Tag Archives: Kentland

Airline Reservations

Letter transcription:

November 3, 1964

Dear David and Bonnie:

After talking to David this morning, if you have decided you want to fly home for Christmas, you go to the airport and make your reservations and let me know what it will cost and I will send you a check to cover. I think it will be better for you to make the reservations because you will know better at what time you will want to leave Boston. I think you only have to make a deposit when you make reservations.

There are two places I could go tonight – a Club meeting and a Class party, but I think I will stay home – that is if Dad is home – he may have to go to the hospital and take care of one of Dr. K’s patients (Dr. K should be home from his California vacation today or tomorrow). I want to follow the returns on TV, as I presume you will be doing.

Our Township and Town vote came out for Standard Time, so next weekend I suppose we will set our clocks with Chicago. It really doesn’t make much difference to me, but a lot of people do plenty of sqwaking (sp).

We are still enjoying very mild weather – just like summer and I am enjoying every minute of it.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/19/airline-reservations/

Enclosed Will Explain Itself

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

Kentland, Indiana
October 26, 1964

Dear David and Bonnie:

The enclosed will explain itself. Just keep the $150 and put in your savings account next year.

Wow! What a letter. What could I write again that would get me another? It was worth the effort to get the epistle. Just don’t worry your ‘little old head’ about how your mother votes. I think my vote will be counted in the right column. I really liked all the facts and figures you gave me. It was just like having a contemporary history lesson. I think Dad thought you had gone off the deep end, but I told him you are a preacher. I was with a friend this afternoon and read her portions of the letter and did she sit up and take notice. She thought you were simply wonderful. She said she would like to hear you deliver that from a pulpit. That is enough bragging for this time.

Tomorrow, Wed., Thurs. and Fri. I am scheduled to attend sub-district meetings. This is my last year and when it comes to 4 meetings in a row I think 4 years is enough. I just hope I am not asked to take anything for next year. I can say no the next time. I kept refusing to serve on the Board of the Wesley Manor, but after conference was over found I had been appointed. Just so they don’t call a meeting when I can’t attend. I talked to Rev. Fields about if after I discovered I had been appointed and he said there were only two meetings a year for board members.

Mark and Shirley had planned to come this weekend, but I am going to Clay City to give a program for St. Peter’s Church (United Church of Christ) for Uncle Clarence and since I will be leaving at about 2 o’clock Mark said they would come another time. John plans to come home since it will be my birthday, but he will probably be leaving to go back to Champaign at about the same time I leave.

This afternoon I went to the school and gave a program about UNICEF for the school children. We have our UNICEF drive Thursday evening. We had a very good turnout last year and from the enthusiasm from the children today, I am hoping for good results this year.

Dad is going to Lafayette Wed. evening to give a program for the Clinic. I won’t go along, since it is an all male meeting (except for a woman MD or two). He was running through his pictures about half an hour ago when he had a call. One of the State Police called about a transient. He is back now and ready to try and look at his pictures again.

We have the “Japanese Garden” almost all the way around the house now. I am going to get some more little evergreens Wed. At last we have gotten around to the place where we have decided to have the terrace on the east and south sides of the house taken out and think we have found a place where can get rid of the broken up cement. The Holleys use it in building bridges and at present they have several bridge contracts.

Since I have to start early in the AM for the first meeting, I had better get this finished and ready for bed.

Love Mother

(over)

The “History of Civilization” belongs to Mark but he will send it to you.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/18/enclosed-will-explain-itself/

Making Up For Lost Time

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

October 21, 1964

Dear David and Bonnie:

Yours received. Your Dad made a remark about the sticker you had on your letter. He doesn’t exactly share your opinion. He think B.G. is the lesser of two evils, but still won’t say who he will vote for. I am in a pondry. I can’t say I approve of your candidate. There are a lot of thinks about the whole family I don’t care about. I think I will do like Dad. I intend to vote, but since it is our privilege to vote secretly, that is the way my vote will remain. I don’t like all the scandals that have been connected with the party now in office. Somehow, I just can’t quite go along with crime or corruption, regardless as to where it is found. I think it is just as bad at a high level as at a lower level. Enough about that.

We went to Clay City October 11 and took our pictures along. Uncle Clarence had invited all the family home and all of his children were there and Paul and his family (they live in Belvedere – a 2 hour drive north and west of here), Earl and his family, and Uncle Ralph and Aunt Faye. Uncle Clarence asked me to come to their church and give a program yet this fall. I wrote him after we returned home and gave him the dates of the meetings we have to attend which will be Oct. 27, Nov. 11, 16, 18. If he can find a date other than those I will probably go. We were in Kenneth’s new home (that is where reunion was held). It is on the site where the old house used to be. It is certainly a far cry from the old one. It is very modern with electric heat. It will be a house to be proud of when it is finished. They still have a few things to do, like finish flooring in the bedrooms and a few other things. We also stopped in Brazil and visited with Marie Mace. She is carrying on the business as usual. She had worked in the store for years. So knows what to do. We had a funny experience on the way to Indianapolis that night. Since we drove the leased Cadillac we were carrying an Indianapolis license number. Dad had said (I forgot to mention that after our reunion we started to Indianapolis and didn’t have any reservations for Sunday night because we thought as many motels as are along that route we wouldn’t have any trouble in finding a room. We were going to Medical convention). Dad had mentioned that we might have trouble getting a room with an Indianapolis license. We kept driving and finally Dad said he was ready to stop any time and I was tired also and said it was OK with me. We saw a AAA sign at a Western Motel, so decided that would do. When we stopped the office was closed, but the man came out after Dad knocked on the door. I made the remark, “just so we can get a room with twin beds.” He took us to look at a room and I also said, “it is clean and warm and I think that is all that is necessary,” so I stayed in the room and Dad went back to pay and sign the register. When the man saw we had Indpls plates, he said he couldn’t keep us. Dad showed him his identifications and told him it was a leased car. He (the man) said he thought it was funny we would want twin beds, if we were on a spree. Dad said the “law” around Indianapolis had been trying to crack down on couples going to motels for immoral purposes. We were just a few miles from a lovely Quality Court when we stopped, but we didn’t have a directory, so didn’t know what was ahead. We drove on the next morning to a Horne’s restaurant and had breakfast and saw the Quality Court across the road. If we had thought about it, we could have had Tri-Way Inn make reservations for us before we started out. The next time, we should think of that in advance. We went on to Indianapolis and stopped at Jim’s office and had a visit with them. Jim had made reservations for us at the Athletic Club. On Tues. evening we didn’t have anything in particular to do, so drove to Shelbyville to see Duane and Joanne. Duane had suggested we come down if we could get away from the convention. He showed us the new church. He also said he was having some trouble getting the people, now that the church is built and the hard work over, to take responsibility. He said not enough people showed up for choir practice the week before, so on Sunday (Oct. 11) there was no choir, because he said unless they had a full choir they wouldn’t sing. He said when it was time for the anthem he told the congregation they would observe 2 minutes of silence and when enough people showed up at choir practice to fill the choir loft on Sunday they would resume having a choir on Sundays. He also said he told them he didn’t have time to prepare a sermon with all the other activities that had been going on, so he sat down again for 2 minutes, then he got up and, you might say, read the riot act to them. They left immediately after services to go to Clay City, so didn’t know what the reaction had been that day. However, we were there on the following Tuesday and he said he had heard that one woman said the pulpit wasn’t the place for what he had said. I ask him, “where else?” He agreed with me. We had dinner with Duane and Joanne and their three sons. Duane had to attend a meeting and we returned to Indianapolis.

[page 2] Wednesday evening Jim & Thelma had dinner with us at the Athletic Club and we had planned to attend an affair planned for the Doctors and guests. When we got to the door we were told there were three tickets left. Since there were 4 of us, we went back to Jim & Thelma’s and showed them some of our pictures. They want us to come to Indianapolis and show pictures for their S.S. class next April. We promised we would. Aunt Thelma said they hadn’t sent you a wedding present yet. She intimated it would be $, which I presume will be acceptable at any time.

We had a letter from Aunt Ruth last week. She had finally gone to Romaine’s to spend a few weeks and since Romaine lives close to the airport, they had gone out to see, guess who, B.G. Aunt Ruth didn’t see the curb and stepped off and twisted her left ankle and broke her right knee cap. She has her right leg in a walking cast and left ankle bandaged. She said she was so mad at herself, because Romaine had so many things planned for them to do and there she sits. Well, as she said, if it had to happen, it was a good thing she was with Romaine. She said I know you will say, what were you doing out watching G. for anyway, but Romaine usually goes to watch celebrities come in and they thought it would be something to do. I had asked Aunt Ruth to come here for Thanksgiving if she is home, but with her injury I don’t know whether she will be back home.

We went to Chicago Sunday the 18^th to celebrate Kirk’s birthday (Oct. 19) and Becky wanted to come home with us. We would have brought her, but Mark had to drive his car all this week and we didn’t know how she would get back home. Dad has too many baby cases for us to promise to get away for a while now. When we were in Indianapolis I bought some pants and a shirt for Kick and had them sent out. The package hadn’t arrived yet and neither had his birthday card. Becky wanted to know where his happy birthday card was. I had taken a green plastic turtle filled with “soaky bath,” so he at least had one gift. He had a birthday cake and blew out his candles, so all in all he had a very nice 2^nd birthday. He can say hello and a few other words when he wants to, but doesn’t try to talk too much. However, Becky talks enough for both of them. I think in another six months he will probably be as talkative as she is.

Mrs. Addie Padgett has moved into the cottage where Peggy and Howard used to live. Her family thought she shouldn’t try to spend the winter alone in the country. I stopped to see her this morning and she seems very comfortable. However, I am afraid when the temperature gets down in the zeros she will feel a draft or two. The man who runs the Ford sales owns the place and wants her to buy it. If it had another layer of covering, like aluminum siding, it might be made more comfortable, in cold weather. She said to tell you hello. She recently had to have a cataract operation in one eye, but now wears special lenses and is painting again. Esta and Albert have made three apartments out of the rooms across the front motel building and since there is a demand for such apartments, have them rented all the time. They keep adding things and have improved the looks of the place quite a bit.

Our church had Methodist Renewal Mission last week, but since we were in Indianapolis, I didn’t get to attend but one meeting. Rev. Fields had gone to South Bend to conduct services at a church just outside the city his week. We finally got a carpenter to get the remodeling done on the parsonage. I think the work is about finished. It has changed the looks of the house entirely.

I have so much work piled up to be done, I should not be sitting here writing, but since I have neglected to write the past two weeks, am making up for lost time. One time we saw a W. C. Fields movie and he had a filing system all his own. Everything was piled on his desk and when he wanted to find something he would estimate the year and go down to the estimated layer and of course, always could put his finger on the letter he was looking for. I told Dad at noon my desk looked like W. C. Field’s and that I need some more filing space. Well, I must make myself, and that is exactly what I am going to do, make myself do some filing. I have two or three projects I am working on – such as the UNICEF drive next week, and World Community Day Nov. 6^th and have to attend sub-district meetings 4 days next week, so must get to that filing.

Love Mother

P.S. 1 If you want to come home during Christmas vacation, don’t let the expense of the trip keep you from coming. That could be our Christmas gift to you.

P.S. 2 – why don’t you drop a line to Audrey and tell her you did not have her book? But do be tactful about it.

(over)

You shouldn’t fret yourself so much about the outcome of Nov. 3. I can remember when H.S.T. won, I went into the Rexall store and Art was ready to commit hara-kiri (almost). He thought the country would go to the dogs for sure. At the last bridge club meeting it was like attending a wake. Everyone was sure B.G. would lose – of course there were a couple who get their living in the court house and it might mean a change of jobs for them. Regardless of the outcome things have a way of adjusting so don’t be so disturbed.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/17/making-up-for-lost-time/

Jerusalem Pottery

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Tues. Oct. 6 – 1964

Dear David & Bonnie –

Tonight I attended a club meeting and sat by Audrey Hess Jackson from Lake Village. She asked me if you still had her W. Wilkie book “One World.” I told her I would write you about it. If you have it with you, please send it to her – her address is just Lake Village. If not, let me know. She said Wilkie had autographed it for her, so she doesn’t want to lose it.

This has been a busy week – since I had to spend all day attending a District Committee meeting in Lafayette yesterday and a church board meeting last night – which lasted almost 2 hours. This a.m. I attended a prayer meeting at the church – one every a.m. in preparation for Methodist renewal mission next week. We won’t be here for the meetings, except the last one of Fri. eve. We are planning to attend medical meeting in Indpls. Next week. Next week a Jurisdictional meeting is convening in Indianapolis, so I will get to attend one or two sessions since we will be in the city at that time.

We plan to go to Clay City Sunday and visit relatives.

[page 2] John’s sea freight arrived. He had to make two trips home to get it all transported to Champaign. The wood carvings were in the box. The small one I had purchased in Bali and the large one he received as a gift. I am displaying both in our living room, until John thinks he has a place to put his. I just hope he doesn’t find a place for his carving, but he probably will.

I wrote to our friends in Jordan and sent them some $ to buy some more pottery. So many people seemed to think a piece of Jerusalem pottery would be desirable. The box come yesterday and every piece in good condition. I owe them a thank you note, so I had better wind this up and write a thank you note.

Love mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/16/jerusalem-pottery/

A Beautiful Fall Day

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

9-28-64

Dear David & Bonnie –

I talked to Dr. Logan yesterday. He explained to me about Bonnie’s difficulty – that is he told me what having a root canal meant. He seemed to think your dentist is being very expensive. Dad said he thought that was probably because everything is higher there than here.

John was home for weekend. He had been looking for his sea freight box to come, and couldn’t understand the delay. It came this a.m. It is such a large box it has to be in the garage and until we get it

[page 2] unpacked my car will have to stay out in the driveway.

I took some pictures of the “Japanese garden” and as soon as I get some prints made will send you a few. We have decided to carry the garden idea around entire house. Dad said he wasn’t going to work as fast on the rest as he did on the first. His knee seems to be pretty good now. However, he did cut into the bone and that will be some time in healing completely.

This is a beautiful fall day. A little chilly. We did have a

[page 3] nice long lasting rain Saturday which we needed. The windows need to be washed but John J. has been too busy to get to them. I have decided to wait until we have a killing frost and maybe the flies won’t ruin his work.

I stop and see Mrs. M. about once a week. Alma Walker is going with me some day later in the fall to take Mrs. M. to shop in Lafayette. She said this would be the first time in several years you wouldn’t be here to drive and assist.

[page 4] Dad thought you should have the enclosed to read.

I am about to finish (- that is my class) the study of book Genesis – Beginnings of the Biblical Drama by Charles Kroft. By and large I think the class has gotten something out of it. My couple whose mother & mother-in-law thought the book should be burned are still coming, so I think I have made some gain with them. I will have to get something else to study in two weeks because I think we will finish this next Sunday. We had just finished Joshua when this

[page 5] Genesis book came out. I suppose we will pick up again where we left off – Judges. Several in the class have purchased the Abingdon and that helps.

Did you know you were mentioned in the last issue (Oct.) of “Together?” An article about the Mulberry St. Church in Martinsville. If you don’t have a copy, borrow one and read it.

I hope this finds you both happy in school.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/15/a-beautiful-fall-day/

Tetracycline 250 mg

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

9-21-64

Dear David and Bonnie:

I have mailed 16 capsules to Bonnie today (tetracycline 250 mg). Dad says any of those capsules you have like Declomycin would co, but we are sending the above mentioned. The box I sent last week is, of course, for both of you as a birthday present, as you probably know by this time. We are having another summer. Had the air conditioner on until we went to bed last night. We have our Japanese garden about finished. When we get it finished, will send you a picture of it. Uncle Floyd spend the weekend with Aunt Ruth and stopped to see us yesterday on his way home. He said she is feeling better, but has an appointment to see an eye Dr. tomorrow. She seems to be having some trouble with one eye. She plans to go home with Romaine the 11^th of October. We plan to attend the Medical Convention October 12 to 15.

Love Mother

(over)

N.W. Ind. Conference is having Methodist annual mission next month. I am attendance chairman. Have a comm. meeting this afternoon to detail some of the work (most that is) to others.

©20147 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/14/tetracycline-250-mg/

Update on Garden and Knee

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

9-18-64

Dear David –

Keep this letter. It is a record as to when your policy went into effect.

Our Japanese garden is making progress. I waited all morning and half the p.m. for truck to bring rack so didn’t get to go to Lafayette for evergreens. Plan to go tomorrow. Alma Walker is going with me.

Dad’s knee is better, but he says he doesn’t want it bumped yet. He had thought he would have to see Dr. Ferguson, but didn’t have to.

Love Mother

Knee Injury

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Sept. 12 – 1964

Dear David and Bonnie –

Last Sunday Aunt Ruth came to spend a few days with us. She had not been feeling very well and wanted Daddy to check her. Yesterday she said she should go home so this a.m. we went to Wilmington. She was somewhat depressed about returning home but there were some things to be done. She had some mail waiting for her. The furnace had to have a new part before she could have a fire so that was taken care of while I was there. The dog is still there and it seemed to me she knew Uncle Earl wouldn’t be back. She didn’t even bark when we entered the house. I told Aunt Ruth I would spend the night with her but felt like I should come home. Dad hacked his left knee while doing some work in the yard and he thinks he has injured his knee cap. He is to see Dr. Ferguson Monday. He would have planned to go tomorrow but Dr. Ferguson will be out of town. We are planning a Japanese style garden to extend from the front door entrance around the house to the terrace on east side of house, and he was using some of the weed barrier we used around the flower beds several years ago. The ground in hard because we haven’t had much rain this summer and he was using a new hatchet to cut the ground. By accident he hit his knee. He came into the house with blood streaming down his leg. I helped him get the blood cleaned off and put a bandage on. It kept bothering him so he put a cast on for two days but had to take it off because his leg started to swell. He walks like Chester. I will be glad when he sees Dr. F. and if he tells him to go to bed I won’t be surprised.

I am sending you a tube of Moruguent. If you use this you don’t need the water treatment. The main thing is to keep a burn covered and this burn cream is about the best covering you can get. It almost seems to work like a miracle at times. I have seen it used in the office so much I know you know if I ever get a burn I immediately cover burn with ointment. It also helps reduce the pain. I will send it with your birthday gift. Your gift, I think, will be a real surprise.

I found an outline you had used one time when you were teaching Bible during vacation (M.Y.F.). I am using it. I also found some sermons of Hodapp and Katayama. I have found them quite interesting. I am glad you are looking forward to school. I haven’t had much time to read in the past month – what with spending some time with Aunt Ruth, keeping Kirk, then having all of them here for a part of the following week and the rest of the happenings this month. I really would like to do some reading in my Interpreters.

Dad is reclining in the living room watching TV which is the best thing for him to do under present circumstances. I think the more he keeps off his feet the better.

We will take care of your ballots. I called John this evening. His suit and shirts had come from H.K. and I knew he was anxious to know. Also when he bought his household things he found a bargain in Teflon

[page 2] and I told him to get me some. He said the special was still on and that he had bought some for me, so now I will have a set. Thanks for the stamps. I sent in several hundred about a month or so ago and had a very nice letter last week thanking me. Just don’t cut them off so close.

Love Mother

Gratefully Acknowledged

Very Quiet After Sunday

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Sept. 4 – 1964

Dear David & Bonnie –

The suit coat arrived – I took it to the cleaner & Dad wore the suit last night. We went to Watseka to give a program for the Nurse Assn. Dr. & Mrs. Roberts also attended. The group thanked us and invited us to give another program next month since we just got as far as Bali with the program last night.

Mark and Shirley went home this a.m. They were going to stop and visit with Aunt Ruth. I talked to her over the phone before they started. She said Romaine and Tye had been with her until yesterday. I have promised to go get her sometime and bring her over here for a few days. I hope she gets to the place she can drive her car. I think all she needs is a little confidence in herself.

Mark and Shirley waxed my car yesterday. However, since we are having a long dry period I am afraid it won’t do much good.

John took a load of things to Champaign Tues. He is

[page 2] coming back today to spend weekend and take rest of his things back Sunday.

This place will seem very quiet after Sunday – after all the company we have had this summer.

Alma has stopped several times this summer. She has recently been to visit her sister in Missouri. We received a letter from her this week and she was getting ready to return to Crown Point.

I have a basket of work waiting for me on my desk so I think it would be a good idea for me to get to work.

Love Mother