Letter transcription:

Kentland, Ind.
1-17-44

Dear Daddy –

Mon. morning and no letters. Had two Sat. so can’t complain. It is sunny and getting warmer out today. It was 20° above in Chicago this a.m. but possibly a few degrees warmer here. I want to take David out for a while after he wakes from his nap. I still have to put mitts on him when he sleeps to keep his thumbs out of his mouth. His latest trick is to get me to pick him up and let him look out the window. Often there are cows and horses in the pasture or corn field – he points out and says “cow.” I am trying to get him to say horse but he hasn’t tried yet. He calls shoes & sox, sox, but I am trying to get him to say show. He did try today so maybe he will soon learn. He says “pretty” very plainly and several other words. He still calls John & Mark both “Dah.” We say “Mark” to him but he hasn’t gotten the “M” yet. We didn’t have to teach him to say da-da – That was the first word he said. His picture in the paper caused a lot of comment from people. The general opinion is that he looks like his Daddy. I am sure that opinion is correct.

[page 2] Had a letter from Glen & Pauline. I wrote to them about Geo. Wingfield. Glen says he knows him. Said Geo. owns the Golden & Riverside Hotels (very exclusive). Glen still insists we should move out there to live after the war. Now that Glen has a wife who writes letters, we keep up a correspondence regularly. I am starting a sweater and cap for James L. Pauline doesn’t knit and she can’t find things for him out there. She bought quite a few things for him when they were here. I wrote her that I would shop for her here if she would tell me what to get. I am going to send a pr. of shoes David outgrew – the same pr. Jimmy Ed had and returned. Baby shoes from 4 ½ require coupons. David’s last pr. took a coupon. They are still large enough for a few weeks.

John said at noon he had the highest grade (95) in Arith. on the exams and Bob seemed to be a little displeased with the class and said, no more exemptions. I said “Well, if you make 95 that should exempt you,” but John says since he was the only one, that isn’t enough. He was a little “peeved” because he had to take the exam in the first place, because he had an A average, but Bob told them they had better take the exam, or else. I don’t know what the “or else” meant, but all the class took the exam and several were exempt. However, it seems most of them needed to take it because the next highest grade to John was 75.

[page 3] David is awake and I have put him out in his buggy to absorb some sunshine. I am going to take some pictures. It is such a grand day for photography. I just looked out and he had a thumb in his mouth but took it out. I gave him two toys, but he has a bad habit of throwing his things out. He is now pulling at the spread and will throw it out if possible.

I would like to get some pictures of J. & M. on this roll and will try to get some this evening. The light is getting too weak for good pictures by the time they get home from school, but maybe I can get some even if they aren’t so clear.

I thought Lucile might come out with Jimmy but evidently she decided that would be too much. Ed took him out for a few minutes yesterday. He had the flu much harder than D. In fact I didn’t think D. had flu until he had that hang-on cough for so long. I must go out there – he is pulling his cap off.

Love Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/12/no-more-exemptions-gladys/