Tag Archives: genealogy

Grandmother Clubs

Letter transcription:

June 18, 1964

Dear David & Bonnie:

Yours received several days ago. I have sent on several pieces of mail and some packages. You didn’t sign your stock certificates correctly, so Jim sent something for you to sign. He talked to me over the phone and I thought he said he had your address and was going to send it directly to you, but it came here, so I forwarded it.

We are entertaining bridge club Sunday evening. We are going to stay home for dinner – we usually go to the Nu-Joy, but I decided I could do it by myself. I have everything practically ready and am going to serve the kind of dinner that won’t take too much last minute preparation.

I have been cleaning what used to be your room – now I just call it the extra room – and have found a place to get rid of all those books which had been stored there since we have lived here. There is a little library at Lake Village and they have a Book Mobile and said (Mrs. Arbuckle) they would be glad to have anything, so I am taking everything I want to give away and she said if they couldn’t use something, they would give it to someone else. I have the back end of the blue Cadillac about as full as it will hold of books and magazines. It is surprising how much one can get rid of when one decides to just throw away. I just wonder why we kept all those text books, etc., so long. Well now I have a lot of empty shelves and I suppose when John gets home he will fill those shelves with his things. Maybe it is a good thing I got busy.

Dad has been spraying today and trimming and taking bebe shots at the neighbor’s dog. There is a dog with the trailer next door and their dog can get to be quite a nuisance. Dad kept talking about doing something about it. One day Garnette was here and said he knew where Dad could get a good bebe gun very cheap, so now we have one. It, I think, is going to help keep the stray dogs out of our evergreens, etc.

According to John’s calculation he should be home a month from today. The last letter we had gave us that information. I think he intends to spend a little time coming home – about ten days, so that will be his vacation I suppose.

Florence Puetz was in the office recently and was a little concerned about Jim being in Tokyo or close to Tokyo. She was wondering if where he is stationed the earth quake did any damage, or if he had to help in the stricken areas. You know, he went to Japan just recently.

Mrs. M. called me one evening this week and was quite happy to have had a letter from you.

I gave a program for one of the Grandmother clubs this afternoon (about Bali). The women all seemed quite interested. Dad decided we needed an automatic projector, so we bought one from Sears. It is quite good, but a little heavier than I like to carry. We are to give a program next Tuesday evening for the Goodland Lyons club. Janssens bought the one we had (Bell and Howell Projector, that is). We keep getting calls all the time for more programs. I have to go to Morocco the 24^th and give one for W.S.C.S. We went to Brook last Saturday night and gave the Bali program for the Hospital employees. Several said the program wasn’t long enough, but Dad insists on keeping them not too long. We intend to review the Aegean Sea program tonight ourselves for giving Tuesday. The new slide boxes hold 40 instead of 30, so I have had to transfer all the slides. The new projector is my Father’s Day gift to Dad. I hope you don’t forget to send Dad a card.

J. Janssen came two days this week and cleaned and waxed floors. He seems to like to make the money and it gives me a lift. He is to come Saturday and wash windows, and do any little thing that needs to be done.

Hope you have found employment by this time. I read in the W. Street Journal about the public transportation difficulties in Boston. I hope they won’t effect you.

Love Mother

Your letter was posted June 13 and we received it the 14^th.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/26/grandmother-clubs/

The Doctor’s Schedule

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Letter transcription:

Dear B & D:

I hope you didn’t need this to get your apartment. I didn’t think about enclosing it in the letter mailed this AM. Letter from John today. He will be arriving home about July 18. He is going to Hong Kong and Japan after leaving Djakarta July 9^th. I wouldn’t want to say whether he will stop and see you on way home, however, I will give him your address just in case he would want to. The letter I wrote yesterday gave a small account of accident – when Dad came home he told me the youngster was only 12 years old and he was sure he has a fractured skull. I don’t know what the outcome will be (law wise) since he was too young to be driving a motor vehicle. Dad had to go to Hospital at 11 AM for surgery and I think a baby case followed him over, so he may have to miss afternoon office hours. That always makes the next day or two much harder. He got the mower out last night and did get some done before accident. Too bad I won’t take to that mower, but there are plenty of people who will gladly run our mower for a price. I have been putting pretty bows in a drawer today and getting rid of boxes. We have a new projector.

[page 2] We have programs to give June 13 (both of us) June 16 (just me) June 18 (just me) June 23 (both of us) July 13 (both of us) and Sept 21 (just me). Dad decided our projector was not adequate so the new projector is for Father’s Day.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/25/the-doctors-schedule/

Normal Routine

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Letter transcription:

June 9, 1964

Dear David and Bonnie:

I wouldn’t be writing you first, but for two things. Mrs. Myers called me Saturday afternoon late and wanted to know where you were, or something to that effect and I soon discovered you had forgotten to stop and tell her goodby. I think she was rather disappointed, but said she was glad you hadn’t, because she thought it was better not to say goodby. At any rate, I told her we had attended a wedding at 12:30 and that I was getting ready to go to the reception and that you were getting ready to go to Bloomington, and I presumed you had forgotten to stop. I think you had better write her a letter. I haven’t had time to stop and see her myself since I had an appointment to get a permanent this afternoon and had several things to do this morning. The second thing is about a package which came today from Dr. Cole. It had a letter attached, so I just forwarded it on to your Boston address and hope it doesn’t arrive before you do, but since it is a package it shouldn’t get there before the 11^th.

We took the folks to the airport and it was almost 4 o’clock by the time we left them, so they shouldn’t have had too long to wait. Dad told Bonnie’s Dad that they would probably be in Chicago before we got to Kentland. We arrived home at just about 6 o’clock.

Dad ran the mower a while this evening after dinner, then had to go to the hospital because of an accident. One of those families we had used the – “you pay us, or you don’t get any more allergy shots in this office” – and they had made one $10.00 payment on the accumulated account. Dad made the comment when he was called, “can’t pay their bill, but the kid has a motor scooter.” That was how the accident occurred – the youngster was out for a ride.

Now that the wedding and commencement is over, we are getting back into the normal routine around here. With John coming home next month, I have a few things to do to that room to get ready for him, so although the excitement of the past month is over, I have plenty to keep me busy. (over)

[page 2] I kept putting boxes back into the furnace room for you to use for your packing, now I have to start burning. I also have quite an accumulation of pretty wrapping paper and bows and ribbons, but have decided to keep that for a while.

Let us know all about your new place of abode and how you are getting along.

Love Mother & Dad

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/24/normal-routine/

Sorting Pictures

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Letter transcription:

April 10 – 1964

Dear David –

We talked to Ins. office again and we think the only thing to do is to transfer the car to you so plan to come home next Fri. or Sat. and we will go to Morocco Sat. a.m. and make the transfer. We are not dealing with license Bureau in Kentland. We are planning to go to Indianapolis Saturday afternoon to attend a Blue Cross meeting. I didn’t think about that when you were here last week. It will just mean you will not stay here for entire weekend but at least you can get the car. It is a good think you didn’t take it last time you were here. When I took it in to have the headlight replaced I learned it needed a new part – something to do with lights – and part had to be ordered. It should be repaired by next Sat.

Dad is attending meeting at hospital this evening. I am still sorting pictures but about through. Two more boxes came today. One we took in Paris and one on Islands of Delos & Mykonos. I have

[page 2] been asked to give several programs. Rotary May 11 (Dad decided to let me give that one), one for S.S. class in June, another S.S. class in Apr. and Florence Puetz asked me today to come to their home and show some pictures for her family and friends. Jeannette Batton warned me.

I hope the R.S.V.P. on invitations was OK with Bonnie. To be certain it was correct thing to do I consulted a Bridal Consultant. When will her mother arrive in Boston?

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/23/sorting-pictures/

The Acropolis and Parthenon

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Letter transcription:

March 23, 1964

Dear David:

Your cable was here when we returned from cruise. Our cruise ended at about 8 a.m. It was a most interesting experience. We boarded a week ago today at 5 p.m. Sailed at 7. The first evening a cold buffet was served and one could sit at any table. We had met a couple on plane when we flew from New Delhi to Beirut who were on the cruise, so we ate with them first evening. We were assigned to table 17 so next morning we found our table did not meet the rest of our group until noon. Seems some people hadn’t got the word so were just sitting at any table. At our table at noon we met a couple from Ann Harbor, Michigan (man with Dept. of Architecture at Michigan U.) a man from San Francisco who sells fruit and skis for a hobby – Carl Anderson and a woman who had been skiing, Esther Hail, also from San. F. our cruise took us to Island of Crete where we saw the remains of Minoan civilization in museum and a palace that has been excavated. Island of Rhodes where we visited an acropolis and saw more remains. In afternoon we visited a museum and saw hospital which had been used by Crusaders. Thurs. we visited Ephesus and saw and took about 2 rolls of pictures of remains of Roman city & the supposed site of burial place of St. John. Also prison (from a distance) where Paul was kept. Friday afternoon we had reached Istanbul and had a tour of city. Sat. a.m. we had another tour. On the Fri. tour I corrected a Muslim guide who in relating the story of Jesus visit to temple and return home said they returned home to Damascus. I told him it was Nazareth. He got a little confused and said a Bishop had corrected him about another detail one time. We sailed back toward Athens, stopping at the Island of Delos yesterday a.m. In the afternoon we docked at Island of Mykonos and spent afternoon there. It was quite pleasant. I bought a few things and had them send home. Also bought two scarfs I have in suitcase. The people of Mykonos were very friendly and very proud that Mrs. Kennedy had visited there.

Island of Rhodes

On Island of Rhodes we saw a crowd of people receiving U.S. surplus food. Dad took a picture of one woman after she had her sack and was putting it on her pony cart. I probably will not write again. I hope you will be able to meet us – providing our plane isn’t too late. Glad you have your acceptance at Boston. We can see the Acropolis & Parthenon from our room. We have a tour this afternoon so we are just resting and looking over city from our room this a.m.

Love Mother

We are wondering if you received your suit. If you did we would like to know before we go thru customs. I do hope you get the house dusted before we get home. (I hope I am not being too repetitious). We had so much to eat on the cruise we have, as of since breakfast, started on a crash diet. I think I won’t be hungry for days, and the way my clothes feel around the middle I need to lose a few pounds.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/22/the-acropolis-and-parthenon/

Cruising the Mediterranean Islands

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Dear David – Thought I would just drop you a card from Istanbul. We arrived here this afternoon and will begin return voyage tomorrow noon. We had a trip to Baozar this afternoon. I bought 2 dolls. We have really enjoyed this cruise and have seen many interesting things in the Islands between here and Athens. Will stop at Delos and Myponos on return trip. Our sightseeing in Athens will begin when we return there Monday. I will get the Wari beads for you. Have seen hundreds. Wish I knew what color you want.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/21/cruising-the-mediterranean-islands/

Athens

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Letter transcription:

March 15 – 1964

Dear David: Your letter was here when we arrived. I still think you two should graduate normally. I hope I read your letter correctly that we will be invited to Founder’s Day Celebration on the strength (how else) of your grades. If you go to Kentland, remember what Jeannette Batton said about Bonnie staying there if you spend night in Kentland. I wrote you in another letter that you will have to check with Air France as to arrival time. It is supposed to be at 1:40 p.m. We have heard since then that we can go thru customs in Canada if plane makes a stop there – it may. If we could go thru customs there it wouldn’t take us long to get away from O’Hare. We haven’t decided what we will do when we get to Chicago – I doubt that we will spend much time at Mark’s – you know with all that mail waiting for us we will probably be anxious to get home. No appointments until April 1 so that will give Dad a chance to wade thru things. I do hope you can get the house swept and dusted before we get home. I wish we had you with us here – we can’t read any of the signs around here – it’s all Greek to us. We can see the Parthenon from the hotel – but not from our window – our room is on other side but we can see it from lounge. Everything seems very quiet. We took a walk this afternoon and took a picture of American Embassy. It was refreshing to get to Athens today, after almost a week in a country that is nearly 100% (nearly) Muslim. There are 1,000 mosques in Cairo and they are building more all the time. We really had some nice tours there and saw the tomb of King Tut. Also saw all the things that are in the museum that were taken from tomb. We made 3 trips to the museum. That is a popular place – people coming and going all the time. Do you and Bonnie have work in Boston this summer? From your letter I rather thought you sounded like there is where you will spend the summer. Our hotel room is on 9^th floor and we have a very good view of the city and nets in background. We start on cruise tomorrow afternoon but will try to find the beads for you tomorrow a.m. I don’t know what I will be looking for but someone around here surely will. We ate a light breakfast at 6:30 – had a huge breakfast on plane at 9:30 so it is almost 6 p.m. and I think we have waited long enough for food. I think we have both gained – but once we get back home we can lose any extra. This cruise won’t be any help in the weight losing dept. You will have time to get a letter to us when

[page 2] we get to Paris if there is something you need to write about. It is always nice to pick up letters – we had six when we arrived here today – so had lots of news.

Love Mother

Pyramids in Cairo

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

March 10 – 1964

Dear David – Yours of Mar. 4 received today. I was glad to get your letter (naturally) and have the explanation in full about the Ins. In the first place, we increased the insurance because we didn’t think we were carrying enough and at the time we increased it nothing was said about you. I don’t know who got that bright idea, but I have a good idea that Prairie Realty will lose some business when we get back home. We are not at all happy about the way Prairie R. handled things – We think you and Mark did the only thing you could do under the circumstances. When we talked about leasing a Cadillac we discovered our insurance was not as much as a leasing company carries and that was what caused us to increase ours. I hope you can be in Chicago to meet us because we will want to go home. I hope you can meet us if it won’t make you late getting back to Bloomington. According to our plane schedules we are to arrive in Chicago at 1:50 p.m. You will have to check on that. Since it will be the end of your vacation it would probably be some time before you would be home again. In my last letter I asked you to run the sweeper and dust for me. We won’t be bringing much home with us but Mark says there is so much mail for us to go thru it will probably take us a day or so. We came to Cairo yesterday afternoon. We had a tour this a.m. and one this afternoon. We visited museum this a.m. and saw things that were taken from King Tut’s tomb. We did take some pictures. We think we will go back to the museum before we leave. We visited the pyramids and Sphinx this afternoon. We have a very wonderful view of the river Nile and city from our room and porch. After returning from our trip this afternoon we stopped in the coffee shop and had a ginger ale then came to our room. I washed my hair and set it and we have been enjoying the view while my hair dries. We can see pyramids from where we are sitting. I was a party “pooper” this afternoon – I wouldn’t take a ride on a camel. We did take a ride on an elephant in India and that as far as I am concerned was enough. There was a parade just went by. We had read in a newspaper that the King of Jordan is coming here to visit so maybe he was in the car that just passed. We visited with Uncle Floyd’s friend in Jerusalem Monday morning. He lives and works in Amman but he had some business in Jerusalem so we had a chance to see him and his wife about 2 hours. They took us to “The Garden Tomb.” It is a tomb that was discovered by an Englishman in recent years. We bought a book telling all about it. Some people believe it is the real tomb instead of the place that has been claimed by Catholic, Greek & Russians for centuries. We have asked Mark to take the mail home and if he hasn’t – you see that it gets taken out to the house. About the time again as to when we arrive – (on second thought) we will have to go thru customs so it may be late in the afternoon before we will be able to leave the airport. I presume we will go thru customs in Chicago. Our plane ticket says Paris to Chicago. You will just have to use your judgment about what to do. There is a high tower across the river from this hotel. We asked our guide what it was for – (there s a large TV tower we could see form hotel room in Tokyo and the Japanese are very proud of it because it is the tallest TV tower in the world) but this tower serves only for sightseers to go up and look out over the city. There are at least 1,000 mosques in Cairo. I will see what I can do for you

[page 2] when we get to Athens about Wari [worry?] beads. It is getting too dark to write and we are enjoying “the show” too much to go inside.

Love Mother

Beirut and Jerusalem

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

Sunday March 8, 1964

Dear David: This morning we took a trip to see River Jordan and Dead Sea. We saw some bathers but were not tempted. We did put our fingers in and tasted. Dad said he thought it was safe because no germ could live in that water. We have had a tour of Bethlehem and Jerusalem. We didn’t try to make contact with Research School because we didn’t think it was necessary. We were well satisfied with our tours. The only thing we didn’t care for was the sales pressure. Our guide took us into some shops but we weren’t in the market for their high priced merchandise. Last night I went into a shop next to hotel and found prices much more reasonable. Our guide had told me he would take me to the shops where the prices were right. I think he gets a kick back so the prices were right as far as he was concerned. Buying a wood carving in Bali spoiled me. The prices there were so small and as far as I can see the carving is much better than what we have seen here. The big deal here is the carvings are made from olive wood. We had the same problem in Beirut. Our guide tried to influence us to buy – of all things – oriental rugs – just $170.00 for a small one. We just walked out of the place and said we were not in the market for a rug. We felt like we were not very welcome in Beirut – and they claim to be about 60% Christian. We were glad to leave there. We did enjoy seeing ancient Roman ruins at Baalbek and we did have a nice view from our hotel room – harbor and mountains. We have met a couple here who are from Rhode Island. They have been to Egypt and have given us a few tips, so we will know what to expect when we get there. We had a letter from Garnette Janssen and he said the house was getting pretty dusty – said he and Mark weren’t very good housekeepers. Are you still planning to meet us in Chicago Mar. 29? If you are I wish you would plan to stop at home and run the sweeper and dust cloth. I hate to think of going back home if it is covered with dust. That is something I should have thought about before we left, but if you are going that way I am sure you can take care of that for me. I am wondering if you have made any plans yet for the coming summer? I know you were wanting to find something to do. Also I am wondering if you have been successful in getting into Boston School. We didn’t go to church this a.m. but plan to go this evening. There are Baptist, Anglican, Catholic (Greek, Roman, etc.) and Nazerene but not any Methodist (in Middle East). We saw one notice which read service at 5:30 in Arabic. We will have to make some more inquiries. That might prove to be interesting. We attended church in Hong Kong & singing was in Chinese.

Love Mother

Uncle Floyd’s friend from Amman is coming to see us tomorrow.

Flying to Tehran

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Letter transcription:

March 4, 1964

Dear David – As you can see I am using Bangkok stationary. The envelope is from New Delhi. I have learned to carry a supply with me. Our flight out of N. Delhi was scheduled for 5 a.m. – we were just half an hour late which isn’t bad. We are now flying to Tehran – a 4 hr flight – then on to our next stop Beirut. When we were in Djakarta I thought we were prepared for Indiana but not quite. All my reading on Indiana hadn’t quite given me the picture. They have had 17 years of independence and I suppose they have accomplished much in that time but by our standards they have far to go. We tried to buy film and couldn’t get any for our instamatic. We went to several shops in downtown N. Delhi but were told same story everywhere. They just aren’t importing anything that new. I asked one guide how many dams had been built since independence. He said 22. That is a pretty good record for 17 yrs. We were in New Delhi, old Delhi, Agra & Jaipur and conditions were much the same in every place. You couldn’t imagine the dirt and filth unless you see it. There are so many poor people who just eek out an existence. We went by car from Agra to Jaipur and saw how people live in villages. It was so filthy in all the places we passed we wondered what kept people from dying. People and cattle live together and sanitation as we know it is nonexistent there. We saw people using the roadside for toilets – They seem to think nothing of relieving nature any place they may be. We were walking in downtown N. Delhi yesterday trying to find film and a woman was holding a youngster so he could urinate. In many places children go without clothes and we saw more babies without diapers than with. One thing that is very bothersome is the beggars. It seemed they were everywhere. One guide told us in N. Delhi they try to keep them off the streets – there is a home for them but they would rather beg than work so they escape from the homes provided for them. We are getting so low on film we didn’t take many pictures while there. We are not sure we can buy more and we have a few places of interest to visit before coming home. One of the dirtiest things we saw was the use of cow dung for cooking fuel. The women go around and gather the droppings and make patties which are laid out to dry. We saw huge piles. One guide said those are stored for rainy season. Dad said he didn’t know what kept them from getting lockjaw – from the handling of dung. We had to take an early a.m. flight to Agra and it was a little after 7 a.m. when we arrived. Altho it was fair and not a cloud, there was a haze low. It was the smoke from the cow dung fires – cooking breakfast. We went out to see the Taj Mahal by moonlight. Our driver said we would have to go before the haze from the cooking smoke filled the air. We think they would be better off if they used some other kind of fuel and use the c.d. for fertilizer. The trip from Agra to Jaipur took 5 hrs. At about half way there was a rest house for people like us. At least we could use a toilet and our driver had soft drinks in a bucket of dry ice so we had a little refreshment on the way. I think the driver never suggest American or European travelers eat local food. When we were in Malacca we met an Indian Minister. His daughter is in school in Delhi University. We went out to see her yesterday. She hasn’t been home for two years but hopes to go this June. You just be thankful you are an American and that you are in a school like I.U. It is simply wonderful compared to the one in Delhi. With all the faults we can find with our own country there is no place quite like it. Yesterday morning when we went down to breakfast we discovered the

[page 2] help had gone on strike and we had sort of a cafeteria breakfast. The tipping system is – 12½ % is added to bill and at the end of certain period the tips are divided. I have no idea how but we were told the strike was because the help wasn’t satisfied with the tip distribution. The room boys – called bearers had also taken the room keys with them so the skeleton staff trying to clean up the rooms couldn’t get into some. We had turned our key in at the desk so our room went uncleaned. The method of sweeping is with something resembling a broom which just moves dirt from one spot to another. I think they think if they rouse a cloud of dust they are accomplishing something. I could see ever so many places where the good old American know-how would have been a great help. We had a notice under our door when we got up at 3 a.m. that no more meals would be served in hotel until strike is settled. It didn’t bother us because we were leaving. Will tell you more when we come home.

Love Mother

Had a letter from Janssen and he said the car business was over the insurance. I am still not too happy about it. I thought your driving was covered. Do you still plan to meet us?