As a former Wilson yearbook photographer and Photo Editor of the Beacon, I was thrilled to learn of the huge cache of World War II era Wilson High School images that are a part of the Library of Congress's FSA-OWI Photo Collection.  The collection, created under the Farm Security Administration and the Office of War Information, records everyday life in America from 1935-1944.   The goal of this project was to foster support for social and economic programs under FDR's New Deal.  Because the images were created by the U.S. Government, they are copyright free and in the Public Domain.

Of the 171,000 black and white images that make up the FSA-OWI Collection, just under 700 images are of Wilson or Wilson students in October of 1943.  Esther Bubley, the photographer assigned to Wilson, captures virtually every aspect of student life - classes,  assemblies, games,  fashion, dances, hanging out at the Horseshoe, etc.  Her work also documents an important slice of Wilson history, presenting its military and home front participation and contributions during WWII.   

Ms. Bubley focused especially on two students, Walter Spangenberg and Sally Dessez.  Most others are not identified by name so all you Alums from the 1940s, get out the yearbooks and really test your memories. 

The easiest way to explore this amazing collection is by using the Library of Congress' Prints and Photographs Collection On-Line Catalog. 

Here's how:

Enter or click on this url:   http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/catalog.html

Read notice and click the blue box to Search the Catalog.

Type Woodrow Wilson High School in the search box and click Search or enter.

Page one of 652 records will appear, with a brief text record for each image.

By clicking the purple "Preview Images" box, you can scan small thumbnail images.  (The first 9 turquoise boxes describe the collection group records, you can skip these.)

Click on a thumbnail image to view it's enlargement or click on the text portion to view the Bibliographic Information.  Use the back button to return to previous records.

How to order reproductions:

The scans of this collection were created early on in the Library of Congress digitization program and so they are not high resolution files.   The jpegs or largest tiff files can be downloaded or printed for reference but are not good for quality print enlargements.   

Very nice 8x10 (or larger) b/w photographic prints, made from negatives, can be ordered through the LOC Photoduplication Service.  Click on "How To Obtain Copies of This Item" from the Bibliographic Info. page of an image for more instructions or contact Athena Angelos for assistance. Aangelos@earthlink.net, phone: 202-387-4599

If you are in the area you may also visit the Prints and Photo Division of the Library of Congress where many prints of the FSA collection many be viewed in the Reading Room
M-F, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.   Capitol South Metro stop, Orange or Blue line.

Room LM 337, Madison Bldg.,
1st & Independence Ave., S.E.,
Washington, D.C. 20540-4730

Sincerely,

Athena "Tina" Angelos
Class of '82
Washington, DC