Rest in Peace, Aunt Hazel!
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| Aunt Hazel at her 108th birthday |
Thursday, November 21, 2019
Aunt Hazel
We learned this morning that Gretchen's Aunt Hazel died yesterday morning. She was 111 years old! She has been living in a retirement home up near Lake Sunapee, NH for the last several years. We have enjoyed two or three visits with her and members of her family there. She was an amazing person, always so positive and upbeat in her attitude. She was blessed with an active mind right up to the end, so far as I know. Back in 2016, she had a moment of fame because when the Chicago Cubs (her team!) were contending in the World Series, they were seeking their first championship since 1908, the year Aunt Hazel was born. It was unusual to have a 108-year-old fan rooting for you who had been alive the last time you won the Series, and Aunt Hazel got quite a bit of publicity. One day we were listening to the New Hampshire news round-up on NPR and the announcer said, "And now for some happy news" and went on to talk about Aunt Hazel! I don't have a picture of Aunt Hazel on the computer I'm using right now, but I'll post one from the other computer when I get a chance.
Rest in Peace, Aunt Hazel!
Rest in Peace, Aunt Hazel!
Monday, November 18, 2019
Monday news
Today, Brendon went to school, Katie had Tales and Tunes at the Shutesbury Library in the morning, and Savanna had a drawing class in Florence in the afternoon, and I stayed home all day. I slept late (making up for a poor night's sleep Saturday night), had a late breakfast of smoothie and cereal, checked email, and then got started on a project I brought with me - updating my "end of life" plans. I have a file on the computer titled, "When I Die" - which lists all the things Ellen and/or John will need to do after my death, where things are located, etc. Sort of a comprehensive check-list, including an Executor of Estate check-list. All of this was last done in 2015, so four years later, there is a need to update information. I have been procrastinating this for some time (not a favorite task) so I decided this would be a good time to get a start, and I did. I have a new "To Do" list. Now that I am off dead center, I feel I have some momentum.
Last night before trying to go to sleep, I read the first two chapters of Lamb in his bosom, which I now have twelve chapters of on my computer. I can tell I will like it. I found I can buy a copy from Abe Books for $4.00 plus shipping. But that book led me to another. It reminded me of a book I have known about for decades, a book which I think my parents also liked, titled The Shepherd of the Hills, by Harold Bell Wright. This book, and Wright himself, have quite a story. Wright, who started out as a Disciple of Christ minister, later became an extremely popular author who is hardly known today. The Shepherd of the Hills sold a million copies, the first American novel to do so. Wright is one of the top-selling American authors of all time. Four movies were made of The Shepherd of the Hills, and it is performed annually as a stage play at Branson, MO. Indeed, the novel helped put Branson on the map, long before its fame as a country music mecca. The novel is set near Branson, in the Ozark mountains. I found an audio version of the novel on Librivox (a free, online, amateur audio book app), and I've been listening to that. It is pretty gripping, actually.
Later:
Ellen has returned safe and sound! Yay! No adverse driving conditions. We will spend the night here and return home tomorrow so we can get the house warm again before going to River Singers.
Last night before trying to go to sleep, I read the first two chapters of Lamb in his bosom, which I now have twelve chapters of on my computer. I can tell I will like it. I found I can buy a copy from Abe Books for $4.00 plus shipping. But that book led me to another. It reminded me of a book I have known about for decades, a book which I think my parents also liked, titled The Shepherd of the Hills, by Harold Bell Wright. This book, and Wright himself, have quite a story. Wright, who started out as a Disciple of Christ minister, later became an extremely popular author who is hardly known today. The Shepherd of the Hills sold a million copies, the first American novel to do so. Wright is one of the top-selling American authors of all time. Four movies were made of The Shepherd of the Hills, and it is performed annually as a stage play at Branson, MO. Indeed, the novel helped put Branson on the map, long before its fame as a country music mecca. The novel is set near Branson, in the Ozark mountains. I found an audio version of the novel on Librivox (a free, online, amateur audio book app), and I've been listening to that. It is pretty gripping, actually.
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| Author, Harold Bell Wright |
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| Poster from 1941 film of The Shepherd of the Hills |
Ellen has returned safe and sound! Yay! No adverse driving conditions. We will spend the night here and return home tomorrow so we can get the house warm again before going to River Singers.
Sunday, November 17, 2019
Sunday in Amherst
I just had breakfast and in a few minutes I will go to church with Katie & Savanna at First Congregational Church in Amherst. Katie & Savanna are singing a song at the beginning of the service during announcements that advertises the upcoming Cranberry Fair, which is a big fundraiser for the church, coming up this Saturday. I've been listening to them rehearse - they sound good!
After church I will walk to Amherst College and spend some time in the Frost Library while Katie spends time as a volunteer at the church and Savanna and Brendon go to the movies. I'll rejoin them at 3p.m. Then I guess we will come home.
One of my goals at the Frost Library will be to find a book my father refers to as one he enjoyed very much reading. He refers to it in a letter to his friend, George Drew, written in 1934 from Grays Lake, IL. The book is Caroline Miller, Lamb In His Bosom. It had been published a year to two earlier at that time, and it had won the author the Pulitzer Prize. It is about life in South Georgia just before the Civil War. Dad says he found its description of everyday life very familiar to him and his experience growing up in rural Georgia. The Amherst College Library catalogue online says it has a copy, so I'm hopeful that I will find it (you never know). I would like to make a photocopy, but my iPod has developed problems with the charge cord, so is not working. There may be options.
Later;
I found the book! The good news is that the Library Cafè has a charging station where there is a charge cord that fits my iPod. The bad news is that my iPod won't charge! So the problem may be with the iPod, not the cord. I know it needs a new battery but it has worked for some time if it is always plugged in. But that is no longer the case. It is a very old iPod - maybe as much as 15 years old or even more. So I guess I can't be too surprised. But I intended to use it to photograph pages of the book. Now I'll have to see if there is a scanner somewhere here.
Later still:
There was a scanner at the library, but unlike other scanners I've used, which save to a thumb drive, this one saved to an email address. It was free, and I entered my email address and got a .pdf file of what I scanned. I could do an assembled job which allowed me to scan, e.g., 40 pages (= 80 book pages), and send it as a unit to my email. I did that in two batches and scanned 12 chapters, or about 170 pages in all - maybe half the book. So that wasn't too bad - better than I feared when I discovered the iPod was not working.
Now I'm back at Katie and Savanna's and just had a snack.
And yet later on Sunday...
We had supper on a card table in the TV room while we watched the Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 17-10 I think it was. It was sort of a strange game; e.g., Tom Brady couldn't connect on his passing and the Patriots were forced to kick three field-goals in the first half after the Eagles got ahead by 10 points. Savanna is trying out YouTubeTV which is a streamed TV service that has quite a bit on it and is only $45 a month. Not bad. She went to a meeting yesterday about new TV options in Shutesbury and came back quite informed. Meanwhile, I have been working on the Spelling Bee puzzle, and I think I have achieved "genius" status.
Oh- yesterday evening, K,S, B and I played "O Hell" - the bidding card game where you start out with a 10-card hand, go down to a one-card hand and back up to 10. It's actually a fun game. A nice mix of skill and luck.
Final note:
My iPod seems to be working fine now! If it had been working earlier the way it is now, I could have used it to photograph the book. Hmmm. What is that all about? I could go back tomorrow and finish the job. But actually, scanning it produces much better quality, and is only a bit slower. Main advantage in using the iPod? I can sit down while doing it. Scanning entails standing. But if I scan in 10-15 minute segments, it's ok. But why was it totally useless this afternoon and is ok tonight - with my charge cord to boot ?! I don't get it.
After church I will walk to Amherst College and spend some time in the Frost Library while Katie spends time as a volunteer at the church and Savanna and Brendon go to the movies. I'll rejoin them at 3p.m. Then I guess we will come home.
One of my goals at the Frost Library will be to find a book my father refers to as one he enjoyed very much reading. He refers to it in a letter to his friend, George Drew, written in 1934 from Grays Lake, IL. The book is Caroline Miller, Lamb In His Bosom. It had been published a year to two earlier at that time, and it had won the author the Pulitzer Prize. It is about life in South Georgia just before the Civil War. Dad says he found its description of everyday life very familiar to him and his experience growing up in rural Georgia. The Amherst College Library catalogue online says it has a copy, so I'm hopeful that I will find it (you never know). I would like to make a photocopy, but my iPod has developed problems with the charge cord, so is not working. There may be options.
Later;
I found the book! The good news is that the Library Cafè has a charging station where there is a charge cord that fits my iPod. The bad news is that my iPod won't charge! So the problem may be with the iPod, not the cord. I know it needs a new battery but it has worked for some time if it is always plugged in. But that is no longer the case. It is a very old iPod - maybe as much as 15 years old or even more. So I guess I can't be too surprised. But I intended to use it to photograph pages of the book. Now I'll have to see if there is a scanner somewhere here.
 |
| Got it! |
Later still:
There was a scanner at the library, but unlike other scanners I've used, which save to a thumb drive, this one saved to an email address. It was free, and I entered my email address and got a .pdf file of what I scanned. I could do an assembled job which allowed me to scan, e.g., 40 pages (= 80 book pages), and send it as a unit to my email. I did that in two batches and scanned 12 chapters, or about 170 pages in all - maybe half the book. So that wasn't too bad - better than I feared when I discovered the iPod was not working.
Now I'm back at Katie and Savanna's and just had a snack.
And yet later on Sunday...
We had supper on a card table in the TV room while we watched the Patriots beat the Philadelphia Eagles, 17-10 I think it was. It was sort of a strange game; e.g., Tom Brady couldn't connect on his passing and the Patriots were forced to kick three field-goals in the first half after the Eagles got ahead by 10 points. Savanna is trying out YouTubeTV which is a streamed TV service that has quite a bit on it and is only $45 a month. Not bad. She went to a meeting yesterday about new TV options in Shutesbury and came back quite informed. Meanwhile, I have been working on the Spelling Bee puzzle, and I think I have achieved "genius" status.
Oh- yesterday evening, K,S, B and I played "O Hell" - the bidding card game where you start out with a 10-card hand, go down to a one-card hand and back up to 10. It's actually a fun game. A nice mix of skill and luck.
 |
| My three-card hand. I think Clubs were trump, which meant no trump cards in my hand. I bid 0. If you make your bid (i.e., in this case take no tricks) you get ten points. I got 10 points. If I had inadvertently taken one trick with the Queen of spades (it can happen), I would have gotten only 1 point for this round. Winning your bid earns 10 points plus number of tricks taken. Katie won handily; I came in last, but just three points behind Brendon. |
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| The Frost Library Cafè area |
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| This was an archival photo hanging by the elevator in the Library showing Amherst College seniors in 1910 playing leapfrog on commencement day! |
My iPod seems to be working fine now! If it had been working earlier the way it is now, I could have used it to photograph the book. Hmmm. What is that all about? I could go back tomorrow and finish the job. But actually, scanning it produces much better quality, and is only a bit slower. Main advantage in using the iPod? I can sit down while doing it. Scanning entails standing. But if I scan in 10-15 minute segments, it's ok. But why was it totally useless this afternoon and is ok tonight - with my charge cord to boot ?! I don't get it.
Friday, November 15, 2019
Stewart Letter #16
Note: This letter was written by Stewart to mother five days after the one written to dad. It covers a lot of the same ground because he is telling mother about his new situation at Lincoln, just as he had earlier told dad, but he includes here information he didn't mention in the letter to dad, and it has a different tone.
Letter #16
Nov. 19, 1944
Dear Mother,
I have received the hangers and the tennis shoes.1 Such conveniences as hangers and drawers now mean a lot to me, since anything that is not hung up must be kept in the barracks bag.
Our barracks hold approximately 350 young men, some ASTRP, but some ASTP premeds. The building is new, built as a library, but not yet used as one. The basement is filled almost completely with the latrine. My room is on the second floor, and that is where we have two ping-pong tables, a billiard table, a pool table, and a nice radio which tunes in on four stations. There are phone booths on the first floor, so the only thing that would be inconvenient about it would be the possible delay. I have no trouble getting to sleep on account of any noise caused by anyone in the barracks; in fact, someone woke me up once and told me to stop snoring.
The B-60 curriculum is a basic engineering course accelerated slightly, with no review as in the N-30, which does not include Chemistry. One or two times each day we have a study period, and from 1900 to 2100 we are required to study on all nights except Saturday, so therefore I cannot attend the evening program at the church, unless I want to go after 9, since activities continue at the church until 10:30.
I listened to election returns too, but I was so tired that night that I didn't care to stay awake any longer. By the way, I don't think that I should call at Thanksgiving, since I would have less chance of getting my call through in any reasonable length of time then.
Notes:
1 Evidently, Stewart had been in touch with mother, probably by phone, and asked for some things to be sent to him.
-2-
Notes:
3 It's interesting that this letter to mother is much chattier about daily life, dress, etc.., than the one to dad, which is a bit more formal, has more detail about Stewart's course work and doesn't mention things like the movie.
Letter #16
Nov. 19, 1944
Dear Mother,
I have received the hangers and the tennis shoes.1 Such conveniences as hangers and drawers now mean a lot to me, since anything that is not hung up must be kept in the barracks bag.
Our barracks hold approximately 350 young men, some ASTRP, but some ASTP premeds. The building is new, built as a library, but not yet used as one. The basement is filled almost completely with the latrine. My room is on the second floor, and that is where we have two ping-pong tables, a billiard table, a pool table, and a nice radio which tunes in on four stations. There are phone booths on the first floor, so the only thing that would be inconvenient about it would be the possible delay. I have no trouble getting to sleep on account of any noise caused by anyone in the barracks; in fact, someone woke me up once and told me to stop snoring.
The B-60 curriculum is a basic engineering course accelerated slightly, with no review as in the N-30, which does not include Chemistry. One or two times each day we have a study period, and from 1900 to 2100 we are required to study on all nights except Saturday, so therefore I cannot attend the evening program at the church, unless I want to go after 9, since activities continue at the church until 10:30.
I listened to election returns too, but I was so tired that night that I didn't care to stay awake any longer. By the way, I don't think that I should call at Thanksgiving, since I would have less chance of getting my call through in any reasonable length of time then.
Notes:
1 Evidently, Stewart had been in touch with mother, probably by phone, and asked for some things to be sent to him.
-2-
We are awakened at 6:00a.m. by the lights being turned on. They are
fluorescent lamps, and invariably they wake me up. Chow is ready from 6:30 to
7:30. At 6:15 we fall out in front of the building for reveille which is reporting of
absences. Class formation is at 7:45, and then the different sections march off to class. Noon chow is from 11:30 to 12:30, and supper is from 5:20 to 6:20p.m. On
Sunday, breakfast is from 8 to 9, and dinner is from 12:30 t0 13:30.
I could use my bathrobe and also a couple of our ping-pong paddles and a ball, since the playing equipment is not furnished. I was "broke" for some time until yesterday when I finally got my travel check. It came to $26.15, so I am well-fixed for anything but a very drastic emergency. Right away I bought a pair of slippers built like this: , a money belt, an engineer's metal insignia to go on my left lapel (since I am not in the Air Corps Reserve) and then I went to a show, In the Meantime, Darling, with Jeanne Crain of Home In Indiana.2 Also I took several pieces of clothing to the USO to have AST insignia sewed on.
The third floor is composed mainly of large halls with tables and chairs for studying, and different teachers are present to help. At one time, about a year ago, there were 2700 students in the AST here, but now there are only about 350. We are fairly centrally located on the campus, so we do not have far to go from class to class. Our physical training takes place inside the stadium, under the stadium seats, and in the Coliseum, which is like the Minnesota Fieldhouse. There is a swimming pool in the basement, and handball courts.
Notes:
2 This film is available on YouTube and I watched it in its entirety. Directed by Otto Preminger, it was released in 1944 and is very typical of WW 2 films - it is almost a propaganda film in its depiction of the military life. But it also has some interesting features. Jeanne Crain plays a war bride (Maggie) , and the film opens with her arrival at the train station near the post where her husband-to-be (Danny), a lieutenant in the army, is stationed. They go immediately to a Justice of the Peace and are married in a very rushed ceremony because it is late and the Justice wants to go to bed. She is from a prominent Philadelphia family and has a very hard time adjusting to living conditions at the post and in relating to her fellow military wives. In many ways, the film is about her "growing up" and coming to accept her situation. The men in the film are almost ciphers - sort of stock characters - but a couple of women are more sensitively drawn: one, the owner of the hotel where the newlyweds have a room, is a war widow, and she plays an important role in "educating" the new bride. The other woman (Shirley), is the wife of Danny's best friend, "Red," (played by Stanley Prager* - see below). Shirley is more "working class"and down-to-earth, and gives Maggie a different perspective. The hotel porter, Henry (played by African-American actor Clarence Muse) is also a "wise elder" who helps Maggie "grow up." The film ends when all the men are suddenly shipped overseas and Maggie and Shirley decide to go to work in a defense plant (Maggie could have gone back to live with her parents - but this is the more independent, "mature" option). Jeanne Crain and Frank Latimore (who plays Danny) were only 19 years old when this film was made. Home in Indiana (a horse film released earlier in 1944) was Jeanne Crain's first film and had brought her fame.
*An anecdote is widely circulated about Otto Preminger and Stanley Prager. During the filming of In the Meantime, Darling, Preminger is said to have put his face in Prager's face and scream, "RELAX, RELAX, RELAX!" - evidently Prager was just the first of many to get this treatment from Preminger.
-3-
I could use my bathrobe and also a couple of our ping-pong paddles and a ball, since the playing equipment is not furnished. I was "broke" for some time until yesterday when I finally got my travel check. It came to $26.15, so I am well-fixed for anything but a very drastic emergency. Right away I bought a pair of slippers built like this: , a money belt, an engineer's metal insignia to go on my left lapel (since I am not in the Air Corps Reserve) and then I went to a show, In the Meantime, Darling, with Jeanne Crain of Home In Indiana.2 Also I took several pieces of clothing to the USO to have AST insignia sewed on.
The third floor is composed mainly of large halls with tables and chairs for studying, and different teachers are present to help. At one time, about a year ago, there were 2700 students in the AST here, but now there are only about 350. We are fairly centrally located on the campus, so we do not have far to go from class to class. Our physical training takes place inside the stadium, under the stadium seats, and in the Coliseum, which is like the Minnesota Fieldhouse. There is a swimming pool in the basement, and handball courts.
Notes:
2 This film is available on YouTube and I watched it in its entirety. Directed by Otto Preminger, it was released in 1944 and is very typical of WW 2 films - it is almost a propaganda film in its depiction of the military life. But it also has some interesting features. Jeanne Crain plays a war bride (Maggie) , and the film opens with her arrival at the train station near the post where her husband-to-be (Danny), a lieutenant in the army, is stationed. They go immediately to a Justice of the Peace and are married in a very rushed ceremony because it is late and the Justice wants to go to bed. She is from a prominent Philadelphia family and has a very hard time adjusting to living conditions at the post and in relating to her fellow military wives. In many ways, the film is about her "growing up" and coming to accept her situation. The men in the film are almost ciphers - sort of stock characters - but a couple of women are more sensitively drawn: one, the owner of the hotel where the newlyweds have a room, is a war widow, and she plays an important role in "educating" the new bride. The other woman (Shirley), is the wife of Danny's best friend, "Red," (played by Stanley Prager* - see below). Shirley is more "working class"and down-to-earth, and gives Maggie a different perspective. The hotel porter, Henry (played by African-American actor Clarence Muse) is also a "wise elder" who helps Maggie "grow up." The film ends when all the men are suddenly shipped overseas and Maggie and Shirley decide to go to work in a defense plant (Maggie could have gone back to live with her parents - but this is the more independent, "mature" option). Jeanne Crain and Frank Latimore (who plays Danny) were only 19 years old when this film was made. Home in Indiana (a horse film released earlier in 1944) was Jeanne Crain's first film and had brought her fame.
*An anecdote is widely circulated about Otto Preminger and Stanley Prager. During the filming of In the Meantime, Darling, Preminger is said to have put his face in Prager's face and scream, "RELAX, RELAX, RELAX!" - evidently Prager was just the first of many to get this treatment from Preminger.
-3-
I went on sick call on Tuesday because my throat was sore. On Tuesday
and three consecutive days, my throat was swabbed, and on the last two, my
tonsils were sprayed also. With some sulfadiazine tablets to help, I'm all right
now.
On Nov. 11th, Armistice Day, the seven platoons of Love Library went to the Nebraska-Iowa State game for free. Our platoon, the seventh and new one, did not have to march during the half, but the taller part acted as MP's at the gates leading to the track to prevent people from coming down on to the field. The Minnesota-Iowa U. game was watched with interest also, since most of those that are in the seventh platoon come from Iowa.
Dec. 25th might be a holiday for us, and in that case, if I could make good connections, I could be home for twenty-four hours; but then I could come home for seven days a month later, and I don't know whether or not you think that it would be worth paying for two round-trips in that short a time.
I will write as often as possible, but I do not have much time for my own affairs except on Saturday and Sunday.
Your loving son,
Stewart3
On Nov. 11th, Armistice Day, the seven platoons of Love Library went to the Nebraska-Iowa State game for free. Our platoon, the seventh and new one, did not have to march during the half, but the taller part acted as MP's at the gates leading to the track to prevent people from coming down on to the field. The Minnesota-Iowa U. game was watched with interest also, since most of those that are in the seventh platoon come from Iowa.
Dec. 25th might be a holiday for us, and in that case, if I could make good connections, I could be home for twenty-four hours; but then I could come home for seven days a month later, and I don't know whether or not you think that it would be worth paying for two round-trips in that short a time.
I will write as often as possible, but I do not have much time for my own affairs except on Saturday and Sunday.
Your loving son,
Stewart3
Notes:
3 It's interesting that this letter to mother is much chattier about daily life, dress, etc.., than the one to dad, which is a bit more formal, has more detail about Stewart's course work and doesn't mention things like the movie.
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| Poster for the film, In the Meantime, Darling |
Stewart Letter #15
Note: This is a 4-page letter, originally hand-written in ink, seventy-five years ago yesterday, to dad. Whereas previous letters had been written from our home in Minneapolis, Stewart has now entered the Army, is in the ASTRP Program, and is located at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, NE. This is his first letter to dad from this new situation. He mailed a letter
very similar in content to this one five days later - to mother - Letter #16. However,
that letter gives some details and has an emphasis missing from this one. I will post
them at roughly the same time.
Letter #15
Nov. 14, 1944
Dear Dad,
Yesterday the tallest half of the 7th platoon acted as "MP's" at the Iowa State-Nebraska game. The shorter half moved the players' benches off the field so the first six platoons could parade with no obstructions. That was the way we managed to be admitted free.1
The A.S.T.U. 3709 is stationed in the Love Memorial Library, a new building, not yet having been used as a library. Therefore, the rooms are slightly large, for instance, one hundred boys are in one such great hall with me. That does not bother me, however, because lights are out at 22:00, in fact, I have been getting to sleep more promptly since coming here than before.
Two curriculums are offered to the new reservist, the N-30 and the B-60. Tests are given here to determine which the reservist is best fitted for. N-30 does not have Chemistry and the math and Physics have more review.
Notes:
1 Iowa State won this game 19-6. The Omaha World-Herald wrote, A pesky little 164- pounder named Gene Phelps personally conducted Iowa State to a 19-6 football victory over Nebraska’s hard-trying but outclassed Cornhuskers Saturday afternoon. Phelps had been understudy quarterback in all previous Cyclone games, but moved up when the Navy whisked Joe Noble away after last week’s game. So all frisky young Phelps did was score all three of his team’s touchdowns to gain the admiration of 9,500 fans.
Letter #15
Nov. 14, 1944
Dear Dad,
Yesterday the tallest half of the 7th platoon acted as "MP's" at the Iowa State-Nebraska game. The shorter half moved the players' benches off the field so the first six platoons could parade with no obstructions. That was the way we managed to be admitted free.1
The A.S.T.U. 3709 is stationed in the Love Memorial Library, a new building, not yet having been used as a library. Therefore, the rooms are slightly large, for instance, one hundred boys are in one such great hall with me. That does not bother me, however, because lights are out at 22:00, in fact, I have been getting to sleep more promptly since coming here than before.
Two curriculums are offered to the new reservist, the N-30 and the B-60. Tests are given here to determine which the reservist is best fitted for. N-30 does not have Chemistry and the math and Physics have more review.
Notes:
1 Iowa State won this game 19-6. The Omaha World-Herald wrote, A pesky little 164- pounder named Gene Phelps personally conducted Iowa State to a 19-6 football victory over Nebraska’s hard-trying but outclassed Cornhuskers Saturday afternoon. Phelps had been understudy quarterback in all previous Cyclone games, but moved up when the Navy whisked Joe Noble away after last week’s game. So all frisky young Phelps did was score all three of his team’s touchdowns to gain the admiration of 9,500 fans.
-2-
The B-60 curriculum includes 7 hours of Physics, 6 of History, 6 of Math (both Alg. and Trig.), 5 Chem., and 3 of English. Also we have six hours of Physical Training and 3 of military training per week. I had no trouble getting into B-60, but it is not going to be easy to stay in, not because I don't get enough time to study, for we are required to study from 1900 to 2100 every night except Saturday, and several other times during the day.
Another fellow was included in the same orders that I received, who is from Iowa. I met him when I got off the train at Leavenworth, Kansas on Nov. 2, when we got our uniforms. He and another boy whom we met at Ft. Leavenworth, are all in the ERC, while most of the reservists training here are ACER.
I really don't have much time to write letters, since I do not like to start one and finish it at another time, but I have to, because usually we are free only from 12:00 to 1:00, and we have to eat lunch then, and from 6:00 to 7:00, and supper then. Only on Saturdays and Sundays do I have much time outside of studies.
-3-
Writing letters, though, is an effective way of combatting homesickness. I would not think of home so much if it were not that I know that I shall not be home for three months, and then only for about 5 days. Also, the conveniences of home, such as having the bathroom close to the bedroom, and the freeedom (comparative) of retiring and working are very desirable. I know now (don't tell this to any of my superior officers) that I shall not enjoy anything in the army except the marching, the free food, clothing, shelter, and schooling itself. If I can gain a few pounds and improve my general physical tone, also I shall have gained something out of my experience in the army. If I do enter some kind of social work, then, too, I will be better able to cope with problems involving veterans.
Now I am getting only a brief description of the news by way of my history teacher. At the beginning of the period he summarizes current events. The slogan, "The way Maine goes, so goes the nation" seems to have backfired again, since that was the first state to go to Dewey.
-4-
I will get three twelve-week terms in the A.S.T.R.P., although probably they will not all be here at the U.. of N., at least I hope not, because if I have to be away from home, I would like to see more than one place. At any rate, I shall work hard so that I will be offered the best in my next two terms.
Your eldest son,
Stewart
The B-60 curriculum includes 7 hours of Physics, 6 of History, 6 of Math (both Alg. and Trig.), 5 Chem., and 3 of English. Also we have six hours of Physical Training and 3 of military training per week. I had no trouble getting into B-60, but it is not going to be easy to stay in, not because I don't get enough time to study, for we are required to study from 1900 to 2100 every night except Saturday, and several other times during the day.
Another fellow was included in the same orders that I received, who is from Iowa. I met him when I got off the train at Leavenworth, Kansas on Nov. 2, when we got our uniforms. He and another boy whom we met at Ft. Leavenworth, are all in the ERC, while most of the reservists training here are ACER.
I really don't have much time to write letters, since I do not like to start one and finish it at another time, but I have to, because usually we are free only from 12:00 to 1:00, and we have to eat lunch then, and from 6:00 to 7:00, and supper then. Only on Saturdays and Sundays do I have much time outside of studies.
-3-
Writing letters, though, is an effective way of combatting homesickness. I would not think of home so much if it were not that I know that I shall not be home for three months, and then only for about 5 days. Also, the conveniences of home, such as having the bathroom close to the bedroom, and the freeedom (comparative) of retiring and working are very desirable. I know now (don't tell this to any of my superior officers) that I shall not enjoy anything in the army except the marching, the free food, clothing, shelter, and schooling itself. If I can gain a few pounds and improve my general physical tone, also I shall have gained something out of my experience in the army. If I do enter some kind of social work, then, too, I will be better able to cope with problems involving veterans.
Now I am getting only a brief description of the news by way of my history teacher. At the beginning of the period he summarizes current events. The slogan, "The way Maine goes, so goes the nation" seems to have backfired again, since that was the first state to go to Dewey.
-4-
I will get three twelve-week terms in the A.S.T.R.P., although probably they will not all be here at the U.. of N., at least I hope not, because if I have to be away from home, I would like to see more than one place. At any rate, I shall work hard so that I will be offered the best in my next two terms.
Your eldest son,
Stewart
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| Love Memorial Library, Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE |
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Another view of the Don L. Love Library. Don Love was the mayor of Lincoln on two separate occasions. He died in 1940 and a posthumous gift to the University made possible the building of this Library, which was named in his honor. As Stewart indicates, the building was used as a dormitory for Army students in the ASTRP before it was used as a library. I have to imagine that it required some renovation to make it fit for a library after its use as a dormitory! It would be interesting to visit it today and get a sense of what it would have been like for Stewart to live there. Born: Janesville, WI, Mar. 7, 1863 Party Affiliation: Republican Died: Lincoln, NE, Sept. 12, 1940 Claremont, IA |
Back with my sisters
I'm back with Kate & Savanna for the next 4-5 days. Ellen is on a visit to Swarthmore (or to be more accurate, the Philadelphia area, since none of her close friends actually live in Swarthmore any more with Wallace's move to Kendal) and she dropped me here about an hour and a half ago. We got up early to get ready this morning. It is going to be pretty frigid the next few days - in the single digits - so we had to take steps to keep the pipes from freezing in the house, though I think the likelihood of that happening is slim if we left the house unheated, but I don't want to take the chance. So we did what we do when we take longer trips - we put up blankets to close off the kitchen and bathroom area where the pipes are and left the electric heat on in that area only at 40 degrees. Today is Ellen's birthday, so we started the day with a short "celebration" - i.e., I gave her a birthday card and a gift. Ellen herself would be happy to have her birthday totally ignored, but I always feel better doing something; I just keep it simple. Things went pretty smoothly getting ready to leave and we started out just as the impeachment hearing got underway with Amb. Yovonovich testifying, so we listened to that on the radio as we drove down to Shutesbury. I think the sisters may be out this afternoon and I'll either just stay here and do things here, or have them drop me at the Amherst Library and work there. At the moment, I'm leaning toward staying here.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Concert choir
It's Wednesday evening and I'm at the Concert Choir rehearsal. Ellen had to be here early for an Alto sectional, so I have a little time to do work on the computer. Others are gathering however, so my chance to work is short.
I'm still coughing a lot - much to my dismay.
We watched the impeachment hearings today. Disturbing at many levels.
We are getting a good dose of winter weather! It does not make me happy.
Friday, Ellen will drop me off at Katie and Savanna's while she goes to Swarthmore.
Signing off!
I'm still coughing a lot - much to my dismay.
We watched the impeachment hearings today. Disturbing at many levels.
We are getting a good dose of winter weather! It does not make me happy.
Friday, Ellen will drop me off at Katie and Savanna's while she goes to Swarthmore.
Signing off!
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