Suddenly we were at war again, a mere 23 years after the end of World
War I, which had been called “the war to end all wars.”
The nation’s shock turned swiftly to outrage. Americans drew together
with united purpose. Young men — including many in their teens
who lied about their age — rushed to enlist in the Army, the Navy, the
Marines and the Coast Guard. At home, people sacrificed many of the
niceties of life so money and materials could be diverted to the war effort.
What does World War II — which ended 77 years ago — have to do
with Wilmington’s Community Arts Center?
The lobby serves as a home front museum, with exhibits offering a
glimpse of life during the war years for troops and civilians. The exhibits
feature models of warships and warplanes, photos, recruiting posters
and more.
The building opened as a United Service Organizations Center in
December 1941, the same month as the attack on Pearl Harbor. The
USO was founded in WWII to entertain the troops and provide service
facilities. The center in Wilmington served Armed Services personnel
from around the region, giving troops a needed break from their duties.
“At its peak some 63,000 personnel used the facility monthly, and more
than 2 million overall,” says one of the center’s brochures.
The center marked the 80th anniversary of the beginning of
service to military personnel in December 2021. More recent history
involves service to the community in the form of cultural events,
visual and performing arts instruction for all
ages, exhibits, rental studios, classrooms for
art teachers, spaces for meetings, and wedding
receptions.
The Hannah Block Historic USO Building is
helping fulfill the vision of John Adams, Found-ing
Father and second U.S. president, who wrote
to his wife, Abigail, during the tumultuous
formation of the nation, “I must study politics
and war, that my sons may have liberty to study
mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural
history and naval architecture, navigation,
commerce and agriculture, in order to give their
children a right to study painting, poetry, music,
architecture, statuary, tapestry and porcelain.”
PHOTOS COURTESY HANNAH BLOCK HISTORIC USO/COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER
38 march 2022
WBM