Annie Laurie Burton Letters, 1942 - 1945, PC.1771
Abstract
Annie Laurie Burton, a native of Prospect Hill, Caswell County, began her career as
an elementary school teacher. When the United States entered World War II, Burton
trained as a field officer in the American Red Cross military welfare service and
served in several arenas until the war's end. From 1948-1950, Burton worked with U.S.
Army Special Services in occupied Germany. The collection includes primarily letters
Burton wrote home from her overseas posts. However, the collection contains nine letters
Burton wrote during 1942 from various sites in the United States during her training
and preparation for work overseas. The collection includes approximately fourteen
photographs, taken primarily overseas. Dates of the collection range from 1942 to
1949.
Descriptive Summary
- Title
- Annie Laurie Burton Letters
- Call Number
- PC.1771
- Creator
- Burton, Annie Laurie
- Date
- 1942 - 1945; 1948 - 1949
- Extent
- 127.00 items, 91.00 letters
- Language
- English
- Repository
- State Archives of North Carolina
Restrictions on Access & Use
Access Restrictions
Available for research.
Use Restrictions
Copyright is retained by the authors of these materials, or their descendants, as stipulated by United States copyright law (Title 17 US Code). Individual researchers are responsible for using these materials in conformance with copyright law as well as any donor restrictions accompanying the materials.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], PC.1771, Annie Laurie Burton Letters, State Archives of North Carolina, Raleigh, NC, USA.
Collection Overview
Annie Laurie Burton (d. Feb. 14, 1980) of Prospect Hill, Caswell County, educated
at Lees-McRae College and Appalachian State University, commenced her career as an
elementary school teacher in Caswell County public schools. When the United States
entered World War II, she trained as a field officer in the American Red Cross military
welfare service and subsequently served until the war's end in the Pacific Theatre
of Operations. The collection includes primarily letters Burton wrote home from her
overseas posts. However, the collection contains nine letters Burton wrote during
1942 from various sites in the United States during her training and preparation for
work overseas. The collection also includes approximately fourteen photographs, taken
primarily overseas.
Following the war, 1948-1950, Burton worked with U.S. Army Special Services in occupied
Germany. After that tour of duty was completed, Miss Burton began work in the Alamance
County Welfare Department and moved her career toward social work. After postgraduate
studies in social work at Tulane University, she was named director of Social Services
for Alamance County, an office she held until her retirement in September 1979.
The letters in this collection are those written home by Annie Laurie Burton while
training in the United States as a Red Cross field officer in 1942, from her overseas
postings during the years from 1943 through 1945 in Australia, New Guinea, and the
Philippine Islands, and during 1948 and 1949 while with Special Services in postwar
Germany. Subjects include: her Red Cross training; her social life; preparations for
work overseas; American Red Cross clubs and canteens in Sydney, Australia; Eleanor
Roosevelt's Australian visit; work assignments and working conditions in New Guinea;
native sanitary, social, and economic conditions in the Philippines; Memorial Day
service attended chiefly by Filopino children; and her day-to-day life in Frankfurt
and excursions to various locations in Germany.
Other materials include ten Australian photographs: one of Miss Burton and Mrs. John
Curtin, wife of the Australian prime minister; nine of Miss Burton on outings with
servicemen. One Philippines photograph of Miss Burton and Basil O'Connor, American
Red Cross National Chairman. Two studio portraits and a "gag" portrait of Miss Burton.
Arrangement Note
This collection, primarily of letters, is arranged chronologically, with dates corresponding to Miss Burton's movement through the following geographic areas: 1)United States; 2)Australia; 3)New Guinea; 4)Philippine Islands; 5) Germany. Photographs in the collection were taken primarily in Australia.
Biographical Note
Annie Laurie Burton (d. Feb. 14, 1980) of Prospect Hill, Caswell County, educated at Lees-McRae College and Appalachian State University, commenced her career as an elementary school teacher in Caswell County public schools. When the United States entered World War II, she trained as a field officer in the American Red Cross military welfare service and subsequently served until the war's end in the Pacific Theatre of Operations. Following the war, 1948-1950, she worked with U.S. Army Special Services in occupiedGermany. After that tour of duty was completed, Miss Burton began work in the Alamance County Welfare Department and moved her career toward social work. After postgraduate studies in social work at Tulane University, she was named director of Social Services for Alamance County, an office she held until her retirement in September 1979.
Contents of the Collection
Ten Australian photographs: one of Miss Burton and Mrs. John Curtin, wife of the Australian prime minister; nine of Miss Burton on outings with servicemen. One Philippines photograph of Miss Burton and Basil O'Connor, American Red Cross National Chairman. Two studio portraits and a "gag" portrait of Miss Burton.
Subject Headings
Acquisitions Information
Gift of Nancy Burton McCorkle (Mrs. D. H.), Burlington, N.C. 27512, July 20, 1989.