Over Periscope Pond

In Short

Over Periscope Pond collects the real-time wartime correspondence of Esther Sayles Root and Marjorie Crocker, two young American women who volunteered for civilian relief work in Paris between 1916 and 1918. Writing home to their families, they detail the daily realities of distributing clothing to refugees and maimed soldiers, navigating food shortages, driving ambulances, and enduring air raids. The collection endures as a vivid, warm, and uncensored record of female camaraderie and resilience, offering a deeply human vantage point on the home front during the First World War.

The Story

The narrative opens in late 1916 as Esther Sayles Root arrives alone in Paris to aid the relief efforts organized by the Reverend and Mrs. Ernest W. Shurtleff. Stepping off the train into a cold, dimly lit city, she navigates the bewildering bureaucracy of wartime permits, customs, and lodging. She is soon joined by Marjorie Crocker, a fellow volunteer from Boston. Settling into a drafty pension on the Place Denfert-Rochereau, the two young women throw themselves into the exhausting work of the Vestiaire, a relief station dedicated to providing food, warm garments, and supplies to French refugees and discharged soldiers.

Their daily routines center on immediate, practical aid. Esther and Marjorie measure traumatized, sightless soldiers at the hospital for civilian clothes, compile supply catalogues, deliver beds and sewing machines across Paris, and maneuver temperamental Ford automobiles through steep, unfamiliar streets. Amid the physical toll of freezing garrets, scarce fuel, and constant fatigue, their friendship deepens into an inseparable bond. They find respite in brief weekend excursions to the French countryside—visiting Fontainebleau and the Loire—and in small everyday pleasures like hot-water bottles, tea on their tiny balcony, and shared music.

As the war progresses, their work expands into the devastated zones recently relinquished by retreating enemy forces. Driving through ruined towns such as Chauny, they witness shattered bridges, leveled homes, and the systematic destruction left in the wake of battle. Personal tragedy strikes the mission when their beloved leader, Dr. Shurtleff, dies, yet the young women press forward with their administrative and field duties.

When the United States enters the conflict, the tone of their letters reflects a subtle shift. They cross paths with newly arrived American soldiers, trading news and offering familiar conversation to homesick troops. Yet the war hits closer to home as night air raids intensify over Paris. After witnessing the aftermath of bomb strikes near their neighborhood—shattered storefronts, cratered streets, and civilian casualties—they endure the terrifying nightly sirens, finding comfort only when heavy fog settles over the city to block the bombers. The collection closes in early 1918 with both women thoroughly hardened by their labors, still bound to their relief mission and holding fast to the hope of an eventual peace.

How It Unfolds

Arrival in a dark city Esther arrives in Paris during the autumn of 1916, taking up residence in a chilly attic room with canvas sheets and green-and-yellow paper. She immediately confronts the complications of wartime paperwork, language barriers, and local customs while attempting to locate her relief contacts.

Fitting out the wounded Working alongside Marjorie at the Vestiaire, Esther begins measuring and outfitting blind and wounded French soldiers discharged from military hospitals. The young women build affection for the resilient troops while managing food distributions and clothing drives for displaced families.

Driving into the field Taking charge of the organization's supply car, Esther and Marjorie haul furniture, packages, and provisions through the steep alleys of Montmartre and surrounding districts. They learn to navigate mechanical breakdowns, fuel scarcity, and chaotic traffic without working street maps.

Witnessing the ruined zones Surviving grueling work routines, the duo takes short trips through newly liberated French territory, including the devastated square at Chauny. They observe shattered towns stripped of furniture, blown-up bridges, and the precise, methodical destruction left behind by enemy forces.

Air raids and American arrivals Following the arrival of American troops in France, the women encounter homesick soldiers while continuing their relief duties under increasingly hazardous conditions. They endure terrifying night bombing raids over Paris, inspecting the street damage by day while remaining dedicated to their service.

The People

• Esther Sayles Root: An energetic young woman from New York who serves as a primary correspondent. She wants to render practical aid to war victims and experience the truth of the conflict firsthand. Resourceful and lively, she drives relief vehicles, learns to sketch local architecture, and uses humor to cope with freezing rooms and heavy manual labor. Over time, her early romantic view of Paris transforms into a mature, steadfast commitment to civilian relief.
• Marjorie Crocker ("Marje"): Esther’s close friend and fellow volunteer from Boston. Practical, affectionate, and fiercely loyal, she handles administrative cataloging, supply distribution, and home-front logistics. She longs to stay connected with her family through letters despite disrupted mail routes. Through her shared work with Esther, she grows from a hesitant visitor into a confident driver and organizer who stands firm through air raids and personal loss.
• Mrs. Ernest W. Shurtleff: The co-director of the relief effort in Paris. Warm, tireless, and deeply admired by the volunteers, she oversees the distribution of food and clothing while battling her own failing health. Her compassionate leadership serves as the moral anchor for Esther and Marjorie throughout their service.

In Its Own Voice

"After the men are wounded at the front they are brought back through a chain of relief stations, 'postes de secours,' to hospitals, and finally to a Paris hospital."

When describing her work with discharged soldiers, Esther outlines the grim journey wounded troops endure before reaching the relief center for civilian clothes.

"There is not a single bridge left... Also there is not a stick of furniture of any sort, except things too big to be carted away, such as pulpits and big tables, which are hacked to pieces and are of no value now."

Observing the physical impact of the conflict on the French countryside, Marjorie notes the utter devastation left behind in the evacuated zones.

"Things seem so different in the daytime--there were all the commonplace buildings, the tram, the policeman, the landmarks that we know so well, and yet the sidewalks were covered with broken glass and limbs of trees, and that big hole had been made by a real live Boche!"

Following a night bombing raid over Paris, Esther describes inspecting the blast site near the Boulevard Saint-Michel the next morning.

What It's Really About

Over Periscope Pond is fundamentally an account of civilian service and feminine self-reliance amidst total war. Beyond its historical record of relief logistics, the book explores how duty and friendship sustain human dignity under extreme environmental and emotional strain. Esther and Marjorie do not frame their efforts in grand political terms; instead, their writing examines the quiet, domestic side of war—the struggle to stay warm, the procurement of basic food, and the preservation of joy in a ruined landscape. The letters ask how ordinary individuals maintain empathy and sanity when confronted daily with physical destruction, civilian displacement, and the severe trauma of returning soldiers.

Why Read It Today

Over Periscope Pond will appeal to readers who appreciate genuine historical memoirs, women's histories, and firsthand accounts of World War I. Reading the book feels like sitting down with a remarkably articulate, witty friend who refuses to succumb to self-pity or despair. The narrative moves with rapid immediacy, driven by the authentic voices of two young women writing without the polished hindsight of later memoirs.

Readers should be prepared for period-specific elements, including frequent untranslated French phrases, casual references to long-forgotten local figures, and occasional archaic spellings or cultural attitudes typical of early twentieth-century American upper-middle-class writers. The structure is episodic rather than plot-driven, reflecting the irregular cadence of transatlantic mail during wartime.

What stays with the reader, however, is the unshakeable vitality of its authors. Esther and Marjorie offer a perspective on war that bypasses military tactics to focus on human connection—proving that humor, affection, and practical action remain powerful antidotes to historical catastrophe.