Shirley Gould was born on August 3, 1917. During World War II, she remained on the home front, working in various administrative positions. She remained at her Chicago home throughout the war, and even worked for the University of Chicago on materials relating to the Manhattan Project. She was a leading member of a “wives club” during the war, officially known as the Servicemen’s Wives Club, in which women were able to meet, discuss, and assist one another with issues relating to their husband’s wartime service. Her husband, Joe, enlisted in the United States military in 1942 and served in the 25th Bomb Group and the 325th Photographic Wing during the war. The couple married in 1940. Shirley and Joe Gould’s original surname was Goldstein, but they changed their name by 1948 to avoid antisemitic prejudice. During the war, the Goulds remained in frequent contact, writing to one another almost daily. Shirley details her work, daily life, and other events of the home front in these letters. After the war, Gould pursued her master’s degree in Social Work and turned to counseling as an occupation. She passed away on January 29, 2014 in Illinois.
View the Finding Aid for the Shirley Gould collection here.
Shirley and Joe Gould Collection
3.5” x 2.5”
Photograph of Shirley Gould outside of her home in Chicago, 1944.This photo was included in one of her letters to her husband, Joe. Letters were an important method of communication for thousands of American couples like the Goulds during wartime separation.
Shirley and Joe Gould Collection
11" x 8.5"
Article for the Chicago Daily News, July 23, 1945.
Shirley Gould was incredibly outspoken and had a strong personality. These traits are apparent in her writings to her husband as well as to a local newspaper. The Chicago Daily News often published submissions from individuals in the area to express wartime thoughts. Some women reacted negatively to the changes that the war had brought to gender roles. This letter was Shirley Gould's response to a recent submission question women's capabilities to serve as "Head of the Household". Click here to read the full transcription of this letter.
Shirley and Joe Gould Collection
V-Mail from Shirley to Joe Gould, June 3, 1944. Click here to read the full transcription of this letter.
Shirley and Joe Gould Collection
V-Mail from Shirley to Joe Gould, October 19, 1944. Click here to read the full transcription of this letter.
Shirley and Joe Gould Collection
V-Mail from Shirley to Joe Gould, October 31, 1944. Click here to read the full transcription of this letter.
Shirley and Joe Gould Collection
V-Mail from Shirley to Joe Gould, November 1, 1944. Click here to read the full transcription of this letter.
Shirley and Joe Gould Collection
Air-mail letter from Shirley to Joe Gould, November 10, 1944. Click here to read the full transcription of this letter.
Shirley and Joe Gould Collection
Ration coupons, 1944. These ration coupons were issued on the home front in order to purchase goods from commercial businesses. Items that were commonly rationed in order to limit purchase included meats, processed foods, and clothing.
