Thu, Apr 24, 1947: an engagement

“Date #98 – a big long talk in North Hall Room 47 resulting in an engagement”

-- Entry in my mother’s diary, Thursday, April 24, 1947, about her engagement to my father.

Tue, Apr 15, 1947: back together

“called him over in pouring rain to go back together after a miserable day for both of us –”

-- Entry from my mother’s diary about getting back together with my father after a brief break-up, Tuesday, April 15, 1947.

Tue, Apr 8, 1947: cherry blossoms

"The cherry blossoms are just now coming into their own, and the most beautiful season of the year is upon us.  We went out to Atami yesterday to see the cherries and the most popular sea resort in Japan.  One wonderful thing about the bombings is that they have left completely intact such places as this and Kamakura.  The more you read up on Japan and actually see these places, the better it gets."

--Letter from John Howes, Japan, to my father, Winfield, Kans., Tuesday, April 8, 1947.  He was a fellow graduate of the Navy language program in Japanese.

Wed, Apr 2, 1947: cut potatoes

"When we got your laundry I thought it was a package for Dad so I opened it and it kind of surprised me.... Last Saturday morning I cut potatoes and spent part of the afternoon planting them."

--Letter from my uncle, Bloomington, Kans., to my father, Winfield, Kans., Wednesday, April 2, 1947.

Thu, Mar 27, 1947: jerkwater town

"Yesterday at a jerkwater town named Leoti we ran into our first serious difficulty.  A strait-laced school superintendent attempted to stop the show mid way through the Boone-Basore part.  He disapproves of popular music and the girls duo provided plenty of it while the Chordbuilders put out some numbers which were rather flippant."

--Letter from my father, Larned, Kans., to my mother, Winfield, Kans., Thursday, March 27, 1947.

Fri, Mar 21, 1947: knowledge about jazz

"Yesterday afternoon in Music Lit., we got started on a general discussion of music in general, having nothing better to do, and Mr. Blackburn asked what the only real music indigenous to American culture.  Little Ruthie really shone, and I discovered that I had picked up quite a lot of knowledge about jazz from you."

--Letter from my mother, Winfield, Kans., to my father, Hoisington, Kans., Friday, March 21, 1947.  My father was on a trip with the choir.

Fri, Mar 14, 1947: housing situation

"Your mention of plans to attend Madison have my heart approval--love that school.  The housing situation is very acute there, with many students living in barracks, and some commuting daily from a former ordnance plant site 35 miles away."

--Letter from Rollie Paulson, Iowa City, Iowa, to my father, Winfield, Kans., Friday, March 14, 1947.

Tue, Mar 4, 1947: both pretty nice

"The folks seemed to think Ruth and Elbert were both pretty nice.  I was so glad you got to come even if you did have to hurry off."

--Letter from my grandmother, Bloomington, Kans., to my father, Winfield, Kans., Tuesday, March 4, 1947.  Ruth (my mother) was my father's girlfriend.  Elbert was his sister's boyfriend.

Sun, Mar 2, 1947: Devotions

“supper at East Hall – church & Fellowships with Devotions by Sid on ‘Word’s Power’”

--Entry in my mother’s diary, Sunday, March 2, 1947, about dating my father.

Sun, Feb 23, 1947: marry that boy!!

“Mrs. Berger’s birthday party at Douglass – church, MYF – decided to marry that boy!!”

-- Entry in my mother’s diary, Sunday, February 23, 1947, about dating my father.  My great-grandmother (my father’s mother’s mother) turned 77 that day.