World War 2 - Freedom Magazine Presents The History of Clearwater Florida Part X

Clearwater Mirrors the Nation

Clearwater residents were asked to cooperate in practice blackouts between 9 and 9:30 p.m. and to stay off the streets as war fever began. They remembered Pearl Harbor by increasing their purchases of Defense Savings Stamps and local sales surged to more than $150,000 per month.

Mayor George R. Seavy asked that stamps be sold at every business in Clearwater. Pinellas County became a leading county in War Bond and War Stamp purchases by May 1942. With Safety Harbor, Mayor Seavy also launched a Joint Salvage Campaign for the collection of old scrap metal, old rubber and rags, while Clearwater’s Boy Scouts began calling on homes for waste collection. A Junior Salvage Army was formed by local schoolchildren to further aid the war effort.

Mail sent abroad was subject to censorship and post office policies were published in local papers.