December 10, 1931 - Thursday

We had a quiz in Criminology today and I think I knew it after all my studying. George came over in the afternoon and we went for a walk. He stayed until 5:30. After dinner studied history.

George's letter home:

Dear Mother,

My money got here all right, and two hours later I only had sixty-five cents left. College is sure fun; you can get along on less money here, outside of expenses incurred in living, than any place I have ever heard of. Don’t send me any more money now, because I won’t need it at all.

My last exam will be Thursday at seven, and I am coming home with Bill Russell on Friday morning. We are going to leave Eugene about eight; that should get us in Portland about eleven, in plenty of time for lunch.

Our Christmas dinner was a huge success. Russell, Morden, and I went out and got a tree and decorated it all up. O’Melvey was Santa Claus and he handed out all the presents to us. He walked in the front door all dressed up in Ed Mergess’s red hunters shirt and his hip boots. What a time he had, the shirt was all puffed out with pillows and every time he stooped over to get a present, they would fall out.  All of the presents had some significance to them. Bob Trim got a toy telephone, because he utilizes the phone so much in calling the Alpha Phi house; Don Thompson received a box of cream puffs with an Alpha Phi house bill, because he spends so much time down there; and I got a package of Bull Durham tobacco with some roll your own papers, because I bum so many smokes. There were all kinds of crazy things given. Fanny got a nice new umbrella, and Dean Faville received a radio from the boys. And what a meal ---- a great big roasted turkey for each table and all the other things that go to make a wonderful dinner. I felt just like a stuffed pig looks when he is through with this mortal life of his. Maybe I acted like one of those animals too ---- I can’t tell for sure.

I have my pictures now, and they are all that can be expected from the subject. Flattery is a great thing and many people like to have it; but this kid will never be able to say that pictures make a Valentine out of him. Anne [sic] has one of them and she thinks they are very good ---- she would.

I am going to put Anne [sic] on the train, Thursday; and that will leave a very lonesome boy behind. I don’t know when anybody has grown to mean so much to me, Mother. She is so sweet and refined, so good natured. I just hope no other boy realizes how wonderful she is until it is too late for him to start a conquest. I am getting rather sentimental about things here, but I don’t know who else I would rather tell my thoughts to than my mother.

That is the extent of it Mother; say hello to Dad and thank him for my check.

Brother