Dear Bob,
Your decision to use "MM" in your letters I find most commendable. I'm sure she and all her
descendents will be ever indebted to you. This action is another example of the discretion I have found so typical in all your actions.
My intended Winter Carnival date never answered my letter, so Bob, my next door neighbor, a brother, and a Montanan, is fixing me up with someone from home who goes to Smith in Mass. She'll probably show up with boots, a ten gallon hat, a gun on each hip and call me "pardner" the entire weekend.
And what "drunken mob" propositioned me over the phone? If you mean S et al, they welcomed in the New Year, S assured me with cokes. And I have never been propositioned in my life, alas,
As far as your academy award phone call is concerned, S said in her letter that she was sure J wasn't drunk, and she didn't think I was drunk. No mention was made of you. I suggest you avoid the subject of liquor when MM comes up later this week.
The weather here has been wintry, and today is the first time in five days we haven't had snow. There is about two feet of it on the ground now.
My finals start Wednesday, and my last one is next Tuesday. Then comes Carnival.
I'll be looking for a letter from you early next week when you can tell me how the 24th and the 25th went.
Tom
Sunday, December 30, 2012
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Jan. 16, 1958
Dear Thom,
I have just now finished a carefully phrased letter to M, henceforth to be referred to as MM, for purposes of convenience and future concealment when these letters are eventually published.
Again I am forced to depend on G for transportation to and from the dance. Wait until I win my Thunderbird.
Have you decided on you date for the Vinter Karnival yet? Also, have you received any letters from that drunken mob that was propositioning you over the phone?
I have been reading your copy of the "Dirtmouth" and it occurred to me that you should begin to carefully eye the "61s" on the staff, if you hope to prevent a similar "bloody coup" come next May. Don't forget you may be the night editor on duty who gets to speak the immortal words, "Gnarmmpht Selzerrnicque" as they carry you away.
In deference to you I am listening to "Gunsmoke". It does not sound especially interesting, but then again it's not too bad.
The dance is the night of the 24th. If all goes well, I may take her out on the 25th also; However, after my academy award winning phone call, I may be reading chess books or popping corn on the night of the 24th. "Gunsmoke" has ended with the usual volley of shots and demise of the villain. Dillon, cleverly using Chester to do all the dirty work, emerged unscathed, philosophizing all over the place.
I was caught yelling in the hallways and have to see the Rector. Aren't you sorry you didn't go to a pro-Christ school?
Bob
"Duetschland ueber alles"
I have just now finished a carefully phrased letter to M, henceforth to be referred to as MM, for purposes of convenience and future concealment when these letters are eventually published.
Again I am forced to depend on G for transportation to and from the dance. Wait until I win my Thunderbird.
Have you decided on you date for the Vinter Karnival yet? Also, have you received any letters from that drunken mob that was propositioning you over the phone?
I have been reading your copy of the "Dirtmouth" and it occurred to me that you should begin to carefully eye the "61s" on the staff, if you hope to prevent a similar "bloody coup" come next May. Don't forget you may be the night editor on duty who gets to speak the immortal words, "Gnarmmpht Selzerrnicque" as they carry you away.
In deference to you I am listening to "Gunsmoke". It does not sound especially interesting, but then again it's not too bad.
The dance is the night of the 24th. If all goes well, I may take her out on the 25th also; However, after my academy award winning phone call, I may be reading chess books or popping corn on the night of the 24th. "Gunsmoke" has ended with the usual volley of shots and demise of the villain. Dillon, cleverly using Chester to do all the dirty work, emerged unscathed, philosophizing all over the place.
I was caught yelling in the hallways and have to see the Rector. Aren't you sorry you didn't go to a pro-Christ school?
Bob
"Duetschland ueber alles"
Friday, November 30, 2012
Jan. 12, 1958
Dear Bob,
Once more this observer is writing from the fabled playground of the East, New Hampshire, and as I look out my window this early Sunday afternoon, a not uncommon sight is a gaily-clad person skiing down the sidewalk in the direction of the golf course ski tow. We have six inches of snow on the ground, and temperatures well below freezing.
Such weather, as you might guess, doesn't exactly encourage Frisbee contests, so I've had to turn elsewhere for entertainment. I've found it mainly in playing whist a game in which I'm unfortunately losing much money.
The other day, short on money, I decided to find a less expensive method of wasting time, so one of the fellows down the hall and I decided to construct icicles. We finally ended up constructing an elaborate system of troughs and tubing for conveying water from the faucet in the john out the window, down a rope reaching from the fourth floor to the ground. Since the temperature was well below zero, we soon had an icicle four stories in length and of a considerable diameter. Unfortunately, the rope was unable to support the weight, and when we inspected our fully-automatic icicle machine in the morning we found the icicle forming a huge mound of ice on the ground. We used so much ingenuity in making our icicle machine that I feel I am wasting my time in liberal arts.
I wrote S a letter last week, but I'm afraid I tried to "snow" her too much. I told her what a nice time I had, etc. and then asked her to go see the Dartmouth Glee Club concert in Chicago if I get home for spring vacation. I received a letter from her last Thursday, and while it wasn't spectacular it was promising. You may construe that as you like.
Anyway, she accepted my invitation, and now all I have to do is get home.
Fortunately (unfortunately?) I haven't been pining away about her, for I can't remember what she looks like, but I asked her to send me a picture, so fond, torturing memories may be returning very shortly. My finals start a week from Wednesday, so I probably won't write again 'til after Carnival. I've invited that girl from Cortland College in N.Y., but she hasn't answered yet. She must be of the leave-them-hanging-by-the-thumbs school.
With radiator hissing, this reporter bids you fond farewell from this winter wonderland.
Tom
Once more this observer is writing from the fabled playground of the East, New Hampshire, and as I look out my window this early Sunday afternoon, a not uncommon sight is a gaily-clad person skiing down the sidewalk in the direction of the golf course ski tow. We have six inches of snow on the ground, and temperatures well below freezing.
Such weather, as you might guess, doesn't exactly encourage Frisbee contests, so I've had to turn elsewhere for entertainment. I've found it mainly in playing whist a game in which I'm unfortunately losing much money.
The other day, short on money, I decided to find a less expensive method of wasting time, so one of the fellows down the hall and I decided to construct icicles. We finally ended up constructing an elaborate system of troughs and tubing for conveying water from the faucet in the john out the window, down a rope reaching from the fourth floor to the ground. Since the temperature was well below zero, we soon had an icicle four stories in length and of a considerable diameter. Unfortunately, the rope was unable to support the weight, and when we inspected our fully-automatic icicle machine in the morning we found the icicle forming a huge mound of ice on the ground. We used so much ingenuity in making our icicle machine that I feel I am wasting my time in liberal arts.
I wrote S a letter last week, but I'm afraid I tried to "snow" her too much. I told her what a nice time I had, etc. and then asked her to go see the Dartmouth Glee Club concert in Chicago if I get home for spring vacation. I received a letter from her last Thursday, and while it wasn't spectacular it was promising. You may construe that as you like.
Anyway, she accepted my invitation, and now all I have to do is get home.
Fortunately (unfortunately?) I haven't been pining away about her, for I can't remember what she looks like, but I asked her to send me a picture, so fond, torturing memories may be returning very shortly. My finals start a week from Wednesday, so I probably won't write again 'til after Carnival. I've invited that girl from Cortland College in N.Y., but she hasn't answered yet. She must be of the leave-them-hanging-by-the-thumbs school.
With radiator hissing, this reporter bids you fond farewell from this winter wonderland.
Tom
Saturday, November 17, 2012
Dec. 12, 1967
Dear Thom,
Your last letter on Eastern sadism as it is practiced at Dartmouth moved me deeply, although I imagine it moved you much more deeply. I fail to realize why man's inhumanity to man must continue; however I suppose out of such practices the seeds of tradition spring. I trust your days of torture are over.
I am going to work for the P.O. this year I think, I have to go into the main P.O. in Chicago this Saturday (14th) for an interview - - 7 bucks shot on train fare.
The tests are still coming thick and fast. They are going to screw me before Christmas or die trying.
Time to go to breakfast. I'll finish when I come back. Got to put on my Engineer boots - - 8 inches of new snow.
- - Breakfast- -
I have returned across the barren wastes of the quadrangle to complete this letter.
Joke of the week:
Russia's latest attempt to be first in everything. They are going to put three live cows in their next satellite.
It will be the first herd shot round the world.
I'll be home for x'mas.
Bob
Your last letter on Eastern sadism as it is practiced at Dartmouth moved me deeply, although I imagine it moved you much more deeply. I fail to realize why man's inhumanity to man must continue; however I suppose out of such practices the seeds of tradition spring. I trust your days of torture are over.
I am going to work for the P.O. this year I think, I have to go into the main P.O. in Chicago this Saturday (14th) for an interview - - 7 bucks shot on train fare.
The tests are still coming thick and fast. They are going to screw me before Christmas or die trying.
Time to go to breakfast. I'll finish when I come back. Got to put on my Engineer boots - - 8 inches of new snow.
- - Breakfast- -
I have returned across the barren wastes of the quadrangle to complete this letter.
Joke of the week:
Russia's latest attempt to be first in everything. They are going to put three live cows in their next satellite.
It will be the first herd shot round the world.
I'll be home for x'mas.
Bob
Sunday, November 11, 2012
Dec. 1, 1957
Dear Bob,
How the mighty have fallen! First we and then Oklahoma! What's the world coming to? I suppose the nodamners were very happy to have pulled the upset of the year. There was black crepe paper hanging everywhere on our campus that weekend. Maybe next year.
In your last letter you mentioned the song "Peggy Sue", is that the one that goes:
"Peggy Sue
I'd like to conjugate with you"?
Your last letter was very entertaining. I noticed the cardboard cylinder containing it only when I was on my way to my sociology hour exam, and, not realizing its length, I started reading it.
I was five minutes late for the exam.
Speaking of being late for exams, I pulled a real boner last week for my economics exam; I thought it was to start at 7:30 when it really began at 7. I walked in at 7:25, and my prof rushed up to me with a sick(ening?) look on his face and asked me what had happened. Taken
askance, I asked him what the hell right he had to start the exam without me. He quickly apologized, and at the same time he offered to give me some extra time; but not to obligate myself to him I refused and finished the exam in thirty-five minutes. I'm dying to see my mark!
Speaking of death and related topics, I would suggest that you desist from rolling up your
voluminous letters until they resemble a cigarette unless you are o the opinion that your
unexpected death would result in your joining the heavenly choirs as a scroll-roller.
I'm sorry to hear that you have been so influenced by the School of Economics that you think nothing of defacing the very premises in which you live. Such is the corrosive power of greed.
Last Monday night was Hell Night at my fraternity. By virtue of my having endured that evening, I am now in a position to assume the full responsibilities and privileges of a brother next week at our initiation.
We were forced to do different things on Hell Night - - mostly things of a degrading nature. We (twenty-two of us pledges) had to sit in a very small room (its name will give you some indication of its size; it's called the Maidenhead.) and smoke cheap cigars for about twenty minutes.
We then had to disrobe down to our shorts and had to crawl on our hands and knees all through the house while the sadistic brothers used paddles to prod us along. We had to crawl on our hands and knees up two flights of stairs, and then we had to swallow a couple of pills which were supposed to make us piss green for two days. Evidently I didn't take enough pills for I have noticed no unusual reactions. My eyeballs turned green, but that's a usual reaction at this time of year - - the Christmas season.
We then had to crawl down into the basement and there received more abuses, e.g. voice standing in back of bright light . "Do you love the brothers?" Feather-covered pledge sitting on cake of ice while someone pours cold water down his back: "No, No, No!" Voice, etc. "You ungrateful son-of-a bitch!" followed quickly by cold and hot water alternately. Voice etc. reiterates question. Feather-covered etc: "Yes, Yes, Yes!!" voice etc: "Hey guys look, we've got a fairy in the house!!"
Returning once more to civilization, I spent Thanksgiving vacation in a Cistercian monastery in
Spencer, Mass. I have not, am not, and will not consider becoming a monk. The monastery was nice to take a tour through, but I wouldn't want to live there.
I should get home for Christmas on the 15th and will be looking forward to seeing you soon thereafter.
Tom
P.S. I have enclosed an article from "Ivy Magazine" thinking you might like to be the Frisbee organizer on your campus.
How the mighty have fallen! First we and then Oklahoma! What's the world coming to? I suppose the nodamners were very happy to have pulled the upset of the year. There was black crepe paper hanging everywhere on our campus that weekend. Maybe next year.
In your last letter you mentioned the song "Peggy Sue", is that the one that goes:
"Peggy Sue
I'd like to conjugate with you"?
Your last letter was very entertaining. I noticed the cardboard cylinder containing it only when I was on my way to my sociology hour exam, and, not realizing its length, I started reading it.
I was five minutes late for the exam.
Speaking of being late for exams, I pulled a real boner last week for my economics exam; I thought it was to start at 7:30 when it really began at 7. I walked in at 7:25, and my prof rushed up to me with a sick(ening?) look on his face and asked me what had happened. Taken
askance, I asked him what the hell right he had to start the exam without me. He quickly apologized, and at the same time he offered to give me some extra time; but not to obligate myself to him I refused and finished the exam in thirty-five minutes. I'm dying to see my mark!
Speaking of death and related topics, I would suggest that you desist from rolling up your
voluminous letters until they resemble a cigarette unless you are o the opinion that your
unexpected death would result in your joining the heavenly choirs as a scroll-roller.
I'm sorry to hear that you have been so influenced by the School of Economics that you think nothing of defacing the very premises in which you live. Such is the corrosive power of greed.
Last Monday night was Hell Night at my fraternity. By virtue of my having endured that evening, I am now in a position to assume the full responsibilities and privileges of a brother next week at our initiation.
We were forced to do different things on Hell Night - - mostly things of a degrading nature. We (twenty-two of us pledges) had to sit in a very small room (its name will give you some indication of its size; it's called the Maidenhead.) and smoke cheap cigars for about twenty minutes.
We then had to disrobe down to our shorts and had to crawl on our hands and knees all through the house while the sadistic brothers used paddles to prod us along. We had to crawl on our hands and knees up two flights of stairs, and then we had to swallow a couple of pills which were supposed to make us piss green for two days. Evidently I didn't take enough pills for I have noticed no unusual reactions. My eyeballs turned green, but that's a usual reaction at this time of year - - the Christmas season.
We then had to crawl down into the basement and there received more abuses, e.g. voice standing in back of bright light . "Do you love the brothers?" Feather-covered pledge sitting on cake of ice while someone pours cold water down his back: "No, No, No!" Voice, etc. "You ungrateful son-of-a bitch!" followed quickly by cold and hot water alternately. Voice etc. reiterates question. Feather-covered etc: "Yes, Yes, Yes!!" voice etc: "Hey guys look, we've got a fairy in the house!!"
Returning once more to civilization, I spent Thanksgiving vacation in a Cistercian monastery in
Spencer, Mass. I have not, am not, and will not consider becoming a monk. The monastery was nice to take a tour through, but I wouldn't want to live there.
I should get home for Christmas on the 15th and will be looking forward to seeing you soon thereafter.
Tom
P.S. I have enclosed an article from "Ivy Magazine" thinking you might like to be the Frisbee organizer on your campus.
Saturday, November 10, 2012
Nov. 18, 1957 (Continued)
As if that wasn't enough, the administration is on my neck because of the signs I put up on the face of the hall on football weekends (home games).
I was merely trying to actively compete with the other halls for the money of the irrational consumers, but they (the administration) felt that a sign 16 ft. long and 8 ft. wide demanding that
one and all "Eat Here" in bright vermillion letters was carrying the profit motive too far, especially since it was accompanied by 3 lesser signs, "We Give Green Stamps", "Eat at Howard Hall", and "Recommended by Duncan Hines", each 8 ft. by 4 ft. and in various colors.
After the Pitt game, I was given a blunt note to the effect that I must never erect an edifice of that nature again.
Well you can imagine their consternation when I put the same signs up for the Navy game
(I'm not in Commerce for nothing).
I have just now received another note threatening dire things if I stage another performance for the Iowas game this Saturday. I have not yet decided what to do.
As you can see I have been very busy, what with fighting the administration, the hall council, the fauna indigenous to the 4th floor, and the elements (It was 45 degrees in my room at 5:00 A.M. this morning). I'm going to have to weather strip the windows.
As for P. I wrote her one letter which she answered. I wrote her another letter which she did not answer. From this I must assume that I am no longer an integral part of her life (ho, ho that's a good one).
If you can think of a good reason for writing to her, I suggest you do so, if you are still interested in her. I feel that you will meet with better success than I did.
In my last letter to her I implied that because of my business commitments (sandwich concession) I would be unable to enjoy her company down here. This may have influenced her
decision to terminate our correspondence.
However, I don't think this is the case. I believe she merely found greener pastures. I still think very highly of her; in fact I was about to declare that she indeed was "the Indies" when unfortunately the friendly natives began making hostile overtures.
What I want to find is a girl who will at least write and tell me that she is no longer going to write to me. It is unnerving to be abruptly cut off.
As I have stated before, I feel she is rather found of you. The chief reason for this is that you ignore her on occasions, such as fooling with K in the water and disregarding P, also you
tease her consistently while I on the other hand do everything I can to patronize her. The result of this is, I believe, that she has fathomed me completely while she cannot quite figure you out. She naturally is interested in discovering if you really like her or not. This thought came to me
last night. I may be way off base, but right now is sounds pretty good. however, for all I know
she might be pushing a baby carriage by now.
I have been three days in writing this letter. I think I'm about done. Parts of this may not make sense. I.m not going to reread it. It's too damn long.
No, we didn't get any snow down here when Chicago did. We haven't had any snow yet, except for one day.
I guess that's about all. I'll try to write more often.
In summing up the "P" situation I suggest you write. If she is not going steady or worse, you
should score.
I have to get a new pen.
Bob
I was merely trying to actively compete with the other halls for the money of the irrational consumers, but they (the administration) felt that a sign 16 ft. long and 8 ft. wide demanding that
one and all "Eat Here" in bright vermillion letters was carrying the profit motive too far, especially since it was accompanied by 3 lesser signs, "We Give Green Stamps", "Eat at Howard Hall", and "Recommended by Duncan Hines", each 8 ft. by 4 ft. and in various colors.
After the Pitt game, I was given a blunt note to the effect that I must never erect an edifice of that nature again.
Well you can imagine their consternation when I put the same signs up for the Navy game
(I'm not in Commerce for nothing).
I have just now received another note threatening dire things if I stage another performance for the Iowas game this Saturday. I have not yet decided what to do.
As you can see I have been very busy, what with fighting the administration, the hall council, the fauna indigenous to the 4th floor, and the elements (It was 45 degrees in my room at 5:00 A.M. this morning). I'm going to have to weather strip the windows.
As for P. I wrote her one letter which she answered. I wrote her another letter which she did not answer. From this I must assume that I am no longer an integral part of her life (ho, ho that's a good one).
If you can think of a good reason for writing to her, I suggest you do so, if you are still interested in her. I feel that you will meet with better success than I did.
In my last letter to her I implied that because of my business commitments (sandwich concession) I would be unable to enjoy her company down here. This may have influenced her
decision to terminate our correspondence.
However, I don't think this is the case. I believe she merely found greener pastures. I still think very highly of her; in fact I was about to declare that she indeed was "the Indies" when unfortunately the friendly natives began making hostile overtures.
What I want to find is a girl who will at least write and tell me that she is no longer going to write to me. It is unnerving to be abruptly cut off.
As I have stated before, I feel she is rather found of you. The chief reason for this is that you ignore her on occasions, such as fooling with K in the water and disregarding P, also you
tease her consistently while I on the other hand do everything I can to patronize her. The result of this is, I believe, that she has fathomed me completely while she cannot quite figure you out. She naturally is interested in discovering if you really like her or not. This thought came to me
last night. I may be way off base, but right now is sounds pretty good. however, for all I know
she might be pushing a baby carriage by now.
I have been three days in writing this letter. I think I'm about done. Parts of this may not make sense. I.m not going to reread it. It's too damn long.
No, we didn't get any snow down here when Chicago did. We haven't had any snow yet, except for one day.
I guess that's about all. I'll try to write more often.
In summing up the "P" situation I suggest you write. If she is not going steady or worse, you
should score.
I have to get a new pen.
Bob
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Nov. 18, 1957
Dear Thom,
I'm sorry about my dilatory corresponding, but I have been going around in circles for the past --
well since I wrote you last. I haven't written a letter in weeks. I assembled all the letters I have
received and not answered and picked the one with the earliest postmark. It was yours. Lucky
fellow.
So I am sitting here now at my desk listening to a very inspiring song entitled "Peggy Sue" I believe. Those are the only two words I can understand anyway. I have decided to drop the
Rock & Roll controversy. It's not worth arguing about.
The mid-terms had me going for a while, but they're all through now.
The hall council decided to investigate my books, and they discovered that no one could read them except me. Accusations were leveled. Counter accusations followed. Tempers flared (especially mine). The rector exploded, I was taken down several pegs and was thoroughly pissed-off. Things finally cooled off and then the hall auditor, the hall treasurer and I got together and devised a new accounting system. Actually the one I had was sufficient as they agreed after I explained it to them, but they felt that anyone should be able to read it. Now all is peaceful until the next time.
I spent one of the worst nights in my life several weeks ago. It all started at 5:00 P.M. that
afternoon. I was cleaning out the fish tank when I heard a noise in the corner of the room by the radiator. I turned my head in that direction and what do I see but a small rodent (i.e., a mouse) running towards me with its head down so it couldn't see me. I immediately demanded what the hell he meant by coming in without knocking, in response to my query he did a rapid about face and sped for the radiator. Throwing caution to the wind, I pursued him with intent to kill. Alas, he had vanished. I located his hole, but, thinking that I had left an indelible impression of fear on generations of yet unborn mice, I did not think he would return.
That night I returned to the room after the lights had gone out and lit a candle. I immediately sensed something was wrong. I felt I was not alone. There was no one under my bed much to my relief and no one in it either much to my dismay (occasionally I have my horny moments).
I undressed, put my P.J.s on, brushed my teeth, blew out the candle, climbed into bed.
all was quiet, too quiet. I swear i could feel that mouse in the very atmosphere of the room. I waited, then I heard him. Scra-a-a-ach, Scra-a-a-ach, Scre-e-e-ech.
It was a truly horrible sound, I assure you.
I waited until I heard him in the corner of the room opposite the radiator. When I felt I could beat him to his hole, I grabbed my pen light, leaped out of bed and dashed for the radiator. I won by several lengths. He retreated to a neutral corner. I stuffed his hole with Kleenex and Duco cement (a fiendish, gooy cement).
I then went next door and enlisted the help of 3 stalwart hunters. It was 11:20 P.M. when we returned to my room
We piled all the movable furniture on my bed or out in the corridor and then began our not -too-systemic search.
The mouse was discovered, chased, lost, discovered, chased, lost, discovered, etc.
At 12:22 one of my confederates wounded him with a saber-thrust of my U.S. navy surplus sheath knife. He (he being the mouse limped away roaring in pain. We followed the pools of blood across the room and found him lying on his side under my bed. As we closed in, he reared upon his hind legs and screamed his defiance, but from the way he was coughing up blood we knew he was through. We rushed him from all sides and two spear trusts later it was all over. His guts littered the floor.
The actual slayer and his exuberant roommate picked the valiant warrior up by his tail and ran off to show him to the world at 12:30 in the morning. From the howls and screams emitting from the various rooms far down the corridor, I knew they were being warmly received wherever they appeared with their prize.
I'm sorry about my dilatory corresponding, but I have been going around in circles for the past --
well since I wrote you last. I haven't written a letter in weeks. I assembled all the letters I have
received and not answered and picked the one with the earliest postmark. It was yours. Lucky
fellow.
So I am sitting here now at my desk listening to a very inspiring song entitled "Peggy Sue" I believe. Those are the only two words I can understand anyway. I have decided to drop the
Rock & Roll controversy. It's not worth arguing about.
The mid-terms had me going for a while, but they're all through now.
The hall council decided to investigate my books, and they discovered that no one could read them except me. Accusations were leveled. Counter accusations followed. Tempers flared (especially mine). The rector exploded, I was taken down several pegs and was thoroughly pissed-off. Things finally cooled off and then the hall auditor, the hall treasurer and I got together and devised a new accounting system. Actually the one I had was sufficient as they agreed after I explained it to them, but they felt that anyone should be able to read it. Now all is peaceful until the next time.
I spent one of the worst nights in my life several weeks ago. It all started at 5:00 P.M. that
afternoon. I was cleaning out the fish tank when I heard a noise in the corner of the room by the radiator. I turned my head in that direction and what do I see but a small rodent (i.e., a mouse) running towards me with its head down so it couldn't see me. I immediately demanded what the hell he meant by coming in without knocking, in response to my query he did a rapid about face and sped for the radiator. Throwing caution to the wind, I pursued him with intent to kill. Alas, he had vanished. I located his hole, but, thinking that I had left an indelible impression of fear on generations of yet unborn mice, I did not think he would return.
That night I returned to the room after the lights had gone out and lit a candle. I immediately sensed something was wrong. I felt I was not alone. There was no one under my bed much to my relief and no one in it either much to my dismay (occasionally I have my horny moments).
I undressed, put my P.J.s on, brushed my teeth, blew out the candle, climbed into bed.
all was quiet, too quiet. I swear i could feel that mouse in the very atmosphere of the room. I waited, then I heard him. Scra-a-a-ach, Scra-a-a-ach, Scre-e-e-ech.
It was a truly horrible sound, I assure you.
I waited until I heard him in the corner of the room opposite the radiator. When I felt I could beat him to his hole, I grabbed my pen light, leaped out of bed and dashed for the radiator. I won by several lengths. He retreated to a neutral corner. I stuffed his hole with Kleenex and Duco cement (a fiendish, gooy cement).
I then went next door and enlisted the help of 3 stalwart hunters. It was 11:20 P.M. when we returned to my room
We piled all the movable furniture on my bed or out in the corridor and then began our not -too-systemic search.
The mouse was discovered, chased, lost, discovered, chased, lost, discovered, etc.
At 12:22 one of my confederates wounded him with a saber-thrust of my U.S. navy surplus sheath knife. He (he being the mouse limped away roaring in pain. We followed the pools of blood across the room and found him lying on his side under my bed. As we closed in, he reared upon his hind legs and screamed his defiance, but from the way he was coughing up blood we knew he was through. We rushed him from all sides and two spear trusts later it was all over. His guts littered the floor.
The actual slayer and his exuberant roommate picked the valiant warrior up by his tail and ran off to show him to the world at 12:30 in the morning. From the howls and screams emitting from the various rooms far down the corridor, I knew they were being warmly received wherever they appeared with their prize.
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Oct. 27, 1957
Dear Bob,
I hope you don't mind my answering your letter letter so soon, but I have a few extra hours today and thought I might as well write to you.
In reference to the subject which comprised a great part of your last letter, I am enclosing a piece from "The New Yorker". /Underlined in the article is the following: "It has strong melodic lines and a compelling sense of propulsion, and these virtues are, after all, the basic virtues of
genuine music."/ I assume you have read it and are objecting that it merely supports your side of the argument. But wait! You may have noticed the phrase "strong sense of melodic lines."
Not "line", Can you recall any r.& r song which has melodic lines? (we will assume for the sake
of argument that every r.& r. song has a melodic line).
And pray tell what sense of propulsion does one feel when listening to a r.& r. song? Certainly one is moving but in a very restrained circle. "Propulsion" connotes a change of place and in the case of music, a metamorphosis, even a catharsis.
I will conclude my dissertation on the subject by asking you a question: What emotions other than abhorrence and disgust, does r.& r. evoke?
Have you done anything about P. lately? By that I mean have you written her or asked her up for a weekend? One of us has to keep in touch with her so that we'll have at least three for
cards next summer.
Unfortunately, despite much diligent searching, I am unable to add to this letter a suitable
versified epilogue, but I will try to get a good one for my next letter.
Tom
I hope you don't mind my answering your letter letter so soon, but I have a few extra hours today and thought I might as well write to you.
In reference to the subject which comprised a great part of your last letter, I am enclosing a piece from "The New Yorker". /Underlined in the article is the following: "It has strong melodic lines and a compelling sense of propulsion, and these virtues are, after all, the basic virtues of
genuine music."/ I assume you have read it and are objecting that it merely supports your side of the argument. But wait! You may have noticed the phrase "strong sense of melodic lines."
Not "line", Can you recall any r.& r song which has melodic lines? (we will assume for the sake
of argument that every r.& r. song has a melodic line).
And pray tell what sense of propulsion does one feel when listening to a r.& r. song? Certainly one is moving but in a very restrained circle. "Propulsion" connotes a change of place and in the case of music, a metamorphosis, even a catharsis.
I will conclude my dissertation on the subject by asking you a question: What emotions other than abhorrence and disgust, does r.& r. evoke?
Have you done anything about P. lately? By that I mean have you written her or asked her up for a weekend? One of us has to keep in touch with her so that we'll have at least three for
cards next summer.
Unfortunately, despite much diligent searching, I am unable to add to this letter a suitable
versified epilogue, but I will try to get a good one for my next letter.
Tom
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Oct. 22, 1957
Dear Tom,
See here now! By your own testimony you have convicted yourself. Rock and Roll is a form of
art, of sound in time, which expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the
elements of rhythm, melody, harmony and color. Your efforts to "avoid insulting my intelligence"
by showing me how R.&R. violates everyone of these ideas merely seems an attempt on your part to get out of a difficult argument which could prove your undoing. Remember you said that
R.& R. violates every one of the above mentioned principles. to begin with R.& R. is a form of
sound in time. It has a very basic rhythm to it, sort of a "thump-thump-thump all the way through
each song. It cerainly expresses emotions though they be very basic ones. These two points are the most obvious ones which you claimed R.& R. does not possess. I feel certain that I could take my dictionary and look up the definition of each point you mentioned in your
definition of music and show you that R.& R. in some way fulfills each requirement. However
I just realized who I was arguing with - - a master of double-entendre, persiflage, beating-
around-the-bush, attacking-wrong-end-of-argument-while-leading-opponent-to-believe-you-are-
both-talking-about-the-same-thing, changing the.subject, and avoiding the question.
In all of our arguments either I have agreed with you or else the question was never resolved.
This is not an attack on your character but rather an exasperated admission that I never
yet have been able to change your mind on any subject. There is no point in my attempting
anything of that nature at this stage of the game.
I feel reasonable sure that your next letter will contain a calculated though irrational attack
on Rock and Roll as a form of music, as a threat to society, as a menace to the Catholic
Church, and as a seducer of young America. You will employ every tricky phrase at your
disposal ignoring every point I have made - - few though they be. I don't expect a reply on
the subject. I would have to employ a battery of logicians to keep up with your arguments.
I know enough to quit when I'm behind.
I'm glad to see that the good old Indians have bee so victorious on the gridiron (why do
they call it a gridiron?)
I hope you will be able to beat the Boys from the Yard next week.
The Sandwich Concession is coming along fine. I expect a big take next Saturday. G is
helping me now. He is a diligent worker, but what I like best about employing him is that
he plows his salary back into the business - - that is to say he takes his salary in food, a
good portion of it anyway. As I said before, I like a diligent worker.
That's all for now. Keep relaxing that kidney.
Bob
I may send you s Scholastic, I've got a few extras.
See here now! By your own testimony you have convicted yourself. Rock and Roll is a form of
art, of sound in time, which expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the
elements of rhythm, melody, harmony and color. Your efforts to "avoid insulting my intelligence"
by showing me how R.&R. violates everyone of these ideas merely seems an attempt on your part to get out of a difficult argument which could prove your undoing. Remember you said that
R.& R. violates every one of the above mentioned principles. to begin with R.& R. is a form of
sound in time. It has a very basic rhythm to it, sort of a "thump-thump-thump all the way through
each song. It cerainly expresses emotions though they be very basic ones. These two points are the most obvious ones which you claimed R.& R. does not possess. I feel certain that I could take my dictionary and look up the definition of each point you mentioned in your
definition of music and show you that R.& R. in some way fulfills each requirement. However
I just realized who I was arguing with - - a master of double-entendre, persiflage, beating-
around-the-bush, attacking-wrong-end-of-argument-while-leading-opponent-to-believe-you-are-
both-talking-about-the-same-thing, changing the.subject, and avoiding the question.
In all of our arguments either I have agreed with you or else the question was never resolved.
This is not an attack on your character but rather an exasperated admission that I never
yet have been able to change your mind on any subject. There is no point in my attempting
anything of that nature at this stage of the game.
I feel reasonable sure that your next letter will contain a calculated though irrational attack
on Rock and Roll as a form of music, as a threat to society, as a menace to the Catholic
Church, and as a seducer of young America. You will employ every tricky phrase at your
disposal ignoring every point I have made - - few though they be. I don't expect a reply on
the subject. I would have to employ a battery of logicians to keep up with your arguments.
I know enough to quit when I'm behind.
I'm glad to see that the good old Indians have bee so victorious on the gridiron (why do
they call it a gridiron?)
I hope you will be able to beat the Boys from the Yard next week.
The Sandwich Concession is coming along fine. I expect a big take next Saturday. G is
helping me now. He is a diligent worker, but what I like best about employing him is that
he plows his salary back into the business - - that is to say he takes his salary in food, a
good portion of it anyway. As I said before, I like a diligent worker.
That's all for now. Keep relaxing that kidney.
Bob
I may send you s Scholastic, I've got a few extras.
Sunday, September 2, 2012
Oct. 5, 1957
Dear Bob,
While sitting here listening to Sibelius' Symphony No. 4 in A minor, op. 63, I can not help but
think of the impotent defense you put up for r. & r. (rather than cause myself to vomit, I shall
heretofore refer to that music as r.& r., and the lower case letters are not unintentional). And
as far as D is concerned, I think you have taken too much for granted in his case also.
In order to present a potent case to support my contention that r & r. is not music, I shall refer
to The American College Dictionary's definition of music: "an art of sound in time which expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody,
harmony, and color."
I shall not insult your intelligence by showing you how r.& r. violates every one of these ideas.
But enough of this, lest someday our descendants be hounded into turning over to mankind these letters which rival only the debates of Lincoln and Douglas in lucidity, sincerity, and potency.
We are right in the middle of our pledge period, and I saw my first action as a
brother-screwer last night.
I was assistant night editor at the press for the Dartmouth last night, and as a result
was busy until four a.m. When I finished there, I decided it was a nice time of day to go
around and see some of the brothers. I went to get some fellow pledges out of bed,
and five of went to see what mischief we could get into that night.
We finally decided (at five a.m.) that our pledge master wasn't being very kind to us,
so we went over to the dorm in which he lives on the first floor, I climbed in thru his
living room window. He has two room-mates, so I knew that if he ever caught me I'd
be thru. I spent about five minutes squeezing thru a half-opened window, for I was afraid
to open it any further. Once inside, I went and opened the door for the others, and we
proceeded to move out as much furniture as possible. This took about ten minutes, and
I was really surprised that they didn't awaken.
Of course, the preceding isn't all there is to our pledging period. We also have to serve
as valet for one of the brothers, perform menial tasks about the house, spend ten hours
at the house once in a while so that we can wake the brothers up for their classes, and
get dumped on after each weekly meeting. And I'm actually paying for all this!
Now to refer to the incident which dominated the latter half of your previous voluminous
letter.
While it is true that P did chew _ _ _ the first day we saw her, I don't recall ever seeing
her chew it again.
The point is that she chews _ _ _ when she is alone, but not among people. There is as
I see it, nothing wrong with this, for it is not the chewing of _ _ _ itself which is bad, but
rather the obnoxiousnesses which arise because of the practice. and since the normal
person is not irritated by his own obnoxiousness, he indulges in them when alone, however
it is a thoughtful person who refrains from such practices when others are present. Even
I find the need of chewing _ _ _ in private on very rare occasions.
(In the last two paragraphs I have inserted _ _ _ instead of that word, for I am just a
struggling college student who is unable to perform experiments which have already
had disastrous effects on others.)
We have had two football games already and have won both, as may already know.
We're having a big weekend here next Saturday when we play Brown, but unfortunately
it doesn't look like I'll have a date, and so another horny weekend.
The enclosure will speak for itself. It looks as if we'll have to find some other way of
getting to the continent. / Letter refers to unavailability of jobs with World's Fair in
Brussels./
I bought a phonograph turntable and play my records thru my radio, and it works fairly
well.
I'm going over to the house now before the keg runs dry, and so I'll close for the time
being with the thought for the week: Drinking gives one's kidney a chance to relax.
Tom
While sitting here listening to Sibelius' Symphony No. 4 in A minor, op. 63, I can not help but
think of the impotent defense you put up for r. & r. (rather than cause myself to vomit, I shall
heretofore refer to that music as r.& r., and the lower case letters are not unintentional). And
as far as D is concerned, I think you have taken too much for granted in his case also.
In order to present a potent case to support my contention that r & r. is not music, I shall refer
to The American College Dictionary's definition of music: "an art of sound in time which expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody,
harmony, and color."
I shall not insult your intelligence by showing you how r.& r. violates every one of these ideas.
But enough of this, lest someday our descendants be hounded into turning over to mankind these letters which rival only the debates of Lincoln and Douglas in lucidity, sincerity, and potency.
We are right in the middle of our pledge period, and I saw my first action as a
brother-screwer last night.
I was assistant night editor at the press for the Dartmouth last night, and as a result
was busy until four a.m. When I finished there, I decided it was a nice time of day to go
around and see some of the brothers. I went to get some fellow pledges out of bed,
and five of went to see what mischief we could get into that night.
We finally decided (at five a.m.) that our pledge master wasn't being very kind to us,
so we went over to the dorm in which he lives on the first floor, I climbed in thru his
living room window. He has two room-mates, so I knew that if he ever caught me I'd
be thru. I spent about five minutes squeezing thru a half-opened window, for I was afraid
to open it any further. Once inside, I went and opened the door for the others, and we
proceeded to move out as much furniture as possible. This took about ten minutes, and
I was really surprised that they didn't awaken.
Of course, the preceding isn't all there is to our pledging period. We also have to serve
as valet for one of the brothers, perform menial tasks about the house, spend ten hours
at the house once in a while so that we can wake the brothers up for their classes, and
get dumped on after each weekly meeting. And I'm actually paying for all this!
Now to refer to the incident which dominated the latter half of your previous voluminous
letter.
While it is true that P did chew _ _ _ the first day we saw her, I don't recall ever seeing
her chew it again.
The point is that she chews _ _ _ when she is alone, but not among people. There is as
I see it, nothing wrong with this, for it is not the chewing of _ _ _ itself which is bad, but
rather the obnoxiousnesses which arise because of the practice. and since the normal
person is not irritated by his own obnoxiousness, he indulges in them when alone, however
it is a thoughtful person who refrains from such practices when others are present. Even
I find the need of chewing _ _ _ in private on very rare occasions.
(In the last two paragraphs I have inserted _ _ _ instead of that word, for I am just a
struggling college student who is unable to perform experiments which have already
had disastrous effects on others.)
We have had two football games already and have won both, as may already know.
We're having a big weekend here next Saturday when we play Brown, but unfortunately
it doesn't look like I'll have a date, and so another horny weekend.
The enclosure will speak for itself. It looks as if we'll have to find some other way of
getting to the continent. / Letter refers to unavailability of jobs with World's Fair in
Brussels./
I bought a phonograph turntable and play my records thru my radio, and it works fairly
well.
I'm going over to the house now before the keg runs dry, and so I'll close for the time
being with the thought for the week: Drinking gives one's kidney a chance to relax.
Tom
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Sept. 26, 1957
I beg your pardon for the delay, but it has taken me a full day to recover my compusure
after subjecting myself to the stomach-turning ordeal of setting that cursed word down in
print. Upon finishing that wrd my new pen began to assume a molten state and to emit
a sickening odor. I disposed of it immediately by flinging ti in the lake which now, a day
later, is beginning to steam and boil. Dead fish line the shore and a stench is in the air.
However, that is neither here nor there. Back to the problem at hand.
Tom, I am shocked beyond words. What more can I say? The situation goes beyond
the capabilities of the English language.
And to think I respected and trusted you because of your high ideals, your command of
eastern barbarisms, etc. What is to become of our fair country if pillars of the nation
such as yourself begin to crumble and rot, yes rot away.
What more can I say? You have committed your statement into writing. It looks like your
writing so I must conclude that there has been no forgery, especially since the entire letter
is written in your style - - an uncopyable style. I know that nothing could make you say a
thing like that unless you meant it. You could not have lost your senses sufficiently to cause
you to say it, because to say or write a thing like that you would have to be so far gone that
you could no longer write, speak, hold a pen, etc. I estimate that you would have to regress
to the mentality of a 5 month old fetus before such a thought could come to you. No, the
only explanation is that you were in earnest, and since you were, there is nothing more to say.
We are all doomed. Once this leaks out and it will, because the scream I uttered when I
read that fateful line was recorded on seismographs as far away as the Newberry Library.
Such a scream can only mean one thing.
When the truth comes out, stocks will landslide, government will crumble, our economy will
be ruined. I am buying Russian war bonds as fast as I can.
I will not condemn you for what you did. Revenge belongs to God alone.
See you on Judgment Day - - I never thought the end would come like this. I hope the
postal service remains intact long enough for this to reach you - - you traitor, you Benedict
Machura, you Brutus.
Ceasar
Pardon the misspellings, faulty punctuations and inconsisitencies in the above epic.
It was written in a state of extreme shock and thus is not a fitting example of the author's
literary capabilities.
after subjecting myself to the stomach-turning ordeal of setting that cursed word down in
print. Upon finishing that wrd my new pen began to assume a molten state and to emit
a sickening odor. I disposed of it immediately by flinging ti in the lake which now, a day
later, is beginning to steam and boil. Dead fish line the shore and a stench is in the air.
However, that is neither here nor there. Back to the problem at hand.
Tom, I am shocked beyond words. What more can I say? The situation goes beyond
the capabilities of the English language.
And to think I respected and trusted you because of your high ideals, your command of
eastern barbarisms, etc. What is to become of our fair country if pillars of the nation
such as yourself begin to crumble and rot, yes rot away.
What more can I say? You have committed your statement into writing. It looks like your
writing so I must conclude that there has been no forgery, especially since the entire letter
is written in your style - - an uncopyable style. I know that nothing could make you say a
thing like that unless you meant it. You could not have lost your senses sufficiently to cause
you to say it, because to say or write a thing like that you would have to be so far gone that
you could no longer write, speak, hold a pen, etc. I estimate that you would have to regress
to the mentality of a 5 month old fetus before such a thought could come to you. No, the
only explanation is that you were in earnest, and since you were, there is nothing more to say.
We are all doomed. Once this leaks out and it will, because the scream I uttered when I
read that fateful line was recorded on seismographs as far away as the Newberry Library.
Such a scream can only mean one thing.
When the truth comes out, stocks will landslide, government will crumble, our economy will
be ruined. I am buying Russian war bonds as fast as I can.
I will not condemn you for what you did. Revenge belongs to God alone.
See you on Judgment Day - - I never thought the end would come like this. I hope the
postal service remains intact long enough for this to reach you - - you traitor, you Benedict
Machura, you Brutus.
Ceasar
Pardon the misspellings, faulty punctuations and inconsisitencies in the above epic.
It was written in a state of extreme shock and thus is not a fitting example of the author's
literary capabilities.
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Sept. 25, 1957
Dear Thom,
Your account of rushing at ole Dartmouth was both interesting and entertaining (ach
redundant). I haven't told G or anyone else about your experiences for I am afraid that
they might riot, especially G. You know how emotional he gets over alcoholic subjects.
I am Sandwich Commissioner of Howard Hall!!!!!!!!!!? This dubious title means that I am
in charge of selling sandwiches and milk every night in our hall. Out of every dollar I take in
60 cents goes to pay for the sandwiches & milk, 20 cents goes into the hall treasury,
and 20 cents goes to me. After I pay my assistant I should make a personal profit of at
least $10 a week. I am on my way to becoming a Captain of Industry.
I still haven't got a grappling hook, but one of these nights I'm going to scale that roof, with
or without proper equipment.
My fish tanks arrived today via Railroad Express (102 lbs..........$4.69). I didn't think they
weighed that much.
I strongly object to your inference that rock and Roll music is not a true form of music. I hold
that it is a very basic form of music.. It may well (might well, well might?) be a very crude and
primitive form of music, but it still must be termed music. You may hold strong opinions on
certain subjects, but you must not let your opinions constrew (correct spelling?) basic facts.
Case in point: the fact that you do not consider D to be a member of the human race does
not alter the fact that he is a member of the human race, albeit a very crude member. Let's
watch our statements from now on.
As for P, I thought I expressed my opinions of her in my last letter. Frankly I haven't figured
her out yet but I am very interested in continuing my extensive survey: however, let me say
immediatley that she does not appear to be a very discernable individual.
All that I have said up to now has merely been idle conversation. Now I will come to the meat
of the letter.
Tom!!!!!! How could you possibly in all honesty, integrity, sincerity, up righteousness, etc.
ad nauseum et ad infinitum, begin to prepare youself to consider, to anticipate the remote
possibility of even entertaining in the most inner recesses of your sub-conscious, the half-
hearted casual and instantaneous quasi-thought impulse of glancing thrice at a modern girl
who by her own insidious actions has shown that she publicly engages in, and is undoubtedly
addicted to, that insidious, repugnant, repulsive, and positively habit forming vice that I must
set the name of this abomination down and thus defile this innocent sheet of virgin paper
to (ugh!) chewing gum (ugh), (aah-goah--waaghaaga).
Your account of rushing at ole Dartmouth was both interesting and entertaining (ach
redundant). I haven't told G or anyone else about your experiences for I am afraid that
they might riot, especially G. You know how emotional he gets over alcoholic subjects.
I am Sandwich Commissioner of Howard Hall!!!!!!!!!!? This dubious title means that I am
in charge of selling sandwiches and milk every night in our hall. Out of every dollar I take in
60 cents goes to pay for the sandwiches & milk, 20 cents goes into the hall treasury,
and 20 cents goes to me. After I pay my assistant I should make a personal profit of at
least $10 a week. I am on my way to becoming a Captain of Industry.
I still haven't got a grappling hook, but one of these nights I'm going to scale that roof, with
or without proper equipment.
My fish tanks arrived today via Railroad Express (102 lbs..........$4.69). I didn't think they
weighed that much.
I strongly object to your inference that rock and Roll music is not a true form of music. I hold
that it is a very basic form of music.. It may well (might well, well might?) be a very crude and
primitive form of music, but it still must be termed music. You may hold strong opinions on
certain subjects, but you must not let your opinions constrew (correct spelling?) basic facts.
Case in point: the fact that you do not consider D to be a member of the human race does
not alter the fact that he is a member of the human race, albeit a very crude member. Let's
watch our statements from now on.
As for P, I thought I expressed my opinions of her in my last letter. Frankly I haven't figured
her out yet but I am very interested in continuing my extensive survey: however, let me say
immediatley that she does not appear to be a very discernable individual.
All that I have said up to now has merely been idle conversation. Now I will come to the meat
of the letter.
Tom!!!!!! How could you possibly in all honesty, integrity, sincerity, up righteousness, etc.
ad nauseum et ad infinitum, begin to prepare youself to consider, to anticipate the remote
possibility of even entertaining in the most inner recesses of your sub-conscious, the half-
hearted casual and instantaneous quasi-thought impulse of glancing thrice at a modern girl
who by her own insidious actions has shown that she publicly engages in, and is undoubtedly
addicted to, that insidious, repugnant, repulsive, and positively habit forming vice that I must
set the name of this abomination down and thus defile this innocent sheet of virgin paper
to (ugh!) chewing gum (ugh), (aah-goah--waaghaaga).
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Sept. 22, 1957
Home is Heaven and orgies are vile,
But I like an orgy once in a while.
Ogden Nash
Dear Bob,
Again I add an erudite touch to my letter, but this, again, is not just an ostentatious frivolity.
The couplet does have direct bearing on the text of this letter, which deals to a large, if not complete, extent with the happenings during the five day period - - from last Monday to Friday
- - commonly referred to as rushing period.
I'm happy to say my efforts were successful, and I am now a pledge of Alpha Theta.
The rushees' activity on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday night consisted of going around
to as many houses as possible and convincing the brothers thereof that the rushee in question
was an entertaining, intelligent, friendly, congenial fellow who would be very desirable as a
brother. In the process, a rushee must consume at least three quarts of cider or coke (which
is the lesser of two evils, I will let you decide) and five packs of cigarettes.
Formal invitations are issued for Thursday night to those the fraternity finds up to its standards,
and an invitation means at least a quart of beer and a pack of cigarettes in this four hour
period (it lasted four hours every night).
Then comes Friday night - - Sink night - - so called, I believe, because a few non-swimmers
have been known to sink, though granted, smiling, in a beer flooded bar in a fraternity
basement.
On this evening, and this evening alone, beer assumes the identity of water and most
people treat it as such - - pouring it down someone's back, telling funny jokes and giving
the audience one in the face right at the punch line, etc.
Another characteristic of the evening is the aversion everyone shows for clothes - especially
someone else's.
As you can see, it's quite a wild time, and it's fortunate that it occurs only "once in a while".
Other than the above happenings, nothing much has been happening around here, but with
the football season rapidly approaching, I'm sure I'll have lots to write about.
Your"P" Report, although not very conclusive, provides some important information. I must object, however, to your statement:
"Most types of music, including rock and roll," I am sure that you made a mistake, for you are
an intelligent person, and I'm certain that you didn't mean to insinuate that rock and roll could
be included among that most expressive of arts - - music,
Speaking of pros and cons, you gave me her pros and cons, but you didn't mention your
pros and cons in regard to her.
I'm glad to see she has no aversion to dating car-less boys, and I'm afraid I'll be seriously
considering asking her for a date this Christmas, even though she does chew gum.
Tom
But I like an orgy once in a while.
Ogden Nash
Dear Bob,
Again I add an erudite touch to my letter, but this, again, is not just an ostentatious frivolity.
The couplet does have direct bearing on the text of this letter, which deals to a large, if not complete, extent with the happenings during the five day period - - from last Monday to Friday
- - commonly referred to as rushing period.
I'm happy to say my efforts were successful, and I am now a pledge of Alpha Theta.
The rushees' activity on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday night consisted of going around
to as many houses as possible and convincing the brothers thereof that the rushee in question
was an entertaining, intelligent, friendly, congenial fellow who would be very desirable as a
brother. In the process, a rushee must consume at least three quarts of cider or coke (which
is the lesser of two evils, I will let you decide) and five packs of cigarettes.
Formal invitations are issued for Thursday night to those the fraternity finds up to its standards,
and an invitation means at least a quart of beer and a pack of cigarettes in this four hour
period (it lasted four hours every night).
Then comes Friday night - - Sink night - - so called, I believe, because a few non-swimmers
have been known to sink, though granted, smiling, in a beer flooded bar in a fraternity
basement.
On this evening, and this evening alone, beer assumes the identity of water and most
people treat it as such - - pouring it down someone's back, telling funny jokes and giving
the audience one in the face right at the punch line, etc.
Another characteristic of the evening is the aversion everyone shows for clothes - especially
someone else's.
As you can see, it's quite a wild time, and it's fortunate that it occurs only "once in a while".
Other than the above happenings, nothing much has been happening around here, but with
the football season rapidly approaching, I'm sure I'll have lots to write about.
Your"P" Report, although not very conclusive, provides some important information. I must object, however, to your statement:
"Most types of music, including rock and roll," I am sure that you made a mistake, for you are
an intelligent person, and I'm certain that you didn't mean to insinuate that rock and roll could
be included among that most expressive of arts - - music,
Speaking of pros and cons, you gave me her pros and cons, but you didn't mention your
pros and cons in regard to her.
I'm glad to see she has no aversion to dating car-less boys, and I'm afraid I'll be seriously
considering asking her for a date this Christmas, even though she does chew gum.
Tom
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Sept. 16. 1957
Dear Thom,
I am not in the best of spirits at this precise moment. Circumstances are not exactly par.
My easy chair which I had placed in storage last May arrived today in wretched shape.
Three of the legs were separated from the chair proper. I nailed two back on, but I cannot
locate the third. I suppose I'll have to make a new one out of something.
Outside of that particular problem there are several other nasty situations looming up. For
instance my room is piled with equipment and broken furniture which came back from
storage and I have no place to put them since the cabinets I ordered have not yet arrived.
Also, I did not get the classes I wanted and my schedule is all fouled up.
Nevertheless, although things look dark, I will continue to fight back at the forces that seek
to oppress me. At least I have a single. Things could be worse.
On the lighter side I will now give you my P report. There is little to report as she is given to
a taciturn nature when thrown back on her own defenses. That is to say, because she did not feel as confident of herself at the dance, where she knew no one, as she did at the beach
(evidently her natural habitat) she clam(m)?ed up and let me carry the conversation which I
am sorry to say dragged embarrassingly at the beginning. However, after I saw that she
would not, or perhaps could not, start a sentence on her own, I grabbed the ball and ran with
it for the rest of the night. She is either a very good listener or a very good actress, perhaps
both. I think I touched on every subject from Atomic Destruction of the world to the morals
and ethics of consuming alcoholic beverages. She would comment on each point which I
bought up but it was a rare moment when she brought up a new point (she never changed
the subject.)
Here are some of my findings, such as they are:
Pro:
Most types of music, including Rock & Roll
Reading good books, including Science Fiction
Bowling
N.D.
Catholic Church
Walking
Peaceful co-existence
Hot Turkey Sandwiches
Electric-blue wearing apparel
Coffee
Cons:
Popular Jazz
Smoking cigs
Drinking liquor (says she's too young)
Girls who refuse to go out with boys who do not possess automobiles
Becoming a Nun
People who insist that CVS is the asshole of the public school system, even if it is
This report while it is not conclusive should prove interesting reading for anyone who
enjoys reading between the lines, conjecturing, etc. I definitely intend to do more
research on the case. To achieve this end I intend to invite her down to N.D. in
November for a dance. Whether she will come or not, I don't know.
As to her feeling toward me, I'd say they ranged all the way from indifferent to non-
committal, but that is merely my opinion. And I've been wrong before.
I will let you know if any further incidents in this case develop.
That's all for now.
Bob-o
P.S. radio reception is very good but the roof is very steep. Ascent looks impossible
without 10 men and a guide, but I have not given up. Roof is definitely flat-----------saw
aerial photo.
Will write when the summit is reached.
I am not in the best of spirits at this precise moment. Circumstances are not exactly par.
My easy chair which I had placed in storage last May arrived today in wretched shape.
Three of the legs were separated from the chair proper. I nailed two back on, but I cannot
locate the third. I suppose I'll have to make a new one out of something.
Outside of that particular problem there are several other nasty situations looming up. For
instance my room is piled with equipment and broken furniture which came back from
storage and I have no place to put them since the cabinets I ordered have not yet arrived.
Also, I did not get the classes I wanted and my schedule is all fouled up.
Nevertheless, although things look dark, I will continue to fight back at the forces that seek
to oppress me. At least I have a single. Things could be worse.
On the lighter side I will now give you my P report. There is little to report as she is given to
a taciturn nature when thrown back on her own defenses. That is to say, because she did not feel as confident of herself at the dance, where she knew no one, as she did at the beach
(evidently her natural habitat) she clam(m)?ed up and let me carry the conversation which I
am sorry to say dragged embarrassingly at the beginning. However, after I saw that she
would not, or perhaps could not, start a sentence on her own, I grabbed the ball and ran with
it for the rest of the night. She is either a very good listener or a very good actress, perhaps
both. I think I touched on every subject from Atomic Destruction of the world to the morals
and ethics of consuming alcoholic beverages. She would comment on each point which I
bought up but it was a rare moment when she brought up a new point (she never changed
the subject.)
Here are some of my findings, such as they are:
Pro:
Most types of music, including Rock & Roll
Reading good books, including Science Fiction
Bowling
N.D.
Catholic Church
Walking
Peaceful co-existence
Hot Turkey Sandwiches
Electric-blue wearing apparel
Coffee
Cons:
Popular Jazz
Smoking cigs
Drinking liquor (says she's too young)
Girls who refuse to go out with boys who do not possess automobiles
Becoming a Nun
People who insist that CVS is the asshole of the public school system, even if it is
This report while it is not conclusive should prove interesting reading for anyone who
enjoys reading between the lines, conjecturing, etc. I definitely intend to do more
research on the case. To achieve this end I intend to invite her down to N.D. in
November for a dance. Whether she will come or not, I don't know.
As to her feeling toward me, I'd say they ranged all the way from indifferent to non-
committal, but that is merely my opinion. And I've been wrong before.
I will let you know if any further incidents in this case develop.
That's all for now.
Bob-o
P.S. radio reception is very good but the roof is very steep. Ascent looks impossible
without 10 men and a guide, but I have not given up. Roof is definitely flat-----------saw
aerial photo.
Will write when the summit is reached.
Monday, July 16, 2012
Sept. 15, 1957
Dear bob,
Had a very nice trip up here and was very thrilled to be able to fly again.
I arrived in Albany early in the morning and had three hours to kill, so I just walked
around the city and watched it wake up.
It was the second time I had been in Albany, and I like the city more and more each
time I see it.
i started out from the New York Central station, which is east of the main downtown
section, and headed west, past the state capital building ( the striking building with
the huge staircase in "Beau James") and soon I was in a residential section reminiscent
of some of the side streets in New York. Noticeably lacking, however, was the sense of
great anticipation which fills the streets of New York in the early morning hours. It was
almost as if this metropolis to the north were casting a knowing, maternal smile down
the Hudson to her favorite child, whom she will reprimand when the occasion arises.
West of the residential section was a huge park much like Jackson Park. Only the hills
were much steeper, the ravines more prone to contain a dry stream. The only edifices
which violated the park were on a peninsula a block long. there were only four of them,
each of prodigious size, the garage and servants' quarters would have more than
sufficed for all the Machuras in these United States.
The view across the Hudson, which is just east of the city, was very nice; lofty green
hills contained what I supposed to be the nearest outpost of suburbia.
The one shortcoming of the town which really bothers me is the names which are
attached to the streets in the downtown area. As best as I could ascertain, the center of
town is the intersection of Main and Pearl Streets. Other main arteries of the city were
named Beaver, Eagle, Hawk, Elm, Oak, Pine, and other sundry flora and fauna. Hudson
Avenue, a side street flanked by warehouses, was the only street I came across whose
name bore any historical significance. Evidently, the Audubon Society was very
influential in early Albany!
Having polished off Albany, I went on to Hanover, and the next morning I left on the
freshman trip. I had a great time and even blazed a few trails.
Right now, I'm getting ready for fraternity rushing to start tomorrow evening. I just hope
that if I do get into a fraternity I can scare up enough money for everything.
Classes start Wednesday, so it won't be very long before my letters, of necessity, will
become much more succinct, much to your relief, I'm sure.
Write as soon as you can (don't forget to enclose your new address) and tell me about
your date.
With that bait
met through fate.
How's her weight?
Does she rate?
Cogitate?
Osculate?
Being very modest, I do not want to close this letter with my own surprisingly
spontaneous poem, so I submit as the thought for this month a line by W.H. Auden:
"Thousands have lived without love, not one without water."
Tom
Had a very nice trip up here and was very thrilled to be able to fly again.
I arrived in Albany early in the morning and had three hours to kill, so I just walked
around the city and watched it wake up.
It was the second time I had been in Albany, and I like the city more and more each
time I see it.
i started out from the New York Central station, which is east of the main downtown
section, and headed west, past the state capital building ( the striking building with
the huge staircase in "Beau James") and soon I was in a residential section reminiscent
of some of the side streets in New York. Noticeably lacking, however, was the sense of
great anticipation which fills the streets of New York in the early morning hours. It was
almost as if this metropolis to the north were casting a knowing, maternal smile down
the Hudson to her favorite child, whom she will reprimand when the occasion arises.
West of the residential section was a huge park much like Jackson Park. Only the hills
were much steeper, the ravines more prone to contain a dry stream. The only edifices
which violated the park were on a peninsula a block long. there were only four of them,
each of prodigious size, the garage and servants' quarters would have more than
sufficed for all the Machuras in these United States.
The view across the Hudson, which is just east of the city, was very nice; lofty green
hills contained what I supposed to be the nearest outpost of suburbia.
The one shortcoming of the town which really bothers me is the names which are
attached to the streets in the downtown area. As best as I could ascertain, the center of
town is the intersection of Main and Pearl Streets. Other main arteries of the city were
named Beaver, Eagle, Hawk, Elm, Oak, Pine, and other sundry flora and fauna. Hudson
Avenue, a side street flanked by warehouses, was the only street I came across whose
name bore any historical significance. Evidently, the Audubon Society was very
influential in early Albany!
Having polished off Albany, I went on to Hanover, and the next morning I left on the
freshman trip. I had a great time and even blazed a few trails.
Right now, I'm getting ready for fraternity rushing to start tomorrow evening. I just hope
that if I do get into a fraternity I can scare up enough money for everything.
Classes start Wednesday, so it won't be very long before my letters, of necessity, will
become much more succinct, much to your relief, I'm sure.
Write as soon as you can (don't forget to enclose your new address) and tell me about
your date.
With that bait
met through fate.
How's her weight?
Does she rate?
Cogitate?
Osculate?
Being very modest, I do not want to close this letter with my own surprisingly
spontaneous poem, so I submit as the thought for this month a line by W.H. Auden:
"Thousands have lived without love, not one without water."
Tom
May 22, 1957
Dear thom,
I was very impressed, as were my numerous compatriots, with "The Dirtmouth". It
was read and reread by countless thousands until it finally fell apart. I have preserved
the remains.
G got a kick out of seeing C's picture, naturally he, being a true G, thought it was actually
her picture.
I will be home on May 29. I will see you as soon as I can. Since it's so near the end, you
don't have to answer this unless you have some important message to relay.
Bob
KN to KN5. Be sure to move the right knight. It's the one in the third rank.
I was very impressed, as were my numerous compatriots, with "The Dirtmouth". It
was read and reread by countless thousands until it finally fell apart. I have preserved
the remains.
G got a kick out of seeing C's picture, naturally he, being a true G, thought it was actually
her picture.
I will be home on May 29. I will see you as soon as I can. Since it's so near the end, you
don't have to answer this unless you have some important message to relay.
Bob
KN to KN5. Be sure to move the right knight. It's the one in the third rank.
Sunday, July 15, 2012
May 19, 1957
Addressed: "Not Game University"
Dear Blob,
I'm so sorry about my dilatoriness, but you know how mad the girls get if I don't write a weekly
letter, and since I only have a limited amount of time for letter-writing, your letters always
wind up on the bottom of the pile, and they come to my attention only when I dust, which is
infrequently.
The reason for all the secrecy attached to our Dirtmouth project was that if the upper-
classmen learned of it beforehand, they could and probably would have suppressed
the tabloid. As it was, however, they found out after the stories had been set, and there
was little they could do.
We had a ball down at the press. We actually tied up three or four of the directorate,
but we gave them some beer and kept them happy.
This summer I'll explain just how we managed to pull the stunt, for it's a complicated affair.
Since finals are approaching rapidly, I took a trip to New York last weekend to try to break
the boredom so that I would be able to concentrate better when I got back.
I went to a ball game at the Polo Grounds and later saw "The Diary of Anne Frank".
Of course, I also spent a lot of time strolling up and down the avenues.
I should be home on the 5th. I'm planning to get a ride home and should make it in
about twenty hours.
Tom
QB to KB4
Dear Blob,
I'm so sorry about my dilatoriness, but you know how mad the girls get if I don't write a weekly
letter, and since I only have a limited amount of time for letter-writing, your letters always
wind up on the bottom of the pile, and they come to my attention only when I dust, which is
infrequently.
The reason for all the secrecy attached to our Dirtmouth project was that if the upper-
classmen learned of it beforehand, they could and probably would have suppressed
the tabloid. As it was, however, they found out after the stories had been set, and there
was little they could do.
We had a ball down at the press. We actually tied up three or four of the directorate,
but we gave them some beer and kept them happy.
This summer I'll explain just how we managed to pull the stunt, for it's a complicated affair.
Since finals are approaching rapidly, I took a trip to New York last weekend to try to break
the boredom so that I would be able to concentrate better when I got back.
I went to a ball game at the Polo Grounds and later saw "The Diary of Anne Frank".
Of course, I also spent a lot of time strolling up and down the avenues.
I should be home on the 5th. I'm planning to get a ride home and should make it in
about twenty hours.
Tom
QB to KB4
May 13, 1957
Addressed: "No Fame University"
Dear Bob,
Enclosed you will find a copy of the special Freshman issue of the Dartmouth.
Unfortunately I was unable to get the picture of M into the paper, but it wasn't a good
picture anyway.
My article is on the front page, and you can tell which one it is, for there's a well known
name in it.
I don't know why I put that particular name in, I must be sentimental. There certainly
was no connection between her and the picture.
Tom
Dear Bob,
Enclosed you will find a copy of the special Freshman issue of the Dartmouth.
Unfortunately I was unable to get the picture of M into the paper, but it wasn't a good
picture anyway.
My article is on the front page, and you can tell which one it is, for there's a well known
name in it.
I don't know why I put that particular name in, I must be sentimental. There certainly
was no connection between her and the picture.
Tom
Sunday, July 1, 2012
May 10, 1957
Dear Thom,
It is good to hear from you finally. It is not like you to be so dilatory. Is college life having
an adverse affect on you staunch character?
The weather since april 28th, the day I came back here, has been very favorable. I
believe that the annual monsoon season is over. That's what they call April down here.
My hall seems to be located at a drainage or collecting hollow. At times our only sidewalk,
which we needed to connect us with the outside world, was completely under water. Excused
cuts were being allowed for leaky rowboats, etc.
I hope you get your newspaper out, but why all the secrecy? It seem that (1) the upper-
classmen should be pleased that you are putting out a newspaper all by yourselves and
are saving them all that trouble and (2) if they are completely against it, I don't see how
you can get it out no matter how much secrecy is employed.
I will be home at least by May 29. G and I are very much in favor of descending upon the
"Egg" on Monday night and raiding the hatchery, as it were.
I thought your poem about Margie was excellent. i feel you have truly captured the spirit
of the event. I have yet to read it to G, but I'm sure he will laugh heartily.
That's about all for now. I must be off to breakfast.
Bob
P.S. I will work for Bennett's again next summer for sure. I don't know where H is going
to work, the mill, I guess.
King Rook Pawn to King Rook 3
It is good to hear from you finally. It is not like you to be so dilatory. Is college life having
an adverse affect on you staunch character?
The weather since april 28th, the day I came back here, has been very favorable. I
believe that the annual monsoon season is over. That's what they call April down here.
My hall seems to be located at a drainage or collecting hollow. At times our only sidewalk,
which we needed to connect us with the outside world, was completely under water. Excused
cuts were being allowed for leaky rowboats, etc.
I hope you get your newspaper out, but why all the secrecy? It seem that (1) the upper-
classmen should be pleased that you are putting out a newspaper all by yourselves and
are saving them all that trouble and (2) if they are completely against it, I don't see how
you can get it out no matter how much secrecy is employed.
I will be home at least by May 29. G and I are very much in favor of descending upon the
"Egg" on Monday night and raiding the hatchery, as it were.
I thought your poem about Margie was excellent. i feel you have truly captured the spirit
of the event. I have yet to read it to G, but I'm sure he will laugh heartily.
That's about all for now. I must be off to breakfast.
Bob
P.S. I will work for Bennett's again next summer for sure. I don't know where H is going
to work, the mill, I guess.
King Rook Pawn to King Rook 3
May 5, 1957
Dear Bob,
I'm sorry about not sending you my crushing chess moves sooner, but due to the weather
conditions, the snow train is able to get through only once a month. Now that summer is
coming, however, I'm sure the mail will go through, and I'll be able to be more prompt
in my replies.
You may think I'm kidding, but we actually did have snow last week. It snowed very lightly
all morning and the snow melted as soon as it reached the ground. For two weeks before
that, though, the weather had been just beautiful. The temperature was around 80 degrees
every day and almost everybody was outside on the lawn smiling. Today is another wonderful
day with the temperatures near 70 degrees and nary a cloud in the sky.
The big news now - - next to the fact that there are only four weeks of school left - is that
the 60s on The Dartmouth, America's Oldest College Newspaper, are planning to seize
the venerable publication Wednesday night and put out an edition on our own. I have a
story for that notable issue, and I may be able to get a picture of M, "My feed are cold John",
on the front page. If our plot comes off, I'll send you a copy of The Dirtmouth, America's
Boldest College Newsletter. the freshmen at Princeton tried the same thing a few months
ago, but the upperclassmen directorate members stopped the paper while it was still on
the press. We think, however, that we have everything taken care of, and I think we'll get it off.
I'm very favorable to your suggestion about going abroad during the summer of '58. I
discussed the idea with a friend of mine from Washington who knows quite a bit about
the machinations of our federal government, and he said he'd try to find out what he can
about it. I'll write you as soon as I find out something definite.
Next weekend is Green Key weekend, and since the campus will be crawling with beautiful
girls, I plan to spend the weekend in New York. I really love that city, and I'd like to see a lot
more of it. I'll probably take in a show and a concert and spend the rest of the time walking
around.
I think you'll like a single room a lot. I'm keeping mine even though it'll cost $70 more next
year. Our tuition has also gone up - - $190! Champaign here I come!
I still have to do my German this afternoon, so I'll close with this forecast.
Next year's A.Q. Varieties
Will certainly be cool;
The whole extravaganza
Will take place in Carmel's pool.
Margie's solo act
The critics will call frantic,
As she'n an ice cube'll demonstrate
The fate of the Titanic.
Tom
Qn Kt to Qn Kn4
I
I'm sorry about not sending you my crushing chess moves sooner, but due to the weather
conditions, the snow train is able to get through only once a month. Now that summer is
coming, however, I'm sure the mail will go through, and I'll be able to be more prompt
in my replies.
You may think I'm kidding, but we actually did have snow last week. It snowed very lightly
all morning and the snow melted as soon as it reached the ground. For two weeks before
that, though, the weather had been just beautiful. The temperature was around 80 degrees
every day and almost everybody was outside on the lawn smiling. Today is another wonderful
day with the temperatures near 70 degrees and nary a cloud in the sky.
The big news now - - next to the fact that there are only four weeks of school left - is that
the 60s on The Dartmouth, America's Oldest College Newspaper, are planning to seize
the venerable publication Wednesday night and put out an edition on our own. I have a
story for that notable issue, and I may be able to get a picture of M, "My feed are cold John",
on the front page. If our plot comes off, I'll send you a copy of The Dirtmouth, America's
Boldest College Newsletter. the freshmen at Princeton tried the same thing a few months
ago, but the upperclassmen directorate members stopped the paper while it was still on
the press. We think, however, that we have everything taken care of, and I think we'll get it off.
I'm very favorable to your suggestion about going abroad during the summer of '58. I
discussed the idea with a friend of mine from Washington who knows quite a bit about
the machinations of our federal government, and he said he'd try to find out what he can
about it. I'll write you as soon as I find out something definite.
Next weekend is Green Key weekend, and since the campus will be crawling with beautiful
girls, I plan to spend the weekend in New York. I really love that city, and I'd like to see a lot
more of it. I'll probably take in a show and a concert and spend the rest of the time walking
around.
I think you'll like a single room a lot. I'm keeping mine even though it'll cost $70 more next
year. Our tuition has also gone up - - $190! Champaign here I come!
I still have to do my German this afternoon, so I'll close with this forecast.
Next year's A.Q. Varieties
Will certainly be cool;
The whole extravaganza
Will take place in Carmel's pool.
Margie's solo act
The critics will call frantic,
As she'n an ice cube'll demonstrate
The fate of the Titanic.
Tom
Qn Kt to Qn Kn4
I
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
April 20, 1957
(Letter addressed to "Mouthwash College")
Dear Thom,
I am finally getting to write you letter. I intended to write it last Wednesday night, but I just
never got around to it. I got in late Tuesday night hoping for a peaceful two week rest. So
what happens? Wednesday morning at 9:30 sharp a bucket of water and a sponge are
placed lovingly at my bedside and I've been washing walls ever since at the fantastic rate
of one room per day.
There has been a good deal of action around here since I wrote you last. In my last letter
I believe I told you about Germany's surrender, or was it the bombing of Pearl Harbor?
I don't think we are going to finish our chess game in my lifetime but I have made provisions
in my will so that the game will continue through my descendants. I don't think the
responsibility for the delay in moves rests entirely on my shoulders. However, I doubt whether
you could be as dilatory as JM, if you tried. I wrote to him last Feb. and I'm still waiting for
an answer. I'm going to look him up in the next week and see what's wrong.
Mt. Carmel News - - Unrest in the Nest! The Eagle's little empire was struck a staggering
blow last month when the underclassmen for some reason refused to buy lunch room food.
From what I hear it was an organized revolution. They even stationed guards to make sure
that no Royalist or Tory bought anything. Naturally this rising of the proletariat did not ride
well with an absolute monarchy such as at Mt. Carmel H.S. At any rate the riot was broken
up after a couple of days by the combined brown robe forces, who stood guard over the
young revolutionaries while they ate and would not allow them to say word one. Thus
liberty was crushed and the oppressor triumphed.
The boys "naaaked" JD once too often while he was walking in the corridors. He
wheeled around, bellowed a few well-chosen phrases, and flung his copy of :Why
Johnny Can't Read" at them (in reality he threw his Gen. Lit. book at them). I don't know
what came of that little incident, I only know it happened.
Fr. Thomas broke his ankle a few weeks ago. He probably tripped over a pile of chance
book money.
I picked my room for next year a few weeks ago. It is a single on the 4th floor of
Howard, 405 to be exact. At last I shall have some privacy. It's not a big room and what
it lacks in size it makes up for in its antiquitous nature. But it's mine and mine alone!
(sentence fragment skillfully employed to give joyful effect).
I must admit that I did not notice your misspelling, unintentional I suppose, of the fair name
of my glorious University. However, since I am not accustomed to scrutinizing the
envelopes, I do not feel that I should be held completely accountable for my oversite (sic),
Henceforth, I suggest that you place all material which you wish me to read on the inside
of the envelope.
Have you heard about the World's Fair that will be held in Belgium in 1958? I have been
thinking about it for a long time and have decided that it would not be a bad idea if we
could get a summer job there. About 40 nations are going to have exhibits and the
U.S. is putting up a $20,000,000. building. Since you are about 1000 miles closer to
Belgium than I am, I figure that you can get some information easier than I can. I think it
might be an interesting trip. Find out what you can, eh.
I am enclosing the program of Aquinas' brilliantly executed play, or so I am told; I
didn't see it myself. I took the trouble to underline the names of several of the cast who
you will recognize.
How is your "fuzz" life coming? I've almost forgot how to spell the word. It's getting pretty
bad, but then man can not live on fuzz alone. Yet on the other hand............... Ah well,
"Piece in our time", if I may quote the immortal words of Prime Minister Chamberlain
on his return from Berlin in 1938 or was it '39.
I will be home for the summer by May 31 at the latest.
I met Fr. Myles last Monday. He was driving past N.D. on his way to Niagara and he
stopped in to see the boys. He said Steady Eddie lost twenty lbs. I'll believe that when
I see it.
Has the glacier retreated yet? Are the roads open? Did M go back to Chicago yet?
Bob
Dear Thom,
I am finally getting to write you letter. I intended to write it last Wednesday night, but I just
never got around to it. I got in late Tuesday night hoping for a peaceful two week rest. So
what happens? Wednesday morning at 9:30 sharp a bucket of water and a sponge are
placed lovingly at my bedside and I've been washing walls ever since at the fantastic rate
of one room per day.
There has been a good deal of action around here since I wrote you last. In my last letter
I believe I told you about Germany's surrender, or was it the bombing of Pearl Harbor?
I don't think we are going to finish our chess game in my lifetime but I have made provisions
in my will so that the game will continue through my descendants. I don't think the
responsibility for the delay in moves rests entirely on my shoulders. However, I doubt whether
you could be as dilatory as JM, if you tried. I wrote to him last Feb. and I'm still waiting for
an answer. I'm going to look him up in the next week and see what's wrong.
Mt. Carmel News - - Unrest in the Nest! The Eagle's little empire was struck a staggering
blow last month when the underclassmen for some reason refused to buy lunch room food.
From what I hear it was an organized revolution. They even stationed guards to make sure
that no Royalist or Tory bought anything. Naturally this rising of the proletariat did not ride
well with an absolute monarchy such as at Mt. Carmel H.S. At any rate the riot was broken
up after a couple of days by the combined brown robe forces, who stood guard over the
young revolutionaries while they ate and would not allow them to say word one. Thus
liberty was crushed and the oppressor triumphed.
The boys "naaaked" JD once too often while he was walking in the corridors. He
wheeled around, bellowed a few well-chosen phrases, and flung his copy of :Why
Johnny Can't Read" at them (in reality he threw his Gen. Lit. book at them). I don't know
what came of that little incident, I only know it happened.
Fr. Thomas broke his ankle a few weeks ago. He probably tripped over a pile of chance
book money.
I picked my room for next year a few weeks ago. It is a single on the 4th floor of
Howard, 405 to be exact. At last I shall have some privacy. It's not a big room and what
it lacks in size it makes up for in its antiquitous nature. But it's mine and mine alone!
(sentence fragment skillfully employed to give joyful effect).
I must admit that I did not notice your misspelling, unintentional I suppose, of the fair name
of my glorious University. However, since I am not accustomed to scrutinizing the
envelopes, I do not feel that I should be held completely accountable for my oversite (sic),
Henceforth, I suggest that you place all material which you wish me to read on the inside
of the envelope.
Have you heard about the World's Fair that will be held in Belgium in 1958? I have been
thinking about it for a long time and have decided that it would not be a bad idea if we
could get a summer job there. About 40 nations are going to have exhibits and the
U.S. is putting up a $20,000,000. building. Since you are about 1000 miles closer to
Belgium than I am, I figure that you can get some information easier than I can. I think it
might be an interesting trip. Find out what you can, eh.
I am enclosing the program of Aquinas' brilliantly executed play, or so I am told; I
didn't see it myself. I took the trouble to underline the names of several of the cast who
you will recognize.
How is your "fuzz" life coming? I've almost forgot how to spell the word. It's getting pretty
bad, but then man can not live on fuzz alone. Yet on the other hand............... Ah well,
"Piece in our time", if I may quote the immortal words of Prime Minister Chamberlain
on his return from Berlin in 1938 or was it '39.
I will be home for the summer by May 31 at the latest.
I met Fr. Myles last Monday. He was driving past N.D. on his way to Niagara and he
stopped in to see the boys. He said Steady Eddie lost twenty lbs. I'll believe that when
I see it.
Has the glacier retreated yet? Are the roads open? Did M go back to Chicago yet?
Bob
April 12, 1957
Dear Thom,
In the interest of rapid chess games I am dispatching this post card to you.
Enclosed please find one chess move. I will be home from Apr.17th to the 28th.
Look to receive an extensive letter on Good Friday or Easter Monday.
QB to QB3
In the interest of rapid chess games I am dispatching this post card to you.
Enclosed please find one chess move. I will be home from Apr.17th to the 28th.
Look to receive an extensive letter on Good Friday or Easter Monday.
QB to QB3
April 6, 1957
Dear Bob,
I'm very disappointed in you. I have either become too subtle for you or else you just don't read
the addressee side of my envelopes. In either case a serious deficiency is evident in your
education and I trust immediate steps will be taken to alleviate the situation.
I took a three day hike with a friend of mine last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and had a great time. It;s nice to play Dan'l Boone once in a while. It certainly makes one appreciate the
comforts of civilization. We traveled about 40 miles on foot, and when it started to hail, we
hitchhiked another ten miles. We climbed a mountain (3240 ft. above sea level and about
2100 ft. above the surrounding area) and the view was breathtaking. We could see about
30 miles in every direction. It seemed as if we had conquered the world when we surveyed
the surrounding mountains and lakes.
And not a girl in sight!
Tom
Queen to QR3
I'm very disappointed in you. I have either become too subtle for you or else you just don't read
the addressee side of my envelopes. In either case a serious deficiency is evident in your
education and I trust immediate steps will be taken to alleviate the situation.
I took a three day hike with a friend of mine last Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday and had a great time. It;s nice to play Dan'l Boone once in a while. It certainly makes one appreciate the
comforts of civilization. We traveled about 40 miles on foot, and when it started to hail, we
hitchhiked another ten miles. We climbed a mountain (3240 ft. above sea level and about
2100 ft. above the surrounding area) and the view was breathtaking. We could see about
30 miles in every direction. It seemed as if we had conquered the world when we surveyed
the surrounding mountains and lakes.
And not a girl in sight!
Tom
Queen to QR3
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
March 8, 1957
Dear Thom,
I am at this time engulfed in extensive mid-term examinations. I am also working on a term
paper, this is keeping me quite busy.
Has the snow melted up there yet? It is finally getting warm down here. It rained all day and
the temperature was 50.
JM received a 3.57 average while BB just missed straight As. Oh, how the mighty
have fallen!
I met a friend of mine here who I haven't seen for 8 years. I went to his house for dinner last
Sunday (he is living in South Bend) and low (sic) and behold he has a sharp sister in high
school (age 16 or 17). Howsoever, she is being monopolized by two freshmen at N.D. who
live in South Bend and own cars. Strike three, I'm out! Oh well, all comes to he who waits.
Nothing is happening down here except lots of work. It is very discouraging. I guess I'll
survive.
Bob
QK to K4
Takes pawn.
I hope your chess board coincides with mine.
I am at this time engulfed in extensive mid-term examinations. I am also working on a term
paper, this is keeping me quite busy.
Has the snow melted up there yet? It is finally getting warm down here. It rained all day and
the temperature was 50.
JM received a 3.57 average while BB just missed straight As. Oh, how the mighty
have fallen!
I met a friend of mine here who I haven't seen for 8 years. I went to his house for dinner last
Sunday (he is living in South Bend) and low (sic) and behold he has a sharp sister in high
school (age 16 or 17). Howsoever, she is being monopolized by two freshmen at N.D. who
live in South Bend and own cars. Strike three, I'm out! Oh well, all comes to he who waits.
Nothing is happening down here except lots of work. It is very discouraging. I guess I'll
survive.
Bob
QK to K4
Takes pawn.
I hope your chess board coincides with mine.
Thursday, June 14, 2012
March 2, 1957
Dear Bob,
I got my marks this week, and I came out with a 3.2 average using the five-point system, four C+'s and
a B in German. This means that I have the highest average of any freshman on the fourth floor of Lord
Hall (there are two of us).
Now that M is part of the sometimes painful but always instructive past, I have shifted my sights to
greener more mature pastures. I'm corresponding regularly with a girl who spent first semester at
Springfield College (Mass.) but is now attending Cortland in up-state New York, near home. I hope
to have her here (not to be interpreted in the Aldous Huxley sense) for Green Key weekend sometime
in May. We'll see what develops. She writes wonderful letters that make me wish.................
We have our spring vacation from March 28th to April 7, and I may come home. I would appreciate
it very much if you did not call my house as you did when I went to Detroit, for I am planning to
surprise everyone.
Sorry to hear that J has followed the lead of some of her more ravishing contemporaries, but it is
probably all for the better.
OB to KG5
Tom
P.S. Your mom went me some wonderful cookies! Somebody loves me!
I got my marks this week, and I came out with a 3.2 average using the five-point system, four C+'s and
a B in German. This means that I have the highest average of any freshman on the fourth floor of Lord
Hall (there are two of us).
Now that M is part of the sometimes painful but always instructive past, I have shifted my sights to
greener more mature pastures. I'm corresponding regularly with a girl who spent first semester at
Springfield College (Mass.) but is now attending Cortland in up-state New York, near home. I hope
to have her here (not to be interpreted in the Aldous Huxley sense) for Green Key weekend sometime
in May. We'll see what develops. She writes wonderful letters that make me wish.................
We have our spring vacation from March 28th to April 7, and I may come home. I would appreciate
it very much if you did not call my house as you did when I went to Detroit, for I am planning to
surprise everyone.
Sorry to hear that J has followed the lead of some of her more ravishing contemporaries, but it is
probably all for the better.
OB to KG5
Tom
P.S. Your mom went me some wonderful cookies! Somebody loves me!
Tuesday, June 12, 2012
Feb. 21, 1957
Dear Thom (John)
Your expose of the Winter Carnival and subsequent expose of the wily M was a highly enjoyable piece of
prose. It was a true masterpiece of double-entendre. Although you well-put trials and tribulations were
very humorous, it is unfortunate that your Operation M fell through. I fully agree with you in your two-point
theory on selecting the proper marital party. I am especially predisposed to agree with you because it looks
like my Operation J has floundered. She has blatantly refused to answer my last letter. Apparently her
interests lie (lay) elsewhere. I must say that she has picked an inopportune time to desert the ship, as it were
.
I will now be forced to search for date to the N.D. Easter Dance in Chicago- - a project which does not
appeal to me. If there is one thing I don't like to look for, it's a date for a dance. It seems like you should be
able to order one is this modern day & age. I certainly don't want to miss that dance. It will be a !!real!!
blast. I can use one too. Everyone who lives within 200 miles of this place is going home over the
Washington weekend except me. What do I have to go home to? My fish tank?
I don't suppose I'll be getting any cookies from M's flunkies not that since which things are so?
Ah well, QB to Q2.
This letter certainly needs some paragraph zoning, doesn't it?
Bob
Your expose of the Winter Carnival and subsequent expose of the wily M was a highly enjoyable piece of
prose. It was a true masterpiece of double-entendre. Although you well-put trials and tribulations were
very humorous, it is unfortunate that your Operation M fell through. I fully agree with you in your two-point
theory on selecting the proper marital party. I am especially predisposed to agree with you because it looks
like my Operation J has floundered. She has blatantly refused to answer my last letter. Apparently her
interests lie (lay) elsewhere. I must say that she has picked an inopportune time to desert the ship, as it were
.
I will now be forced to search for date to the N.D. Easter Dance in Chicago- - a project which does not
appeal to me. If there is one thing I don't like to look for, it's a date for a dance. It seems like you should be
able to order one is this modern day & age. I certainly don't want to miss that dance. It will be a !!real!!
blast. I can use one too. Everyone who lives within 200 miles of this place is going home over the
Washington weekend except me. What do I have to go home to? My fish tank?
I don't suppose I'll be getting any cookies from M's flunkies not that since which things are so?
Ah well, QB to Q2.
This letter certainly needs some paragraph zoning, doesn't it?
Bob
Monday, May 28, 2012
February 14, 1957
Addressed "No Dam University"
Dear Bob,
Your last letter was very interesting, and I'm glad to see you are doing so well. I don't know all my marks yet, but I have a C+ in English and History. Our marking system runs A, B, C+, C -, D and E with five points for A and none for E. I expect to get three other hook - pluses, which will give me a 3.0 average, not too bad, but it could be a lot better.
But let us turn from this discussion to the recounting of some of the incidents and lessons I experienced at the country's biggest, most famous, and wildest college weekend - - Winter Carnival.
I had a wonderful time. It was really great having a girl up here; after one's date leaves, the campus is never the same. M. was fairly "snowed " by the place.
Friday evening I was very much out of it (Vodka and Collins mix 1 : 1 is a potent drink). M. had only two drinks the whole time she was here (the prude). I was, seriously, happy to see she doesn't let herself go when restrictions are removed from her. ( I was? ) She lived up to my expectations of her rather well.
Besides providing me with a very enjoyable time, Carnival has made me an even more confirmed bachelor. You may know that I intend to marry a girl that, a) approaches my idea of perfection, and b) likes me. Previous to Carnival I had considered M. the closest proximity to that non-existent person, but during Carnival I learned a) she does not approach my idea of perfection b) she doesn't like me.
Here are some of the things I noticed about her during that fabulous weekend.
She is very indiscreet. At dinner with dozens of atheists, Jews, Masons, and Protestants around us, she crossed herself, said the prayer before the meal and crossed herself again. I will not argue with you about the religious aspects of this action (I respect her very much for her
religious convictions), but I think you will agree that such a thing is very indiscreet. She could have just bowed her head and said the prayer.
Her feet get cold too fast (that is, when we're out walking). Once her feet get cold, she becomes very obstinate and uncooperative (still while walking).
She gets tired too soon. (By that I mean she doesn't like to travel a long distance.)
She's too emotional ( in her reasoning, that is). To me she showed no emotion at all, unless you call letting me massage her back a show of tender emotions!
In her letters, she shows a complete lack of understanding of men. She just doesn't have the enthusiasm some girls have.
She likes to get her way and uses all crafts at her disposal to accomplish this.
She doesn't think. She twice started to call me John (damn that name)! Here's a sample of a typical conversation late in the evening after a busy day.
I: "Right now I'd like to be in my bed between the nice warm sheets".
(said very innocently by the way).
She: "That's where I'd like to be now too".
And of course, most important of all, she doesn't like me. I don't have to give you any reasons for this statement, for I'm sure you know that when somebody doesn't like one, one can usually tell.
Despite all these faults, just having a girl up here was wonderful, and I think it was well worth it.
I hope you will write soon, some night when you're not forced to go to a football rally.
I'll close this lengthy letter with these words of doom Q to QR4.
Tom
Dear Bob,
Your last letter was very interesting, and I'm glad to see you are doing so well. I don't know all my marks yet, but I have a C+ in English and History. Our marking system runs A, B, C+, C -, D and E with five points for A and none for E. I expect to get three other hook - pluses, which will give me a 3.0 average, not too bad, but it could be a lot better.
But let us turn from this discussion to the recounting of some of the incidents and lessons I experienced at the country's biggest, most famous, and wildest college weekend - - Winter Carnival.
I had a wonderful time. It was really great having a girl up here; after one's date leaves, the campus is never the same. M. was fairly "snowed " by the place.
Friday evening I was very much out of it (Vodka and Collins mix 1 : 1 is a potent drink). M. had only two drinks the whole time she was here (the prude). I was, seriously, happy to see she doesn't let herself go when restrictions are removed from her. ( I was? ) She lived up to my expectations of her rather well.
Besides providing me with a very enjoyable time, Carnival has made me an even more confirmed bachelor. You may know that I intend to marry a girl that, a) approaches my idea of perfection, and b) likes me. Previous to Carnival I had considered M. the closest proximity to that non-existent person, but during Carnival I learned a) she does not approach my idea of perfection b) she doesn't like me.
Here are some of the things I noticed about her during that fabulous weekend.
She is very indiscreet. At dinner with dozens of atheists, Jews, Masons, and Protestants around us, she crossed herself, said the prayer before the meal and crossed herself again. I will not argue with you about the religious aspects of this action (I respect her very much for her
religious convictions), but I think you will agree that such a thing is very indiscreet. She could have just bowed her head and said the prayer.
Her feet get cold too fast (that is, when we're out walking). Once her feet get cold, she becomes very obstinate and uncooperative (still while walking).
She gets tired too soon. (By that I mean she doesn't like to travel a long distance.)
She's too emotional ( in her reasoning, that is). To me she showed no emotion at all, unless you call letting me massage her back a show of tender emotions!
In her letters, she shows a complete lack of understanding of men. She just doesn't have the enthusiasm some girls have.
She likes to get her way and uses all crafts at her disposal to accomplish this.
She doesn't think. She twice started to call me John (damn that name)! Here's a sample of a typical conversation late in the evening after a busy day.
I: "Right now I'd like to be in my bed between the nice warm sheets".
(said very innocently by the way).
She: "That's where I'd like to be now too".
And of course, most important of all, she doesn't like me. I don't have to give you any reasons for this statement, for I'm sure you know that when somebody doesn't like one, one can usually tell.
Despite all these faults, just having a girl up here was wonderful, and I think it was well worth it.
I hope you will write soon, some night when you're not forced to go to a football rally.
I'll close this lengthy letter with these words of doom Q to QR4.
Tom
November 25, 1956
Dear Thom,
I did fairly well in my midterms except for math which as you know, has plagued me from the beginning. My midterm average is only 80, but that is not too bad for a first year, midterm average at Notre Dame. Out of 450 freshmen Commerce students, 400 are flunking one subject and 350 are flunking two subjects. It is still up in the air whether or not I will receive a pink flunking slip in math for the half. The slips come out tomorrow and I soon will know.
You're getting horny? I've reached the gnawing-on-the-woodwork stage.
I did get home for Thanksgiving Day itself, but that was all.
I suppose the glaciers have moved in up there by now. There are a few inches of snow on the ground down here.
I'm not surprised that you left G. by the wayside. You know my opinion of her. My high opinion of high school fuzz still remains the same, however. Who needs intellectual stimulation?
As for our football team, we are clearly victims of circumstances. At least we are not a "football factory" as Dartmouth appears to be. You certainly had your nerve, humbling poor Princeton 19 to 0. That's not cricket, you know. Of course not, it's football, but I still wager that Princeton men will not speak to Dartmouth men for seven generations - - at least . Marriages will be
broken up, civil wars will devastate the land - - brothers against sisters (heh, heh), etc.
I trust you had fun traveling in the historic footsteps of Ethan Allen and his Green Mt. Boys. Find any redcoats, eh?
I will anxiously await your next letter. We are getting out for Christmas after classes on the 19th of December.
Your truly,
Bob
KB to GN3
ha, ha, and ho
I did fairly well in my midterms except for math which as you know, has plagued me from the beginning. My midterm average is only 80, but that is not too bad for a first year, midterm average at Notre Dame. Out of 450 freshmen Commerce students, 400 are flunking one subject and 350 are flunking two subjects. It is still up in the air whether or not I will receive a pink flunking slip in math for the half. The slips come out tomorrow and I soon will know.
You're getting horny? I've reached the gnawing-on-the-woodwork stage.
I did get home for Thanksgiving Day itself, but that was all.
I suppose the glaciers have moved in up there by now. There are a few inches of snow on the ground down here.
I'm not surprised that you left G. by the wayside. You know my opinion of her. My high opinion of high school fuzz still remains the same, however. Who needs intellectual stimulation?
As for our football team, we are clearly victims of circumstances. At least we are not a "football factory" as Dartmouth appears to be. You certainly had your nerve, humbling poor Princeton 19 to 0. That's not cricket, you know. Of course not, it's football, but I still wager that Princeton men will not speak to Dartmouth men for seven generations - - at least . Marriages will be
broken up, civil wars will devastate the land - - brothers against sisters (heh, heh), etc.
I trust you had fun traveling in the historic footsteps of Ethan Allen and his Green Mt. Boys. Find any redcoats, eh?
I will anxiously await your next letter. We are getting out for Christmas after classes on the 19th of December.
Your truly,
Bob
KB to GN3
ha, ha, and ho
Monday, May 21, 2012
November 15, 1956
Dear Bob,
I hope you did all right in your mid-terms. I myself just got through with my hour exams. Now I won't have hour exams until after Thanksgiving. Big deal! I didn't do too well on the exams returned to me so far. History--B, Classical Civilization--B, and on a German vocab exam I knew 24 of 70 words!
The only thing I didn't like about my trip to Chicago was the fact that I didn't have time to go on a date. (I'm getting pretty horny.) I love flying, as you know, and it was nice to see the old town. It certainly is a change after being in God's country for a month and a half.
On the way back I had a most pleasant experience. I met a very nice girl from Springfield College (Mass), and I hope to date her a few times and maybe ask her up here for Carnival. What happened to G. you ask? After being a college man for almost two months I have found high school girls too immature. I find they lack the intellectual stimulation, poise, and figures of college girls. Of course when I get back to Chicago I may date high school girls, but this is just because i don't know any female college students from Chicago.
I'd ask how your football team is doing, but I don't think you'd admit to having one.
We had some snow last night, but today it is sunny and warm.
I plan to take a little hike into Vermont over the Thanksgiving holidays. I suppose you'll be going home. I'll think of you among the bleak buildings and the denuded trees of Chicago while I'm wending my way among the beautiful green hills of Vermont.
Tom
QP to Q4
ha ha
I hope you did all right in your mid-terms. I myself just got through with my hour exams. Now I won't have hour exams until after Thanksgiving. Big deal! I didn't do too well on the exams returned to me so far. History--B, Classical Civilization--B, and on a German vocab exam I knew 24 of 70 words!
The only thing I didn't like about my trip to Chicago was the fact that I didn't have time to go on a date. (I'm getting pretty horny.) I love flying, as you know, and it was nice to see the old town. It certainly is a change after being in God's country for a month and a half.
On the way back I had a most pleasant experience. I met a very nice girl from Springfield College (Mass), and I hope to date her a few times and maybe ask her up here for Carnival. What happened to G. you ask? After being a college man for almost two months I have found high school girls too immature. I find they lack the intellectual stimulation, poise, and figures of college girls. Of course when I get back to Chicago I may date high school girls, but this is just because i don't know any female college students from Chicago.
I'd ask how your football team is doing, but I don't think you'd admit to having one.
We had some snow last night, but today it is sunny and warm.
I plan to take a little hike into Vermont over the Thanksgiving holidays. I suppose you'll be going home. I'll think of you among the bleak buildings and the denuded trees of Chicago while I'm wending my way among the beautiful green hills of Vermont.
Tom
QP to Q4
ha ha
November 8, 1956
Dear Thom,
Mid-terms are coming up and I have no time to write you a complete letter. I hope you had a good time on your trip to Chicago. I would have liked to come in also, but it was impossible.
Write me if you have time. I probably won't be able to write a letter until Thanksgiving but postcards are no trouble at all.
Bob
KB to QB4
Mid-terms are coming up and I have no time to write you a complete letter. I hope you had a good time on your trip to Chicago. I would have liked to come in also, but it was impossible.
Write me if you have time. I probably won't be able to write a letter until Thanksgiving but postcards are no trouble at all.
Bob
KB to QB4
October 30, 1956
Dear Bob,
Here I am again after a busy weekend down at Harvard. I see you lost too, what is happening to the N.D. football teams?
I didn't care too much for Harvard's campus. It's right in the city and isn't 1/10th as nice as ours is. As a friend of mine put it, their buildings look more like old factories. The arrangement of the campus conveys a feeling of diversity, while the campi of D. and N.D. tend to convey unity.
I walked around Boston for a few hours (accepted practice), but didn't see enough of the Hub to make a critical judgement
The Commons of Boston is very beautiful, and I noticed two things about it which might interest you (there go the mules): a) the trash receptacles in the Commons are placed in three feet high plaster replicas of a hollowed-out tree stump: and b) each and every tree in the Commons has on it a metal plate giving its Latin and common names. I thought you as a naturalist would be especially interested in "b".
What do you mean by saying the hazing is hard. All we 60s have to do is wear beanies, have name badges, carry furniture and beat rugs for upperclassmen, and build bonfires before the home football games.
I think I should give you some insight into the character of Dartmouth. I'll start by describing the cover of the Dartmouth-Harvard football game program. There is a drawing of John Harvard
standing by, watching the Dartmouth Indian paint the roof of John's most revered building green. As you may have guessed, green is our school color.
In a recent edition of a women's college newsletter this definition of a Dartmouth man appeared: One who can't count to 70 without smiling (what comes before 70).
Quite in vogue is a banner that bears the inscription "when better women are made,
Dartmouth men will make them".
A song sang around here a lot is "Dartmouth's in Town Again". While it is not the official college song, it is easily the most popular. In my rendition I will disguise certain words in case you want to show it to your mother, also I am afraid of being prosecuted for transmitting lewd
material through the mails. Thus:
Dartmouth's in town again, run girls run.
Dartmouth's in town again, fun girls fun.
Our stants are preaming hot,
We'll give you all we've got.
Rigins are our meat, vape! vape! vape!
Down from the hills we come, surge on, surge!
Mucking like Dartmouth men.
We've got the biologic urge.
Dartmouth's in town again.
Quite a school!
You in your closely guarded retreat may have heard some stories about the important rule sex and alcoholic beverages play in the education of an Ivy League man. Well those stories are true. Of course I have used discretion and have indulged in the latter on only two occasions. It's amazing how easy it is to obtain liquor here. Just last Friday I went in and bought a six-pack without any trouble whatsoever. Don't get me wrong! I don't get soused every night. I'm a social drinker and have a few cans when I go to a party. If I wanted to I could probably go to a beer blast every weekend, but I don't want to make it a habit.
Too bad about girls not being allowed in your dorms. They can come in ours, but have to be out by a certain time.
I'm flying into Chicago for the weekend of the 2nd. I have to attend a conference of the United Steelworkers of America, Dist. 31, the organization that gave me the $3000 scholarship. I want to go on a date late Saturday night and maybe to Mt. Carmel's football game. I'll call your house Sat. to see if you're in town for I don't think there'll be enough time for you to answer by mail.
I have to study for my hour exams now, so goodbye.
Tom
My chess move KN - KB3 same as yours.
Here I am again after a busy weekend down at Harvard. I see you lost too, what is happening to the N.D. football teams?
I didn't care too much for Harvard's campus. It's right in the city and isn't 1/10th as nice as ours is. As a friend of mine put it, their buildings look more like old factories. The arrangement of the campus conveys a feeling of diversity, while the campi of D. and N.D. tend to convey unity.
I walked around Boston for a few hours (accepted practice), but didn't see enough of the Hub to make a critical judgement
The Commons of Boston is very beautiful, and I noticed two things about it which might interest you (there go the mules): a) the trash receptacles in the Commons are placed in three feet high plaster replicas of a hollowed-out tree stump: and b) each and every tree in the Commons has on it a metal plate giving its Latin and common names. I thought you as a naturalist would be especially interested in "b".
What do you mean by saying the hazing is hard. All we 60s have to do is wear beanies, have name badges, carry furniture and beat rugs for upperclassmen, and build bonfires before the home football games.
I think I should give you some insight into the character of Dartmouth. I'll start by describing the cover of the Dartmouth-Harvard football game program. There is a drawing of John Harvard
standing by, watching the Dartmouth Indian paint the roof of John's most revered building green. As you may have guessed, green is our school color.
In a recent edition of a women's college newsletter this definition of a Dartmouth man appeared: One who can't count to 70 without smiling (what comes before 70).
Quite in vogue is a banner that bears the inscription "when better women are made,
Dartmouth men will make them".
A song sang around here a lot is "Dartmouth's in Town Again". While it is not the official college song, it is easily the most popular. In my rendition I will disguise certain words in case you want to show it to your mother, also I am afraid of being prosecuted for transmitting lewd
material through the mails. Thus:
Dartmouth's in town again, run girls run.
Dartmouth's in town again, fun girls fun.
Our stants are preaming hot,
We'll give you all we've got.
Rigins are our meat, vape! vape! vape!
Down from the hills we come, surge on, surge!
Mucking like Dartmouth men.
We've got the biologic urge.
Dartmouth's in town again.
Quite a school!
You in your closely guarded retreat may have heard some stories about the important rule sex and alcoholic beverages play in the education of an Ivy League man. Well those stories are true. Of course I have used discretion and have indulged in the latter on only two occasions. It's amazing how easy it is to obtain liquor here. Just last Friday I went in and bought a six-pack without any trouble whatsoever. Don't get me wrong! I don't get soused every night. I'm a social drinker and have a few cans when I go to a party. If I wanted to I could probably go to a beer blast every weekend, but I don't want to make it a habit.
Too bad about girls not being allowed in your dorms. They can come in ours, but have to be out by a certain time.
I'm flying into Chicago for the weekend of the 2nd. I have to attend a conference of the United Steelworkers of America, Dist. 31, the organization that gave me the $3000 scholarship. I want to go on a date late Saturday night and maybe to Mt. Carmel's football game. I'll call your house Sat. to see if you're in town for I don't think there'll be enough time for you to answer by mail.
I have to study for my hour exams now, so goodbye.
Tom
My chess move KN - KB3 same as yours.
Sunday, May 13, 2012
October 20, 1956
Dear Thom,
It is another dod gam football weekend here. I have just gotten over an attack of cold
germs, and the weather here is cold, damp, moist, sloppy, and downright detestable.
The girls are not discernible, and life in general is hell. Outside of the above-mentioned
problems, all is well.
To keep up with my studies, I have taken to rising at 5 A.M. This unnerves my roommates
no end, but it can't be helped. The very fact that you are reading this letter is a proof that I
finally caught up on my studies enough to write it.
M.J. has been coming down for the last two home games, but, since no females are
allowed in our hall, she hasn't given me much trouble. However, she besieges poor F.
in his little room and is driving him nutz. F. was trapped into taking her to the "Victory?"
dance last week, and things went normally. F. was P.O.'d.
Your friend and mine, D.P., came down here a few weeks ago looking like the little man
who built his house on sand. He and C. are theoretically on the mend (she came with him,
if that's worth anything), but I can see a schism coming. The Goulder noticed D's
precarious position too, and he commented at great length on it.
I saw "War and Peace" last Tuesday. My only comment is that there was more "Piece"
than War. Audrey was very good as usual.
I wrote to "Wild" D.J., and he reports that all is well with the St. Mary's boys. He is
threatening to send you a letter, but don't let it worry you. G. also vows he will send you
a letter. Don't hold your breath until it comes.........you know the Goulder.
I met a fellow here from New Jersey, near Princeton, named J.T., he tells me that all
his friends went to Dartmouth and that the hazing is fairly hard. He said that in the
middle of winter the Dartmouth fellows would come home for a weekend, run around
in their T-shirts and complain about the hot weather.
Chess move: KN - KB3
Yours truly,
Bob-o
It is another dod gam football weekend here. I have just gotten over an attack of cold
germs, and the weather here is cold, damp, moist, sloppy, and downright detestable.
The girls are not discernible, and life in general is hell. Outside of the above-mentioned
problems, all is well.
To keep up with my studies, I have taken to rising at 5 A.M. This unnerves my roommates
no end, but it can't be helped. The very fact that you are reading this letter is a proof that I
finally caught up on my studies enough to write it.
M.J. has been coming down for the last two home games, but, since no females are
allowed in our hall, she hasn't given me much trouble. However, she besieges poor F.
in his little room and is driving him nutz. F. was trapped into taking her to the "Victory?"
dance last week, and things went normally. F. was P.O.'d.
Your friend and mine, D.P., came down here a few weeks ago looking like the little man
who built his house on sand. He and C. are theoretically on the mend (she came with him,
if that's worth anything), but I can see a schism coming. The Goulder noticed D's
precarious position too, and he commented at great length on it.
I saw "War and Peace" last Tuesday. My only comment is that there was more "Piece"
than War. Audrey was very good as usual.
I wrote to "Wild" D.J., and he reports that all is well with the St. Mary's boys. He is
threatening to send you a letter, but don't let it worry you. G. also vows he will send you
a letter. Don't hold your breath until it comes.........you know the Goulder.
I met a fellow here from New Jersey, near Princeton, named J.T., he tells me that all
his friends went to Dartmouth and that the hazing is fairly hard. He said that in the
middle of winter the Dartmouth fellows would come home for a weekend, run around
in their T-shirts and complain about the hot weather.
Chess move: KN - KB3
Yours truly,
Bob-o
Sunday, May 6, 2012
October 4, 1956
Dear Bob,
I'm sorry I didn't write sooner, but being in college yourself, you know how it is. I was
very glad to receive your correspondence, for you know what a nice feeling it is to
receive mail from "home".
This letter is accompanied by the second of the series, "Life on the American Scene".
Note the conventional (green) shutters, the brick wall, the climbing ivy, the unopened
Blatz bottle and the opened Hamm's can. This is probably the most common sight
I see here. Notice the bottle is on the outside of the window. This is not to keep the
the amber liquid out of the reach of reveling roommates. As you may know, it sometimes
gets rather chilly up here and the temperature is usually sufficiently low to keep the life
blood of the school at a thirst-quenching temperature. (Know of any other school in which
each room is provided with an ice box?) Don't get the wrong idea! The school authorities
don't encourage drinking, they even prohibit it---------between 1 & 10 in the morning. Most
guys have to go to bed early and sleep late or go crazy. it really isn't that bad though, and
I've only had one can of beer since I've been here.
As you may or may not have read our football team (we have one) beat
U. of N.H. 13 - 0. We 60s had to build a monstrous bonfire Friday evening. It
was conical-shaped, 40' in diam. and 35' high. The flames were 100' high and
the fire didn't go out completely until late Sat. morning. Incidentally we built it
right in the middle of the college green. There was no sacking of the town or
attacking of elderly women.
I also experienced the forced mass rallies you talk about. On the Freshman Outing
we were marched out of our cabins at 1 in the morn. and make to stand outside (one
guy had on only a supporter) and sing school songs.
There aren't many girls in town; in fact there's only one good-looking one I know of.
On the weekends, though, especially football weekends, those who can afford it
usually have girls up here. (that "have" can be taken in its usually used meaning and
also in the Aldous Huxley "Brave New World" connotation.)
Saturday night I'm going to Smith college, 100 miles distant, to a mixer. I'll report later.
I've joined the paper here too, but I haven't received any assignments.
I'll be anxiously awaiting a letter from you, so write soon.
Tom
P.S. My move is King's Pawn to King 4. Buy yourself a dictionary or stop typing
your letters.
I'm sorry I didn't write sooner, but being in college yourself, you know how it is. I was
very glad to receive your correspondence, for you know what a nice feeling it is to
receive mail from "home".
This letter is accompanied by the second of the series, "Life on the American Scene".
Note the conventional (green) shutters, the brick wall, the climbing ivy, the unopened
Blatz bottle and the opened Hamm's can. This is probably the most common sight
I see here. Notice the bottle is on the outside of the window. This is not to keep the
the amber liquid out of the reach of reveling roommates. As you may know, it sometimes
gets rather chilly up here and the temperature is usually sufficiently low to keep the life
blood of the school at a thirst-quenching temperature. (Know of any other school in which
each room is provided with an ice box?) Don't get the wrong idea! The school authorities
don't encourage drinking, they even prohibit it---------between 1 & 10 in the morning. Most
guys have to go to bed early and sleep late or go crazy. it really isn't that bad though, and
I've only had one can of beer since I've been here.
As you may or may not have read our football team (we have one) beat
U. of N.H. 13 - 0. We 60s had to build a monstrous bonfire Friday evening. It
was conical-shaped, 40' in diam. and 35' high. The flames were 100' high and
the fire didn't go out completely until late Sat. morning. Incidentally we built it
right in the middle of the college green. There was no sacking of the town or
attacking of elderly women.
I also experienced the forced mass rallies you talk about. On the Freshman Outing
we were marched out of our cabins at 1 in the morn. and make to stand outside (one
guy had on only a supporter) and sing school songs.
There aren't many girls in town; in fact there's only one good-looking one I know of.
On the weekends, though, especially football weekends, those who can afford it
usually have girls up here. (that "have" can be taken in its usually used meaning and
also in the Aldous Huxley "Brave New World" connotation.)
Saturday night I'm going to Smith college, 100 miles distant, to a mixer. I'll report later.
I've joined the paper here too, but I haven't received any assignments.
I'll be anxiously awaiting a letter from you, so write soon.
Tom
P.S. My move is King's Pawn to King 4. Buy yourself a dictionary or stop typing
your letters.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
September 23, 1956
Dear Tom,
I received your essay on "The Ways and Wherefores of Greater New York" a few days
ago. It must have arrived a day after I left. My family forwarded it along with many words
of wisdom as to how I should conduct myself.
I am in a 3-man room. One of my roomies comes from Parkersburg, W. Va., the other
from Chicago Hts. The latter went to Bloom and knows Galkowski's girl friend.
I know now where the old N.D. spirit comes from. They drill it into you. At the campus
shopping center, which contains 300 students at any given time, the N.D. victory march
is continually played over the public address system. It really sounds strange, that one
record over and over and over again.
And the pep rallies are really something to behold. About half an hour before the rally,
the band accompanied by a legion of strong-armed men, marches from hall to hall.
The band assumes a threatening pose next to your building and proceeds to shatter
your windows with a cacophonous rendition of the victory march (as if we hadn't heard
it enough). Just as your windows are disintegrating, a thunderous knocking begins at
your door. You race for the door but you are not quick enough. The oaken rail-road tie
annihilates your door and seventeen burly upper-classmen rush in through the aperture.
You are flung headlong into the cold night air where you are caught up in the crowd
headed toward the gym. Inside the gym, which can hold 5,000 students and does on
this night, you find everyone in an orgy of excitement. Coach Brennan and his well-oiled,
well-fed automatons enter and in an instant 5,000 average American boys are
transformed into 5,000 football-crazed maniacs. Thousands are trampled in a desperate
effort to get closer to god. Those fellows were so hopped-up at the end of that rally that
they would have sacked and looted South Bend if god-almighty Terrance had hinted to
that effect. The rally didn't seem to do much good though, for as you already know we did
not emerge victorious. There were 4,000 fellows watching the game in the drill hall on
closed-circuit, big screen T.V., and they nearly wrecked the place in their rage when
we lost. they kicked over their chairs, smashed pop bottles, and turned the air blue
with exclamatory phrases, but to no avail. Ah well, we will play again.
I suppose we had better start our chess game. I'll take the white, which has the first move,
and you of necessity will take the black.
Why don't you write to Wipper-Will? I would but I do not know his address. If we
could contact him, it would complete the ring of contacts.
I haven't had much on my radio besides the local stations. The reception is poor and I
haven't much time.
Girls can be found in great profusion in South Bend on Saturday nights. It is very easy
to be picked up. All you do is walk up and down the streets and they drive up in their
cars. I have yet to try this, but fellows in my hall have met with great success.
I think I will write J and H. if I have time. I've been up here only a week and already I'm
going nutz. O. is already loopy, completely out of it. College really is a big change, but
I'm not sorry that I made it. All the rest of the Carmel guys seem to be getting along
all right, however write quickly, I may not be here long.
Yours truly,
Bob
P.S. I joined the paper - - - - my first chess move is King's pawn to King 4.
(Back of envelope: U-NO-HOO, 409 Lord, etc. "Good Lord")
I received your essay on "The Ways and Wherefores of Greater New York" a few days
ago. It must have arrived a day after I left. My family forwarded it along with many words
of wisdom as to how I should conduct myself.
I am in a 3-man room. One of my roomies comes from Parkersburg, W. Va., the other
from Chicago Hts. The latter went to Bloom and knows Galkowski's girl friend.
I know now where the old N.D. spirit comes from. They drill it into you. At the campus
shopping center, which contains 300 students at any given time, the N.D. victory march
is continually played over the public address system. It really sounds strange, that one
record over and over and over again.
And the pep rallies are really something to behold. About half an hour before the rally,
the band accompanied by a legion of strong-armed men, marches from hall to hall.
The band assumes a threatening pose next to your building and proceeds to shatter
your windows with a cacophonous rendition of the victory march (as if we hadn't heard
it enough). Just as your windows are disintegrating, a thunderous knocking begins at
your door. You race for the door but you are not quick enough. The oaken rail-road tie
annihilates your door and seventeen burly upper-classmen rush in through the aperture.
You are flung headlong into the cold night air where you are caught up in the crowd
headed toward the gym. Inside the gym, which can hold 5,000 students and does on
this night, you find everyone in an orgy of excitement. Coach Brennan and his well-oiled,
well-fed automatons enter and in an instant 5,000 average American boys are
transformed into 5,000 football-crazed maniacs. Thousands are trampled in a desperate
effort to get closer to god. Those fellows were so hopped-up at the end of that rally that
they would have sacked and looted South Bend if god-almighty Terrance had hinted to
that effect. The rally didn't seem to do much good though, for as you already know we did
not emerge victorious. There were 4,000 fellows watching the game in the drill hall on
closed-circuit, big screen T.V., and they nearly wrecked the place in their rage when
we lost. they kicked over their chairs, smashed pop bottles, and turned the air blue
with exclamatory phrases, but to no avail. Ah well, we will play again.
I suppose we had better start our chess game. I'll take the white, which has the first move,
and you of necessity will take the black.
Why don't you write to Wipper-Will? I would but I do not know his address. If we
could contact him, it would complete the ring of contacts.
I haven't had much on my radio besides the local stations. The reception is poor and I
haven't much time.
Girls can be found in great profusion in South Bend on Saturday nights. It is very easy
to be picked up. All you do is walk up and down the streets and they drive up in their
cars. I have yet to try this, but fellows in my hall have met with great success.
I think I will write J and H. if I have time. I've been up here only a week and already I'm
going nutz. O. is already loopy, completely out of it. College really is a big change, but
I'm not sorry that I made it. All the rest of the Carmel guys seem to be getting along
all right, however write quickly, I may not be here long.
Yours truly,
Bob
P.S. I joined the paper - - - - my first chess move is King's pawn to King 4.
(Back of envelope: U-NO-HOO, 409 Lord, etc. "Good Lord")
Sunday, April 29, 2012
September 14, 1956
Dear Bob,
I'm having a wonderful time here. It really is a beautiful and wonderful town.
I had a very nice trip, though it did get cloudy and rough over central Penn., so
that we had to have our seat belts fastened all the way into N.Y.
The first moment I caught sight of the City as we neared the airport will always be
remembered by me as one of the most wonderful moments of my life. It was quite
deceiving though. It seemed that all the skyscrapers were clustered in the lower end of
Manhattan and the Empire State Building, a little to the north, was in an area which
contained rather medium sized buildings. Thus I thought the center of the City would
be found in lower Manhattan, but it isn't, it is found in central Man. There are located
Times Square, Broadway, 42nd Street, Madison, Lexington, Park and Fifth Avenues,
the Woolworth, RCA, UN, Chrysler and Met Life Insurance Buildings.
I will try to give you some idea of the size of Manhattan. Consider the Chicago area
bounded by Michigan Ave., Lake Street, the alley between LaSalle and Wells (is there
one?) and Jackson. Also consider N. Michigan Ave. (to 1600 N.) and Astor St.
Make the buildings twice as tall and twice as beautiful and imposing. Now take all
but one traffic light from each intersection and at the same time divide the width of the
sidewalks by two and place ten times as many cabs in the streets. Two fifths of that mess
is the business section of lower Manhattan, a concentrated and awesome part of town.
The remaining three fifths of our potpourri can be spread around a little and interspersed
with lesser buildings to form mid-Manhattan or "midtown".
The first night I was here I just wandered aimlessly, an action closely associated with
yours truly.
Thursday I really traveled, covering all the street mentioned and Wall Street, the ESB,
Lindy's. Central Park and the Automat, to mention just a few places. At night I went
to see the show "New Faces of 1956". What a day!
The view from the ESB is really tremendous ($1.30). it is a beautiful and tremendous
building too. (Raise the block-square wedge of the Merchandise Mart about 60 floors,
place the Willoughby Tower atop that, and top it with a TV antenna the size of
Cleopatra's Needle).
I guess I'd better explain the drawing. First of all excuse my poor artist's try. The
picture is just my impression of a typical New Yorker. She is 22 or 23, blond, very
curvaceous, a model for a mid-town shop, unmarried, has no children, lives on
the East Side, drinks indiscreetly, smokes indoors, dresses chicly, and is very suave.
She is assuming the most popular un-natural pose assumed by New Yorkers, the
position whereby a cab is signaled. Everybody here rides in cabs (even I do). She
has just missed a cab (speeding up 42nd St.), but doesn't see the one that made a
U-turn on 42nd when he saw her signal. After just about knocking her off the curb, the
cabbie will take her to her apt. or rendezvous. It's not that the cabbies don't know how
to drive, it's that they're lethal. Maybe that explains why the pedestrians here seem
more conservative and meek.
Note the "smoke" rising from the sewer? It is really like that all over town.
Well that's a capsule summary of the town and the people and I hope I have kept you
entertained for a few minutes.
It's 2 A.M. and I think I better get some rest, for today I'm going on to D.
Tom
P.S. The N.D. Club of N.Y. is on E. 37th near Park Ave., two doors away from the
Dartmouth College Club.
I'm having a wonderful time here. It really is a beautiful and wonderful town.
I had a very nice trip, though it did get cloudy and rough over central Penn., so
that we had to have our seat belts fastened all the way into N.Y.
The first moment I caught sight of the City as we neared the airport will always be
remembered by me as one of the most wonderful moments of my life. It was quite
deceiving though. It seemed that all the skyscrapers were clustered in the lower end of
Manhattan and the Empire State Building, a little to the north, was in an area which
contained rather medium sized buildings. Thus I thought the center of the City would
be found in lower Manhattan, but it isn't, it is found in central Man. There are located
Times Square, Broadway, 42nd Street, Madison, Lexington, Park and Fifth Avenues,
the Woolworth, RCA, UN, Chrysler and Met Life Insurance Buildings.
I will try to give you some idea of the size of Manhattan. Consider the Chicago area
bounded by Michigan Ave., Lake Street, the alley between LaSalle and Wells (is there
one?) and Jackson. Also consider N. Michigan Ave. (to 1600 N.) and Astor St.
Make the buildings twice as tall and twice as beautiful and imposing. Now take all
but one traffic light from each intersection and at the same time divide the width of the
sidewalks by two and place ten times as many cabs in the streets. Two fifths of that mess
is the business section of lower Manhattan, a concentrated and awesome part of town.
The remaining three fifths of our potpourri can be spread around a little and interspersed
with lesser buildings to form mid-Manhattan or "midtown".
The first night I was here I just wandered aimlessly, an action closely associated with
yours truly.
Thursday I really traveled, covering all the street mentioned and Wall Street, the ESB,
Lindy's. Central Park and the Automat, to mention just a few places. At night I went
to see the show "New Faces of 1956". What a day!
The view from the ESB is really tremendous ($1.30). it is a beautiful and tremendous
building too. (Raise the block-square wedge of the Merchandise Mart about 60 floors,
place the Willoughby Tower atop that, and top it with a TV antenna the size of
Cleopatra's Needle).
I guess I'd better explain the drawing. First of all excuse my poor artist's try. The
picture is just my impression of a typical New Yorker. She is 22 or 23, blond, very
curvaceous, a model for a mid-town shop, unmarried, has no children, lives on
the East Side, drinks indiscreetly, smokes indoors, dresses chicly, and is very suave.
She is assuming the most popular un-natural pose assumed by New Yorkers, the
position whereby a cab is signaled. Everybody here rides in cabs (even I do). She
has just missed a cab (speeding up 42nd St.), but doesn't see the one that made a
U-turn on 42nd when he saw her signal. After just about knocking her off the curb, the
cabbie will take her to her apt. or rendezvous. It's not that the cabbies don't know how
to drive, it's that they're lethal. Maybe that explains why the pedestrians here seem
more conservative and meek.
Note the "smoke" rising from the sewer? It is really like that all over town.
Well that's a capsule summary of the town and the people and I hope I have kept you
entertained for a few minutes.
It's 2 A.M. and I think I better get some rest, for today I'm going on to D.
Tom
P.S. The N.D. Club of N.Y. is on E. 37th near Park Ave., two doors away from the
Dartmouth College Club.
Dear Reader,
"Dear Bob/Dear Tom" is a compilation of letters between two college students who became
fast friends the first week of their freshman year at Mount Carmel High in Chicago. Four years later, Tom, who is on his way to Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., stops in Manhattan and
writes the first letter to Bob. Bob has started his freshman year at Notre Dame University in
South Bend, IN. They are both 17 years old.
The letters do not end with college, but go on through Bob's Army years, and Tom's service
in the Navy.
The two maintained their close friendship until Tom's death in June of 2009.
Much could be said about the times, the events mentioned, and people who populate these
pages, but it's best to let Bob and Tom speak for themselves.
Please enjoy the letters for the glimpse they give us of their lives and of the times. The letters are also highly entertaining.
Thank you!
fast friends the first week of their freshman year at Mount Carmel High in Chicago. Four years later, Tom, who is on his way to Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H., stops in Manhattan and
writes the first letter to Bob. Bob has started his freshman year at Notre Dame University in
South Bend, IN. They are both 17 years old.
The letters do not end with college, but go on through Bob's Army years, and Tom's service
in the Navy.
The two maintained their close friendship until Tom's death in June of 2009.
Much could be said about the times, the events mentioned, and people who populate these
pages, but it's best to let Bob and Tom speak for themselves.
Please enjoy the letters for the glimpse they give us of their lives and of the times. The letters are also highly entertaining.
Thank you!
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