The 40's
At the start of the decade a determined effort to recruit new young members was undertaken. Initiation fee for a membership in 1940 was $100. A club newspaper was born –The Oakwoodian—with Louis Sosland as Editor. Charles Tucker was the club’s president. William Sommers was named club manager in the same year, replacing Phil Daston.As America geared up to assist the Allies, and eventually to enter World War II, golf was forced to take a back seat. After Pearl Harbor was attacked on Dec. 7, 1941, many adjustments were required. Equipment, particularly golf balls, were in limited supply. Gasoline and food rationing took their toll. Young men entered the service. In 1942, the course was reduced to nine holes, for the duration of the war, and when Torpey was drafted for military service, he was not replaced. His inventory was sold to Palace Clothing Company, which was led by Arthur and Eddie Guetel and Bill Silberman, members.
Sommers left in 1944 and was replaced by Paul Brantley. Pepper was replaced as greenskeeper in April of 1946. He was permanently replaced by L.E. Lambert in March 1947. On October 31, 1945, a general membership meeting was held for the first since the war ended. George K. Baum sought members’ views about the abandonment of the fifth green and whether an alternative green should be established. The vote was to keep the present one and to add an alternative to allow those who wished to avoid climbing the hill to do so.
Mr. Baum then asked the views of the group regarding the purchase of additional property in order to eliminate other steep hills, and the concept was rejected. There were a number of concerns about the condition of the golf course, and the need for a watering system, as well as the need for air-conditioning for the clubhouse.
The golf operation had been entrusted to a “caretaker” operation after 1942; a Mr. McQueen had been paid $150 a month to run the pro shop from May, 1944 until R.E. “Bumps” Barnes, a golf professional, was brought in during 1945. However, Torpey was discharged from the service in November 1945 and formally requested his old job back. He was given the position, in accordance with the federal rule applying to the returning veterans at the time. He was paid $250 a month plus his meals, but not the house—which had been passed on to another employee family, the Melensons. Ollie Melenson served as the men’s locker attendant. In 1946 both nines were in use. Robert Benish of St. Louis became the club manager in that year.
Notable golfers of the period included the Henery Presents—Shirley won the first of four club championships in 1947, and husband, Henry, won the first of four titles in 1948.
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