Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Nov. 6 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

No mail today but have had up to Oct. 31 this week so can’t complain.

This a.m. I rec’d $35⁰⁰ from Mrs. Reed – in full for that acc’t. I was a little surprised. She sent $10⁰⁰ some time ago, but I hadn’t tried to get the rest. I am a little short this month so was glad to get it now.

It was raining so hard this morning I took John to get his music lessons & went after him. It is cold, raining, a typical fall day. The boys were going to help the Zell girl rake their back yard and John wasn’t anticipating the job, so the rain was welcome by him. Our yard has been raked but still has leaves scattered on it.

Mark is working on the floors today. Someone’s heels make marks and the floors were looking dirty.

[page 2] I didn’t wax them the last time they were steel wooled but think I will this time. John is practicing on the piano. He doesn’t bring the oboe home – does that practicing at school. Since the band director resigned the students are doing their own directing so there won’t be much to the band this year I am afraid. Mark brought his horn home because the Jr. band won’t continue. I am thinking of all the new horns that were bought for that band that will sit idle now. I am glad now I didn’t invest in a new one for Mark. However if they get a director next year will give the idea consideration. David is taking a late nap. Wouldn’t go to sleep this a.m. when he usually does. He didn’t want to eat his dinner but I finally got enough down him to let him off. J. & M. think I should spank him when he rebels at meal time. I tell them he is different than they were. They have a saying, “If Daddy were

[page 3] here, you would get a spanking.” I don’t intend to spoil him but sometimes J. & M. think he should be spanked when I think not. However they are very fond of him and have lots of fun playing with him but don’t want him to be naughty.

–Mark was called to Zells to help Mr. Z. He is finishing the upstairs for a bedroom for their girls. Mark was delighted to get away from the job here. He was so slow I was ready to tear my hair. Isn’t it strange how good child will work for someone else? The work Mark had done was fine but he was so slow & had to stop so many times he wasn’t making much progress.

The family all noticed John’s voice changing. We were listening to a song on the radio last night that goes like this, “They are either too young or too old” – one line is about a young thing trying to serenade & his voice changing – John had a laugh over that. He says he

[page 4] doesn’t notice anything different about it, but we all do. Mark says John is going thru “that smart alec age” – He does get a little superior at times but not too much. I try to hold him down. Mark hasn’t changed so much – still as careless about everything as ever. He is a little better about his bike now but that is all. I scrubbed the furnace room the other evening. Both boys claimed they didn’t leave any dirt but there it was.

John was tuned in on Notre Dame & Army. We listened to the Army Coach & Grant Rice on the radio last nite so are anxious to know how it goes.

Love Mother

P.S. The game is over. Notre Dame 26-0. The announcer was telling what a beautiful fall day it is in N.Y. It is pouring here – as hard a rain as we have had in a long time.

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
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