Jane Gorsuch, now 83, was 16 in this 1942 Victory Garden movie

We’ve featured this film before, both on our old site and on this web site back in April 2008. Today we feature it once again because of an amazing letter we received today from the young girl who acted in this movie almost 70 years ago! Family members spotted our posting of the video last year and surprised their grandmother with a copy of it at Christmas this year. Here is Jane’s letter, which continues on the next page.

Email from Jane Dudderar Gorsuch.

Hello, Mr, Michael Levenston. I am writing to thank you for the time and effort it took for you to post the Victory Garden movie. My name is Jane Dudderar Gorsuch and I am the girl in that movie. I had never seen the movie before, – only still pictures, so this was quite a treat. I was 16 years old then and am 83 now. The movie brought back a lot of the details that were lost over the years. My family gave it to me for Christmas, and we all (22) huddled around to see their old grandmother being a “movie star”!!!!

The intent of the Victory Garden was to create an educational tool for families to use during World War II in order to become self-sufficient during war time and forward. Frederick County has always been known for it’s fertile farmland, and the Holter’s lived there. They were a well-known, respected, and successful, hard-working family, but they had no daughter, only 2 sons. Their youngest son (14) named Richard became my brother for that spring, summer, and fall. I don’t know why I was chosen – perhaps because I was a farmer’s daughter, and therefore familiar with the process; – perhaps because I was a 4H member, an organization for farm youth at that time, (but since includes urban youth as well); – perhaps because I was a good student, and could afford to miss classes.

Much of the movie was made without my being there. Such as preparing the garden, plowing the rows, and all of the segments about insect control, spraying, etc. I remember it as being a lot of fun and learning some new things myself. (My family always had a garden, but did not plant the large variety of vegetables that were grown in the Holter garden). The Holter family was truly wonderful and made the experience very easy and enjoyable.

They are all deceased now except my brother Richard. Ironically, he is a widower, and residing in the same retirement home I will be going to in a few months.

Again, thanks for bringing back some memories of my youth. It is TRUELY appreciated.

Jane Dudderar Gorsuch

Our past posting of the film with commentary here.