1942 Trip- Chicago And Michigan

A 1942 trip?  None of the materials that chronicled the trips referenced a 1942 trip, and it was thought that with the war  and gas rationing, the trips came to an end in 1941.  However with the published June 3, 2012 story in the Peoria Journal Star, Mrs. Jean Campbell made contact with the paper indicating that she was a Gypsy Coed on their “last trip”.  In an interview with her, we learned that in 1942 she was invited by her friend Margaret Burnett to join her and Darlene on a trip to to Chicago, then on to Wisconsin and Northern Michigan.   At that time she was Jean Turnbull from Speer, Illinois.  Recent research at the Bradford Public Library has revealed that five girls went on this trip; Darlene Dorgan, Margie Dorgan, Margaret Burnett, Zo Dailey and Jean Turnbull.   Jean remembers they slept in school yards and her most memorable experience was sleeping on the Chicago Lake Michigan beach.  She said that the police never said anything until just after dawn which was very nice of them.  At that point they told them they could not sleep on the beach.  She referred to the trip as a most wonderful experience and wished she would have gone on other trips.  She returned from the trip promptly got married and moved to Pennsylvania.  Later she & her husband returned to the Speer area and to her family farm.  She now lives in Peoria.