Interview of Theodora C. Smolinski on her service in the U.S. Army during WWII Amelia Bunder: This is Amelia Bunder, oral history chairperson for the Pittsburgh unit, Women’s Overseas Service League. Today, I am interviewing Theodora Smolinski, a member of the Pittsburgh unit for a great many years. [0:20] Theodora, what, what did you think when I selected you to be one of the participants for oral histories? Theodora Smolinski: Well, it’s kind of interesting. I don’t think about the army except somebody calls it m-, to my attention. I – uh, it’s just part of my past, I guess. Amelia Bunder: Okay. Well, let’s start with the questions. [0:39] Now, what branch of service did you serve? Theodora Smolinski: I was with the Women’s Army Auxiliary Core for about 10 months and then I joined the Women’s Army Core and was a member for th-, 26 months. Three years altogether. Amelia Bunder: Oh. [0:56] Well, th-, you had an extended tour of duty. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: [0:59] Uh, and, uh, w-, where did you serve? Where did you…? Theodora Smolinski: Daytona Beach, Florida; Maxwell Field, Alabama; Tidworth, England; Salisbury, England; and Paris, France. Amelia Bunder: [1:13] How long was your – well, where did you have basic training? Where did you s-… Theodora Smolinski: Daytona Beach. Amelia Bunder: Oh. That was your, that was your area of basic training. And, uh, now you mentioned your overseas assignment. [1:23] How long were you, uh, s‑, stationed overseas? Theodora Smolinski: About 18 months. Amelia Bunder: [inaudible 1:28] You did have an interesting experience. [1:31] What, uh, what influenced you to volunteer for the military service? Theodora Smolinski: Well, I always felt that I as a, as an ex-Canadian needed to help America win the war! And I also – there was also a big push to, to keep a father at home and, uh, by the time I joined, the p-, one person I knew who was a father was already in the Service, so I didn’t help him. Amelia Bunder: [2:01] Well, when you say, uh, ex-Canadian, what do you mean by that? Uh. Theodora Smolinski: I was born in Canada. Amelia Bunder: I see. [2:07] And then when did you come to the United States? Theodora Smolinski: When I was about 3 in… Amelia Bunder: Oh. Theodora Smolinski: …1922. Amelia Bunder: I see. [2:14] So you considered yourself, uh, an American. Theodora Smolinski: Definitely. Amelia Bunder: Yes. [2:19] And, um, tsk, were, were you, um, uh, were you the only member of the family to be involved in military service? Theodora Smolinski: My brother was in the Merchant Marine and my sister was an army wife. Amelia Bunder: Y-, oh. Well, so you had [laughter], you had more support in… Theodora Smolinski: Yeah. Amelia Bunder: …the family. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: Uh. [2:40] Uh, what were you doing prior to your enlistment? And, and let us know when you actually did enlist. What was the date of your enlistment? Theodora Smolinski: Uh, Septem-, um, tsk, I was a stenographer and switchboard operator. Amelia Bunder: [2:52] And where was that at? Theodora Smolinski: Uh, Pittsburgh, uh, er, for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Amelia Bunder: Oh. Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: And I, uh, joined in like October 21st, 1942. Amelia Bunder: [3:15] D-, uh, uh, when you, uh, well, uh, now you, your, you – apparently your reason for joining the Service s-, seemed to be, uh, principally patriotic. Theodora Smolinski: Patriotic. Amelia Bunder: Yes. [3:26] Did you expect, you know, your military service to, to offer you a t-, uh, to, to achieve any other purpose or was…? Theodora Smolinski: No. Amelia Bunder: [3:35] You hadn’t g-, really given that a thought… Theodora Smolinski: No. Amelia Bunder: …at the time, did you? [3:39] Would you say that it did, now in retrospect. Theodora Smolinski: Well [sighing], um, I don’t think it did except that, uh, the G.I. – under the G.I. Bill, I went to school to become an occupational therapist and, uh, I guess that’s influence of the Army. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: Yes. And that, and that… Theodora Smolinski: I s-… Amelia Bunder: …is a very critical one. Theodora Smolinski: …I saw occupational therapy at work in the Army hospitals and so I, uh – where I did volunteer work in Paris, and I knew that, uh, uh, oh, activity could keep… Amelia Bunder: Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: …help people a lot. Amelia Bunder: [4:18] Well you, you said volunteer work. You mean in addition to your military experience you were a… Theodora Smolinski: We were… Amelia Bunder: … d-, working as a volunteer? Theodora Smolinski: …we worked six days a week. No, seven days a week, six hours a day on the switchboard in Paris, and that gave you 18 hours a day to fill with something and I didn’t drink, so I had to find [laughter] something to do. So, I went into the Red Cross and volunteered. Amelia Bunder: [4:46] And, and what was the nature of that activity? Theodora Smolinski: Well, at first, I was to write letters – help G.I.s who couldn’t write letters… Amelia Bunder: Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: …to their wives, and I got to the place where I could not look at the men and say, ‘Oh, your husband is fine!’ [laughter] Amelia Bunder: Oh [inaudible 5:03]. Theodora Smolinski: I – so then I went back to the Red Cross and I asked for a different assignment and they, uh, assigned me to an arts and crafts area, which I knew about. Amelia Bunder: Yes. [5:13] And that s-, subsequently led… Theodora Smolinski: Yeah. Amelia Bunder: …to your choice of, uh, occupational… Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …therapy as your professional role in the future. Theodora Smolinski: Yes. Amelia Bunder: That’s very interesting, Theodora. That really is unusual. Here you were, uh, really involved in two, you know, two… Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …great aspects. That’s, um. [5:30] When – uh, now you mentioned that the nature – you were a, um, an operator. A telephone, … Theodora Smolinski: Telephone operator. Amelia Bunder: …telephone. [5:38] Was that essentially the nature of your work throughout your military experience both state, uh, stateside and overseas? Theodora Smolinski: No, oversea – before – um, stateside, I was a secretary or a company clerk or something like that. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: But overseas, they needed switchboard operators and I volunteered and – when they asked for volunteers, and the sergeant said, “You’re not supposed to volunteer.” I said, “Oh, I like it!” So I did it! Amelia Bunder: So, so. Theodora Smolinski: I was on a small switchboard in southern England and, uh, then I moved from there to the next – to – it was Paris military, the largest military switchboard and, uh. Amelia Bunder: [6:26] Well, you must have had some very interesting things probably come over the telephone. Uh, maybe not even, uh, I don’t know [inaudible 6:33] personally but, uh, maybe with a group involved, I guess. Uh. Theodora Smolinski: Well, we didn’t pay – we didn’t have time to find out… Amelia Bunder: I see. Theodora Smolinski: …what was on the telephone. Amelia Bunder: I see. I see. Theodora Smolinski: They – just before we left, we called San Francisco and we could hear them but they couldn’t hear us because the lines in Paris were so – needed repair so badly. Amelia Bunder: Yes. So, you couldn’t make the connection. So. Let’s talk a little bit about the, uh, tsk, about the housing and, um, uh, some of the more concrete, uh, things that are pertinent to the military service. Uh. [7:11] D-, do you recall what your, what your pay was and, and, uh, uh, your rank? How did you, how did you move up in rank? Theodora Smolinski: Well, as a, as a private I got $21 a month. Tsk. And about four or six months later, within six months anyway, I er-, started earning $50 as a private and then as I went up in rank I gained – got more, but I haven’t any idea how much more. I was a sergeant when I came out of the Army. Amelia Bunder: [7:43] Now, did they have, uh, male, uh, soldiers i-, in doing the – p-, carrying out that particular type of work or were, were you all women as t-, as operators? Theodora Smolinski: No. In England it depended on the, um, tsk, ba-, uh, the type of, uh, army installation you were in. Amelia Bunder: I see. Theodora Smolinski: There were a lot of girls doing switchboard, but there were a lot of men doing it too. Amelia Bunder: [8:10] Now when you say the type, you mean like, uh, maybe, um, uh… Theodora Smolinski: Well, uh, I… Amelia Bunder: …closer to an area that, that might be, uh, more critical in terms of, uh, fire – I mean, uh, of – no? [Not there 8:21]? Theodora Smolinski: No. In London, the switchboard was the 4th story underneath the building. Amelia Bunder: Wow. Theodora Smolinski: And those – us – were a mixture of boys and girl – men and women. And then, uh, in Tidworth, uh, we were – uh, we had a, um, switchboard inside one of the men’s barracks and, uh, we – every day I would hear about those terrible WACs that went up into the men’s barracks and I couldn’t of believed it because we were all so busy. Then I discovered it was me they were talking about! [laughter] But they didn’t know that the end of the barracks was separated. [laughter] Unidentified speaker: Oh. So you, so you [rule it 9:10]. Amelia Bunder: [9:11] Why, uh, you mentioned four stories. Uh. Was that a bomb shelter? Theodora Smolinski: It was underneath a store. Um. Like a parking – uh, probably would’ve… Amelia Bunder: Oh. Theodora Smolinski: …been a parking garage but then was made into a switchboard operating. Amelia Bunder: That’s really very interesting. [9:27] Did, did – uh, uh, now, about the pay and s-, the nature of the assignment, but what about the housing, did – and the medical attention? Did y-, did you find any discrepancies in term what was afforded to you versus what would’ve been afforded to the male soldier? Theodora Smolinski: No. Uh-uh. We got the same. Amelia Bunder: [9:45] Uh, were you housed in the same areas or did they have separate, uh, areas for, uh, the female military? Theodora Smolinski: Well, we had – yeah, we were sort of separated but, um, not – uh, now in Paris, we had a whole hotel for WACs only but, uh, men could come and go… Amelia Bunder: Yes, visit. Theodora Smolinski: …in the first floor. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: But I don’t know their [inaudible 10:10]. Amelia Bunder: [10:10] But you weren’t housed together. Theodora Smolinski: No. Yeah, no. Uh-uh. Amelia Bunder: Yes. I think that was the pattern. I think generally speaking… Theodora Smolinski: Mm. Amelia Bunder: …women were housed separately… Theodora Smolinski: Separately, yes. Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …from the – from, uh, uh. As you said though, they had access to the… Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …to the lobby or the living room or whatever the, uh, the guest areas would be in these facilities. Tsk. [10:31] Uh, uh, what about your, uh, your dress. You uniform dress. Do you recall, uh, any ch-, I mean, how, uh, what you began with versus, you know, any changes that may have occurred throughout [inaudible 10:44]. Theodora Smolinski: Well, uh, no, I don’t think so. Um. Amelia Bunder: [10:49] Were – did you get suited at – you, you weren’t at – were you in ODs when you went into the service? Theodora Smolinski: No, we had the, the khaki when we… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …were in Florida and Alabama. Then when we went overseas, we got ODs… Amelia Bunder: Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: …and Eisenhower jackets and… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …slacks. Hm. Amelia Bunder: Well, you know the nurses started in navy blue. You know, the… Theodora Smolinski: Hm. Amelia Bunder: …the nurses who earlier – who went into the service earlier during in the World War II started with the color navy blue uniform… Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …and then subsequently that was changed… Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …and, uh, I wondered if that was true of the, the WACs… Theodora Smolinski: No, I… Amelia Bunder: …but apparently. Theodora Smolinski: …I tried to get into the navy because their uniforms were blue and I have blue eyes. [laughter] But they wouldn’t take me because I had glasses. Amelia Bunder: That’s a very [laughter], that’s a very interesting reason for selection at service. [laughter] How do you know what you’re doing? Theodora Smolinski: Patriotic. It’s patriotic! [laughter] Amelia Bunder: Right. But you, but you did want something to match your blue eyes! [laughter] Theodora Smolinski: Hence, then brown. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: [12:00] What – uh, in, uh, what would say were some of your memorable experiences, uh, in terms of your military. Wh-, was it the entry into the service? The different uh, uh, type of lifestyle or did you have any – did you happen to have any unusual experiences as part of your…? Theodora Smolinski: I think crossing the ocean on the Queen Mary was… Amelia Bunder: Oh. Theodora Smolinski: …the – about the nicest thing except that it took us 12 days and we were – one day we would be in the North Atlantic… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …and the next in the South Atlantic… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …and we had English rations… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …two meals a day and in the morning, you had lamb and potatoes but at nighttime, you had potatoes and lamb and it worked out all right. Course, I don’t – I liked – I don’t mind eating, so it’s [laughter] alright with me as long as they feed me. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: [12:56] How, uh, how many were on the ship, on the Queen Mary when you went overseas? Theodora Smolinski: I have no idea, but there were 500 WACs but there were a lot of G.I.s. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Yes. Theodora Smolinski: We had a lot of, um, churches. I went to every church service no matter what denomination because we had 40 girls in a stateroom, probably 30 of which were sick. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: And so I got out of there… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …at every time. Amelia Bunder: As I recall, my experience. Theodora Smolinski: Then coming back we were on the Ile de France and we had American rations, and we ate with the officers so we got all kinds of fancy food, tsk, and, uh, the waiters always made sure we had something for our third meal. Of course, I never – don’t remember anybody ever getting back – getting it back because the G.I.s were still eating… Amelia Bunder: Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: …K rations and they needed it more than we did. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Yes. [13:57] Did you, uh, were you, uh, surprised at meeting people – or maybe you had more exposure but were you surprised at meeting the different people from, you know, from all parts of the, the country and, uh, d-, d-, d-, d-, did that have any significance for you? Theodora Smolinski: I don’t think that bothered me at all. Amelia Bunder: Well, I don’t mean so much bothered… Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …but I mean, were you impressed with… Theodora Smolinski: I was… Amelia Bunder: …uh, er, you know? Theodora Smolinski: Well, I, I don’t know. Part of it was, uh, when I’m – uh, in the Tidworth switchboard, we weren’t allowed to use our names, and… Amelia Bunder: [14:29] Well, how did – how – what did you have, a number? Or how did, how did…? Theodora Smolinski: W-, I was called Penny from Pennsylvania… Amelia Bunder: Oh. Theodora Smolinski: …and somebody else would be called, uh, New York. Amelia Bunder: Was that, was that considered a code name? Uh, Penny, was that considered a… Theodora Smolinski: No, no. Amelia Bunder: …code name or just… Theodora Smolinski: Just a, a name among the operators. Amelia Bunder: A nickname. Theodora Smolinski: A nickname, yes. Amelia Bunder: I see. A nickname. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: Not official. Just a nickname. Theodora Smolinski: Nothing official. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: I see. Just a, just a nickname. Theodora Smolinski: [laughter] There were a lot of things that weren’t… Amelia Bunder: Were not, uh, right. Theodora Smolinski: …official on the switchboard. [laughing] Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: But, uh. Amelia Bunder: Well now were you – now, you mentioned your nickname being Penny ‘cause you were from Pennsylvania. [15:02] Did, did you – were you – when you went into the service, did you go, uh, alone or were there some other people that accompanied you or did you meet a group from Pennsylvania or what, what, uh? Theodora Smolinski: Well, the girls that I went in with, what I – that I joined with in… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …October… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …were in the Army in November but somehow or other they couldn’t believe that I was an American. They thought I must still be can-, Canadian because it wasn’t on my mother’s naturalization so I had to prove to them. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: So, the next group came and I was still red-, I was ready to go and they still weren’t ready for me to go, so. Amelia Bunder: I see. Because of your, uh, uh, verification… Theodora Smolinski: Because of [inaudible 15:41]. Mm-hm. Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …of your naturalization. Theodora Smolinski: There was a short period when children were not put on a naturalization. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: Course, that would be when I was there. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: Yes. That’s – yes, it happened to affect your, your… Theodora Smolinski: Yeah. Amelia Bunder: …mother’s papers. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: Uh-huh. [15:55] So then you – so, but actually when you went into the service, you went alone. You didn’t go… Theodora Smolinski: Yes. I didn’t, no. Uh-uh. Amelia Bunder: …with a friend or something like this… Theodora Smolinski: No. Amelia Bunder: …and then whatever group you, you came in contact with. Theodora Smolinski: They were always new. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: Yeah. [16:07] Did you like England? Were y-, were you – uh, did you? Theodora Smolinski: Y-, I liked England, yes. Amelia Bunder: Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: Very much. It was, uh, sort of a soft, uh, atmosphere, … Amelia Bunder: Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: …a soft country and the peep-, to me, the people were… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …nice. Amelia Bunder: Yes. [16:22] Did you, uh, uh, did you, uh, well, of course England w-, uh, now, was this, this part of England that you were in, was that part of the – uh, part of your – uh, part of the area that was bombed, uh, by the Germans? Theodora Smolinski: Uh, er, no because they couldn’t find – above the Tidworth’s area it looked like a big lake from a plane up above and, uh, people coming back from France would realize when they got across this lake that this was Tidworth but people from ur-, from – the Germans, they didn’t know what was down there, so. Amelia Bunder: I see. They weren’t really aware that that w-, because it seemed to be camouflaged. Theodora Smolinski: Yes. Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: That’s very interesting. Theodora Smolinski: That was a natural camouflage. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: But I’ve been, I’ve been on trains that were bombed, and I’ve been in – as I say in the – when I was… Amelia Bunder: Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: …in the switchboard, uh, four stories down, uh, there was a time when there was bomb and all the lights came on and even I who was visiting sat and said, “Are you there?” And if they was – weren’t there, we’d plug it up so that we wouldn’t have to see – answer that again because the telephones had all been jiggled off their hooks. Amelia Bunder: I see. Yes. Theodora Smolinski: But, uh. Amelia Bunder: [17:43] Did you, uh, uh, what did you think of i-, of, uh, Paris. You mentioned part of your experience included an assignment in Paris. Theodora Smolinski: I didn’t think much of Paris. It’s a beautiful city… Amelia Bunder: Mm-hm. Theodora Smolinski: …but, um, I wasn’t very happy – I wasn’t, uh, simpatico I guess with them as I was with the English. Amelia Bunder: [18:03] D-, w-, w-, do you think that because of the language, uh, barrier? Theodora Smolinski: I think the language. Amelia Bunder: I see. Theodora Smolinski: I have a real problem with that. Amelia Bunder: With French. With – Theodora Smolinski: With, uh, not being able to understand people. Amelia Bunder: I see. Theodora Smolinski: It doesn’t matter even… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …as an occupational therapist… Amelia Bunder: I see. Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …I still run into the same business. I can’t understand what the patient is saying and it’s hard. Amelia Bunder: Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: But, uh, coming from England to Paris, I was in a convoy… Amelia Bunder: Mm-hm. Theodora Smolinski: …and the boat in front of us was, uh, hit by a… Amelia Bunder: Stray. Theodora Smolinski: …mine. Amelia Bunder: Oh. Theodora Smolinski: And, uh, the convoy immediately disbanded and th-, we – you couldn’t s-, you were in the middle of this – of… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …no place! Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: And, uh, then when we got to the shore, we had to wait. We couldn’t get off right away and, uh, the people who were getting off, being disembarked, were the people who had been in the, uh, boat that was… Amelia Bunder: Oh. Theodora Smolinski: …hit. They had been picked up by a, a… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: ...destroyer… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …and brought in and they came in just before us. Amelia Bunder: Well that had to be a frightening moment. Theodora Smolinski: Yes indeed. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: But [laughter] the worst part was the G.I. cans full of spaghetti which had been sitting around since supper time. [laughter] This was four in the morning. [laughter] You can see I’m food-oriented. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: Oh! That’s a serious moment but it does have a… Theodora Smolinski: Yeah. Amelia Bunder: …have a light, uh, little bit attached to it. Theodora Smolinski: Thank you. You need to have a little sense of humor. Amelia Bunder: Yes, you do. You really do. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: Yes, otherwise it, it, it was – tsk. [19:47] Uh, th-, d-, was – uh, were there, were there any other, uh, parts of your experience that, th-, th-, it’s s-, I mean, what would you say stands out the most in terms of your military experience? If you were – if someone asked you what was the, the, the singular thing about it that, that had either meaning or, or remembrance, what, what would you say? Theodora Smolinski: Gee, I wouldn’t have any idea… Amelia Bunder: I see. Theodora Smolinski: …what that would be. Amelia Bunder: Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: The whole business was. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: The whole. Yes. Theodora Smolinski: Three years of new things every day! Amelia Bunder: Yes. [20:21] Would you repeat it if you had – if the opportunity presented itself? Of course, you know, say at that same age d-, in retrospect, would you? Theodora Smolinski: Oh, I think yes. I, uh, didn’t go from Paris to Czechoslovakia, which I was offered an opportunity go and teach, uh, girls to operate army switchboard, but I decided I wanted to come home then. Amelia Bunder: [20:44] I s-, you were homesick. Theodora Smolinski: I guess. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: Yes. Yes. So. [20:54] Uh did – uh, one of the questions, uh, uh, suggested is can you compare service careers, you know, with the present? Now, actually you had moved into a new field, um. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Tsk. Well, it’s pretty hard expect that you still had to get up and go to work every day… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …and I had to go to work every day at home… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …because being just post-Depression, you really – you didn’t have a chance to stay home… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …and not do anything. Amelia Bunder: [21:21] So, you mean you went to g-, you got a job as soon as you… Theodora Smolinski: Yeah. Amelia Bunder: …you came back from the service. Theodora Smolinski: Oh yes. I went back to the job I had before I went in. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: And, uh, they had me as a switchboard operator but they didn’t need one because they’d been – I’d been replaced there, so they put me on the billing machine, and I wasn’t very good at that. [laughter] So I – but since I was going to OT school very shortly, they kept me on anyway. Amelia Bunder: That was good. Theodora Smolinski: Yeah. Amelia Bunder: [21:54] So then how long did you remain at, at that job? Theodora Smolinski: About nine months I guess. I came home probably the end of October and, um, went to school in September. Amelia Bunder: [22:09] And, uh, well, so that’s – then you began – uh, then you made use of some part of your G.I. bill. Theodora Smolinski: Yeah. Amelia Bunder: That was the educational… Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …and, uh, d-, was that going to a university? Theodora Smolinski: University of f-, Pennsylvania, but it’s – was called Philadelphia School of Occupational Therapy. Amelia Bunder: I see. [22:28] And how long did you, did you attend? Theodora Smolinski: Three years. Amelia Bunder: Three years. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: S-. Theodora Smolinski: I got a diploma, not a college – Amelia Bunder: Degree. I see. To be – and that, that gave you the – uh, then you became an occupational therapist on a basis of… Theodora Smolinski: Yeah. Amelia Bunder: …this, uh, three years of… [22:44] D-, did you use any the other benefits available under the G.I. bill such as housing… Theodora Smolinski: No. Amelia Bunder: …or. No. That was the only one. Theodora Smolinski: [inaudible 22:51] Amelia Bunder: Just the educational benefits. Theodora Smolinski: Yeah. Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: [22:59] Theodora, what area of your military experience would you, uh, say demanded the most adjustments? Theodora Smolinski: Well, I don’t know about that. I did what I was told and, uh, let it go at that. I’ll have to admit that I used to keep my footlocker in apple pie order and when they were gonna be inspected, they’d ask somebody else to fix theirs up and that used to make me mad, but, uh, I [inaudible 23:31] it’s just the same as at home. You have to go to work and you have to learn the words that go with, uh, the place you’re working. Come to terminology, just join the occupational therapists and you’ll know there’s lots of different words, but, uh, I don’t think I had really any trouble. I was pretty much a loner and if I wanted to do something, I did. I had friends, but, uh, I had like I said, more friends from away that would come to Paris and then, uh, when I was, uh, at the, uh, [inaudible 24:13] brought this map. When I was at the Red Cross, uh, some young man came up to me and looked and me and he said, “Tsk. You look like a sensible girl.” And I thought, oh my. [laughter] He said, “Can you dance? Do you have to dance that way, the jitterbug?” And I said, “No.” And he said, “Well, I’ll dance with you then.” [laughter] And I thought, well. So, every time he had a buddy coming down to Paris, he would tell’m to look me up. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: If he thought they fit for me to meet. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: Well that was very good! Theodora Smolinski: I thought it was real nice! Had a lot of fun going that way. Ran a sightseeing – Paris sightseeing tour for everybody that came into town. Amelia Bunder: Well that, that, that, uh, helped you to get better oriented to the, to the city. Theodora Smolinski: Yes. Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: So. [25:03] Did, uh, did you find any regulation that w-, uh, that was, uh, particularly annoying or unpopular for yourself or for the group in which you found yourself while you were in the service? Theodora Smolinski: Mm, I don’t know. I guess, uh, there were a lot of people who didn’t like to keep on time but, uh, that was not my problem. I w-, if they said such and such a time… Amelia Bunder: Mm-hm. Theodora Smolinski: …I was there. One time we were watching in the Louvre looking at the Mona Lisa I think when I realized that I had a half an hour to inspection time and as I got to the inspection place, my boyfriend shined my shoes and I pushed my hat on straight and fixed my hair and walked out just as the officer started walking in! [laughter] Amelia Bunder: So y-, so you made it. Theodora Smolinski: I made it! Amelia Bunder: So, you made it. So. Well, in some areas, you know, the, uh, like the e-, there would be a curfew, you know… Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …when you had to come in and so forth. [26:03] Did you, did you – was that any – was that part of your experience at any point? Theodora Smolinski: No, I’d, I, I’ve – uh, we were – we lived through that sort of thing in Paris. There were a lot of times when we weren’t supposed to go out. Amelia Bunder: I see. Theodora Smolinski: But, uh. Amelia Bunder: You were restricted. Theodora Smolinski: We were restricted to our hotel, but… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …uh, it’s like other things, you can always go to bed if you can’t do anything else and of course when you walk to the seventh floor to go to bed, you – by that time, you were pretty tired. Amelia Bunder: [26:33] Well, then, uh, actually, uh, Paris was your last assignment… Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …and y-, when demobilization – is that… Theodora Smolinski: Yeah. Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …what, uh, uh, that was the basis… Theodora Smolinski: Yes. That was the basis. Amelia Bunder: …for your termination of, uh… Theodora Smolinski: Yeah. Amelia Bunder: …military service. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: And then you, you, uh, returned to the States… Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …and, um, tsk, did you consider joining the Reserves in any capacity after you came home from the mili-… Theodora Smolinski: No way. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: No way. No way. Theodora Smolinski: Not patriotic enough for that. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: Not. [27:01] Well, tsk, tell us some of the things that you did do after service. Now, we know that you took advantage of the G.I. Bill of Rights, uh, in the education. You went to school and you became an occupational therapist. What did that mean then in terms of ongoing employment? Theodora Smolinski: I worked from then with, uh, long-term patients, tuberculosis patients, psychiatric patients. Amelia Bunder: [27:25] And where was that? Why don’t you mention the facilities that you worked – uh, in which you worked. Theodora Smolinski: The – only in New York is where there was a small private sanitorium that I s-, worked in and they were closed so then I came back to the University of Pittsburgh, the psychiatric hospital, and then I worked for the city of Pittsburgh in the TB sanitorium. Tsk. Then I worked for the State of Pennsylvania in the Dixmont State Hospital. Then I transferred to Polk State School where I worked with retarded – and this is the first time I had really realized the needs of the retarded and so I was very happy there and busy. Amelia Bunder: [28:12] How long did you work at Polk? Theodora Smolinski: Three years. Amelia Bunder: Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: And then I came home to take care of my mother who was 85 or so and, uh, while I was home, I got a college degree because at Polk they kept saying, ‘She doesn’t have a college degree. Let her teach that!’ Or, ‘Let her do that!’ [laughter] And so I got a college degree. Amelia Bunder: [28:37] So you – then you g-, what was your degree in? What was the nature of your degree? Theodora Smolinski: Special Studies, I think it’s called. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: And, uh, uh, then I went back to the psychiatric hospital so that I would be in Pittsburgh with my family. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: And, uh, then I – [sighing] when that job terminated, I went to work at Torrance State Hospital with a retarded group up there and then I retired. Amelia Bunder: Yes. [29:05] Did you, um, in – uh, uh, when you think of your – uh, do you think that, uh, being in the military enhanced your capacity to, to, um, move into the professional role? Theodora Smolinski: I don’t know about that, but it helped me with the patients because when I said – when I was having difficulties, I’d say, “Now you know as a sergeant in the army…” [laughter] Y-, ah, “When I say go…” [laughter] And the boys all thought that was pretty funny for a lady to be a sergeant. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: As long as it was a h-, you could make it into a humorous, uh, time for everybody… Amelia Bunder: It was acceptable. Theodora Smolinski: …it was acceptable. Amelia Bunder: Yes. So, actually, it did, uh, well, it, it, it, it h-, it did help you to prepare in working with others… Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: …i-, in – to some, to some extent, so. Theodora Smolinski: Yes. Mm-hm. And then when I, uh, met an occasional French patient, then I could also have – uh, talk to them about what I… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …knew about their… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …country which made them more, uh, um, at home. Amelia Bunder: Yes. More comfortable. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: [30:20] Now, Theodora, I know you, you’ve been with the Women’s Overseas Service League for, for, well, practically ever since WWII and you have been a very active member and, and involved in some unusual activities. Would you share some of those things with us now, please. Theodora Smolinski: Well, one of the nicest things about being out of the army was the Women’s Overseas League. I b-, I met a lot of lovely people and [sighing] they were always trying to do things for other people and that fit in with my way of thinking, and one of the projects which we have done for, uh, oh, at least fift-, about 12 years, anyway, is, uh, make Christmas presents for the Transitional Living Service people, who are… Amelia Bunder: [31:16] Tell us what, what are the Transitional Living Services. What does, what does that mean? Theodora Smolinski: Well, they take care of people who have been in the hospital for many years and have – are training them to live on their own in the community. Amelia Bunder: [31:35] These are essentially psychic patients with psychia-, I mean, people with psychiatric disorders, is that correct? Theodora Smolinski: Psychiatric and mentally retarded. Amelia Bunder: Oh, both. I see. Theodora Smolinski: Yes. Mm-hm. And, uh, the packages we make at Christmas is to help them and who – or who don’t have enough, uh, smarts to manage to, uh, get along in the world or maybe they don’t – uh, they have enough smarts and they know better than to get along in the world. They stay where there’s a protected environment and where there are people. Uh, one of the groups that I also work with other than the Christmas presents, that’s – those are people who are in the, uh, Transitional Living Services homes. The people who don’t – who have graduated from TLS are, uh, in the community, and I have a group of about 12 of them who are – were friends with me at Polk and, uh, needed help – needed a friend in the community, and we have taken them from people who all sat around and everybody talked at once and nobody would listen to anybody else to where we now can have a fairly normal conversation and we could all – I can remember the day we first laughed at the same joke, all – there were 12 of us at that time, and all 12 laughed at the same joke, and this was a real big day for me. Tsk, they, uh, used to have to have help at the end of the month with their food but by now, they are – uh, nobody has called me for over a year for money for food at the end of the month. Amelia Bunder: [33:26] But they are living in a, in a community arrangement. Theodora Smolinski: They are living together in a home! Amelia Bunder: Yes. Yes. Uh-huh. Theodora Smolinski: Not anybody else’s home, but their home! Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: And they, uh, have a garden – they, they have an older man there who, uh, seems to know about gardening and so he’s helping the boys to do the gardening and they grow… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …and can food as if food was going out of style and probably it is – maybe that’s the reason they don’t call me. [laughter] But when they have trouble with the law or with, um, tsk, the dog catcher or something like that, uh, they call me because I can guide them [at least 34:10]. Amelia Bunder: And advise them. Theodora Smolinski: Yes. Advise them. Amelia Bunder: [34:11] Do they have any, uh, f-, profession-, do they have any official supervision in this home? Theodora Smolinski: Not in this home, no. Um. The, uh, there – they have a case worker, I guess, with, uh, social s-, secur-, not social security. Amelia Bunder: [inaudible 34:27] Theodora Smolinski: SSI. Amelia Bunder: Oh, s-, s-. Theodora Smolinski: SSI. They have some kind. But, uh, they’re, they’re on their own now. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: They work. There are four of them in one home and they sell newspapers and if th-, two go out by – two go out and do it and if the men can’t go, the girls go and, you know. Amelia Bunder: [34:52] But, but orig-, were these part of the, uh, transitional services… Theodora Smolinski: Yes. They were originally and transferred. Amelia Bunder: …originally then they, then they were able to, to, to move… Theodora Smolinski: Move into [inaudible 35:00] Amelia Bunder: …into this independent. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: [35:01] Now, you were talking about the Christmas gifts for the transi-, transitional services. How many, uh, gifts would, would you say were… Theodora Smolinski: Well. [laughter] Amelia Bunder: …acquired for, uh, di-, for, uh, distribution at that time? Theodora Smolinski: We, we, we acquire about 175 at a value of $5 each. Amelia Bunder: That’s a tremendous, that’s a tremendous effort. Theodora Smolinski: This is a year-long thing. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: Uh, I ha-, showed somebody my room – my transitional room and it looks full already [laughter] and this is only February. Amelia Bunder: [35:35] And when, when you speak about these bags, what, what w-, give us what’s in a bag on a, on an average, uh, basis would you say for – as a gift. Theodora Smolinski: Oh, toothpaste and toothbrush and soap and, uh, washcloths and something like jewelry or, um, shampoo and, uh, oh, maybe a flower arrangement or a, a pretty scarf or handkerchief. I’m s-, I’m already pricing handkerchiefs because I need one for each bag. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: And, uh, it’s a, it, it v-, the value is about $5. Between 4 and 5. Amelia Bunder: [36:22] Now, is, is, is this j-, is this met by the, uh, the members of the Pittsburgh unit, uh, or, uh, is any other group contributing to this… Theodora Smolinski: Well, uh. Amelia Bunder: …uh, to this, uh, particular project. Theodora Smolinski: The church that I belong to contributes. In the – at rummage sales, I can get anything I need free. Amelia Bunder: Oh. Theodora Smolinski: The Women’s Overseas League get together between 30 and 40 presents at the Christmas party but in the meantime, I’ll – uh, somebody else’ll leave 10 bars of soap on my front porch and everybody knows that this is from somebody in WOSL. Uh. We try – I try to stress to people, well look for things that are inexpensive but that are pretty! You know, life is pretty dull if you don’t have anything. Amelia Bunder: Well, essentially though it is a project of the Pittsburgh unit… Theodora Smolinski: Yes. Amelia Bunder: …but you do have some – you, you are getting some assistance from other groups. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: You’re also involved with the Jubilee Kitchen, which is, uh, which is certainly, uh, receiving a lot of attention in the Pittsburgh area right now and w-, we are proud of your participation in this group. [37:42] Do you want to spell that out a little for us? Theodora Smolinski: Well, I work on Thursdays preparing soup – vegetables for tomorrow’s soup and serving today’s soup and, uh, salad if there is any and donuts for dessert if there are any or cake and, um. Amelia Bunder: [38:06] Now, where is the Jubilee Kitchen located in the Pittsburgh area? Theodora Smolinski: Well, it’s called Uptown. It’s also called SoHo. It used to be SoHo and it’s – uh, we have between 200 and 300 men a day. Uh. Amelia Bunder: [38:26] Just men, or? Theodora Smolinski: No. Uh. Men and women, but, uh, more men than women. Um. I don’t know why that is except that there are men – if a truck driver drives up the street and is hungry at noon and they’re serving, he can come in. If, uh, the men who work in the area are hungry, they can come in because nobody checks to see… Amelia Bunder: I see. Theodora Smolinski: …uh, whether [inaudible 38:53]. But if you have 10 children and are a truck driver, you need a free meal the same as anybody [laughter] else does. There is no need f-, no, uh, problem for anybody in there and you have as many bowls of soup as you want and we – they aim to get meat into every soup k-, every kind of soup and, uh, they, uh, if they run out of soup and there are – there’s – they happen to have, you know, a case of s-, cans of soup that they can pass out. And, uh, there’s – there are -clothing can be given out there. I have contributed, uh, 15 blankets down there that go to people who need them. We have people who sleep under the bridges and we have people who have small children and don’t have enough blankets and we have people who don’t have heat, so that there’s always a need for warm clothing, underwear. Amelia Bunder: [40:06] W-, who funds this project? H-, where is the source of… Theodora Smolinski: There… Amelia Bunder: …money that… Theodora Smolinski: …there is no real source of money. There is a Jubilee Association which is comprised of the soup kitchen and a new project at the prisons where they’re working with the families of the new prisoners and a pantry for emergency food for people who don’t, uh, who have a fire or for some reason lose their, uh, stamps. And, uh, the money comes from donations. Uh, twice a year, I guess, they send out a letter. I don’t get one of those though, so… Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: …I don’t know what [laughter] that is. Amelia Bunder: I never have either. I have never gotten a letter from them. Theodora Smolinski: But, uh, twice a year they send out a letter and, uh, that goes for – well, w-, they always buy coffee. I mean they – if they can’t get coffee some other way, they do go out and buy it. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: Uh, they have – they go to the Strip District, which in Pittsburgh is a wholesale house – wholesale area, and, uh, they buy a lot down there if they have to buy something but also those people send a lot out to us. Amelia Bunder: [41:24] How did you get involved with Jubilee Kitchen ‘cause that is not a, uh, Women’s Overseas Service League project, per se. How did you get involved with the…? Theodora Smolinski: Uh, one of the girls in the carpool that, uh, I belo-, I was in when I – the last 4 years I worked talked about it. She was a, uh, tsk, I guess you’d call it a gopher. Amelia Bunder: Hm. Theodora Smolinski: If some restaurant had bread that was left over, they would call and then she was one of the people who would make it her business to go and get them. Tsk. And I thought maybe I could do that but I’m really much better at scraping carrots and peeling [laughter] onions. Amelia Bunder: [42:04] W-, were y-, you were involved with the Raggedy Anne and Andy project too, weren’t you? It was a, a project of the Pittsburgh unit for a good many years. Theodora Smolinski: Oh yes. Oh yes. I was an expert at it and everyone once in a while I look at all the boxes that I have that have Raggedy Anne things in – patterns in them. I think I should start that up again. That was a good money-making [laughter] project. Amelia Bunder: [42:26] That certainly was and certainly a very interesting one and, uh, p-, w-, have you any idea how many Raggedy Anne and Andy dolls were made by the, uh, Pittsburgh unit over the period of time that this was a project? Theodora Smolinski: Well, I would be tempted to say between 2000 and 3000. I know in one, one year alone, I made 300 myself. And then the next year I sort of, uh, slacked off; I probably only made 200 and then we kept going down. Amelia Bunder: That was a tremendous project and of course that the purpose of which was to make funds, you know, for… Theodora Smolinski: I, I only made the bodies, though. Amelia Bunder: Yes. Theodora Smolinski: Th-, we all specialized in our little… Amelia Bunder: Right. But still, that was a tremendous thing, you know, and, and, I, I think everyone enjoyed it. [inaudible 43:15] with the dolls. Theodora Smolinski: I think so too. They were so pretty to look at, too. Amelia Bunder: Yes. [43:19] Let me ask one other question. Now, uh, w-, we were talking about some of your, um, activities. Uh, uh, I know also that you have been, uh, involved as an officer and presently you are vice president. What other, uh, offices did you hold since you… Theodora Smolinski: I have been everything except treasurer, I think. Uh. They don’t trust me with their money. [laughter] I spend it. I don’t – [laughter] I earn it or I spend it but they don’t, uh. Amelia Bunder: It, it’s probably ‘cause you resist that one, so. Well, Theodora… Theodora Smolinski: One other project which I’m, uh, I’m very proud of though it’s sort of quiet is that we send $40 worth of seeds to Appalachia and, uh, they – first time I sent them, they didn’t know what to do with them, but now they have a volunteer who teaches people how to grow these seeds in the area where they are. Amelia Bunder: Yes. They work. Theodora Smolinski: I mean if they’re up in the mountainside and they have just a little bit of green and they know what t-, or a little bit of shade, no sun, why they know what to plant there. Amelia Bunder: For that particular climate. [44:29] Where in Appalachia are these seeds, uh, being forwarded? Theodora Smolinski: Kentucky. Amelia Bunder: Kentucky. Theodora Smolinski: Mm-hm. Amelia Bunder: Yes. And that’s become an annual project… Theodora Smolinski: Yes. Amelia Bunder: …with the Pittsburgh unit Women’s Overseas Service League. So. Theodora Smolinski: Yes. Amelia Bunder: So. Well, Theodora, I thank you very much. It was very i-, it, it’s been an interesting time here getting, you know, getting your, uh, military experience and bringing us up to date with your volunteer activities. Thank you very much. /ad