June 18
Brentwood
Dear Fay:
Here I am in good old Cali doing nothing and not doing it much better than I did in Ogden. The change in climate was good for me, anyhow. And there is lots and lots of fresh fruit to be eaten for nothing. I guess that I could be in a worse place.
How is the old hip? I'll bet that you have given up and gone back to dancing by now. I'll admit that you should do something about that case of nerves before you chew all of the corners off your mother's newest deck of cards or something. i was scared for my underwear! I've seen these shows where some nervous dame starts to unravelling them.
I guess that you have something to do most of the time, anyway - picture shows or something. There isn't even a picture show in this burg. The only amusement here was a strike that the fruit workers staged. We had Reds and bums and A.F. of L. workers and everybody else out of work down here for the free meals. The fruit men lost plenty of money because of these strikers.
So far here have been no deaths due to the fighting and that is something. There are deputies and regular cops around here by the hundreds with everything from machine guns to gas bombs as armament. That doesn't sound as if I should be having such a dull time does it? The truth is that it is not as interesting as it sounds. I have read magazines by the score, done a house cleaning, walked for miles, and developed into a very accomplished loafer - all inside of a week. Oh, yes, I drove Aunt (Mrs. Wilkin to you) down to Oakland last week. I went to visit the C.U. and took in a picture sure (with vaudavill (how the h--- do you spell it?))
This is certainly a great country. I wish that you could see it. I'm sure that you would like it. I am in love with Calif as a state. That is, I like all of it. If I'm lucky, this is where I'll come to live when I'm out of college.
To get back down to earth however, if I don't get a job inside of the next two days I am coming home. There is no use in just wasting my time like this - not that my time is valuable, but there are things that I can do elsewhere.
Well, as I am running short of paper, if not of time, I guess I'll have to close. I'll be thinking of you until I hear from you or see you again.
With lots of love,
Lee
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
April 13, 1934
April 13, 1934
Dear Fay:
Are you still having your troubles like those you wrote about last week? You had me feeling almost sorry for you - if I didn't know that that yeeping is a matter of form with you. You will probably make a flock of A's in your subjects.
Todays is Friday the thirteenth and I have had no bad luck whatsoever. I believe that I even got a good grade in the Physics test this morning. As I was going to town today, a black cat ran across my path. So I have had all of the signs, but, so far at least, none of the promised results.
I am doing about the same as usual, only I have to work a little harder just now. This is mid-quarter and I have about three exams coming up the first of next week. But nothing peps me up like a good stiff exam. Heh, heh!
I spend all of the time that I am not in classes or studying for them or swimming or going to club meetings, by eating (as much and as often as possible), sleeping (ditto), drinking (water), talking, reading, and day dreaming, not to mention movies and baseball, and then I repeat the process. By far the most important of all this is, of course, the part about eating and sleeping. In fact, I have eaten so much lately that I have gained about five pounds. I now weigh 141 lbs. I may get man-size yet.
I think that I shall be coming home in about a week. This weekend is going to be a busy one, but I think I'll be in Ogden, next weekend. If you are a good girl and help your mother with the dishes andall, I might give you a call when I arrive.
In the meantime, keep your nose clean, kid.
Love,
Lee
Dear Fay:
Are you still having your troubles like those you wrote about last week? You had me feeling almost sorry for you - if I didn't know that that yeeping is a matter of form with you. You will probably make a flock of A's in your subjects.
Todays is Friday the thirteenth and I have had no bad luck whatsoever. I believe that I even got a good grade in the Physics test this morning. As I was going to town today, a black cat ran across my path. So I have had all of the signs, but, so far at least, none of the promised results.
I am doing about the same as usual, only I have to work a little harder just now. This is mid-quarter and I have about three exams coming up the first of next week. But nothing peps me up like a good stiff exam. Heh, heh!
I spend all of the time that I am not in classes or studying for them or swimming or going to club meetings, by eating (as much and as often as possible), sleeping (ditto), drinking (water), talking, reading, and day dreaming, not to mention movies and baseball, and then I repeat the process. By far the most important of all this is, of course, the part about eating and sleeping. In fact, I have eaten so much lately that I have gained about five pounds. I now weigh 141 lbs. I may get man-size yet.
I think that I shall be coming home in about a week. This weekend is going to be a busy one, but I think I'll be in Ogden, next weekend. If you are a good girl and help your mother with the dishes andall, I might give you a call when I arrive.
In the meantime, keep your nose clean, kid.
Love,
Lee
Thursday, October 4, 2012
April 1, 1934
April 1, 1934
Dear Fay:
I started out by writing a letter to the folks. I was none too enthusiastic about writing it either. But as I am now warmed up to the job, I find myself hunting for people to send letters to. I happened to think of a nice girl that I know at home and here I am writing to you. So much for the excuse ----.
Having done nothing much during the elapsed interval since you last heard from me, I have nothing much to relate as to activities. About the inactivities, however, much could be said. I do study some, though. My studies are not snap courses and they all require quite a bit of preparations. I have an eight o'clock class every morning but one, and my classes run through from then to six o'clock every day but Friday. Then (on Friday) I have the afternoon off except for a one hour class. I go to the open swimming periods two nights a week and that constitutes the greater part of my fun for the week. I have a lab all Sat. morning and I study on Sat. afternoon, but on Sunday I do Nothing (with a capital N.) The nothing includes baseball, walks, magazines, eating, sleeping, loafing, spreading the bull (a favorite pastime), going to shows, tennis and in the case of my roommates and me, chemical experiments.
I spend a good deal of time setting around and dreaming. I am especially good at that. I find myself with a book open and my eyes glued upon the spot where the little groups of letters tell me the value of the charge on an election and I find my thoughts in Ogden, or the Grand Tetons, or in sunny California. And there you are. I cannot help thinking what a bust of an electrical engineer I am likely to be.
Last night I was about to go out with the fellows to the the dance at the Moose Hall here. It is a terrible dance and everything there is soused. I probably would have been in that condition by the evening's end, but the drunks were even too drunk for me. I was disgusted, as was the majority of our party, and we went to a midnight show and had a lunch afterward at three o'clock. This morning I slept past the time for the Easter service, so I didn't go to church. I'm going to the dogs, Fay! One of my roommates who is taking the same kind of engineering that I am says that science can take the place of religion. I am beginning to believe the same. I can explain parts of the bible more satisfactorily, at least to myself, by use of analogies to the fourth dimension which proves nothing.
How are all of your love affairs coming along? You can confide in me. I surely hear plenty of them around this house. All kinds - good and bad. One of the boys has a book on love that is intended to leave nothing to the imagination. In that sense it succeeds rather well, but for that very reason is very far from being a work of art.
One of my letters is visible proof of the wanderings said to occur in the feeble mind, but having, as I stated in the beginning, very little importance to relate I am able to fall back upon the small details that ordinarily escape notice - and which are sometimes interesting. But as the hour grows late (it just struck nine) I fear that I must close.
Write and tell me all about every small detail as I have just done. Hold nothing back that isn't important. It is a great American custom - like dealing with the bottom of a cold deck.
Surprisingly enough, I will close without verbosity.
Lots of love,
Lee
Dear Fay:
I started out by writing a letter to the folks. I was none too enthusiastic about writing it either. But as I am now warmed up to the job, I find myself hunting for people to send letters to. I happened to think of a nice girl that I know at home and here I am writing to you. So much for the excuse ----.
Having done nothing much during the elapsed interval since you last heard from me, I have nothing much to relate as to activities. About the inactivities, however, much could be said. I do study some, though. My studies are not snap courses and they all require quite a bit of preparations. I have an eight o'clock class every morning but one, and my classes run through from then to six o'clock every day but Friday. Then (on Friday) I have the afternoon off except for a one hour class. I go to the open swimming periods two nights a week and that constitutes the greater part of my fun for the week. I have a lab all Sat. morning and I study on Sat. afternoon, but on Sunday I do Nothing (with a capital N.) The nothing includes baseball, walks, magazines, eating, sleeping, loafing, spreading the bull (a favorite pastime), going to shows, tennis and in the case of my roommates and me, chemical experiments.
I spend a good deal of time setting around and dreaming. I am especially good at that. I find myself with a book open and my eyes glued upon the spot where the little groups of letters tell me the value of the charge on an election and I find my thoughts in Ogden, or the Grand Tetons, or in sunny California. And there you are. I cannot help thinking what a bust of an electrical engineer I am likely to be.
Last night I was about to go out with the fellows to the the dance at the Moose Hall here. It is a terrible dance and everything there is soused. I probably would have been in that condition by the evening's end, but the drunks were even too drunk for me. I was disgusted, as was the majority of our party, and we went to a midnight show and had a lunch afterward at three o'clock. This morning I slept past the time for the Easter service, so I didn't go to church. I'm going to the dogs, Fay! One of my roommates who is taking the same kind of engineering that I am says that science can take the place of religion. I am beginning to believe the same. I can explain parts of the bible more satisfactorily, at least to myself, by use of analogies to the fourth dimension which proves nothing.
How are all of your love affairs coming along? You can confide in me. I surely hear plenty of them around this house. All kinds - good and bad. One of the boys has a book on love that is intended to leave nothing to the imagination. In that sense it succeeds rather well, but for that very reason is very far from being a work of art.
One of my letters is visible proof of the wanderings said to occur in the feeble mind, but having, as I stated in the beginning, very little importance to relate I am able to fall back upon the small details that ordinarily escape notice - and which are sometimes interesting. But as the hour grows late (it just struck nine) I fear that I must close.
Write and tell me all about every small detail as I have just done. Hold nothing back that isn't important. It is a great American custom - like dealing with the bottom of a cold deck.
Surprisingly enough, I will close without verbosity.
Lots of love,
Lee
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
March 20, 1934
(On University of Wyoming letterhead)
Dear Fay:
I had a terrible ride up here, and now that I am here, I wish that I was elsewhere.
Do you still believe that man is a terrible experiment? You must have been reading Macbeth the other night. There is a scene in that where the Lady wishes to lose all of the milk of human kindness, or that it would turn to gall, or something.
Before I got to register yesterday, the basketball team arrived home. We gave them a regular welcome. Two bands and the whole team and University turned out to give the boys a cheer.
I registered for 18 credit hours including two kinds of physics, chemistry, calculus and some other small stuff. There will be plenty of work to keep me busy for a quarter. My average for last quarter was only 2.6 - which is slightly above average. (It would correspond to a C+). I have done quite a bit of studying in th e last two days and I am now quite a bit ahead of the classes.
Maybe it won't impress you as being news, but I at last got to go swimming once more. My daily swim has become a daily habit with me. I surely missed it for the last two weeks. When I was home I told you, that I was on the swimming team. I didn't break any records in any of the meets, but I got so I could swim fairly well. And its good exercise of sumpthin.
I hope that you will excuse my having written you on both sides of the paper, which is, I understand, not good form. I was slightly too lazy to go back to my room for a fresh sheet. Will do better next time.
I am sorry for the way I have been to you for the last few vacations. I will try to make that up to you when I am home again. In the meantime - have a good time. I'll try not to speak in parables the next time we meet, but we got more to the foundation of things last night more than every before - at least I did. Maybe you already understand me. If so, congratulations. I don't understand myself. The more I try, the worse it gets.
Well, I doubt if I said anything of interest. It's the thought that counts, anyhow. I hope to hear from you soon.
Love,
Lee
Dear Fay:
I had a terrible ride up here, and now that I am here, I wish that I was elsewhere.
Do you still believe that man is a terrible experiment? You must have been reading Macbeth the other night. There is a scene in that where the Lady wishes to lose all of the milk of human kindness, or that it would turn to gall, or something.
Before I got to register yesterday, the basketball team arrived home. We gave them a regular welcome. Two bands and the whole team and University turned out to give the boys a cheer.
I registered for 18 credit hours including two kinds of physics, chemistry, calculus and some other small stuff. There will be plenty of work to keep me busy for a quarter. My average for last quarter was only 2.6 - which is slightly above average. (It would correspond to a C+). I have done quite a bit of studying in th e last two days and I am now quite a bit ahead of the classes.
Maybe it won't impress you as being news, but I at last got to go swimming once more. My daily swim has become a daily habit with me. I surely missed it for the last two weeks. When I was home I told you, that I was on the swimming team. I didn't break any records in any of the meets, but I got so I could swim fairly well. And its good exercise of sumpthin.
I hope that you will excuse my having written you on both sides of the paper, which is, I understand, not good form. I was slightly too lazy to go back to my room for a fresh sheet. Will do better next time.
I am sorry for the way I have been to you for the last few vacations. I will try to make that up to you when I am home again. In the meantime - have a good time. I'll try not to speak in parables the next time we meet, but we got more to the foundation of things last night more than every before - at least I did. Maybe you already understand me. If so, congratulations. I don't understand myself. The more I try, the worse it gets.
Well, I doubt if I said anything of interest. It's the thought that counts, anyhow. I hope to hear from you soon.
Love,
Lee
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)