Tag Archives: David Watson

Uncle Earl is Ill

Letter transcription:

8-10-64

Dear David and Bonnie:

Glad to receive yours, posted the 6^th. We will send the picnick basket to you and you send the jacket back to us. I don’t remember of having sent a package on to you that came from Hong Kong, but if you received one, it has to be Dad’s coat – the one we have been looking for, for months, in fact the one we were hoping would come in time for Dad to wear to the wedding. John stopped in H.K. and had some clothes made at the same tailor shop and asked about Dad’s suit coat and was told it had been mailed in May. I was just wondering last week if we would ever receive it. Aunt Ruth just called, and from Silver Cross Hospital in Joilet. Uncle Earl is very ill and since he reacts unfavorable to sedation, it has been hard to find something to make him sleep. Aunt Ruth said they couldn’t tell what his trouble was, whether a kidney stone, or what. Just wish we were close enough to help out a little. We did stop there two weeks ago when we went to see Mark. I am glad we did. I will get another print for you to send to David Watson. Dad said (in his usual RSY manner) where did Doctor McGraw get her information about the tablets? He hasn’t had any such information so didn’t think you needed to be too concerned. Will let you know if any such information comes and you should know how much come thru this office all the time – besides the drug salesmen keep Dad posted on all the new drugs, etc.

[page 2] John is in Bloomington, Indiana today. He went to Urbana last week and in addition to attending a meeting, was able to secure an apartment. His lease begins Sept. 1. All furnished, except for linens, curtains, and such. John had to go to Lafayette one day last week to have his VW serviced and while he waited he went shopping. He bought me an opera – Mozart’s Seraglio. He said that was a commission for his broker. – I have been working for Arvella today – she had to see a throat specialist in Lafayette and she just returned, so I am back at home. John is going to register so he can vote against you know who. He thinks about as much of him as you do. The more I see him (his picture) on TV and in the papers the more I dislike him. I think he is about the worst thing the R party has had for a long, long time. When we were watching the convention on TV, Dad said he thought he acted like he was mad about something. John has his opinions about him from having lived in Arizona three years. He says he represents a group of people who are not concerned about the welfare of anyone but their own small group. I rather think he won’t win anything in the fall. I hope that isn’t just wishful thinking. My new Interpreters Bible and Dictionary came. I ordered from Bookshelf and it cost me about $103.00 including postage for the 16 volumes. I ran into a little difficulty Sunday. Two who have had too much fundamental teaching were questioning the book we are studying. The mother (who goes to Remington church and

[page 3] thinks one has to believe literally every word – which proves she hasn’t read too extensively on the matter – ) had a fit – in the words of her son when they took the study book home for her to read. My class members, Pat and Keith Alberts, were a little upset about the reaction of his mother and I think she has had some influence on their thinking. The sad part is, it is such a good book and has a message so timely, but I think she has bogged down because she has been impressed about the parts she doesn’t agree with and can’t see what the book is trying to say. However, I haven’t detected the same feeling from any of the rest of the class. If I thought you would have time to read the book, I would send you a copy. Genesis, Beginnings of the Biblical Drama by Charles F. Kraft. Fields are on vacation this week and next and the minister from Raub, Rev. Rahn was in our pulpit Sunday. I think the Raub people are very lucky to have him, and when he gets his degree, they won’t be able to keep him very long I am sure. He sounds like the kind who will make progress. From what Marge tells me, he is not a fundamentalist. I stopped to see Mrs. Myers and she had received your gift. She was quite pleased. It was thru her letter that I learned you plan to come home for Christmas. We are going to keep Kirk the last week in August. He is quite a character. I am sure we will have a lot of fun with him. Time is getting away from me, so I had better wind this up and get to the P.O. Excuse fancy writing paper.

Love Mother

To read more about the presidential election of 1964 and Barry Goldwater, click here.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/06/uncle-earl-is-ill/

Not A Word

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Wed. Sept. 18, 1963
Dear David –

I really shouldn’t bother to send this card to you, since it is almost 2 weeks since you have been gone and not a word from you.

I suppose this heat wave has reached Bloomington, and just when you are beginning to get started in your studies – which I hope you don’t neglect for other activities.

So far Dad has been able to keep the mowing done without too much rushing. He had intended to mow yesterday evening but was in the hospital instead getting a boy for Joe Bob Hiestand’s wife. He had to go on another baby case at noon. I haven’t checked with the office as to whether he has returned.

I got a vaccination a week ago and much to my surprise I am getting a reaction – I had smallpox when I was 21, so thought I would never get a positive reaction. I had Arvella give me a flu shot day before yesterday so last night I didn’t feel so good.

[page 2] I went to a church board meeting which got rather tiresome before the chairman adjourned. Mr. Oscar Hopkins (he and his wife are members of my Sunday school class) has taken the high school group. Mr. Vineyard is to give him some assistance – also Rosemary Murphy. Mr. Hopkins is with the Soil Conversation Dept. and I found him a very interested member of my class. I hated to lose him but think he can do more good helping in the high school group.

You wouldn’t recognize the garage. We are really getting it cleaned and cleared. Dad is putting all his tools in holders – and by the way – some wrenches are missing – do you have them? You room is getting some attention also. I sent the drapes to the cleaner and Dad put new rope in the fixture. He is about to get the lamp in the ceiling repaired. He needed two parts which I got for him yesterday, but since he wasn’t home couldn’t finish the lamp. I also took the desk lamp back to J. Yost and he is going to get new parts for it. I cleaned and waxed the kitchen and work area floor. I used Johnson’s (supposedly one step deal) but found on reading the directions I had to water mop the whole area before applying the wax. We have a janitor

[page 3] for the office. He first said he would take the job (we offered $50.00) then said he wouldn’t unless it was $60.00. I said no we wouldn’t pay more than $50.00 so he came back and said he would take it. He is to clean three times a week and when we have snow to clean the walks.

Mrs. Shoal is doing the ironing again. I went to get it this a.m. and she said it had made her pretty tired. However, she asked me for the job. I went to see her one day and she said she was tired of not doing anything and would like to do my ironing again.

There is a magazine here from your friend in South Africa. Do you want it? I won’t send it unless you let me know.

What is Bonnie’s address?

Don’t get so busy you can’t think of us once in a while.
Love Mother

P.S. There is some kind of 2^nd or 3^rd class mail here for Gary. I think it is an ad from Book-Month-Club. You can take it to him when you come home.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/11/13/not-a-word/

A Few Pounds

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

[Memorial Hall I.U. – Handwritten by David]
Monday July 23, 1962

Dear David –

I just finished cutting 2 stencils for office sheets. I had made some but wasn’t satisfied with results so decided I would have to do the job over.

I went to Lafayette today for therapy. I went by myself last Friday and today. It is much less bother than trying to find a driver. I leave here at a little after nine and get back home between 12 & 1:00. Peggy drove for me twice. Joan went once or twice and Sarah drove three times. I think I am improving. I can swing on a trapeze, which is something I have been working on for several days. I will be glad when I get thru with these treatments. I am also taking off some weight. Now balance the scales at 118 which

[page 2] is 6 or 7 lbs. lighter than when I went to the hospital. I really count my calories. The way you eat you will never believe how hard it is to lose a few lbs.

Dad is working on a form to pour cement into. He has the base poured for the new incinerator and one of these days is going to get the frame out there and pour the top.

The carpenters haven’t worked on the office for 2 weeks. I was to the point of taking no more inactivity so I called Mr. K. this evening. The excuse had been the windows were holding up the work. He said the windows came today and he was coming back on the job in the morning. I don’t know what I would have said to him if he hadn’t told me that but I had several things to tell him. We would like to get it finished before we go on a week’s vacation Sept. 1 to 9.

[page 3] I don’t know how reliable his word is but he promised to finish this time. It has been a mess. They left a pile of sand by the front step and we have had sand tracked all through the office every day.

Jim Walter has signed to teach at Reynolds, so they will be moving sometime this fall. Jim Walker has signed to teach at Monticello so Kentland loses another good teacher. The school board has been having a lot of difficulty. We have heard so much adverse news about the situation we are wondering if the new school will ever be built. Mr. Nicholson has resigned. He is going into the Airbourne T. V. Program at Purdue. The school teaching business around here is getting to be something like the doctor situation. I am glad Dad isn’t on the Board. With all the guff he has to take in his daily work, he doesn’t need the extra aggravation. However, I think if he had been on the school board things might have not gotten into quite the deplorable condition they are in at present.

[page 4] The enclosed card came from your friend in S. Africa. I thought you might like to get it.

If you have time, drop Marge Cheek a get-well card. She had to have an emergency operation a week ago today. She is at the Geo. Ade Memorial Hospital, Brook, Ind.

We were going to have Bridge Club Sunday night (out of turn because I don’t want to try and have it at the end of August when I will be working in the office) but Krulls are going to have it. We will plan for September and you will be back in school. I’ll bet you hat to miss that – ha!

How’s your money holding out? We haven’t had any word from D. Mace since last Sunday. We just hope no news is good news.

Love Mother