Tag Archives: Paul Harris

My 6 cents worth (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Dec 22 1942

Dear Daddy –

Rec’d 3 letters this morning. I wish I had sent you several small boxes for Christmas. Maybe you would have gotten one. I had a letter a few days ago in which you told me what to do about Otto Paul – I finally got around to calling Boonie & told him to send the pills. This weather again – Yesterday looked like another blizzard but it calmed down and now it looks foggy and the snow is dirty and the roads are so slick the school buses didn’t go out so no school today. John didn’t feel so good and I had kept him home in bed. My throat was sore again this morning so I called Dr. Cole. He said to give John 1 sulfothiozole every 4 hrs and told me to get neo-pronticil for my throat. Neither of us have a temperature but John’s cold hangs on and this throat condition has been coming & going for some time. I thought I was entirely rid of it but it was present again this morning. I am not down but don’t like to be bothered so much and afraid it might develop into something if I don’t get it checked.

[page 2] I talked to Jack Byrnes about writing to Mead-Johnson and he said if I would bring a letter head to him he would write to the Co for me. I started David on Pablum yesterday. He was hungry after his 2 P.M. bottle. Arlene had called me and wanted me to come down and stay with her boys while she went to town – Louise was out. So I bundled David up and went down. She had a new box of Pablum so she opened it and I gave him some. He was satisfied then. This morning I gave it to him just before his 10 A.M. bottle. Arlene commented on how well he ate it. I said that was because he knew what a spoon was for – having given his orange juice that way – however I had to quit the orange juice because he threw it up every time after I had increased the amount. I am giving him the Vit C tablets now. He weighs 11 ½ lbs. He is taking 13 oz carnation – 17 oz water – 2 ½ tbsp Dextri – in 24 hrs – Even if you have forgotten about baby formulas – you can see he is getting pretty strong milk for a 3 mo old baby – but he wasn’t satisfied with a weaker mixture so had to increase it – He has normal stools and is good so that must prove he can take the richer mixture

[page 3]Mark’s ice skates came today and I gave them to him so he could be learning. He was very thrilled over them but he didn’t stay at the pond very long. He was sure he could just get on those skates and do the figure eight.

John says he is hungry so that must indicate his cold isn’t making him feel so bad – but I am going to insist on keeping him in bed today.

We went to the band concert last night and the wind was blowing and the snow drifting over the sidewalks with a layer of ice under the snow so you know the going wasn’t easy. I haven’t tried to get the car out of the garage this week. The streets especially ours are so slick I am afraid I would turn around trying to stop. There is some traffic but I notice the cars go rather slow. The band concert was very nice. We took Bobby Funk and he enjoyed it very much. When I was there (at Funks) yesterday afternoon I took Donnie up and changed him. I never saw such a baby. It doesn’t

[page 4] seem possible for him to be so big at 4 months. However I told you once before about Elizabeth & Bud Wilson’s baby – at 3 months he weighed 17 lbs and looked like he was 6 mo. old. Our David isn’t like that but he is developing very normally – makes an average ½ lb a week gain.

C. Foulks just came and brought the children some gifts – I didn’t have hers ready yet – in fact I haven’t had a chance to finish my Christmas shopping. This weather I have been talking about has been a handicap.

I tried to call Floyd & Ruth to tell them we would stay home Christmas but they didn’t answer so must be on a company trip. I wrote to your Mother that we would stay home. I ordered a chicken today and it is a fry so John, Mark & I will eat our Christmas dinner at home. Since David is satisfied with milk & Pablum won’t bother him much about special days.

I feel a little on the dull side today so this letter may not be worth the 6¢ it takes to send it but I have stopped several times since I started and broken what constructive though I might have had. Will try to do better next time and get my 6¢ worth –

Love Mother

P.S. I called the enterprise about the visit of Uncle Wes & Paul Harris but they didn’t get give the item much space.

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/09/09/6-cents-worth-gladys/

The mail was better today (Roscoe)

Letter transcription:

Dec. 13, 1942

Dear Mother,

Nick Krull, circa 1960

Nick Krull, circa 1960

The mail was better today. Got two letters dated Nov. 25 from you, and one dated Oct. 14 from you – a package from Boonie – (a box of candy) a letter from John – V-mail and two birthday greetings from Nick & Dorothy. One of the greetings wasn’t very nice and Dorothy wouldn’t have her name to it so she sent another with both their names. I guess all of our mail will finally get here. John said he was down in the dumps because didn’t have meat for dinner. After all if a fellow is hungry he isn’t very happy.

I’ve written the folks their usual weekly letter today. Wrote it just before chow and it is after church now. We had a visiting Chaplin give the sermon tonite a change now and then is pretty good.

Today has really been hot. I believe it’s the hottest day we have had even in our hut it was hot. We’ll have to get us an electric fan now – maybe – again it seems pretty definite that we probably will stay here for some time – and now that you

[page 2]know where we are it won’t be so bad. Today’s letters were the first with the new address and I suppose the next ones will have the addition that were attached a day or two after the first address came out. Fred got a package from his wife – Had – candy – nuts a pipe – cigarettes etc. The peanuts were very tough but still good. I’ll have to write the Krulls and the Boones and I almost forgot – Otto Paul. His letter would come thru. I’ve already wrote you about that so you tell Boonie and he can send him the stuff and I won’t have to write.

I wrote Joe Roberts the other day but didn’t have to use all the address left off the San Francisco part. The P.M. told me here it wasn’t necessary to send it back to San F. If Mrs. R. don’t know where he is you should tell her because I wrote it to you. Wish I could go over from Christmas but it’s to[o] far to paddle a row boat. He should get my letter in pretty short order, but it would be as hard for him to get over here

[page 3] as me there.

Dr. Huth took some pictures the other day and we developed them in the Xray tank and today we tried printing some of them. I’d almost forgotten how it was done but we got a few out. Our fixer solution isn’t quite right for pictures because they turn yellow around the edges. It seemed I was the only one who knew anything about printing and that wasn’t much because it‘s been years & years since. I had the carpenter make the frame. I think I told you something of that last night – well we had no glass so we just had two boards one with a hole slightly smaller than the film. In time we should get pretty good – especially if we can get the Corpsman to do the work. I’m going to have to have a Corpsman when I get home to do the work for me. It’s just like having a colored maid. Maybe I’ll get over being lazy. I hope.

Have a boy in the hospital now with hands just like yours used to be. Of course, we have no zimocol but I’m giving him Hcl just the same. He got his washing his hands

[page 4] in some kind of soap he thinks. Or maybe he had to wash dishes. Could be the same as yours and maybe not.

The original four members of the Rotary Club: Paul Harris is on the far right, while Silvester Schiele (Roscoe’s uncle) is second from the left.

Guess you were somewhat honored to have Paul Harris as your guest even though it wasn’t but a little time. Wish I could have been – there- It’s a little late now but you must get that in the paper. I mean it – call Bart and tell him Uncle was along and Paul H. The founder of Rotary was with him. Make a nice little story. Things like that don’t happen every day. Maybe you have already done so – if not do it. I can read it too if and when the paper gets here.

Well, must stop and rest – work or write another letter – don’t know which –

With lots of Love

Daddy

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/08/25/the-mail-was-b…r-today-roscoe/

Thanksgiving 1942 (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Nov 26 – 1942

Dear Daddy –

Thanksgiving Day and lunch over – including David’s. He just finished his 2 P.M. feeding. We lunched rather lightly because we are going to Krulls for supper and thought we had better go with good appetites. It is cold today but sunny. We did a small washing and the clothes froze while hanging them out so that can give you an idea of how crisp it is. Yesterday it was warm enough to hang things without gloves on. This kind of weather make me want a warm coat but really haven’t had an opportunity to get one yet. The mail was delivered this morning but no letters from you. I am anxious to get the letters you sent the money in so I can report to you. The one mailed the 18th came yesterday but there are three or four previous to that date that haven’t come yet. They often come in such a manner. Yesterday one came dated the 11th and I had already received the 12-13-14-& 15th.

John and Mark are washing dishes and being very pokey this

[page 2]being a holiday they aren’t very fast doing things. John’s report card was better this month than Mark’s. I mean John raised some of his grades and Mark dropped on his. Mark got A+ on Band but that was the only grade that high.

Uncle Wes stopped again this morning. He and Paul Harris were returning to Chi. Maybe he and Aunt Jessie will come down Sunday to spend the day – since gas rationing will start Monday. He thought I could get a better rating for gas on the strength of collecting bills, but I told him no. He was trying to tell me how to collect some of those accounts but I doubt if anything short of suing would get some – or most. The  check Amel Taylor gave me that bounced I put back in the bank and they are to run it though when & if he puts any more money on deposit. We should be able to collect all those accounts – the way most people are making money now. If I thought it would do any good I would send you a list and have you mail statements from there and make a plea – but I suppose it would be a waste of paper & air mail stamps.

I gave you Dr. Joe’s address some time back but will give it to you again so in case you didn’t get the first you might possibly run into him but that would be almost too good wouldn’t it? I went to see her two weeks ago and she wasn’t home. I should go again before rationing starts.

[page 3] I don’t know why, but it gives me such satisfaction to put a real address on your letters. Maybe you will get better mail service now. I hope. Just hope you get the birthday box & cards we sent.  You should get your Mother’s box before Christmas because she didn’t specify it as Christmas mail. We were instructed to mark all boxes intended for that date as such.

The Zell girls brought some ice cream over for the boys. It had turkey figures on it. They said their Daddy was coming over to clean out our furnace this afternoon. I told them to thank him but John and I had already done the job. I don’t mind having people do things for us we can’t do ourselves but I want to do all we can. Link said he would clean the leaves out of the guttering and I think I’ll let him do that job. Now that the leaves are all off it can be done.

I have been thinking about Christmas gifts for your Mother & Dad and I believe I will send them a subscription for Reader’s Digest. While here this week she read some from ours and I believe she & Dad would enjoy them. Kenneth said he liked to read them. I showed him some articles we had read and he read them and said he thought they were good. That is the most I had been around Kenneth. He certainly is a fine boy. He seemed to enjoy his visit and I [he] never seemed to be bored like some his age would have been without someone his

[page 4] own age to be with.

Bart told me he had written you and filled his letter with town gossip so that takes care of that sort of news and I won’t try to include such in my letters – in fact I don’t know much about the local scandals.

There was a notice from the Laf. Life Ins. to the effect if you want a urine [?] analysis you may have a free examination – but I hardly think you will be interested. There were slips from John Hancock for those dividends we take off our premiums every year. I don’t know whether I am sure about what to do with them or not – as you remember we have had a mix up on that every time. Don’t worry about the taxes. Agnes is taking care of things in that line for us, so just forget about it. I won’t quote the bank bal. today but will give you a report after the checks come the first of Dec. I haven’t been spending anything but am getting a chest of drawers for the baby things. It is in the unfinished wood and will fit in the den with some shelves of the same make. I am getting this from Sears. You know the shelves we wanted to put in the Den when we built the house. Now that we can drive only so far a week and aren’t spending money on much else I thought I could squeeze out enough to buy the things I mentioned and maybe consider would you want me to send you a good wrist watch? Let me know – if so I will

Love –
Mother (over)

J.M. Roberts Lt Cmdr Mobile Hosp #4 U.S.N.R. Fulcrum c/o P.M. San Francisco Calif.

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/07/21/thanksgiving-1942-gladys/

Happy Birthday Roscoe (Gladys)

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Nov 25 – 1942

Dear Daddy –

Happy Birthday again. We sent cards but don’t know yet whether you received them. Dorothy Krull called this morning to be sure about your address and your letter telling of your New Caledonia address came so I told her. She is sending you a birthday card and said you would know she remembered it, although you wouldn’t get the card till later. Remember last year how we surprised you? I didn’t get a cake baked today. Your mother & Kenneth left – was going to leave about 9 a.m. and I said if they waited till the mail came maybe there would be a letter from you and there were two, so I gave your Mother your new address too. It was about 9:30 or a little later when they left. I had to hurry then and bathe the baby and feed him. I managed to get a washer full of clothes going and things straightened up a little when Uncle Wes stopped. He and Paul Harris had been making some trips and were on their way to Monticello. I gave him your new ad. And he said if you didn’t get the letter he

[page 2] wrote about the baby, he has a copy and will send the same letter again. Also he is going to send you the maps you want. Said he had just the thing. I read that part of your letter to him. The letters you sent with the money for all of us haven’t come yet. Probably will come this evening or in the morning (I hope). This is another unusually pretty fall day so think I’ll take David out after while. I hung out some white things today it was so sunny. Kenneth’s deferment is up the first of the year. He wanted to go to Laf. to inquire about enlisting in the Air Corps but it was so late when they left here I doubt if they went that way. They were going to stop in Rockville to see Uncle Charlie and I think your mother was getting in a hurry to get home.

I have to go to the Court House and get a certified copy of my power of attorney and send to Dan W. Flickinger so they can mark their records for the addition of David to the policies. I signed the necessary form but they have to see the “power of attorney.”

It is almost 4 P.M. so I must get along with this little “feller” and get in the sunshine.

Love Mother

One of your two letters today came in 7 days.

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/06/26/happy-birthday-roscoe-gladys/

Silvester Schiele

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/