In yesterday’s letter (1942-05-23 730 AM), my grandfather mentioned the Rotary Club.  He asked Gladys to thank the Rotary Club members for the pen they gave him.  For a man about to write hundreds of letters, this was a practical gift. On the surface, this would seem like an ordinary gesture; the local Rotary Club giving a leading citizen a gift as he went off to war. However, in the case of my family, there is a second deeper understanding of these events. My family is inexplicably bound to the Rotary movement. You may recall from an earlier post that my grandfather’s middle name was Schiele. Schiele was his mother’s maiden name. My great grandmother was Lovina Jane (Schiele) Yegerlehner. She was the sister of a man named Silvester Schiele. If you know anything about the Rotary movement, this name should be very familiar to you. In 1905, Silvester Schiele and his lifelong friend Paul Harris founded the Rotary Club in Chicago.

Silvester and his wife Jesse were frequent visitors at my grandparent’s house.  They would often stop by Kentland on their way to Clay City from Chicago, or on other trips that Silvester took for the Rotary.

If you are interested in learning more about Silvester Schiele, check out the RGHF (Rotary Global History Fellowship) Internet project: http://www.rotaryfirst100.org/leaders/schiele/

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Letter transcription:

Sunday 1400 almost

In other words 2:00 PM.

Dear Mother,

We think we have a room at 5.00 per week and before I send this I’ll get the address for sure. I’ll have letters from all over town I suppose, but maybe after today the address will be stable. The house proposition I wrote you about several days ago is good but the turnover here is fast. One fellow in our unit was sent to Fla. yesterday, one to some other field and one waiting to go out on boat.

We took some pictures today and if they are good we will send you some. I haven’t got all my uniform yet but enough to get by on so far and keep buying a little every few days.

I got two letters last night at the Y,

(page 2) they both arrived at the same time so the air mail didn’t seem to help.

I left the prescription for Mrs. Cox at Kenneys, I think – That was phenobob. gr ½ the one she showed you was a few I got in when I was out of the others.

The school kids shots were to be 15¢for each shot or 60¢each if the other charged that so you can figure that up – be sure to get those kids that hadn’t started to school yet – Lawrence Schofer’s kids. The Nosker kids – Jerry Sondergraths – The Hooper girl and there may be others but I can’t think of them now. Write me anytime if someone calls or asks – because I believe I can remember the most of them. Since I got my transportation money I think I’ll have enough to last until pay day. We get 250ºº

(page 3)toward for our uniform but that won’t come for 6 to 8 wks. The Thomas Clothing store opened a charge use for me and I still owe them about 40ºº for my top coat but the rest is paid for only I haven’t a blue suit yet nor white suits. The cap costs 12²⁵ plus the white kakia and blue covers which are about 1⁵⁰ each.

We are both about half sick from the typhoid shots. Dr. Lentz had a chill last night and I had to care for him, put on extra covers etc. Neither of us have an aspirin etc. with us so we were just like a couple of laymen sick and didn’t know what to do about it. When we get our address all settled etc, I’ll write same cards to the boys and to several other people to whom I promised letters or cards.

You may write to Slaymaker, Merrill & Jacke and tell them what has happened and that you want the (do ref. me)to and if you have any

(page 4) trouble tell Ira D. he has the insurance or Ralph Bower – he was the att. for the case.

We had eggs and fried potatoes for breakfast – ate at the Ocean View rest Café – only a stone’s throw from the bay which leads out into the Atlantic.

I’m on night duty next wed. night – got go to the close Wed. A.M. and don’t get off until Thurs A.M. but that makes lets me off all day Thurs.

The H.S. bill I almost forgot. I’m not sure of the date – but it should include $5.00 for the track boys $2 or $3 for Chas Brewer and the school shots. The bill was paid just before the exam of the H.S. Track team.

The address is-

Lt (jg) MC Yegerlehner

1026 Magnolia Ave.

Norfolk, Va.

I think this will be rather stable at least for a while. It’s alright to give Base Unit but it takes longer to get the mail thru the base. Well I’ll ring off until later

Love Daddy

©2012, copyrighted & written by Deborah Sweeney