Tag Archives: 1960s

Less Than A Month

Letter transcription:

Monday Apr. 3, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

I am enclosing the tax form for you to report your intangibles. You do not have to report your earnings in Indiana for 1966, because you did not earn enough. I have paid your local taxes (in Kentland) which amounted to $13.08 for the first half of the year. Don’t bother to send us the money, we will count that toward an anniversary gift and if you don’t get anything else, that will be it.

The young MD left our office. He was there less than a month, but made enough to buy a second car for his family and pay off some debts he had. We know what he took in since Edna kept account of it (that was part of her job for him). He has quite a sizeable accounts receivable for one month and he said when he collected all he has out on the books he will pay us our 2%. He had paid one month’s rent $100.00 plus a portion on the insurance. He told Bob Batton ne knew he was leaving a gold mine, but that wasn’t what he wanted. He got his job back at I.U. (and I don’t think much of the student’s chances for good health care – and Bob Batton shares my opinion). He said he knew he wouldn’t make much at I.U., but that in three years he would be “top dog.” If we had good looking for someone as opposite as possible from your Dad we couldn’t have found one. Bob Batton told me that he told Kathy to find a good MD in Bloomington and not go to the Health Center. Now the Health Center at Purdue is just the opposite. Dad knows the Dr. who heads this Health Center and he is building up a very reputable place for the students. It seems at I.U. that anyone who comes in for health care is goldbricking. It is just the opposite here. If someone comes in, they need medical attention and they get it. Dad has had one very serious case, a young man with mono and encephalitis. He was so ill, he was unconscious several days, but is now on the mend. I used to think I.U. was the school, and it may be as far as courses offered, but they are still in the woods in one department. I know I.U. and Purdue and two different kinds of schools, but never thought Dad would wind up here, and liking it. He says he would hate to go back to Kentland. He is so glad to get away from the telephone and I am glad to get away from it. Last night the bridge club came here and the telephone rang once – it was for Bill Ross.

Bob Batton III is going to be married in August, so we learned last night. One of the Vinyard boys is going to marry Ginny Thompson. He is going to Purdue and she took a beauty course and is running a shop in Kentland. She intends to commute. Do you get the Kentland paper? If you do I am probably wasting my time telling you all this.

We are corresponding with an MD from Brazil, Indiana, who is presently working with a drug firm in Pa. He said he was definitely interested in Kentland. We sent him a copy of the contract we had with Dr. H., but haven’t had time to hear from him. Dad and I went back to Kentland last Tuesday and he had office hours in the afternoon. He went back Saturday and saw people all day. I stayed here, because I was getting ready for bridge club last night. Dad has promised to go back the 22^nd, but not every week.

The McGraws will be here Wednesday evening. They have five speaking engagements in Indiana this week. They will come here from Terre Haute and go to Fowler from here. I plan to attend the Fowler meeting. We have the four poster bed all ready for them with a good thick foam rubber mattress. Ihope they like a firm bed. It is firm.

The David Hamiltons bought our home in Kentland. There is no accounting for some people’s tastes. They papered one bedroom wall. We were out there last Tuesday for a short while and Carolyn’s parents – the Jim Berrys came while we were there. When her dad heard they had papered one room, he said they had lowered the price of the house $5,000. Her mother told him to keep still, it wasn’t his house. We are looking around now for a place to buy. Dad thinks it is too risky to live in a rented house, because the Colonel might come back – he was here at Purdue at one time – or he might decide to sell. There is a house not far from here that will be for sale July 1^st. One of the Doctors at Purdue is from the East Coast and is going back. Dad is going to inquire about his house. We like the location a little better than this location. This house is fairly nice, but lacks many features our house in Kentland had – such as central air conditioning – and adequate storage space.

When it is time for your son to be born (which may turn out to be a daughter) and Bonnie has to wait two or three weeks, you let me know how you figured out when your child will be born.

Love Mother

(over)

P.S. One of the committees for Dad’s farewell party made a scrapbook with pictures of babies he had delivered out of the more than 1,500, the book contains about 150. Even getting that many pictures together was no small task.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/31/less-than-a-month/

New Life in Lafayette

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Monday March 20, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

Enclosed find check ($4.18) from Bankers United Life for the balance due you from the stock exchange. I will put your new stock (30 shares – in the Bank in Kentland the next trip we make – which will be the 28^th). For your own records it is BANKERS UNITED LIFE ASURANCE COMPANY Stock certificate CU 5801 – 30 shares – David A. and Bonnie Ruth Yegerlehner jt tn.

We are slowly getting our house put in order. D. Schuh is making a couch over for me and we can’t buy carpet until that couch arrives. We are also going to bring the living room furniture to the family room so we can’t do much until he gets the couch delivered. We have the bedrooms just about finished. Dad has to make a headboard for the beds. I bought a new dressing table and chest of drawers and he is going to make the headboard to match. He has finished the shelves in the family room and I have most of the books in place – however not where I want them permanently. Some I am going to give away and if you want the ones I don’t want, you can have them. Dad is at present making a new stereo cabinet. Our living room is so small he is building a cabinet around the piano. Will send you a picture when he gets it finished. The living room is just about 12 x 17. The carpet we buy for it can only be 12 x 14 because of an offset where the piano is placed. We also have to get something else for the kitchen and I haven’t yet decided what I want. The Welcome Wagon caller was here today and told me about a place where rejects from National Homes are sold and that one can furnish a kitchen from the salvage store. We will go take a look (tomorrow I hope).

The McClures are coming Wednesday to attend the I.U. presentation of Parsifal. They are coming at 5 and we are going to have dinner early because the performance begins at 7 PM. I know that is a lengthy opera, so it will be pretty late when it is over. You used to attend it at I.U. did you not? As I understand, they give it in two parts – before dinner and after.

We went to Kentland last Sunday and attended a dinner at the Church given in our honor and a program at the gym in the afternoon. After the program refreshments were served and we stood in a receiving line and it seemed like we shook hands with everyone that attended, some say 300 others 500. I don’t know what the actual count was, but there was a large crowd. We received many well wishes and a beautiful bouquet of red roses from the Funks. The centerpiece was given to us after the affair was over and I took it and gave it to Mrs. Myers. She was ill that day and couldn’t attend. The Church gave us a plant. All in all it was a very nice and I have written twenty or thirty thank you notes. Bob Batton furnished me with a list of people who helped with the program at the gym. I asked Rev. McClure to put a thank-you note in the bulletin.

We are attending church at Trinity. After we decided to go there Floyd (he and Ruth attended our party – also Aunt Ruth M) told us the minister here at Trinity used to be in Lebanon and they liked him very much. His name is Jim Morin. We went to Trinity the first Sunday we were here – Dad, John, Lea and myself. It is an old church but has a large congregation. You remember several years ago when you went to open house for the new parsonage for Trinity – in Vinton Woods? You went with Michels. Rev. Luke (minister at that time) would not live in the parsonage furnished by the church and persuaded the congregation they needed a new one. The old parsonage was torn down and a new educational building – where all the Sunday school classes are now held – was built. It is just across the street. The only difficulty we see about going there to church is parking. We had to walk 2 ½ blocks after we had parked. Sunday that was not bad, the weather being fair, but in weather not so good – well draw your own conclusions.

Dad just called and he is going to be late – something new for here. He has had a student in the hospital who has been quite ill with mono (or complications) and his parents are coming. I think Dad is going to like this new routine. He has so

[page 2] more time at home and can you believe, he will stay in bed until 8 o’clock when he doesn’t have to be at the Health Center until 9. I was afraid he had such a habit of getting up at 6 it might be hard to break that habit. At any rate we are beginning to enjoy more leisure time and enjoy some of the fringe benefits. We attended a special Easter Convocation at the Music Hall yesterday afternoon. We also have a color television set. A new store had a special offer for their opening and we probably got a $600 for $500, or maybe we didn’t. At any rate, we have seen several good programs so far on it. This house is not air-conditioned, so we bought a room air conditioner for next summer when we get one of those mid-west heat waves. John said he tried to get one last summer when a heat wave set in – we were in Europe at the time – and he couldn’t buy one – there wasn’t one to be had anywhere in Urbana-Champaign. We thought we would just buy one now and have it. We may not need it, but this is a frame house and I can imagine it gets pretty hot in the summer. One little tree out in front. This is a new addition to the city of West Lafayette and all the houses were built by a company that sells pre-cut houses. Some are rather nice looking. Ours is one of the rather plain looking types and the owner hasn’t done much to add to its charm. We are comfortable enough, but I still would like to have a house on one level. We haven’t discovered yet how to make the floor warm in this family room – this is one the lower level. We have signed a lease for one year, so we may be looking for something to buy by next March. However, prices are terribly high here and we may be just as well off in the long run to stay here and pay $165 a month. At least we don’t have to pay any taxes or insurance. We sold our house in Kentland. The Harris family has moved to Portsmouth, Ohio. John is going to stay in Kentland until school is out. They haven’t sold that property, or hadn’t when we were in Kentland a week ago Sunday. Mr. Harris is the manager of a Sears store – six stories high. Quite an advancement from the Kentland store. The young MD who took over our office (from what information we get from E & A) isn’t too happy with the situation. He told someone there was more work than he thought there would be. Edna receives payment for us every day and once or twice a week sends us the deposit slips and any information necessary. She and A. are both quite disturbed about (now don’t write about this to Mrs. M. or anyone – we think it is best for us just to keep quiet about things for the time being) the way he is doing things. He is slow, which is just the opposite from RSY. He also has to get acquainted with people and won’t let the girls dispense medicine like they did when Dad was there. I can see his point of view on that, but he is butting off quite a tidy little income when he quits dispensing. He has to see everyone who comes into the office and he won’t let Arvella go ahead to take off people like she used to do. We get a little note from Edna every time she sends deposit slips. Her last note was to the effect that Arvella was about ready to quit. He cut their salaries back to about half of what we were paying them. They may both quit and I wouldn’t blame them if they did. When Dad interviewed him he seemed to be quite intelligent, but some of the things he has done since taking over the office makes me wonder about his good judgment. He told the girls he followed Dad around several days and that everything he did was right, but he seems to want to change everything in the office. Edna seemed to think he was not going to stay. Of course, he signed a lease – which he can break, but he can’t set up in practice within 25 miles of Kentland. Edna seemed to think he was trying to get his job at the Health Center at I.U. back. However, she may just been imagining things on that score. He was in the Air Force several years and has been with I.U. since last July so he has not really had any real experience in General Practice. Will let you know further developments as they develop.

Write when you have time and let us know what your situation will be this summer. Of course, you know we would like for you to come back to Indiana for the summer, but if Bonnie gets a job other than school teaching, we know you won’t come back for the entire summer. The McGraws are coming here to spend the night April 5^th. They are speakers for the District meetings. They have 5 meetings to attend from the northern part of the State down to near Indianapolis, to Terre Haute, then to Fowler and last to Hammond.

Dad won’t get a vacation (one month) until he has been here a year, so we won’t be taking any trips until 1968. We are planning to go to Switzerland again and probably to Lebanon. The Georges are in Beirut and we want to visit them.

John is coming home next Friday (just before Easter) and I think Mark and Shirley and the children are coming. Mark’s whole family has had stomach flu and he called here one day for Dad to give a druggist a Rx for him and the children. I talked to Shirley and Mark one day last week. I had to attend a meeting in Indianapolis. I was with a group and riding with someone else, so couldn’t go see them. At that time Shirley hadn’t gotten the bug, but that day all three children were down with it.

Write when you can find time.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/30/new-life-in-lafayette/

Letter from Switzerland

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

This is a copy of letter received from Fritz Jegerlehner

Aetzlischwand, March 19, 1967

Very Dear family Jegerlehner!

Soon a year will have passed since your dear visit here. Even if a bit late, I want to express my sincere thanks for the cards from your wonderful trip, as well as for the photos that turned out so well. Since your visit, we have thought of you often and wished that you return home safe and well from your long voyage. We all are very proud of you, that we have relatives in America who so well represent our name overseas.

When in the fall our dear aunt from America, *Mrs. Joyce visited us, we had a few happy, even gay days together. Since her last visit, Mrs. Joyce has learned to speak German quite well.

Life goes on as usual here. We were already able to work in the fields in February and in the beginning of March. Now winter has returned and today we have 50 ccm of snow.

I want to close with the most friendly greeting to you, your children and your family. Have a Happy Easter. With the hope to hear from you again soon, I remain

Signed, Fritz Jegerlehner

Also a friendly greeting

From family Senn Bigler (?)

*”Die Tante Von Amerika” is a book in German.

Above note made by translator.

The letter was written in script and Dad took it over to school and a woman who works in the Medical Library did the translating. She is German and had no problem reading the script. In fact she said it was very good.

Joyce Fitzrandolph visited with the Jegerlehners in November, after we had been there in July.

We plan to go back again next summer. We will have to get our bid in pretty soon, as to when we get our vacation. We are contemplating having the Librarian help us with our German. She is going to write our next letter to Fritz in German for us. The Senn referred to in the letter is the innkeeper who does the translating of our letters for Fritz.

[Editor’s note: Joyce FitzRandolph was Roscoe’s first cousin on the Yegerlehner side of the family.]

© 2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/29/letter-from-switzerland/

Sometime in June 1966

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Dear David & Bonnie:

I have been so occupied with myself and Dad I didn’t have time or presence of mind to get this in the mail in time for your anniversary. Dad is better – hasn’t had any temperature since Friday – and then very little. He says he is going to the hospital tomorrow morning. I told him the minute he leaves the house his vacation is over. This afternoon he is watching a ball game on T.V. He had said earlier he was going to burn trash this afternoon, but so far hasn’t made a move in that direction. I told him since he has never been ill he doesn’t know how to take care of himself while recuperating. I think he is beginning to believe he will

[page 2] have to go back to work at a little slower pace. I took the apt. book and marked no more across the top of each day (unless an absolute emergency). He has been in the house since last Wed. I have been answering the telephone and today for the first time he talked to anyone – gave Art a Rx for a patient. She called here and I relayed the symptoms to Dad and he prescribed. Mark and Shirley with their children stopped here yesterday on their way to Wards. Little David is growing and is developing much faster than either Becky or Kirk. Shirley said he could crawl. I put him down on the carpet and he did crawl. He is quite an eater. Shirley filled a bottle for him and had it ready to feed him when they

[page 3] left. She said he would take that without any coaxing. He also likes his vegetables, etc. Becky & Kirk make quite a fuss over him and he is a very good baby. They are coming back here tomorrow for lunch.

Here is a little anniversary gift. I thought you could probably find a place for it in your budget.

I am still going to Lafayette for therapy. Since I will be going to Evanston the 13^th my trips to Lafayette will be over by then. I think I will be ready by then – that is have the correction my arm needs.

Bonnie, thanks for the itinerary of your parents. I am sorry we won’t be able to see them. Our time in Damascus will be about one week later.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/28/sometime-in-june-1966/

Going to the Hospital

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

5-14-66

Dear David and Bonnie:

Here is your tax return (intangibles) opened in error by Dad. I am trying to get ready to go to the hospital tomorrow and it seems I still have much to do (that won’t get done). Dad’s shirts, sox, underwear, etc., and the refrigerator are ready for my departure, but so far I haven’t done a few other things I did intend to do. I don’t think I told you about Mrs. Myers. She fell Tuesday evening in her kitchen and it took her a long time, she thought about 2 hours to inch into her bedroom and call for help. She called Dad and when he got there the doors were locked and he had to crawl in the window. I stopped to see her this evening and she said her arm (right) was still sore. She had used it to drag herself into the bedroom. She said it was so sore the next day or so she couldn’t use it. I told her she should think about entering a nursing home, but she doesn’t want to talk about it. Dad said this evening if she wants to stay there he thinks that is the thing for her to do. He knows when a person of that age has to make a change against their will, it isn’t good. He has seen so many cases where persons have been dissatisfied when a change has been made. I just mentioned it to her, but after I talked to him this evening, I have decided not to mention it again. I told her I hadn’t mentioned it to you, but now I have.

[page 2] Your letter received today. I agree with you, but how can the powers that be, be made to see what seems to plain to us? It seems strange that after all the changes Morse has gone through, that we would agree with him now, but he does seem to make sense. However, I rather think he is not going to be listened to. I have so much to do, I think it would be better for me to try and get some of those things taken care of I have been trying to get done today, so I won’t have so much to look forward to (unhappily) when I come home.

Love Mother

What are you going to do with your furniture?

© 2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/27/going-to-the-hospital/

The Doctor is Sick

10 Replies

[Editor’s note: While organizing more of Gladys’ correspondence, I found a envelope of letters from the spring of 1966.]

Letter transcription:

Dear David & Bonnie –

11 a.m. Thurs. After running a temperature for at least 24 hours, the Diclomycin must have chased the bugs away – at 10 o’clock the temperature was normal. I had called Dr. Gery this morning and we were ready to send Dad to a hospital in Lafayette, but after the temperature break we decided it wasn’t necessary. However I am to take a specimen to the laboratory when I go for my therapy in the morning. The cause of his trouble is a kidney & bladder infection. He had not told me he was having any difficulty, but I learned all about it when I got home yesterday and found him home and in bed. He isn’t going to do anything until next Tuesday – all appointments have been cancelled for the rest of this week. I went to bed late – got to sleep at about midnight and was taking temp and getting him some breakfast by 6 – which as you know is a little early for me – so now by 11 o’clock I feel a little done in, so think I will have myself a little siesta to restore some of my (pep – vigor – you name it) so called strength. Arvella is going to bring mail, etc., to me at noon. So I should get an hour in if the telephone doesn’t disturb me. Dad has not answered the telephone so you know he doesn’t feel good. Will keep you informed as to his progress. Save that article, and when you translate the letter return to me.

Love Mother

Letter from F. Ryser [translated via google translate – errors are my own]:

Dear Mrs. Yegerlehner,

Thank you for writing from March 19, 1966.

I am glad for them that they have succeeded in doing a European trip. I will gladly meet your wishes and provide you with supplemental brochures such as hotel price lists of Basel. I hope you will enjoy it in Switzerland.

With great respect
F. Ryser

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/26/the-doctor-is-sick/

Last Day in Kentland

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

[Postmark – February 28, 1967]

Dear David & Bonnie –

I mailed Bonnie more thyroid gr. ½ – It is the same as the brown – just “uncoated.” The hospital had a “This is Your Life” party for us last Thurs. Quite a surprise for your Dad. He was quite pleased I am sure. The town is going to do something “really big” March 12. We, of course will be coming back, since we will be living in W. Lafayette by Fri. This is the last day in 103 N. 2^nd St.

Love Mother

Winter Storm

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

Sunday January 29, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

It happened at about 5 am on Friday. We were without lights for 27 hours. Also power to keep our gas furnace running. Dad couldn’t get out of the driveway. We finally managed with the help of Herb Schultz and Harold Oliver to get Mrs. Myers out here. We kept a fire going in the fireplace – and incidentally I didn’t burn all of the things in the corner – and kept half way warm. We made the folding couch into a bed and put Mrs. M. by the fireplace and heaped her with covers and she said she was warm as toast. We kept the fire going until nearly 11 o’clock. The next morning we got up early and started the fire again and the outside temperature was 12. We were able to cook with my old iron chicken fryer in the fireplace and I had stocked up on groceries on Thurs., so we had plenty to eat. I heard the grocery stores ran out of several items – like bread and milk. There were many people stranded in Kentland – all traffic was halted from all directions. All motel and hotel rooms were taken and about 100 people stayed in the gym and as far as I know some are still there. No traffic is allowed to go north, except people like Dad who went to the hospital Saturday and today. The National Guard brought in an auxiliary electric system and food so the gym was warm and food was provided for the stranded. Dottie McClure helped cook. I didn’t ask her who else was on kitchen duty. She told me she had stayed in the gym until 3 am Saturday to help service coffee, etc., to the National Guard and others. Dad says he thinks the guard brought in cots, so there was some provision for places to sleep. Even if there were no cots, at least the people there had warmth. I think probably every fireplace in Kentland was in use with more than one family gathered around. The Janssens have a camper and it is equipped with gas, so they slept in it. John spent the night in Hensley’s house keeping their fireplace going. They have been out of town for the past 3 weeks. Our John called and there was the same situation in Champaign – a breakdown in the electrical system. His house was cold, but he has a gas stove, so he could stay by the range with the oven turned on. He said the grocery store where he buys his supplies has an electric eye door, so he couldn’t get in there. He said he had enough groceries to last a day or so. We haven’t talked to him since Friday. During the time the electricity was off here, telephoning was limited to emergency calls. One other thing so when the electric power was off and the water tower was emptied, that was it. We had been told to prepare, so we had a few containers of water – so we could flush the toilet if the water did run out. I got up at 2:30 and looked to see if Mrs. M. was asleep – she was – and I put some more covers on her – and then I tried to get a drink – no water. We set up a card table by the fireplace and with three chairs in a semicircle kept fairly cozy during the emergency. It was awfully cold going to the bathroom. We thought we wouldn’t care to go back to the “good old days” before modern conveniences. I didn’t try to go to church this morning. Dad said there were paths through the town, but no place to park. The temperature has risen, but not above freezing since the storm hit. The sun did shine yesterday, but today we had more snow. Our TV aerial bent over so all we can get is Champaign. We have listened to the radio – WGN – and had heard this is the worst storm of the century. The expressways in Chicago are still jammed with stalled cars and trucks. People just have not been able to get their cars away from where they had to stop during the storm. O’Hare has been out of business for several days. The word was flights might be resumed today, but nothing definite. We had been told that the electrical repair job might be temporary, so we have kept Mrs. M. two nights and she is staying again tonight. Something happened to her apartment and it was (the furnace) cold until late this afternoon. Dad said he thought she had better just spend another night here to be sure the heating system is fixed properly. I have made the prediction that the town of Kentland will acquire an auxiliary system to take care of pumping water into the town tank in case of such another electrical failure.

I am planning to go to Lafayette again Friday and see a house for rent. We were called about it – the agent called us Thurs. We had just about decided to get a small apt., as we told you, but if this house is suitable, we probably will take it. Dr. Hensley is coming Thursday to talk business and possibly sign contract. He has been released from his contract at I.S. and will be here to take over the office Mar. 1. He also plans to come on Feb. 28 to be here a day or so before Dad leaves. Everyone here who has said anything about the change say they hate to lose us, but don’t blame Dad. They think it is time for hime to take it easy. Many of Dad’s patients say they are going to stay with Dr. H. Several of the OB have told Dad they are going to stay. I think Dr. H. knows he is getting a good thing. Dad told him if he would sit back and let the girls run the office they would make a living for him. It isn’t

[page 2] quite that simple, but I think he knows they will be a great help to him.

Love Mother

P.S. I will get your pills & spansules mailed next week – that is tomorrow – if I can get out of our driveway. I thought you might want the tax receipts. We saved some of the things you had in the corner – but did burn quite a bit. By the way, you had some of “my” books stored in there. That package from bookshelf was a bible dictionary and was sent to you so you could take advantage of the low price. I think I will just keep it for a while to see what they do next. I may write and tell them to send me postage if they want it back.

Take Over the Practice

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

January 18, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

I have been wanting to get this letter written all week – this is Wednesday night and it is almost Thursday. Have been so very busy since coming back from our vacation. We (I think we told you over the phone) had our car – Buick “bruised” as Dad says, coming home. Our insurance company has paid the estimate, but Saturday we received a notice we are to appear in a Justice Court in Colton, Calif., on Jan. 27^th. We just turned that over to the Insurance company to handle – that is what we pay them for. The officer who investigated the accident wanted to know if we wanted to prosecute the offender and Dad said “no” – so the officer said, just turn your claims over to your insurance companies and that will be all there is to it. We don’t understand all about it, but one thing sure, they aren’t going to come to Kentland to get us.

A Dr. Hensley (he works in Medical Health Center at I.U.-Bloomington) is coming Saturday to talk to Dad. He says he definitely wants to come here and take over Dad’s practice. Bob Batton talked to him last Saturday. The Battons were in Bloomington. We really hope he comes and is OK. We do hate to leave the town without someone – for the good of the town and if he takes over our office, we will get some revenue out of it. Dad has stipulated $100 a month rent and 2% a year of the gross for five years. Dad talked to him on the phone one day last week and told him if he would come and let the girls run the office for him they would make a living for him. It isn’t that simple, but they certainly can be a great help to him if they stay and they have indicated they would like to stay. However, Dad told them they probably would have to take a cut in salary.

We haven’t made a decision about where we will live in Lafayette. I have looked at apartments – a brand new one on the by-pass – looked at it last Thurs. – costs $175 a month for 4 small rooms. I told Dad it would be like living in a cell. I told the family over the weekend we would live I a motel room if necessary until we can find something suitable. John didn’t think that would be very wise, since we would have to pay about $15 a day for rent. I don’t want to sign a lease for a year at $175 or more a month. I would rather be putting that into a home. I found a place for sale last Thurs. It was a house with a full basement and four bedrooms. It was a nice place. I don’t think Dad would want to put $37,900.00 into it and that was the asking price.

I read Mrs. Myers last letter and was quite interested in your experience on the radio. I took her to the office yesterday and thought I would freeze in the process, since the temperature was low and we had quite a wind. Today I wore wool slacks when I ran my errands and that helped a lot.

When we were in Switzerland last summer we ordered a wappen (family crest) for Romaine and decided to get one for ourselves. It came last Saturday. We gave a program for Woman’s Club last night and talked about Switzerland and showed our wappen. We think it is quite good looking. I have it in a frame. After paying $20.00 for it I think we should take good care of it.

The Harrises are leaving Kentland. Mr. H. is going to be manager of a large 6 floor Sears store in Portsmouth, Ohio. The man who is going to be manager at this store is coming to town tomorrow. If he is interested Mr. H. is going to bring him out to look at our place. Lucille and Marian Sizelove came out Monday night and said they liked it, but said they couldn’t afford it. We really haven’t tried yet to do any selling. I know I am going to be hard to please after living here 10 years. We may build after we go to Lafayette. We aren’t sure yet.

So many people say they don’t know what they are going to do without us, but they are glad Dad is going to be where he won’t have to work so hard. Ruth Ford called me today and said when she heard the news she cried. We have had so many well wishes it makes us feel like people have really appreciated the way Dad has worked. I attended a meeting at Joe Wenger’s tonight and something was said about losing us and what that would mean to the Church here. The Sears employees had a farewell dinner for Mr. and Mrs. Harris tonight. Mr. Harris has to go to his new job next week.

The enclosed came with our wappen. Please return the greeting card, but you may keep the wappen information (over)

Love Mother

House Hunting

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

December 17, 1966

Dear David and Bonnie:

I may not have time to write later. Yours just received, so thought I would answer while yours is still fresh in my mind. Your birthday card for Dad received and enjoyed very much. We think your plans sound very good and we hope you will be able to carry them through. If you don’t set your goals high, you won’t attain a high mark. – as Kirk would say “right?” So just keep planning and hoping – and perhaps a little praying – or maybe a lot. We haven’t made any announcement yet, but have been hearing some rumors. Dad says if it isn’t out by the time we come back from Calif. we will make an announcement. We just want to avoid as much fuss and commotion as possible. You know it is going to be like a bomb going off when the majority of the people hear about it. Dad came home at noon with an idea about someone who is planning to build a house who might be interested in buying this house. However, we haven’t talked to them and he was just surmising. I went to Lafayette Tuesday and spent some time with a rental agent. We looked at an apartment on N.W. Ave. – just across from Purdue. It is quite lovely and the people who own the house live downstairs. It was built before a zoning ordinance. I presume it would be impossible for anyone to do that sort of thing now – that is make an apartment to rent in a private home. It has two large bedrooms, a very large living room with windows on both sides and a dining area and a kitchen fully equipped. We may take it if we don’t find a house we think we might like to buy. There are no houses for rent. Either rent an apartment or buy a house. The rent is $190.00 a month and that doesn’t include utilities. There would be no upkeep. It would be close enough Dad could walk to work. He wants us to sell one car, but I refuse to be without a car. He said he wouldn’t need one if we lived close enough to the campus. We looked at two houses for sale. One was a stone with a very nice yard and a two car garage with electric eye door opener. The only thing – the house was built without any imagination and to be happy in it I would have to tear out a few walls, etc., and I think by the time I would get it to the place I would feel like I would want it, the cost would be a little much. The asking price at present is $29,550, but Dad thinks we could get them to come down. The carpet in the living and dining area is the most awful dirty shade of grey. I don’t think I could stand the carpet. I think I would rather dye it black. But I doubt we will be interested in trying to revamp the house. I looked at another which had a beautiful yard with picture window across the back of the house, but there were two floors with two complete houses – the lower floor didn’t have any bedrooms, but had everything else. It was priced at $32,000.00, but it was too much house. It was a National and the halls and bedrooms are too small. – I talked to Mrs. Myers this morning and I told her I was going to keep her gift from you (if it comes in time) here and give it to her when she comes out Christmas Eve. I got her a beautiful Jansen sweater and Doris and Harold got the skirt to match. The reason we did that was the whole outfit cost $35.00. I had bought the sweater last week and when I had my hair washed yesterday Doris said they didn’t know what to get her. I suggested they get the matching skirt and they did. I also got her a new billfold which she had been talking about for some time. I just hope the one I selected will please her. The opera today is “Frau Ohne Schatten” and believe it or not, I can’t get it on my big set and have to listen to it on this little clock radio which used to be on the cabinet – you know the one which used to start the coffee pot in the morning. It isn’t much of a radio, but better than nothing. There is a roar and grinding which comes in on AM in this neighborhood – it may be something in this house, but is makes listening to the big set almost impossible. It doesn’t bother FM and I can get the Zenith station without any trouble at all. The pictures we took at Becks were not very good, so I didn’t bother to have any prints made. So sorry. I have written to Becks thanking them for the Tea. I am going to send them a Christmas greeting. Jeannette Batton’s father droped dead last week. I went with a group to visit the funeral home on Wednesday evening. I had been to Lafayette the day before, but the trip over to Converse (two hour drive one way) and back made me so tired I wasn’t much good the next day, but I was glad I went. The whole Batton family seemed so pleased to see people from Kentland. Jeannette says she doesn’t have any family – just a few cousins and that if they ever have a wedding they will have to count their friends in Kentland as relatives. Her mother is still living and they think she may come to Kentland to live. She is 78 and doesn’t drive and as Jeannette says, most of her friends are gone – being 78 one wouldn’t have to many contemporaries. Al Thomas has bought the other drug store and is moving into that big house just north of the VanKirk house. The people who lived there, the Whaleys own the farm the Fitzgeralds used to own and they had to move since Al Thomas wanted possession immediately, so the Whaleys moved to the farm (temporarily – and Dad thinks they might be interested in looking at this since Mrs. W. moved to the country with the stipulation they would buld a new home in town within a year). The Fitzgeralds moved into the house Dr. White (Vet) used to live in.

That is all the news I can think of now.
Love Mother

(over)
I have decorated the grapefruit tree. It looks rather like a Christmas tree (I think).