As a follow-up to the school’s recent “Saving Our PHS History: the War Years 1939-1945” event where more than 80 PHS graduates from that period were honored, a U.S. National Archives World War II exhibit, “The World in Flames” is now displayed in the Pasadena High School library.

The display consists of 32 double-sided posters illustrating different events throughout World War II.

PHS 1940 graduate Douglas Huggins brought the posters to PHS librarian Jane Golenko for a temporary loan when he attended the “Saving Our PHS History” event in December. Huggins joined the U.S. Navy at the age of 18 and was aboard the USS St. Louis when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941. The posters were presented to his ship’s association by the National Archives.

“The posters are significant to our historical event because they coincide with the exact time period of our PHS classes attending the reunion,” Golenko said. “The school was already focused on that time period from our December occasion, and this is an extended by-product of that very special event.”

Students are studying the posters for class assignments. “We hope the students will have a stronger grasp of the global nature of World War II and see how the war impacted all countries, not just a few,” Golenko said. “The posters feature that concept quite clearly.”

Golenko also said the posters give the students a chance to view primary source documents from that period such as cables, handwritten notes, official communications and photographs.

“So much of our focus in education now is having students work with primary source material,” she said. “These posters are unique because they show documents and photos that have not been out of the archives previously.”

The display will be open to the public on Feb. 8 and 9 in the school’s library located at 206 S. Shaver St. at Hwy 225. Golenko said she would like for any interested community members to come view the posters on those days.

“We are opening this for the public because we want to share with our community some material that is relevant to a period of time that many of them have experienced,” Golenko said. “Many will not have a chance to see this material again, and we want to extend this opportunity to our community.”

For more information, please contact the school at 713-740-0310 or e-mail Golenko at jgolenko@pasadenaisd.org.