Page 10 - SUMMER 2020 SWHS Newsletter revised (1)

The 1918 flu pandemic on South Whidbey

With the Covid-19 virus, a little his- The health of
torical perspective may be helpful. the city is more
This country and our region have been important than
through a similar, albeit much more le- all else. An
thal pandemic: the 1918 Spanish Influ- ounce of pre-
enza. vention now is
In his book, “The Langleyites of Whid- worth a thou-
bey Island 1899-1921” the late Bill Mc- sand cures.
Ginnis writes about Whidbey Island Preparations
men working at the steel mills and naval were underway
shipyards for the WWI war effort. by Mayor Ole
“They received high wartime wages. Hanson and Mu-
The streets and theatres and hotels were nicipal health
full. Streetcars lurched around corners authorities to
with men hanging on like monkeys. transform Seat-
Everything was priced high. Everything tle’s big public
that the army used was high and scarce, dance halls and churches if necessary, March, there were no new cases of the
such as wood and leather. into emergency hospitals to care for Spanish flu in the Seattle area.
Then came the Spanish Influenza: the Spanish Influenza cases if the epidemic
horrors of war paled in comparison. It is not checked.
came on like a cold or Le Grippe, with This action was decided upon as a pre-
a high fever. It seemed to fasten on the paratory measure, supplementing the
young and strong. order Saturday that closed schools, the-
Some recovered. Some lasted a week aters, motion picture houses, pool halls
- some a day. The doctors were baffled. and all indoor assemblages.
They had nothing with which to fight it. Schools re-opened in January, and by
They knew no established treatment or
medicines. In cities, people were urged
to wear the gauze masks made with a
half a dozen layers of cotton gauze. No Write your own pandemic history...
one was allowed to board a streetcar
without a gauze mask. As we look back on events that have The stories will be archived into our
When the Calista came in to Lang- shaped our lives, we often ask what collection and become property of the
ley from Seattle, down the gang-plank was it like then? South Whidbey Historical Society.
would come the passengers -- wear- Today many are trying to compare the It would be a digital time capsule
ing gauze masks over their noses and Spanish flu of 1918 to the current coro- of the pandemic for Whidbey Island
mouths. navirus pandemic. available for researchers, family mem-
Earl McMillan, a healthy and vigorous Yet, there is no one alive today that bers, or anyone with an interest in his-
young redhead of 22, who was married can tell their story. tory to look back to 2020.
to my sister Ruth and doing well as a Here is your chance to become part of As of the writing of this article, details

steelworker, caught the flu. He was dead local history. Write a story about your are being worked out as to how to sub-
in two days...” – Bill McGinnis experiences with the 2020 coronavirus mit stories.
------------------------------------- pandemic. It can be short or long but We will ask that you identify yourself
would capture life on Whidbey as they and describe who you are. For exam-
The October 7, 1918 issue of The Se- experienced it. ple, are you a health worker, first re-
attle Star carried this article on its front Young and old are encouraged to tell sponder, a business owner, student, or
page as WWI was nearing its final days. their experiences. a retiree?
How did the pandemic change you We will be providing more informa-
DON’T BE A GRUMBLER and your family’s lives? It could in- tion about this project on our website
Don’t grumble because you can’t see a clude pictures or even videos. and Facebook page.
movie or play a game of billiards All would be submitted or copied into Meanwhile start thinking and writing
—or because the schools and churches a digital format. about your story.
closed.
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