May 13, 1932 - Friday

I found out I didn’t have to go to technique today. Eddie and George took me for a ride then George spent part of the afternoon down here. This evening we went up the race. A perfect night, moon and everything. The house is full of rushes.

A letter from George's Dad from the road.

St Helens Hotel

Chehalis, Washington

May 13, 1932

Hello Geo.

Well fay you surely gave your mother a wonderful time and she has been talking about it ever since her return. It will be an outstanding event in her life, never to be forgotten and Anne was so wonderful to her. Showing her around and having her as a house guest. She surely is a wonderful girl and we are happy to know she is going to be with us a few days before going to Crater Lake.

I was mighty proud of you boy and know you are going to make a success because when you do a job you try and do it well. Sometimes discouragement creeps in but you know from where you get your supply and keep this uppermost in your thoughts and don’t be afraid to ask for help from Him from whom all blessings flow.

Mother told me of your grades for the mid-term exams and your work shows the results.

I intended coming down early Sunday morning but I had so much work in the yard I just had to stay and do it. I put in about 13 hours all told from 2 pm Saturday until 4 pm Sunday and you should see the yard now. Mother of course had to put the finishing touches to it.

We are going to have about a 5 dog Peonies this season and they will be just about in bloom when you and Anne get home and that isn’t any too soon to suit me. I will be home Friday night and Saturday I am going to do bills & books and mother she is having to drive again. I think you should drink milk. Mother says you are pretty skinny. So get milk regardless of the cost. I will pay it.

My very best to Anne.

Love Dad

Georege's letter home:

Dear Mother,

Another weekend is approaching and it looks as though it will be just as full as the last one was, if you can imagine that.

Friday night I am going to the Alpha Phi house for a dance. They are having a lot of rushees down and are giving a dance for them. I am in luck this year --- people don’t try to shove their rushees on my anymore. I was wrong, the dance is on Saturday evening.

Tonight is Friday and I am going to take my little Anne up the mill race in one of these Eugene gondolas. They are certainly the dope on spring nights; the air is warm, the stars and moon are all doing their darnedest to make things just right, and the girl of your dreams is in front of you, etc., etc., etc. I think my romantic education was sadly neglected somewhere in the distant past, for I just don’t seem to get an emotional thrill out of anything. I just seem to go along my calm way, having a good time, but never getting excited over anything. Oh, well, as long as I know what thrills Anny, and can bring those conditions about, I will probably get by.

The Alpha Phi’s had an engagement party last Wednesday evening. Janet Young and John Finely announced their engagement. John is a Phi Delt, and his whole house rolled down and danced at the Alph Phi house. Janet had to kiss all the boys and John had to kiss all the girls. The dining room was all decorated in pink and blue and each person wore a red rose with a little tag saying Jane and John attached to it. All the girls were in the dining room when the Phi Delts came down, and they sang their sweet heart song before they entered the room to eat. After they were all seated, someone out on the terrace sang another sweet heart song and then handed a little basket through the window. Right in the middle of the basket was a diamond ring ---- my – my – my. It was a gala evening all around. Later in the night, when all the girls were in bed, John had a serenade for Janet and they sang all the songs that had certain meanings to them --- my – my – my ----. I get a cigar out of the deal, even though I couldn’t go to the party. You may wonder how on earth I know so much about the whole thing, but when you have a little girl like I have, there really isn’t much to wonder at. I think she was almost as thrilled as if it had been her engagement.

Enough of college romances. Anne and I went swimming in the race yesterday and I nearly froze to death. She certainly is a wonderful swimmer, but I didn’t feel funny about that. I am taking swimming for gym this term, and I have improved a hundred percent. I know how to do about four different strokes now, and I am beginning to feel right at home in the water – I even enjoy it now.

I had a little luck this week in the way of campus appointments. I was made general chairman of the sophomore picnic. That will mean quite a lot of work, but I am glad that I received the honor.

This Sunday, the Lodge is going to have a picnic out at Swimmers Delight on the North Fork of the Willamette.

Well, it is now almost ten o’clock in the morning and I have a class coming up which I needs must get to. Eye --- family --- take good care of yourselves --- I doubt if I will get home this term.

Love, Brother