September 25 1946

4229 Berwick Avenue.

Toledo 12 Ohio.

25 Sept.1946.

Dearest Mummy,

I’ve just been writing a bunch of such thrilling letters – I’ll tell you who they’re all to- I know you’ll be tickled to see what strange letters I have to write! 

1. The Chairman, Interim Committee on the Interchange of Teachers. 

2. The Toledo Teachers Association. 

3. The British Embassy. 

4. The National Education Association of the United States. 

5. The Department of Justice, Immigration & Naturalization Service.

Most of them are thank yous to all these people for welcoming letters & honorary  memberships etc., but the last one is to report as an alien, which I have to do every 3 months! I get a card from the post office which I fill in- my name, address etc. – isn’t it funny for me to be an alien!

Well, I had my first public speaking engagement today – and got it over very successfully I think. But that is beginning at the end- I have lots of things to tell about before I get to today’s happenings. The last time I wrote a sea letter, full of gory details was on 11th Sept., when I went out to dinner with Kathryn Meyers, so I’ll go on from there.

The next day I had two engagements- the first one to tea with a Miss Gerding – a teacher at DeVilbiss. I think she teaches German- anyway she has visited & studied in Germany & had such strong German sympathies at the beginning of the war, that she was investigated by the F.B.I.! However she seems determined to be very pro-British now, because she’s one of these too, too sickly sweet people, & she oozes over me more than somewhat! I feel towards her pretty much as I feel towards Mrs. Dyer! She & a friend of hers, Miss Warner (also DeVilbis teacher) took me to town to Grace Smith’s- the Toledo restaurant, and we had tea & cinnamon toast – I loved the cinnamon toast & tea anyway & talked brightly all the time! The same Miss Gerding wrote a note offering to take me in her car to the meeting this afternoon – very kind of her, but her way of asking rather put me off – that she would be “very pleased- no, even proud” to take me! Anyway, someone else had already offered! Aren’t I catty? But she’s one of the few people that I’ve met, that I just can’t feel is sincere.

On a Thursday evening I had an invitation out with a Mrs. Atkinson, who rang me up and said that her husband was from N/Cle & a whole lot more about someone I met in the Bank which I couldn’t understand! However I accepted the invitation & thought it included dinner but my sorrow I discovered it didn’t & I sat all evening with only my tea & cinnamon toast in my poor little tummy till about 10 o’clock, when we had a glass of coca-cola & 2 little cookies! Next time I shall know that when I get a 7 o’clock invitation I’m supposed to have eaten first!

Mr. & Mrs. Atkinson came for me in their car & took me to the house of a Mr.& Mrs. Hopper. Mr. Atkinson is Engineer (looks after the heating etc. at one of the high schools) & came over from N/Cle when he was about 20. He’s a real Geordie – still has his Tyneside accent and is full of cracks.  Mrs Atkinson is from Sunderland, but she seems just like an American to me, & is very smart. Mr. & Mrs. Hopper come from Lancashire & they both are still terrifically broad- he is head caretaker of one of the high schools & his son was in the Army in Britain & married an English girl. The English girl just flew over this summer & her Mother came with her for a visit, & it was this lady I’d spoken to in the Bank. Mr. and Mrs. Hopper’s daughter & her husband, & Miss Marie Stoll’s, cousin who was a friend of Mrs. Atkinson’s, were also there, so it was some gathering! I think I told you the English girl was the dumbest little cluck I ever saw- she had a little high squeaky voice & I only heard her utter about twice the whole evening – her name was Ruby! Her Mother was more talkative, but I thought she seemed a silly woman! Catty again! They were all very kind to me & gave me very pressing invitations to visit them & invited me to go with them on a trip to Windsor, Canada with Mr. & Mrs. A., the English Mother & Ruby and her hubby, but I declined as I was busy – but I somehow don’t think it would have been much in my line anyway! Mr. & Mrs. A. took me home, & in the course of the evening we’d talked about the money restrictions from Britain etc. & they shattered me by offering to have me as a guest at their house for the year & not pay anything. It was terribly sweet & kind of them, but of course I couldn’t do such a thing, & anyway I’m so happy with Til & Lois that I’d hate to leave them & they charge me hardly anything. But weren’t they kind? Til saw Mr. A. today & he told her they’d like to have me live with them & she said that she’d got me & she was hanging onto me now! He’d apparently come for me on Sunday to take me to tea, but I was out. I suppose I’d better ring him up and thank him.

Next day there was a meeting after school of the Home Economics Club so Miss Bargman & I stayed & they planned a “Roast”, which is to take place next Friday. It is a sort of picnic with sausages & hamburgers cooked on an outside fireplace & is to be held at one of the girl’s homes. Afterwards Miss Bargman took me to town & we had dinner at the Grace Smith’s Cafeteria. We were joined by Mrs. Sophie Morgan,, who is a great friend of Marie Stoll’s – one of these hard, terrifically smart American middle-aged women, who just about scare the life out of me! She is a “Personal Shopper” for one of the big stores here, & wasn’t quite so alarming after a while- although I hardly feel that she & I would ever get to be buddies! But she has promised to help me get the towels for Irene’s wedding present.

That weekend, I thought I had nothing to do – and of course I hardly had a moment! I spent it with Lois & Til & I began to have meals etc. with them & have done so ever since. When they eat at home & I am in, I eat with them, & if they go out & I’m there, I go too. I give Til $5 for my food, & she pays all the bills – I’m sure it’s not enough, but she says it is & if it costs more, she’ll tell me. The cost of food is really terrific – Til bought some beans for dinner today & they cost 2/- for just a few little old Lima beans. This Saturday morning, I tidied my room & cleaned up & then a vacuum cleaner man came to see Til & we had the loveliest time watching him & the machine & spent the whole morning over it – & she finally bought one! It’s a new type called the Rex, & the whole system is that it sucks up dirt & dust, deposits the dirt in water, & shoots out clean air.

It has a little affair like a little pail with water in a container at the bottom. You can put perfume, or pine essence in the water & just switch the machine on if you like & it scents & refreshes & revitalizes the air- & if you have a cold or sinus trouble, you put Friar’s Balsam in & run it in your bedroom for a few minutes before you go to bed! Then when you want to use it as a vacuum, you put a tube affair on the “In” end & it vacuums the room just ordinarily, except that you can suck up water, clean cigarette ends off ashtrays, & pick up handkerchiefs  – all of which go into the little pail of water, & then the clean air goes out the other end. Afterwards, you remove the pail & empty the water down the la-pomme! You can also use it for polishing floors, painting your house (a spray attachment) & even washing the dog, the man said – oh, & drying your hair! Can you wonder that we listened all morning!

In the afternoon Til had to go to the Lucas County Fair, where she was judging a Children’s Talent Show, so I went along too. I didn’t see any of the Fair, which I was sorry about, because the Talent Show was held at the race track! The track was like this

The stage was just a wooden affair in the blazing sun with not even a chair for the judge – only a piano & a microphone. The races were going on all the afternoon, & in between the races the kids would perform! It was dreadful- Til was horrified & so was I! It went on from 2 – 6, with all the stops for races, & the kids were pretty poor & some just horrible made up tap-dancing, hip- wiggling type, but I couldn’t help being sorry for them! The races were trotting races – the horse is pulling a little thing called a sulky, with the driver sitting on a little seat, & it was quite fun watching the first 2 or 3, but after the 15th & 16th I was tired to death of them! We were quite exhausted by the time we left!

Next day Til & I had a grand washing! My first proper washing since my arrival in the States! But I’d washed things out in my wash basin before, of course. I used the washing machine & it was wonderful. I put in all the cotton clothes, turn to the switch to “Cotton” & switched it on. Water poured in, then I added soap flakes & left it for half an hour- they washed, rinsed & dried the water out as if they’ve been mangled. When I came back all I had to do was hang them on the line! & the same for silk. Isn’t it amazing how they have all these things!

In the afternoon Lois & Til took me out to the Airport as Lois had work to do & I spent the afternoon sitting in the sun, reading. I forgot to tell you that the evening before, after the Fair when Til & I went to the Airport to collect Lois, the Boss’s son Don Corey took me up in an aeroplane – my first flight! He took me up again on the Sunday & I just loved it both times. He took me to the edge of the Lake – it’s 9 miles from Toledo & is apparently not visited much just there as the pleasure resorts are further away & it’s commercialized, but I was glad to see it for the first time. The river which Toledo is on is called the Maumee. After eating on the Sunday evening we went to the house of a friend of Lois and Til’s called Elsie, & she had in a lot of other females – all Physical Education (Gym) teachers & we sat & talked. I was so sleepy I had to smother yawns! That’s just the way I am tonight too, so I’ll leave it till tomorrow – Night, night honey – sleep tight.

Thursday 26 Sept.

Hello – what do you think? I got no less than four letters from you today! At school this morning I got one sent by sea enclosing Marcelle’s & Anne’s letters & posted on the 9th Sept., then when I got home Uncle Artie had sent on two dated 30th Aug. & 4th Sept (this was a 6d. A.M.) and there was also an Air Mail dated 23rd Sept- only three days it took, wasn’t that marvellous? It’s now 27th Sept and I got another 6d. A.M. today dated 11th Sept so it looks to me as if those 6d. A.M.s just come by sea, they take so long, so I don’t think it’s worth your while to send them, do you? All the letters that were just lovely, Mummy – thank you so much- I enjoyed every one of them hugely. When I have finished telling my doings, I’ll go through & answer them properly.

I was sorry to stop writing last night, but somehow I couldn’t settle down to it. Til was at the Radio Station, & Lois and I listened into her programme (it is a small string orchestra and they play light music) which was the last of the series, then we sat and chatted & the time just flew past. 

However, to return to my previous doings- Monday 16th Sept! I didn’t do anything but work! After school I went into town but didn’t do much and came home early. On Tuesday morning, I got up at the crack of dawn (6 o’clock!)- got my breakfast & caught a tram into town where I met Miss Sanger (the supervisor). It was her bright idea to take me to the open air vegetable market to buy the tomatoes we were going to use for canning, which was very nice except that I wasn’t enthusiastic over the early rising! She met me in town & took me in her car to the market – stalls etc. where the farmers bring their goods & we wandered around & bought 1 1/2 bushels of tomatoes – don’t ask me how many lbs. that is- a bushel is a big round basket affair and so a bushel of tomatoes is quite a different number of lbs. to a bushel of potatoes or a bushel of peaches – but it’s a lot!  All very complicated! I also bought a big bunch of gladiolas which I gave to Til later & she was pleased. Miss Sanger drove me + the tomatoes out to school, & left me there, but came back for my 3rd Hour class (Foods 1) and gave a lesson for me. I had asked her previously whether I could please see a D.S. teacher giving a lesson, so as to get some idea of how it compared to our English type of lesson, so she said she’d come & give one for me. It was quite interesting, but I’m still not very clear about how it’s done – I just manage along & I expect I’ll get used to it it eventually! I don’t worry, because after all, what’s the use, and I teach them & they seem to take it in, so that’s the main thing! I didn’t have any disciplinary problem at all except in my home room, there are one or two troublesome boys, but in my D.S. classes they are very good.

On Wednesday one of the teachers at school, Mrs Pauline Backus, gave a tea party to which I was invited. She was a friend of Marie Stoll’s, but seems very nice – she is terrifically tall, about 38, and is jolly – apparently her husband is about 4 – 6 years younger than her & was one of her pupils in High School, but I didn’t meet him! They were about 20 people at the tea, mostly DeV. Teachers- two ex-Home Ec teachers from there- now married and babies, and they were nice too. At a tea here you go into the room, take a plate, napkin & teaspoon off the table, walk to one end and collect a cup of tea from the hostess pouring out, put it on the plate – no saucer – then put in milk, sugar, or lemon or orange or maraschino cherries or cloves!! then collect all the sandwiches, cookies etc. which you think you can eat, also candy and nuts all on your plate and go and sit down & gorge! The sandwiches are most fancy- slices of bread cut into tiny shapes- hearts, diamonds etc. with stuff on top- the stuff on top has usually got mayonnaise or dressing or vinegar in it, so I can’t say that I really enjoy them! I wore my pale blue crêpe suit with short sleeves, black hat, gloves, bag and shoes, as it was a roasting day. We all had quite a joke about this tea, because the same afternoon there was a tea given in the Art Museum (free) for some society and Mr. Herbert Emery (a DeV. teacher who had me to Sunday dinner a little while ago) who is apparently a very queer man, heard from me that I couldn’t go to it as I was going to Miss Backus’, so he seriously went to her & suggested that she could save some money by taking all the people she’d invited to the Art Museum, where they would get a free tea!!

Next day, Thursday, I had another engagement. Another of the teachers, Miss Lovey, invited me to an evening party she was giving- I am the excuse for all these parties – I also feel as if I’m the entertainment too, so I do my best to earn my meals by talking brightly as much as possible, & everyone sits by & listens! They probably think I’m a terrible talker! Miss Lovey also invited Lois to come & said “I thought it would be nice for you to come too & then you could bring Miss Ewing & take her home”! Til & Lois & I had a good laugh over it & Til said that if we worked it properly we should be able to get her invited too, as it was her car, & then we could all go out on my invitations & save lots of money on our meals!! Lois couldn’t go really though, because of her job at the Airport, so another teacher picked me up in her car & brought me home. I’m telling you these little stories so you can see there are some odd people in America too! Miss Lovey’s party wasn’t so much fun as Mrs. Backus’- Mrs. B is a jolly person & Miss L. is very quiet, maybe that was why. We all sat around & no one really got going at all & and then she served coffee & tea & sandwiches at about 10:30 (we went at 8:30) & we didn’t get home until about 12 o’clock.

That week, before I went to all these things I went with Til on Tuesday afternoon to the Radio Station to watch her rehearse for her broadcast. While I was there, she introduced me to one of the announcers, & told him about me & then at the beginning of this week I had a phone call from a Miss Wells asking me if I would broadcast. I went down & saw her about it, & she is in charge of a Programme on Friday afternoons at 3:30 called “Women in the News” & I am to be in it on Oct. 4th. We aren’t going to have a script or anything, but she is just going to ask me questions and I answer them & chatter away. Isn’t it funny? What with flying & broadcasting, I’m having quite a series of new experiences!

On the Friday after Miss Lovey’s do, Til & Lois & I went out to dinner & to see a film “Night & Day” which was very good. It was about the songwriter Cole Porter & had all his music in, & we all enjoyed it. Next day was Saturday, and I intended to go to town, but I never got around to it. I stayed at home & did my ironing instead, & listened to Til giving some piano & violin lessons to little boys & girls, which amused me very much & reminded me of my youth & Miss Shepherd – except Til is just about as different from Miss S. as can be.

In the afternoon Miss Sanger was giving a tea party for me at her apartment to meet all the other Home Ec teachers in the town. Mary Bargman (the other DeV. Home Ec teacher- sewing though) called for me in her car, & took me to the party. Her brother & family live just opposite Miss Sanger, so she parked her car in their “back yard” & took me in to meet her sister-in-law. She was a plump, jolly woman & before I knew what, I was sitting back with a highball in my hand – Mrs Bargman saying I’d need it, if I was going to meet all those people! So we all sat & drank & chatted, & then Mary B. & I went across to Miss. Sanger’s & I was very sociable to everyone! Miss Sanger is a little grey-haired woman who looks like a mouse- she is even smaller than me & has a habit of coming right close up to you when she talks, which disconcerts me rather – I always try & edge away! There were about 30 teachers at the tea & what with all of us crowded into her little apartment & the effects of the highball & 2 cups of tea & the heat, I thought I would visibly drip!! I had on my pale blue again – at Miss Lovey’s I wore the black dress Monie & Marga helped me buy in New York. After the tea was over Mary B. & I left & went back for her car to her brother’s, & were again called in, this time to meet Mr. Bargman & 3 sons aged about 15, 19 & 23- too young for me! We were once more given Highballs, so I went back & told Til & Lois what an alcoholic time I’d had! They were waiting for me to take me to a “roast” that we’d been suddenly asked to, by a friend of theirs, Elsie, & another girl Alice Roulet. Elsie is about 40-ish & has one side of her face paralyzed – she has had all sorts of operations etc. done to it, the last just about a month or so ago, but it doesn’t seem to do any good & she is very self-conscious about it. She is a gym teacher & has just begun teaching again for the 1st time since it happened & finds it very hard. It doesn’t distort her face at all, but makes it kind of expressionless & she can’t move one side or smile or anything. The other girl, Alice, is the Mayor’s daughter, aged about 22 & also a gym teacher & her family was away & the roast was in their garden. We had wieners (sausages) roast corn, coffee, apple pie and ice cream – I nearly popped! Then we went in the house & washed up & sat around & talked.

On Sunday Kathryn Meyers had promised to take me to the Episcopal Church, so she called for me in her car at about 10:30. I wore my blue corduroy suit, black hat etc. & we drove downtown & went to Church. It was just like ours in England- the main difference was the congregation – they looked so gay & glamorous, with flower hats & feather hats & plumes & veils & jewels and furs & colours, that I was quite astounded after the sober styles and colours of our congregations at home. The Vicar was very nice & I liked his sermon very much – and we sang nearly all hymns that I knew. Kathryn’s father was in the choir, and when we came out of church afterwards, I was introduced to the Vicar & quite a lot of people, all of whom were very nice to me. Then we drove back to Kathryn’s home, where I met one of her sisters, Helen who is home for a few days. She is in the Red X & is on a ship bringing G.I. brides over to the U.S.A. – Kathryn was going to get her to take a parcel to England for me & post it to you there, but she wasn’t sure whether she was going to England or not this time. We had a very nice dinner of chicken & then we sat & talked & they brought me home in the afternoon & called to see a lady & gentleman that we met at church, on our way. The man was English, but has been in America a long time.

Monday & Tuesday, I didn’t seem to do anything at all, but Wednesday was the day of my talk. I had it all planned out & parts of it written, so that I knew exactly what I was going to say, but I didn’t even look at it at the time, I just remembered it and talked. I went to work in the morning all dressed up for it, in my blue corduroy suit, black hat etc. as I had to go straight after work. In the middle of the morning along came a Mrs. Schwenke(!) one of the English teachers, & asked me if I’d like to come with her & her class to a lecture at the Art Museum on Ballads. Of course I said yes, & Mr. Nautes thought it would be nice for me to go too, so I put work on the blackboard & after I had lunch, I just stayed for half of my home room and then went. Mrs. S. took me down in her car, & then we went to the lecture which was very interesting & quite a lot of students from the high schools & there was a singer & also some records, & some songs we all sang & there were slides too, of various types of architecture, to go with the period of the ballad, so it was very interesting.  It finished at 3 o’clock & then Miss S took me to the place where the tea was, & I retired & powdered my nose, & then blew in. I was greeted by everyone & presented with a huge corsage of pinky-flame gladiolas & tiny button dahlias, all tied with ribbon. It was gorgeous but by the time I had it draped down one shoulder, I felt positively weighted down! Miss Kaya was there too, & there was a press photographer & reporter, who asked us all sorts of questions. I was too scared to have much tea- only one cup & a piece of cake- and then the Chairman introduced me & up I got. The chairs were like this:-

and we were sitting at one end of the front row, then I got up & stood in front of them all- no platform- no chair or table or anyone beside me. I was scared! But I started off, and soon didn’t mind a bit. I told them about being glad to be there & how there were 76 of us in 28 states & how we all applied & were chosen & how important I think exchange is. Then I told them about the various kinds of schools in England- government schools & private schools & the Ministry of Education and how it runs them all, & then ended by saying what a welcome everyone had given me & how kind & hospitable they were & thanking them very much. I talked for about 15 – 20 minutes & everyone clapped at the end & I was pleased it was over. Miss Kaya came next & she just talked for about 2 minutes about the word “Aloha” and its various meanings & then said that she was going to dance a hula for them. She had on a black dress & she put a white flower in her hair & white garlands around her neck & took off her shoes. She had a gramophone & it played a Hawaiian song & she danced to it. It was quite pretty, but I was most envious because it seemed such an easy way to give it a talk!!. Everyone clapped her too, & then the Chairman said a few words & then they allowed people to ask about 1/2 a dozen questions which we answered & then it was over. I should think every one of the 300 people present came and shook me by the hand & told me how much they’d enjoyed my talk & the DeV. teachers who were there said that they felt proud of me, so I felt quite pleased with myself & just delighted to have it finished with! The cutting I am sending you in my A.M. letter was in the Society page of the paper!

This is now Sunday, so I can give you my weekend’s news! This letter does drag out doesn’t it, but there’s so much to say! On Friday Til went to Columbus. Elsie had to go, so asked Til to go with her, & she was pleased to, as her son Bill is there. Lois and I had the weekend to ourselves then, but of course Lois works at the Airport all day Sat. & Sun. so I only saw her in the evenings. On Friday evening we met the other two gym teachers at DeV. – Jane & Mary- and we had dinner at a very nice place called the Tally Ho. I was talking about the difference between the English & American style of eating & how I’d adopted the American way because I thought I’d better do the same as other people, so Lois decided that for the evening we would all eat English style! Jane & Mary gave up after a few struggles, but Lois persevered & I laughed & laughed because it was so funny seeing them find it so difficult! Afterwards we went to see “The Strange Love of Martha Ivers”, which was queer but interesting.

On Saturday I intended to go downtown early, but Lois was off to the Airport before I ever woke, & what with one thing & another & the long trip by tram (streetcar!) it was 11:30 before I got down. I went to the bank- I limit my visits to 1 a month, to coincide with payday! – then sent off at long last Zinnia’s birthday parcel – I think I told you- a little red & white spotted sun suit, & I enclosed a pretty little pale blue cotton dress for the baby & a book of paper dolls for Zinnia. Then I also sent a box of candy to Anne & Tadek for Tadek’s birthday & one to the Coleridge Staff. I intended sending one to the Sewing Bee & one to you for the “Old Girls” bee, but the man at the Post Office put me off, because he said it would be a wonder if they ever got there, that they would be stolen at the Liverpool customs. He said the worst thieves in the world were there. So I thought I would wait & see whether they got there before sending any more. If they do, then I will, but it seems silly to send a lot & have them stolen, doesn’t it?

After that I bought some writing paper, & envelopes at the 5 & 10 & some balloons & marbles for Peter to put in Dottie’s parcel, & a lipstick for her & one or two little things, & finally had my lunch. Then I went to the big store, Lawson’s, where I have my account, & went to the Shopping Service where Marie Stoll’s friend Sophie Morgan is. She is the smart grey-haired woman who scared me stiff when I first met her, but I quite like her now, & she is rather fun. She took me to the H’hold Linen place & they had no towels in then, but they will on Tuesday, and she is going to get me two sets (bath towel, face towel & wash cloth) in blue & peach, and I also got 2 yards gay pretty patterned tea-towelling & a pair of pure silk stockings, and she is going to have them all gift wrapped & parcelled for sending & delivered to me. Then I’ll take a peek & send them off to Irene for her birthday & wedding present. I think she’ll like it, don’t you? I think the whole thing will cost between 30/- -40/-. After that, Sophie & I went downstairs and had a soda together & she tickled me by asking whether I’d met any MEN in Toledo & when I said no, that she’d have to do something about it! She also said that she told Marie that she would shoot her if she came back from England without a ring – Romance! Talking of Marie, I had a letter from Lillian yesterday & she said that they were all green with jealousy because Marie wore a different pair of silk stockings to work every day! Poor Coleridge staff – I would be jealous too – even here I can’t afford them! She also said that she didn’t think any of them would ever be buddies with Marie, although she seems quite nice, but Lillian said she felt she couldn’t ask around to her attic as it wouldn’t be posh enough!

To go back to my shopping expedition – after I left Sophie I went to try shoes, but I didn’t see any I liked, so I went & looked at coats & ended by buying one. It is a sort of smokey colour- between grey & beige & seems to be very popular this season over here. Everyone scared me beforehand by telling how difficult it was to get coats & how expensive they were etc. etc. & it’s true that there weren’t many to choose from in my size & they said they weren’t getting any more in, but – I like it & I think it is a good coat & very warm. It cost $79 which is nearly £20, but people told me before I’d have to pay over $100, so I didn’t feel it was quite so bad. It is nice material & has a lining & an interlining to make it extra warm. It is shaped in at the waist with a high round neck, but the sleeves are the thing – they are full & then tight at the wrist & when you want to look very smart you pull the tight bit up and have a sort of skirt affect! At the neck there is a tie of blue musquash that you can put on or take off as you like. I think it will be warm & useful over here, as it is roomy enough to wear over a suit too. The only other coat I liked at all was $24- £6 – & it was thin & I don’t think would have been any good in the cold weather. It (My Coat) fitted me perfectly, by the way- wasn’t that amazing?

After all that I went home, & after a while Lois came back & we went out to dinner with another DeV teacher, Mildred Schmidt, a friend of Lois’. We had a nice dinner & then went to DeV. to see a Football Game. All these Games or matches we would call them, are played at night- each school has a proper stadium & arc lights on the field & you pay to go in (except teachers – we get in free!). Then each school’s supporters sit on opposite sides of the stadium, & in one place all the students sit together & they are the Cheering Section- in front of them are about 4 boys and 4 girls who are called Cheer Leaders and they conduct the cheering! Each school has a band, all dressed up in uniform with a Band Leader in front twirling a baton & about 1/2 doz. girls also twirling batons who are Drum Majorettes! They march on the field in turns (the bands I mean) & the school songs are sung & the National Anthem & the teams trot out & finally the game begins. Lois & Mildred tried to explain it to me, but so far I still only have the haziest notion! It looked to me as if everyone was trying to kick everyone else’s teeth in! The school we were playing, Waite High School, is the best football team in Toledo, & by halftime the score to them was 20 to 0! We stayed to watch the bands give another show then – the Waite band was also much better than ours – they did wonderful marching displays & formed a windmill & arms which went round & the drum majorettes were all dressed as Dutch girls – ours did something too, but it was a very poor effort in comparison! So after that we left, and rushed down town to see “Anna & the King of Siam” which was lovely. Irene Dunne & Rex Harrison were in it, & although I loved the book, the picture was just as nice.

Today I have had a very quiet day – I had a bath & washed my hair this morning – did my washing- pressed some of my dresses – wrote an A.M. to you & Pop & wrote this. Til came home at 6:30 & we went out for dinner & gossiped a bit & tomorrow we begin another week!

Now, before I finish, to answer your letters. Thank you for sending Ken’s & Marcelle’s (ELLSMORE!) & Anne’s letters- I’ve written to Anne & will get around to writing to the other two soon! Reading your first letter – or I should say earliest letter of 30th Aug. you say that it is 2 weeks since I left- it is now seven weeks & it seems ages & ages since I saw you, but when I think that 4 weeks at DeV. have gone by, I feel quite surprised. I was tickled in that letter of yours to hear about Winnie’s age- she must be getting like Aunt Phine- quite proud of it! I liked the poem about Absence you sent too- do you remember the one about being “out of your mind”? You were asking about whether I minded your showing my letters to people, & of course I don’t- I’m only too pleased that they’re interested. These long ones are a kind of record of my doings instead of a diary, & I try to work it so that the answering letter and the personal part is at one end, so that you can remove it when you pass it round. I thought these letters & snaps & bits & pieces I send would all make quite a good record, if you would keep them for me. You were also asking about my finances, & so far I can’t really tell. Of course, I am so lucky over Til & Lois being so kind to me, but I really feel I should pay them more- I’ll have to see. At the moment I’m taking £20 a month out of the bank & mean to try & live on that – of course my coat will be extra! – & then I should have plenty left to travel around after the school year is over, but I still have to see.

Re. the things for Monie & Margs & Mill-I haven’t sent them yet! It is so difficult to pack them & some are breakable, so I decided that I would wait & take them at Christmas time when I went. They are so late for the weddings as it is, that I didn’t think a few more months would matter! You asked me about little Mona & if she was pretty- I should say she was cute rather than pretty, but she is very sweet. The others say she looks just like Mill did when she was a kid – she has brown eyes (I think) & brown hair in plaits & was tanned brown too.

I wonder if you saw Joe when he was at Winnie’s & how he enjoyed his holiday in Ireland. I was going to say I wonder if he will write to me, the meanie, but he won’t have my address & I’m sure I don’t know where I could write to him. After all his talk, I see he didn’t stay in Ireland! Is Andy still there? Thank you for sending the Pearl cheque- it hasn’t come yet, but as soon as it does, I’ll sign it at & send it back- every little helps! I am giving another talk this month & some more later on, & some of them I’m going to get paid for- goody! You ask about cleaning my room – I keep it tidy, but on Fridays a distant relative of Til’s comes & cleans the whole house thoroughly- my room included. I don’t I think you need to worry about my room being cold – it gets all the sun there is & of course when it’s really cold the heating is on & I open my “register” & it gets as warm as toast. Lois has put it on tonight & I’m very cosy up here.

I am glad that you are getting to like Dick & I am most intrigued to know how things will go, of course! I agree with you that he is by far the best of Nan’s young men, & I would probably like him better if I knew him a bit more. You mentioned your wedding present to Irene, but I don’t think I know what it is – probably you will have told me in one of your sea letters & I’ll get to know later. I was most interested to hear about your seeing Ruth & the French girl & how “chic” she was. Did Ruth buy anything glamorous in Paris? You say that you’ve told me about meeting the American girl at Mary’s so I shall have to wait and hear about it when your sea letters come – I am pleased that she is nice & I hope she is liking it. To skip to another subject – I haven’t been wearing my white overalls & caps – I got two white aprons & wore them, because it was so hot, but I may get into overalls in the winter! No one seems to care what you wear! The girls just bring aprons from home & wear whatever they please – and 1/2 the time they forget them!

I must stop now as it’s nearly 11 o’clock & I’ve been writing this off and on all day – I don’t think I’ve forgotten to tell you anything except that one evening Lois & Til took me over to see Ruth, Lois’s sister, and her husband & two little kids – David 6, & a little girl 3 or 4, I think. They were sweet, but not as pretty as Marga’s Alan I don’t think – he is really a beautiful boy.

My love to all the girls & to Maud & Bella & Winnie & Mrs. Johnny. I hope that you & Pop are keeping well & free from colds, & my love to him too. Does he ever say anything about me or what I do? 

Lots and lots of love for you 

  from 

      Cyn