By Frank Passic
For many years in the 1940s through 1960s, Albion’s Starr Commonwealth For Boys west of town annually issued their own “Christmas stamps” as a way of bringing attention to this esteemed organization’s needs during the holiday season. It was their own version of “Christmas seals,” where you would lick one of these and affix it to the back of an envelope when you were sending Christmas cards to your friends and relatives.
One special set of ten Starr Christmas stamps was issued one year during World War II, and featured a patriotic theme. These stamps highlighted some Starr alumni who were serving our country in the military. These rectangular stamps measure approximately 43 mm. tall, and 39 mm. wide. and contain a red background. The top text reads, “Christmas Greetings From” followed by the signature and drawing of the serviceman with their branch or title in service. In the center is the text “One of Our 400 Boys in Service.” Gosh, that was quite a number, wasn’t it? At the bottom is stated, “Starr Commonwealth for Boys Albion, Mich.” Starr Commonwealth used to regularly print information about their alumni in their magazine, “Starr Commonwealth News.”
From our Historical Notebook this week we present those ten stamps. Shown top row, left to right are: Jack Vedder, Marine Corps; John Despard, machinist’s mate; Calvin Jones, Marine Corps pilot; Leon Warner, technical sergeant; Fred W. Kemp, radioman.
Bottom row: Stewart Morse, seaman 2nd class; Ridley A. Warren, aviation cadet; Henry J. Ross, 1st Lieutenant; Leonard Higgins, Captain U.S. Army; Arthur McBride, aviation machinist mate.
Although these men weren’t originally from Albion and came here from other parts of Michigan, their schooling at Starr Commonwealth and their service to their country was immortalized on these commemorative stamps. How many of our readers have seen any of these or other Starr Commonwealth Christmas stamps?
