Betsy J. Green

WAY BACK WHEN: 100 YEARS AGO TODAY IN SANTA BARBARA: On April 17, 1918, the local paper ran an article about the “old glove campaign.” The U.S. Government did not have enough warm jackets for pilots who flew in the open cockpits of war planes. There was now in Santa Barbara, a group of women collecting used leather gloves. “Gloves, thus collected, will be properly trimmed, sewed together, and used as interlinings for windproof jackets for aviators.” (I hope they cut the fingers off the gloves first.)  Read More 

A dance was held in the Elks’ Hall on April 13, 1918 by one of the newest associations in the city -- the Girl Telephone Operators Association. There were 40, mostly young, women in this group who worked the telephone switchboards. This was probably the most technical job available for women a century ago. These women often stayed at their posts during emergencies such as floods, fires, and earthquakes. Read More 

WAY BACK WHEN - 100 YEARS AGO TODAY IN SANTA BARBARA: On April 3, 1918, the local paper ran a photo of Col. Douglas MacArthur, and mentioned that he had had been awarded the Croix de Guerre for unusual gallantry in action. His mother was in Santa Barbara at this time, visiting her daughter-in-law Mrs. Arthur MacArthur who lived at 180 E. Arrellaga. Image: Wikimedia Read More 

WAY BACK WHEN - March 31, 1918 -- 100 years ago today, daylight-saving time began in Santa Barbara for the very first time. Although there were some complaints — “When it is noon, it is noon, no matter what the clock says” — there were no major problems.

Way Back When - March 26, 1918 -- 100 years ago today, a thief at the prestigious Potter Hotel, made off with “an emerald ring, two clocks, gold neck chain, silver souvenir spoon, and one sapphire, and an emerald ring,” according to the SB Daily News & Independent.

Way Back When -- March 18, 1918 -- 100 years ago today, the boat “The Sea Wolf,” captained by Captain Ira Eaton, took a group of movie people from the Vitagraph Company to Santa Cruz Island to film “The Woman in the Web.” Santa Barbara’s Daily News & Independent wrote, “It is said that the picture being filmed will be one of the finest pictured romances yet produced.” Read More 

Way Back When in Santa Barbara -- March 24, 1918 -- 100 years ago today, the Santa Barbara Morning Press wrote about the main meeting place for folks in Carpinteria that was called the Auditorium. “Every man, woman and child in the Carpinteria valley is proud of our hall. It is the place for all public meetings, Red Cross work and civic bodies.”.
It was also the place where people watched silent movies. This 1914 building is still here at 888-892 Linden Avenue.

Watch for more up-to-the-minute century-old news in my Way Back When: Santa Barbara in 1918 book available in November 2018.

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Way Back When - March 8, 1918 -- 100 years ago today, a rainstorm caused a landslide on Ortega Hill that buried the train tracks there. “The track in this section was covered for over 100 feet under an immense pile of dirt,” according to the Santa Barbara Morning Press.