I cared about and wonder where they spent the rest of their lives.  The 9^th grade brought on a “crush” for Richard “Dick” Powell from Hartford, CT.  Wonder what ever happened to him. 

I remember the government selling War Bonds and Stamps.  The stamps started at a price of 10 cents and 25 cents up to $5.00.  I did not have much spending money but I could afford a stamp or two a week.  These stamps were put in a book until the book was filled which was worth $18.75 and could be traded for a $25.00 bond at the bank or post office. 

Secrecy was of the utmost important in Oak Ridge.  We wore buttons that said, “A slip of the lip may sink a ship”.  The cautionary sign at the main gate of Oak Ridge was:  “What you do here, what you see here, what you hear here, when you leave here, let it stay here”.  The children of Oak Ridge each decided what they were making in Oak Ridge.  I thought they must be making Hershey Bars, because good chocolate was unavailable, it all went to the men in service. 

Rationing was in full force during this time.  Gasoline cards, sugar, and shoe stamps were issued.  Mother rode the bus to Grove Center to buy groceries.  She had to stand in separate lines for each item like cigarettes and meat.  Coffee was very scarce.  Butter was so scarce that and they came out with oleomargarine.  The oleo we bought was white and included was a package of yellow coloring to mix with the oleo and make it yellow.  We were allowed to buy 2 pair of shoes a year.  For the duration of World War II, a large allotment of the shoe materials went to the service men.  I remember there were no liquor stores in town and it was prohibited.  Since cigarettes were so scarce, like most important things that went to our service men, my parents bought a machine, tobacco, tobacco papers and rolled their own cigarettes.  I remember what a thrill it was to have silk stockings.  My grandfather received a gasoline ration card.  There was no shortage of gasoline, but the rubber for the car tires was used by the military and unavailable, so they rationed the mileage you used with gas rationing.  Cards for gas were issued according to each persons needs.  During this time they started recapping tires to make them last longer.