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Camp Maxey Years

An archives volunteer, Robert Thornburrow, has been going through some old papers and turning up interesting bits and pieces of Camp Maxey history, including a letter dated Feb. 10, 1944, and addressed to “Civilian Shoe Dealers.”

“1. The Dallas Regional OPA Headquarters has advised this Army Installation . . . that reports are being received indicating that OPA Forms R-1705B, “Shoe Purchase Certificates,” are being presented to shoe dealers, both by persons who are not military personnel, and by military personnel desiring to purchase shoes other than for their exclusive use.

“2. You are requested not to accept Shoe Purchase Certificates, OPA Form R-1705B, on sales, other than to military personnel for personal use. The Name, Serial Number and Organization of the soldier is entered on OPA Form R-1705B by the issuing officer. All instances where this form is presented for the purpose of purchasing shoes other than for the exclusive use of the military personnel to whom issued should be promptly reported to the Quartermaster at Camp Maxey.”

Signed by R.P. Marshall, Captaing, A.G.D., Adjutant

What do you suppose they did to the offending soldier(s)?

Another document of interest came from the Chamber of Commerce of Lamar County, Texas, dated April 6, 1942. It called a meeting of the membership to an “Emergency Clinic,” April 9-10, in the Paris Junior College Auditorium and was signed by Herbert Ordway, Chair, Education Committee. The clinic was to address business and civic problems arising from Camp Maxey.

The programs consisted of Clinics A (Housing accommodations, rentals, etc.); B (Merchandising, personnel and credit problems relating to department stores, specialty shops, variety stores, and other retail stores); C (Problems relating to building supplies, contractors, plumbing and electric shops, furniture stores, lumber yards, hardware stores, etc.); and D (Problems relating to food handlers, including meat markets, grocery stores, hotels, and all other food handlers).
Other topics included cashing checks, increase in personnel, selling and non-selling store hours, handling increased floor traffic, and business ethics.

I think often of what downtown Paris must have been in those booming years, particularly at this time of the year. There were many thriving “mom and pop” stores, later run out of business by the huge corporate stores that we know today. My dad religiously bought his gasoline from Glen McConnell, whose little station was at the front of his house out west on Bonham Street. Inside what must have been their living room he had his small office, and I think he and his wife Ruby sold a few grocery items. They lived behind this room in the rest of the house. I believe the old house is still standing, but the little gas station is long gone, as are Glen and Ruby. My dad always went inside and sat a spell to visit with them.

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