Marian Ledford scrapbook, ca. 1936-ca. 1957.
(Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material)

Materials housed in Special Collections Division of the Main Library, Nashville Public Library.

The materials are pasted onto the scrapbook pages, except for loose items that were rehoused separately in archival enclosures in box #2. The scrapbook is very fragile, with brittle pages.

In library use only. Available by appointment.

Scope and content: Marian Ledford's scrapbook album (ca. 1936-ca. 1956) contains several published biographical clippings about several of the Nashville military soldiers in World War II and "Nashvillians at Camp Forrest." Several of the clippings pertain to soldiers reported missing-in-action or killed during combat. Miss Ledford's scrapbook contains articles about the special social events hosted by the YMCA-USO during WWII, an organization in which she was affiliated with as a hostess in Nashville. Other topics and materials include articles about military insignia and uniforms, original letterhead clippings, marriage announcements, and several letters of Christmas and Easter card correspondence that the WWII military soldiers sent to Miss Ledford. The scrapbook includes travel memorabilia such as dining menus, art-designed napkins, and matchbook covers. Includes Marian Ledford's West End High School diploma and school-related memorabilia. The collection includes a few sports-related and Big Band souvenir programs circa the 1940s. Some, but not all, of the servicemen referred to in the newspaper clippings include Harold Clark, Charles Horace Warfield, William H. Anthony, Joe A. Watts, Bernard Curran, William Brantley, Walter M. Newland, James Albert Harper, Carl H. Castleman, Herman Norris Criswell, Alvin B. Tidwell, Jack Little, Charles G. Caldwell, and Sydney S. Thomas, Jr.

The scrapbook includes a black & white "snapshot" photograph of President Franklin D. Roosevelt accompanied by military officers at an outdoors ceremony.

Box #2, f. 1 contains a 17-page program signed by Big Band Leader Horace Heidt and other entertainers (Harold Parr and Johnny Mungal) entitled "Presenting Horace Heidt, the Star-Maker of America and a 14-page souvenir program "That Sentimental Gentleman Tommy Dorsey."

Box #2, f. 2 contains correspondence and travel ephemera, ca. 1945-1946

Box #2, f. 3 contains three 8 x 10 photographs of unidentified people at social events.

Box #2, f. 4 contains school-related materials, including Marian Hazel Ledford's diploma from West End High School.

Box #2, f. 5 contains wedding announcements.

The scrapbook includes two pages of official letterhead clips from the Navy, Army, Marines, and Airforce.

Publications within the scrapbook include a souvenir program of the Oct. 14, 1944 football game at Dudley Stadium in Nashville (Green Bay Packers vs. Philadelphia Eagles); the 1947 "Official Score Book, Nashville Baseball Club: Scoring and Sports Review, Sulphur Dell;" a single issue of "The Vanderbilt Hustler" (Oct. 26, 1946); and a program of the Fourth Annual Old Hickory Horse Show (June 20, 1942) at Joe Wallace Field. Other highlights of the scrapbook include a basketball letter logo of Hume-Fogg High School, and Nashville menus "The Julep Room, Maxwell House, Nashville" and "The Colonial Club."

Cite as: Marian Ledford Scrapbook, Special Collections Division, Nashville Public Library

This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17 U.S. Code).

Amelia Edwards;,Gift;,1986.,Acc. RT-205

Nashvillian Marian Hazel Ledford (d. Feb. 12, 1975) graduated from West End High School, Nashville, Tennessee on June 5, 1942. Prior to her graduation, she was a member of the Girl Scouts, Theta Rho Girls' Club and had completed the American National Red Cross standard course of instruction in first aid. During World War II, she was active on the military homefront and served as a YMCA-USO Hostess in Nashville. She was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Whitsitt of Nashville and the sister of Mrs. E. L. Edwards of Donelson.

In English

The scrapbook was probably compiled by Marian Hazel Ledford. The name of the donor (Amelia Edwards) is inscribed on the inside cover of the scrapbook album, a relative of Marian Hazel Ledford.

No further accruals are expected.