Wilbur Chocolate Company Newsletters, 1942-1949

Call Number:  MG-472

1 box     6 folders     .25 cubic ft.

Repository:  LancasterHistory.org (Lancaster, Pa.)

Shelving Location:  Archives South, Side 11

Description:  Collection of newsletters from the Lititz plant of the Wilbur-Suchard Company, 1942-1949. They all contain information and photographs of employees and the company, including new hires in the sales force and the areas they covered. Newsletters from 1942-1946 support the service men and women during World War II.

Creators:  Wilbur Chocolate Co.; Wilbur-Suchard Chocolate Co.

Conditions for Access:  No restrictions.

Conditions Governing Reproductions:  Collection may not be photocopied. Please contact Research Staff or Archives Staff with questions.

Language:  English

Source of Acquisition:  Gift of Wilbur Chocolate Co., July 2007.

Administrative/Biographical History:  For “The History of Wilbur Chocolate” go to www.wilburbuds.com/docs/history.html.

 

Folder 1 

Insert 1  Newspaper advertisement to recruit employees to make chocolate for men and women in the armed forces. Wilbur-Suchard Chocolate Co. 26 October 1944. (photocopy)

Insert 2  Sweet Meets. Vol. 18, no. 9, September 1942. Newsletter of the Retail Confectioners’ Association of Philadelphia, Inc. Contents include articles on packages to servicemen, ingredient reports, “Fudgegrams” brief news items, “Mixed Nuts” jokes and advertisements.

 

Folder 2  Buds and Bars, published monthly by and for the employees of the Wilbur-Suchard Chocolate Company, Inc.

Insert 1  Vol. 1, no. 4, December 1944. Baby or childhood pictures of employees at the Lititz plant and picture of staff at the Philadelphia office. Also pictures of servicemen (employees): Russell E. Murr, Arthur Bushong, Theodore Beamesderfer, Harold Corl, Clarence Lesher, and David M. Habecker.

Insert 2  Vol. 1, Special, April 1945. Pictures of company picnic and Christmas party, 1944; employees at work; Lititz Farm Show; and shipping department. Features comments from current employees about their jobs, a list employees in the service, and a brief article on the Suchard Company.

Vol. 1, no. 8, May 1945. Photographs of visiting servicemen: Jacob Netzley, Roy E. Weidler, Robert Martin, Sgt. Earl Hoover and Frederick Rettew. Obituary of Cpl. Joseph Roth.

Insert 3  Vol. 1, no. 10, July 1945. Cover photo of Sgt. Harry M. Adams with Gen. Eisenhower and Gen. Patton. Photographs of employees at work, a fishing party and visiting servicemen Theodore Beamesderfer and Donald Walters. Announcements of new employees.

Vol. 2, no. 1, September 1945. Pictures of company picnic and contest winners, and servicemen: Daniel Breitigan, Willard Wenger, Art Getz, Robert E. Adams, Pfc. Walter Leaman, Pvt. Kenneth Frederick and John J. Rubrecht. Articles on the progress of the new cafeteria and their first electric pencil sharpener. Wedding announcements.

Insert 4  Vol. 2, no. 2, October 1945. Pictures of employee vacations, bowling team, and service men and women Daniel Breitigan, Margaret Steger, Christian Hess and Norman Herr Jr. Article about free chest X-rays for employees. Cover photo of Union member and employee, Tom Rearich.

Vol. 2, no. 2, November 1945. Pictures of the Halloween party, Lititz Farm Show and Victory Parade, and servicemen Fred A. Snavely, Elmer Good and Richard Singer. Articles on the opening of the cafeteria and an award from the Brand Names Research Foundation, Inc. Cover photo of Lititz High School football star, Ray Kreider.

 

Folder 3  Buds and Bars

Insert 1  Vol. 2, no. 5, January 1946. Pictures of the 1945 Christmas party and servicemen John Witwer and Tom Carmitchell (discharged). Marriage and engagement announcements.

Vol. 2, no. 7, March 1946. Pictures of employees, notices of employees returning from military service, and “Idle Gossip around the Plant.” Cover photo of nurse, Mrs. Grosh.

Insert 2  Vol. 3, no. 1, September 1946. Pictures of the company picnic.

 

Folder 4  Buds and Bars

Insert 1  Vol. 3, no. 5, January 1947. Pictures of the 1946 Christmas party and construction of new building.

Vol. 3, no. 7, March 1947. Candid pictures of employees at work and at a Local 272 union party at Poplar Grove. Picture of the bronze memorial plaque with names of Wilbur-Suchard employees who served during WWII.

Insert 2  Vol. 3, no. 9, May 1947. Pictures of construction of new building.

Vol. 4, no. 3, December 1947. Article about the company sponsoring the broadcasts of local high school concerts on WLAN.

 

Folder 5  Buds and Bars

Insert 1  1948 Sales Convention.

Insert 2  Vol. 4, no. 7, April 1948. Pictures of employees, union party and Ermie Mathers’ collection of foreign coins she has found in bags of cocoa beans. Schedule of high school concert broadcasts. Cover photo of Marguerite Furlow, Mabel Herr, Anna Furlow, Miriam Shoemaker and Bessie Stark-all with thirty years or more of service at the company.

Vol. 4, no. 10, July 1948. Cover photo of Robert Clark fishing in a spring at Spruce Villa Dairy. Construction pictures of the Foremen’s Shack. Announcements of new employees.

Insert 3  Vol. 5, no. 1, October 1948. Articles about the Lititz Farm Show and a corn roast. Schedule of high school concert broadcasts. Cover photo of Lititz Farm Show.

 

Folder 6  Buds and Bars

Vol. 5, no. 4, January 1949. Obituary of Jack Wine. Pictures of 1948 Christmas party. Wedding and engagement announcements. Article on the new fire alarm system.