Rug hooking chronicles

By 1943 there was a request that all teachers and their most adept pupils volunteer their services in teaching this craft under the Arts & Skills program of the Red Cross in the Military Hospitals.

The long, lonely and ofttimes painful hours spent by our boys might be eased, through various types of recreation, and hooking was to be taught as such. Every rugger was eager to do for some boy that which she would like some other mother to do for hers.

As "Headeraftsman" of this craft, I was assisted by 28 women four days a week in a program which kept an average of 140 boys hooking all the time. It was a bit difficult to interest the boys at first.

Then I hit upon the idea of enlarging the insignia of their own outfits to a 15" or 18" size and they could hook it in its true colors. This subject had a meaning to them, and the pattern completed could be used as a wall hanging.

Later they made bags, chair seats, footstools and rugs.