Thu, Nov 29, 1945: carnival

"We had quite a good time at the carnival and everything went off pretty well except some of the children as usual got too 'rambuctious' and threw everything from confetti to cold cream at everyone.  However we cleared $117.72..."

--Letter from my grandmother, Bloomington, Kans., to my father, Boulder, Colo., Thursday, November 29, 1945.

Sat, Nov 24, 1945: Thanksgiving dinner

"My Thanksgiving dinner was at 5 P.M. in Denver.  (It probably would have been called a supper back home.)  John Howes invited me to accompany him to Carlton's, former neighbors in Hinsdale, Illinois.  The meal was a dandy - like something out of a story book.  The well-browned turkey was brought in steaming from the kitchen; after that Mr. Colton, a jolly chap who would have fitted perfectly into an English Christmas dinner, had the maid bring forth the carving set and proceeded to slice off individual servings.  Cranberry sauce, potatoes, pumpkin pie, and home-made ice cream made it seem like a Thanksgiving like the ones we used to celebrate in Kansas....

"We got a glimpse of one of our school's recent graduates in last week's Navy movie.  In a newsreel shot of Gen. Yamashita's war crimes trial in Manila we caught sight of Major Harry Pratt, a marine who graduated with the July 28th class.  He's acting as official translator."

-- Letter from my father, Boulder, Colo.,  to his family, Bloomington, Kans., Saturday, November 24, 1945.

Sat, Nov 17, 1945: roamed the countryside

"Buel has an interesting story to tell - he has been through a lot of excitement since leaving August in '43.  Most of it centers around his capture by the Germans and subsequent stay of ten months in a prison camp until the Russians came through.  Previous to the Red Army's arrival they had been deserted by the Germans; so for 10 days they roamed the countryside on their own -- butchering cows for steaks, etc.  Then it was back to America where he was quite impressed by the welcome -complete with jig band-given their ship when it docked."

--Letter from my father, Boulder, Colo., to his family, Bloomington, Kans., Saturday, November 17, 1945. Buel Robinson was a high school classmate of my father. 

Sun, Nov 11, 1945: terribly high

"Yesterday was another teacher's meeting.  This time at El Dorado.  Ruby Seal went to El Dorado with me to buy some new clothes.  Clothing is hard to get and is terribly high.  I got a new dress and hat and they both cost two or three times as much as they should."

-- Letter from my grandmother, Bloomington, Kans., to my father, Boulder, Colo., Sunday, November 11, 1945.

Sat, Nov 10, 1945: men outnumber the women

"The civilians are getting settled in school here. 800 veterans brought the total enrollment up to an all time high of 4600 -- and for the first time since 1942 men outnumber the women!"

-- Letter from my father, Boulder, Colo., to his family, Bloomington, Kans., Saturday, November 10, 1945.

Mon, Nov 5, 1945: a joke on the jokers

"While [Daddy] was shaving [on Halloween] he thought he heard a car.  On looking out he saw one driving down our lane.  He slipped out down to the road and watched.  After a little while a car stopped close to the lane, several kids jumped out and headed for the house.  Daddy thought he'd drive the car off but when he got there Betty Jones was in the car.  Daddy tried to get her to get over so he could drive.  She jumped out as Daddy drove the car home (it was Lloyd King's).  The kids had to walk home but not until they had torn up things in general around home.  Now Betty is sure mad at Daddy but I think it's a joke on the jokers."

--Letter from my grandmother, Bloomington, Kans., to my father, Boulder, Colo., Monday, November 5, 1945.

Sat, Nov 3, 1945: kids wearing discharge buttons

"The campus here is alive with students back to start the new term.  It seemed pretty drab and lonesome around here for two weeks while only gray-uniformed language students were around; but today a lot of red sweaters and sport coats are walking around to relieve the monotony.  This means the first taste of college to a lot of freshmen girls.  And veterans are coming back in droves to start in or start over.  I think I mentioned that the University has taken over half of our dorm to house them.  The youth of some of the kids wearing discharge buttons is amazing.  Most of them were in the army air corps and got out at 18 or 19 with a handful of points.  Seeing them getting off to this start makes me think twice about spending 18 months tucked away in some obscure corner of Japan translating telephone directories.  I hope the experience I get in my job and adventure of a trip to a foreign country outweighs being in the navy - and for that long."

-- Letter from my father, Boulder, Colo., to his family, Bloomington, Kans., Saturday, November 3, 1945.

Sat, Oct 27, 1945: trailer house camp

"From the sound of all those soldier parties a lot of the boys from home are stepping back into 'civvies.'  I wouldn't mind doing it myself - or at least known how long I'll be kept in if I finish this course....

"The Augusta Gazette brings word that Buel Robinson plans to go to school here next term.  I hope he can find a house -- Perhaps he can get in on the trailer house camp being set up for married veterans.  Vacant houses in Boulder are just about non-existant.  A lot of married language students are even finding it necessary to ship their wives and kids home; because so many veterans are coming back to claim their houses."

-- Letter from my father, Boulder, Colo., to his family, Bloomington, Kans., Saturday, October 27, 1945.

Wed, Oct 24, 1945: do some good

"You might also tell the folks to send out a mouse trap or poison cheese.  To add to my sleeping troubles, last night a mouse started gnawing on something about 10 minutes after I crawled into bed.... Each time I made some racket he stopped; but I still haven't located the culprit....

"You mentioned being surprised when Norma told you about my plans for being a minister or possibly a missionary.  Your surprise is justified. I've done little so far to indicate that I was headed in that direction.  But recently a big change has come over me.  I would like to do some good while on this earth; and feel that I might be able to in that field.

"As a lawyer, I'd probably be a failure - for a reason Norma mentioned.  I'm too honest."

-- Letter from my father, Boulder, Colo., to his sister, Bloomington, Kans., Wednesday, October 24, 1945.

Sat, Oct 13, 1945: a "memorizing machine"

"I think you're right about getting out of this work, Dad. I'm going to stick it out.  The next nine weeks will be the worst, and then we hit the 'gravy train.'  I was a little bit disgusted last week with being a 'memorizing machine' for the Navy with no objective in view.  But although I went somewhere almost everynight, including a football game Friday before the big test, I didn't make a mark below 95 in four tests Saturday morning.  The thing that really worried me was that I felt so tired -almost too tired to think - and decided I needed a change.  The medical officer agreed that a lot of men would be better of physically elsewhere but didn't seem to think anything is wrong that won't correct itself when they graduate me from this 'prison.'"

-- Letter from my father, Boulder, Colo., to his family, Bloomington, Kans., Saturday, October 13, 1945.  My father had been considering switching of the language program; but my grandfather had discouraged him from doing that in a previous letter.