Came across a whole booklet of WWII Rationing Coupons from
the family on the Wisconsin dairy farm in Kendall known as Spring Brook Farm. I remember my parents talking about the rationing but never any details. If anyone has any insights into the specific information seen below, please feel free to comment. There were four individual sets of ration stamps/coupons but I have only scanned one example of each. There were also fuel and mileage coupons as well. I wonder how Americans would rise to the occasion if a similar life and death struggle were faced now with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Would American's today rise to the occasion and give up instant gratification? If things had turned out differently, then, we might well be having this conversation in German.
Apparently the local radio station sponsored the folders so that families could keep
things organized
Back cover with calendars and reminder to buy War Bonds. I noticed that this folder has a Roman Numeral Five on it, but the actual rationing books only go through 4. So perhaps when these were available there was yet no hope for the end of rationing.
I see the instructions here but do wonder how long it took people to adapt to using these. One issue, of course, is that those who were frugal were penalized (if you had sugar at hand then you got the same amount deducted from what you would otherwise have been able to buy.
Outside cover of book one
Above and below are inside left and right of ration book.
Ration Book Two
They also had some sort of tokens above which were used to give change for foods bought with rationing coupons
Above are food specific kinds of rationing coupons
It looks like the family sold back some meat and fats to the government - even tho they had to modify the sugar purchase certificate form. Probably another illustration of making due!
Family applied for ration book 3
And received them
These kinds of ration stamps/coupons had an aircraft carrier, plane, tank and cannon.
These say mileage rationing but it must have been gallons of gasoline or other fuels since it would be hard to clock the miles. Altho soon here in Washington State they'll be charging us for every mile driven. It will happen soon - alas!
I don't know if this is the only "inventory report" they had done or if they had previously filled these out when they turned in recyclables.
The 1924 Chev sedan registration for 1943 shows the frugal lifestyle of the farmer
Herman Weber's Selective Service card. Since he was born in 1879, there wasn't a lot of danger of him being called up curing WWII. He had not fought in WWI - like his brother-in-law George Sherwood (see https://dearonesathome.blogspot.com) because he was the last young and strong man left to work the farm. Even during WWI he had been in his 40's.
Various other rationing stamps
I'm not exactly sure what these are but am assuming thus far that they have something to do with automobile tabs and the fuel and mileage rationing. These are all inside the ration booklet. The one below say '43' and the one above '44.' The 44 one is much more clear on this side even though I believe this is
Below is a sheet of paper that was included which showed them attempting to keep track of the amounts used. It sounds as though sometimes they sent the rationing booklet along with someone else or sent the coupons/stamps to the merchants and then checked them over for accuracy at the return. At this time Herman and Susan and their son Carl all lived on the farm. Their other three children were scattered around the country.
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