Labor Day has different connotations today than it did in 1942. Back then, the holiday really did celebrate labor and labor unions. The Yegerlehner household had quite the mellow day. I am quite impressed with my Uncle John’s abilities today as I am sure his relatives were as well in 1942. The children had a school holiday, but there were no trips to the beach, big parades or backyard barbeques. The good news for Mark is that Grandma has finally arrived, and Mark is off the hook for doing the dishes.
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- September 7, 1942 (GRY) Envelope
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- September 7, 1942 (GRY), p. 1
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- September 7, 1942 (GRY), p. 2-3
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- September 7, 1942 (GRY), p. 4
Letter transcription:
Kentland Ind
Sept 7-1942
Dear Daddy-
The first week of Sept about gone and Labor day. I haven’t done much but eat and stay in bed. Did a little sewing, but I’ll try to make up for it later on.
Mother & Thelma & a friend came yesterday. They left home about nine o’clock and reached here at nearly noon. I had instructed John and he had dinner ready. They were surprised. He had put a roast in the oven and potatoes to bake. Had made jello – had the table set so all Mother had to do was fix the
(page 2) salad & gravy and put things on the table. Today he helped her get dinner-there wasn’t any school today. This morning he showed her how to run the Bendix. Before they could hang out the clothes it was raining. They have them out now and the sun is shining again. Mark was to mow the lawn but the rain saved him that job. Both boys are wishing for frost so the grass won’t need mowing. Mark worked on his models this morning and is still on the job. He is wanting to buy a 35¢ model and is trying to get the last two 10¢ ones done
(page 3) so, I will let him have the 35¢ one. I promised if I felt like doing it I would cover one for him – oh me! He says he can’t cover them so good. Mother hasn’t decided definitely just what she is going to do. She is intending to stay until after I go to the hospital & come home, but after that, she doesn’t know yet. I told her to do what she wants to do.
Thelma’s friend’s husband is in Norfolk now in the same company with Jim but probably won’t stay long. Thelma is talking about going to Norfolk if Jim doesn’t get leave before Christmas. She has been working in the office in town but is being sent to the office at the plant which is several miles out of T. H. She has been
(page 4) working so steady and doesn’t get a vacation till later in the fall.
Your pictures finally came. He had taken snow scenes on that roll and there were 23 pictures. There were more on the roll but blank. It cost me $1.35. Let me know if you want them mailed to you. The ones of you were pretty good but some were blurred. I have a roll taken on John’s birthday. When I get them developed will send one or two if they are any good.
I must disturb one of the boys to mail this but they won’t mind.
Love Mother
Such a delightful “word picture” of the family. Love “mother’s” final sentence… “I must disturb one of the boys to mail this but they won’t mind.”
I am not sure how tongue-in-check the statement is. Was she serious or was she being sarcastic?I could interpret it either way.
Oh, never thought of that. Maybe I’ve got my “Pollyana hat” on
… I just thought that both boys would be so pleased that “mother”, and their “father” whom they no doubt missed terribly, were communicating/ sharing news and so would be very happy to post the letters. However, you may well be right 
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I think there was probably a major undercurrent here. My mother was feeling so weak with her pregnancy and keeping to bed, and John had been so traumatized by the death of her baby two years (?) earlier. So he was eager to help in any way he could…cooking was one of those ways.
Too bad none of Mark’s models survived. I’m puzzled by what it meant to “cover” them.
It remains surreal to see this movie reel of daily life in the house in the weeks and days preceding my arrival.
The boys wished for frost to eliminate the need for mowing….that might have happened. Mother always told me that it snowed two days after I was born, which was a very early snowfall indeed.
Now we know for sure that the clothes were dried outside. One tiny transcription error: “Hand” in this sentence should be “hang”: “Before they could hand out the clothes it was raining.”
I also remember that there was an early snow storm that year from stories from the other side of the family. I am interested to see what Gladys writes about it.
David, remembering my brothers’ making model planes in the 1950′s they were made with a fine wooden frame… with the wood about the size of matchsticks and then they covered the frame with a type of tissue paper which they hardened by painting something (?) on it. This may be what mother means… Cheers.
Thanks, Catherine, for that info about covering the planes. By the time I was old enough to remember anything, Mark had moved on to other interests…..I don’t remember model airplanes in the house.