SentLetters

“I was half hoping you would say to hell with soldiers, crowds, adn governmental requests and thus give me an excuse for coming (not a good one I grant you that - but an excuse nonetheless”

“particularly after seeing that movie short (which really prompted my last letter) and this week’s Life”

Norma talks about the oil shortage and how they have to keep their home extremely cold, sometimes rooms get as low as 20 degrees. Man that is frigid!

She talks about a movie short, and this month’s issue of Life as if they are talking about something very important. Ideas?

I really like the “For Victory Buy War Bonds” stamps at the bottom of every page. Does anyone know what the “Office of Price Administration” is?

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Sometimes this project is frustrating and exciting, but especially frustrating right now as I am posting these letters from an unknown time. I am posting them out of order from the rest of the letters. So I am getting a sneak peak of what is to come, but it makes absolutely no sense to me yet. Its like someone continuing a conversation from the middle that they started with someone else 70 years ago! I wish I knew more about what is going on here. Only time will help me find out.This project creates little historical mysteries for me, that inevitable leave me scouring the internet for clues. As I get into the meat of this collection of letters, I hope to find more clues as to the time in which these letters belong, so I can get more information about what they are talking about in the letters!

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“… something awfully embarrassing happened on the train. Just as I stepped on, both garters on my right leg unsnapped and I clutched my knee with one hand. People must have thought i was hunched back or I had to ‘do my duty’ because i was hobbling down the aisle in a very peculiar manner.”

I find it a little humorous that she was playing “Mahj” (Mahjong) until 2:00 and lost the significant amount of13 cents. That amount now would probably be equivalent to dollars. At first it seems silly because one usually compares it to the current rate of exchange without considering that this letter is somewhere in the range of 60-80 years old.

I really liked this commentary on parents (Don’t we all feel this way at some point?):

“No reasonable, logical, simple explanation on my part will convice them that they are wrong, pig-headed, stubborn, and generally dumb…”

Then in a moment of understanding and seeming forgiveness, she finishes the letter with:

” - however I feel that time will smooth it over.”

I know that it is hard to see in the scan, but there are two lip drawings on the page after Alice signs the letter. One is for Norma, and the other for Ella. This leads me to believe that Norma and Ella are sisters, or at the very least good friends.

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Envelope:

Free

From -
LT. W.F. Hogan
Naval Supp. Corps School
Galatin - C-26
Soldiers Fields STA
Boston, Mass

Miss Mary Sherwood
Bolivar, N.Y.

Letter:

Fri. P.M.

Mary dear -

No mail from anybody at home yet. Hope you have received my address by this time and that something ill be coming along tomorrow.

I have been “bending my elbow” this afternoon. After class my roomieand I walked over to Harvard Sq., about 1/2 mi. We have to wear our garrison caps, the kind you like, when off the post. This area is alive with Navy and Army men - so I am bending my elbow most of my way up and down the street acknowledging salutes.

There is about the same number of Naval men over at Harvard Sq. as here, approximately 1000.
the Army’s Chaplin School is over there too. If I get a chance I will try and locate ???. Donald Sunday. he will be leaving here soon as their’s is a 30 day Cou?? too.

Hope to get into Boston tomorrow P.M. and get some shoes. Also see a movie, anything to get a change.
Some snow fall her elast nite, about 14 inches. Hope you escaped this one. Going to be cold tonite - clear and about 15 above now.

Wish I could think of something to say. I a m looking for a letter and thinking of you all the time. I don’t have much time to pray now - so you will have to do most of it.

All my love,
Bill

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