Post card from the Hotel McAlpin, New York.
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Hotel McAlpin. Postcard
May 6, 1917
May 8, 1917
May 12, 1917
May 13, 1917
May 20, 1917
May 30, 1917
Letters to Eva, May 1917
Dear Mother,
I have just finished 6 1/2 hours of standing in various lines,
and have come thru everything satisfactorily. Whether I shall
actually be chosen to go to Plattsburgh or not, I shan't know
until I receive notice this week (only about an even chance,
I guess). My notice may come to Cromwell, as I thought best to
enlist as from there; please wire me if received, examining contents
to see if anything should be told me at once, and send them along
by special del'y. Am getting a bite to eat in a few minutes I
have before getting my bag at Chalmers & getting a train.
Details by letter. Lots of love, Sylvester.
Dear Mother,
The train is just pulling out as I start writing; I am obliged
to go back via Philadelphia, thru absence of late enough train
service the shorter way, and as I won't get to Pleasantville
until a little after twelve, I think I had better try to write
you now, between jerks. Before I seal it up and mail it, I'll
make sure there is nothing left unanswered in your letter, and
then get this off in the morning.
I left Pleasantville at two and Atlantic City at half past two
Friday afternoon, and made good connections all the way thru,
arriving at Cousin Walter's soon after half past six. The house
was very tastefully decorated, everything green and white, as
I believe I told you, & the table of refreshments presented
a gorgeous appearance; the thing about it which would catch anyone's
eye the most being a basket of strawberries turned up on the
side with the berries giving the appearance of flowing out naturally;
the presents were all kept in a special room on the third floor,
and there were oceans of them; I remember especially a mahogany
wheeled serving table, and a delicately blue tinted electric
light table shade. Music continued all thru the wedding ceremony
and added to its impressiveness, and Ruth was very pretty, as
brides are expected to be. Blossom's little Ruth, the sweetest
little thing imaginable, was flower girl. Uncle Walt and Aunt
Ella, Dorothy, and Dr. & Mrs. McCreedy were there, also Mrs.
Robinson and two of her sons (Prescott was one, a huge jovial
fellow) from Montreal; of fellows that I had known before, beside
Vic there was Everett Bacon, Bill Campbell, 1915, then Billinger,
1915, & Sanders, 1911, whom I remembered by sight but hadn't
known by name. I met Mr. & Mrs. Crawford, Bishop Stirling,
the chief of the two officiating clergymen, and a few other Montclair
people. Connie was just as delightful as ever.
I came over to New York with Jack about eleven o'clock, and staid[sic]
at the McAlpin (16th floor) where he already had a room engaged.
Of my doings Saturday I told you pretty thoroughly over the telephone;
I talked with the Chalmers' until about ten and then went to
bed and had a good nights sleep. This morning I started out about
nine armed with Mr. Chalmers' letter of recommendation, and found
Mr. Wachter's and Prof. Farrand's as soon as I got up to the
Yale Club. The Military Committee was conspicuous by its absence;
but I met two classmates, Phil McGhie, and D. Edward Meeker and
we all went over to the recruiting offices at 19 W. 44th St.
Nothing looked encouraging at the start, as the subordinate reserve
officers around there in civilian clothes, who were assisting
in the registration, acting as information bureaus, etc., told
me it would be impossible to get a physical examination today,
and that it would be as good as useless for me to spend my time
going thru the examination, as all men under 26 were being rejected,
but that they wouldn't prevent anybody going thru if they wanted
to spend the time to do it. So I got in the line, and first went
thru one of the civilian garbed individuals who saw that I had
all my necessary papers in proper form; then the line went on
thru the examining officer, Capt. Matthews, a most snarly and
brutish looking person; he looked at each applicant and his papers,
and either passed him over to two more men for physical examination
appointment, or else told him not to bother to go thru; most
men were allowed to go thru to the physical examination. The
men who were making the appointments gave me tomorrow afternoon
at 2:55, and try as I might to have them slide me in today, they
courteously but positively refused, so I expected that there
was to be nothing for me to do but wait, and in the meantime
wire Pleasantville. I walked back to the Yale Club, went up to
the lounge, and sat down to frame a telegram, and also write
your letter; just as I started, Francis Gilmore, '13, the fellow
who advised me yesterday after my talk with the committee to
go over to the recruiting office & see just what was what
on the second camp proposition, walked in and stopped to talk
with me. I related my tale of woe, and he advised me to pay no
attention to the appointment date, but to go right over to the
College of Physicians & Surgeons, where the examinations
were held, & go thru them without saying a word as to the
time of the appointment; he had been advised to do the same thing
by an officer, a week before, when he had had to hurry out of
town, and said that he hadn't been challenged at all. I hesitated
at first, not desiring to get into any complications, be caught
up for insubordination, or lose my chance of getting in, but
I remembered that the men had taken no record of the appointment,
had merely handed me a card with the time on it & a blank
for the physicians, and Francis assured me very positively that
the cards were only matters of convenience, to keep an even supply
of men presenting themselves. So I decided to take my chances,
and found everything to be just as he said, so I feel that he's
been a kind of good angel on the whole proposition. No one asked
for my appointment card, and I just walked in, took off my clothes,
slipped on my overcoat, as the rest did, and got into the first
line, for height and chest measurements & taking weight;
this started about eleven-thirty, and for the next two and a
half hours I passed thru eight doctors, I believe, having to
wait in lines, sometimes long, sometimes short, before each one,
the heart & lung man, the eye man, the ear man, the color
perception man (who had pieces of yarn of only slightly varying
shades of each of the main colors, picked out four & asked
the applicant to match them from the rest), etc. The final one,
& the one with the longest wait, was to have the whole sheet,
with each physician's memoranda on it, looked over by the examining
officer there & passed on as disqualifying you, or certifying
that you had no physical defects which should debar you from
being a member of the Officers' Reserve Corps. Major(Dr.)Richard
Derby (Col. Roosevelt's son-in-law) was the examining officer,
but when I was going thru this final stage, he was out &
a Lieutenant Smith was taking his place. I got thru all right
& was certified as being physically fit, and then went back
to the recruiting office with all my papers, for final action
by Capt. Matthews or another officer, whose name I didn't learn;
the latter was the one who looked over mine. When, after a long
wait in line, he had finally looked over my papers (application,
letters, & physical report) I was given a sheet in duplicate
on which my main qualifications were typewritten & on which
was printed a pledge to abide by the obligations the enlistment
entailed, to report promptly for service if called, obey the
President, Secretary of War, & superior officers, and accept
whatever commission may be tendered at the end of the 3 months'
training. When this was signed we had to wait until a large group
had been gathered, and were all sworn together to the pledge
I spoke of; then as our names were called, we came up to have
the duplicate sheets signed by the examining officer at a place
where it is printed "I recommend that he be admitted to
the Training Corps to be held at Plattsburg Barracks, N.Y."
This completed the job, and now I wait to see if I am notified
by the Commanding Officer at Plattsburg to appear for training
before May 15th.
I shall start to get everything in readiness to go, anyway; but I suppose that if there are a great many more passed as eligible than can be taken care of (which is quite likely to be the case), those under 25 & without previous military training will be first passed by. I have also heard, though, that there may be a shortage in some other districts, & some overflow might be sent to them. The reason that my notice may be sent to Cromwell is this: I gave my address first as Pleasantville, not realizing that it would have anything to do with where I would be sent, supposing all enlistments made there would count as New York enlistments; but I heard in the course of my journeyings that this was not the case, so after coming back to 19 W. 44th, I spoke to the examining officer of the fact that my home address was Cromwell, Conn., not N.J., and on his telling me that that would make a difference, I asked that it be changed; I tried to work it so that instructions could be sent to Pleasantville, but they couldn't conveniently fix the papers this way.
In the course of my examination I ran across two other very
good friends, Orrin Kilborn, 1914 (Zeta Psi), and Emir Allen,
a classmate & fraternity brother both. I was particularly
surprised to see Emir, as I supposed he was in San Francisco,
but it seemed that he had been in New York for about three months.
Monday morning.
I got in on schedule time last night & went right to bed,
and am now ready for a strenuous week.
I didn't have time to put any extra things in the laundry as
per your suggestion, Friday. If I go away the end of the week,
I'm going to leave as much as I can here; the rest I'll get home
someway.
It was quite a surprise to see that Supt. Wheatly was likely
to leave Middletown, and I presume that under the circumstances
he of course will resign.
I must get this into the mail & get to school.
With much love to you & all Sylvester.
Dear Mother,
I forgot all about asking what Ralph was expecting to do, what
branch of the service he expected to try for, and so on, both
over the telephone and in my letter. I'm afraid it's made me
appear to be totally absorbed in myself and what I'm doing. I
had in my mind to ask in the letter, because I am of course interested
to know, but in the hurry to get my letter off this morning,
it slipped me once more.
This fool Cruse has gotten me in an embarrassing position; it
seems he went to Philadelphia Saturday to apply for admission
to the Officers' Training Corps, & true to his character,
he noised it about that he was to do so; someone asked him if
he was the only teacher going & he said that I was going
to enlist also, as I had told him that I expected to in the summer.
From that conversation, an item appeared in Friday's Pleasantville
Press that Profs. Cruse & Butler had gone to Philadelphia
to volunteer their bit for Uncle Sam (I haven't seen the exact
wording). Now I come back today, and everybody wants to know
about it, and I have to deny that the report is true as given.
It makes me indignant, for folks can see I'm still here, and
they might think I had cold feet, and it at least subjects me
to the charge of being a blowhard, like Cruse, by the assumption
it naturally carries that I told around that I was going up to
enlist, or even perhaps told the editor purposely for publication
purposes, before actually knowing the results of my trip. I suppose
it needn't assume the proportions of anything more than an annoyance,
but I'm at least going down this afternoon & ask ["tell"
is crossed out] the Press editor to let me corroborate statements
about myself before they appear in his sheet hereafter.
Must get to work.
With much love,
Sylvester.
Dear Mother,
Here I am at my roll-top desk in my swivel chair, in my spacious apartments equipped with mahogany bedstead, dresser to match, and leather comfort chair, - I almost forgot the fireplace. All of which is to say that I am sitting on the side of my bunk (canvas stitched across a frame - very decently comfortable), writing on my suitcase for a desk (also serves as a dresser & clothes closet, although there are a few nails on the wall in back of me). Each company (150 men) is in a separate wooden barracks - a long building, with rows of bunks running down each side, & partitioned off into rooms holding 42 bunks. This will be life in a suitcase for sure, as Ralph used to call it, when he & Father & I occupied your room during Xmas vacations. But I really imagine we are having it quite comfortable side of some other training camps, many of which, as I understand it, have only tents. The government's reserve here is quite sizable, as it is a permanent military post; it is right on Lake Champlain, which is quite narrow here. The mess buildings are only a stone's throw from the lake, our barracks quite a little way back. Off to the south-east across the lake we can see the snow capped ridges of the Green Mountains, & in the west what I suppose are the Adirondacks. As soon as I can get my bearings around the grounds, and around the country, I'll try to diagram it for you, in some shape. Tom Beers is two doors from me. There are a great many '13 Yale men, and other college friends, and it is certainly good to have it so; the adaptation to this new experience, for which I have no taste nor aptitude won't be nearly as unpleasant as though I were all alone. Elliott, Blanchard, Fitzgerald, Thayer, Gabriel, Buzzell, Fuller, Lillibridge, Cordier, Achilles, Barbour, & Whitridge of '13 are already here, that I can think of; the last named was in the British artillery for two & a half years, and is a captain of one of the companies here. Knowlton '14, I've seen, and "Wheels" Wheeler, a very good friend of mine in 1911. "Zo" Elliott says everybody he ever knew is here. [Note - this is Alonzo Elliott who wrote "There's a Long, Long Trail a'winding." See Elliott's own words on the song's origins.]
Yesterday afternoon I got an overcoat, an extra undercoat, pair
of shoes, leggings & belt to complete my equipment; they
cost nothing, but it appears doubtful if I get reimbursed for
what I did buy. If I'd known the ropes, instead of following
that circular [note - this is also in his scrapbook], I'd not
have bought anything but socks and shirts; but I suppose the
other things will be useful in some way, some time, if I shouldn't
wear them out here. Last evening I took a walk with Gabriel &
Buzzell to southward a way; we recalled to each other that we
were the only three who over four years ago completed that 25
mile walk from New Haven to Bethany & around to Derby. This
afternoon I walked down to the town with Ralph; it's on high
ground, a little north of the camps, and appears to be quite
old - a great many brick and stone houses.
There has been no formal work as yet, and probably will be none
until Tuesday, but then - we go at it with a bang. Arise 5:30,
roll call 5:45, Mess 6:00; morning instruction 6:50-12:00 ; mess
12:10; afternoon instruction 1:20-4:30; retreat 5:40; mess 5:55;
school 7:00-9:00; lights out 9:45. Of course we're subject to
call for any duties in the few short in between times that there
are. Sundays we arise at 6:00 instead of 5:30; and what the schedule
for the rest of the day will be I don't know. We do form and
march to mess every meal already, & have had a few duties
around the barracks. I don't believe the eating's going to bother
me; I think that I have succeeded already in smothering for the
nonce all my squeamishness; dusty plates & one meal of beans
at least haven't conquered me. Night mess last evening was stew,
bread, & tea; morning mess today, an orange, cornflakes,
scrambled eggs; this noon we had stew, baked potatoes, tea, and
rice pudding. I slept very well last night until about five,
then lay awake & devised ways & means to dress in ten
minutes.
A lot of examination papers I'll correct with the schedule I
have! And I shall promptly advise Dr. Whitney that it will be
impossible for me to touch them. I'll be lucky if I get spare
time even to write letters, by the looks; the first thing that
must be looked after in spare time is personal appearance, particularly
shoes. I haven't found out about laundry yet, but if it's permissible,
I shall certainly send it home - it won't look much like the
laundry outfit I've been sending, either in size or appearance,
will it?
There is a post office on the grounds, & mail will be delivered,
as I understand it, to each company's barracks. It will be more
of a job getting acquainted here than at college, there are so
many men around; I don't suppose I'll even know by sight all
the men in my own company before the training period is over.
I have gotten completely rested physically; it never seems to
take me long to recuperate. Sleep from 9:45 to 5:30 every night
ought to keep us in trim right along. Next week I ought to know
a lot more about the organization of the work, that I can write
you. I'll hope to have time to drop you some word in the middle
of the week.
With much love to you and all,
Sylvester.
P.S. Just back from supper of Salmon and Pseudo-potato-salad.
Dear Mother,
Your three letters and the package all arrived at the same time,
and were all most welcome, particularly as I had gone from Saturday
morning to that time - Wednesday evening - without a word from
anywhere. I returned the basket with some laundry Friday afternoon
and hope you get it in time. Please when you return the laundry
don't send it in anything but paper, because of the limited space
I have to put anything. Also please send instead of the torn
& patched pajamas a pair of whole ones, of which I think
I left two pair home to be washed.
We have Saturday afternoon and Sunday virtually off, and many
men have even gone out of town, those who don't live so very
far away. Everybody has to be back by 5:40 to-night, except by
extra special permission. Yesterday afternoon I took a little
walk, and sat down in a rather secluded part of the lake shore
for sometime, to get out of touch of military life for awhile
and enjoy the natural beauties of the earth unfettered. To-day
I am staying within the barracks as the day is threatening and
we are getting an occasional shower.
The eating question hasn't bothered me very much thus far; the
worst thing about it is the dust. I believe the mess shacks are
in the dustiest part of the grounds and the tramp of thousands
of feet marching to mess puts a nice preparatory dust-sauce on
food and utensils. To-day we had ice cream for dessert- would
you believe it? And so much of it that I engineered three helpings.
We are not supposed to have food in the barracks but candy is
allowed, and I notice a number of men have boxes of wafers, like
nabiscos, etc.; and this apparently is not discountenanced.
A number of new old friends have appeared this week, other classmates
and college acquaintances, and two Middletown men I knew, Payson
Hayward, of my class at High School, and Keith Davis, of '07,
M.H.S.
Of course we've been right at it now, since Tuesday. That was
kind of an organization day - first our company was lined up
and graded off according to height; then we were divided up into
four platoons, and the platoons into squads of eight men each,
one man in each squad (some one who had had previous military
experience) being named as corporal, and he has to be responsible
for the squad in various ways, answers for the squad at roll
call, etc. Then we were reassigned to bunks according to squads,
so that I am not with Gabriel any longer, or rather not as near
him as before. The cot bunks have been replaced by double decker
wooden bunks, and I occupy the upper tier of one, with a man
by the name of Church (about 30 yrs. old & a chair manufacturer)
from Gardner, Mass., under me. In my squad is a man by the name
of Baxter who was in Raymond's class at college; he comes from
just outside Boston. The corporal is a man by the name of Short
from Fall River, a somewhat older man than the rest of us, a
volunteer in the Spanish-American war, who saw service in the
Philippines. We got our rifles Tuesday, and some other parts
of our equipment; the rifles had just been unpacked, and we had
to clean them of the grease in which they are kept while packed,
which was a long job. And how scrupulously clean these rifles
have to be kept! - every nook and corner cleared of every bit
of grease & dirt and kept so. It isn't too easy for me, not
being naturally adapted to things mechanical, nor knowing much
more about a rifle than the difference between the trigger and
the muzzle. But I think I know a little more about it now. Tuesday
evening the whole camp assembled in the huge gymnasium and listened
to a talk by the commanding officer of the Camp - Lieut. Col.
Wolf, on the general purpose of the camps, rules governing their
conduct, and outline of the course to be followed, with a statement
of what the students at the camp might expect -- that is, 30
percent would receive commissions and be put at once into actual
service, some would be dropped, probably early in the course,
as showing themselves unfit for military service as army officers,
and the balance, all who go thru the work satisfactorily will
receive commissions in the Officers' Reserve Corps and be called
into service as they are needed.
Wednesday drill and instruction began in earnest; we were given
a schedule Tuesday night to cover the whole of the first month's
work, which will be infantry drill for everyone. The hours of
this actual work are from 7:00 to 12:00, 1:30 to 4:30, and 7:00
to 9:00, and these hours are divided up in all sorts of ways.
Here's an example of a couple of the days' work, showing the
form of our schedule:
D w | P | P | M | S | C | E
r i | h | r | u | i | o | v
i t | y | a | s | g | n | e
l h | s | c | k | n | f | n
l o | i | t | e T | a S | e | i
u | c | i | t r | l e | r | n
t | a | c | r a | l m | e | g
| l | e | y i | i a | n |
a | | | n | n p | c | S
r | D | M | i | g h | e | t
m | r | a | n | o | s | u
s | i | r | g | r | | d
| l | c | | e | | y
| l | h | | | |
_________|_____|______|_____|______|______|____________
7:00- | | | | | | 7:00-8:00
8:30|8:30-|10:45 | | | | (Organization
AM | 9:00|-11:45| | | | of Regiment)
9:15- | | | | | | 8:00-9:00
16__10:15|_____|______|_____|______|______|___Semaphore__
| | | | | |
| | |1:30 |2:30 |3:30 |
PM | | |-2:30|-3:00 |-4:30 |
| | | | |Care of Equipment
_______|_____|______|_____|______|______|______________
7:00- | | | | |11:00-|
8:00|8:00-|8:45 | |10:00-|12:00
AM | 8:30|-9:45 | | 11:00| (Organization
| | | | | of Regiment)
18_______|_____|______|_____|______|______|_____
| | | | |2:30 | 7:30-8:30
| | |1:30 | |-4:30 | Interior Guard Duty
PM | | |-2:30| |Interior 8:30-9:00 Par.31-47
| | | | |Guard | I.D.R.(Infantry
16_______|_____|______|_____|______|Duty__|__Drill Regulations)
This isn't an exact copy of the schedule but will give some
idea of the way our days are divided up. The conference periods
are usually half study in the barracks and half conference, the
conference being a gathering of the whole company usually just
outside the barracks to ask questions of & listen to remarks
from the commanding officer or other officer instructors connected
with our company. The conference & study periods are based
on various textbooks filled with dry detail, from which it is
hard to know just what to retain. We have the Infantry Drill
Regulations, Manual of Physical Training, Manual of Interior
Guard Duty, Field Service Regulations, Army Regulations, Small
Problems for Infantry, and Small Army Firing Manual [Note - I
checked his schedule of Instruction and it is printed as Small
Army, but I wonder if it is a misprint for Small Arms as it is
used as part of Musketry Training] in the course of the month
; with definite paragraphs assigned for each period - many of
the paragraphs assigned fortunately for two or three different
times. Then the drill & training periods are based on paragraphs
in these textbooks also.
The drill without arms, which will be with arms this week, I
believe, is practice in different marching formations, and the
commands which govern them. The company marches out to the parade
grounds, a large open space, and gathering in a semi-circle about
the commanding officer, we watch different formations illustrated
with one squad from the company; then after two or three have
been shown we divide up into squads and practice them, a different
member of the squad taking charge each day & various reserve
officers with the Co. go around & make criticisms. When a
whistle blows we reassemble, and more formations are illustrated
& practiced until the time is up. The physical drill is of
course calisthenics for the development of different portions
of the body, and this always follows the other drills, out on
the parade grounds. The practice march is an hours hike in formation,
but not in step (rout-step it is called). I notice we only have
one this week, and I'm sorry, because I enjoyed them. The semaphore
signal work is practice in these flag wig-wag signals, which
you have probably seen. They are very interesting, and do not
seem difficult to me; the alphabet is of course is worked out
on a definite system - the trouble, however, is that this work
isn't nearly as important as the other things like drill in marching
formations, musketry training, and the theoretical work, which
are much more difficult, particularly the first two. Thus far
our signal practice has been conducted in this way: we march
out to a pine grove south of the camp and split up into squads.
Someone from the squad for fifteen minutes or so drills the rest
in the various letters, calling on them for letters here and
there in the alphabet; then for a similar period of time the
squads split up into twos and signal to each other, ask questions
& give answers, etc.; in the last period of the hour a member
of the squad signals letters & words to the squad to see
which will get them first. Church and I got the jump on the rest
of the squad by working out the alphabet together Tuesday in
spare time, and we have done most of the drilling of the rest
of the squad. The musketry training has thus far been practice
in correct sighting with the rifle, and I suppose will soon be
target practice on the range. A few new things not on this week's
schedule will be added next week & later in the month - manual
of the bayonet, manual of the saber, military art. And there
is a lot to do to fill up spare time - first, keep that gun clean,
keep shoes polished, clothes and equipment in good condition,
study, etc.; it is indeed a problem to get in washing, shaving,
etc.; so much to do often that it's often hard to know where
to start. I'm trying to order my days to as near a regular schedule
as possible, to get the most out of what time I have.
Each company is in charge of a commanding officer, a captain,
from the regular army, as chief officer and instructor, assisted
by the captains and lieutenants who already have commissions
in the Officers' Reserve Corps. On whole life naturally must
be ordered in a very precise, military way; march in formation
to and from meals & all drills; either all have overcoats
on or all have them off; salute officers when addressing them;
keep shoes polished (only to get dusty again next minute); have
bunks made up just so, and everything kept in very regular fashion;
no talking when marching in regular formation - except when in
rout-step; - all quite new experiences, and rather difficult
to become adapted to. Of course it doesn't hurt anybody, it can't
be called personally humiliating even though the spirit doth
inwardly balk at times, for its the way military life must be
ordered. My acquaintance with the daily papers is become somewhat
lessened, though I usually get a look at a headline or two.
I don't know of anything more I need just now, thank you. A few
things that I have had to get I was able to get at the Post Exchange,
a well-patronized emporium on the grounds. If there in anything
you can send, I'll not hesitate to let you know.
I am sending you a little red trillium, I think it is, of which
I saw alot on the lake shore yesterday afternoon. This would
be a very interesting country to explore if I only had the time
and were here on a different mission.
The implied emphasis on physical rest in last Sunday's letter
was not intentional, but it would pf course not be true to say
the first days were not grey and hard. I do my best to follow
your advice, as I am not consciously ever miserable by choice;
and I would not have it said that I acted other than a man's
part.
With much love to you and all
Sylvester.
P.S. I enjoyed Aunt Sarah's letter, which I received yesterday,
very much; Please tell her I'd be glad to hear from her anytime
& appreciate them very much, but perhaps I can't keep up
my part by separate letters as often.
S
Dear Mother,
Today has been a free day, and I have spent it rather leisurely;
did a little work this morning, wrote a couple letters, and went
over and visited with Tom Beers about an hour. It's the longest
time I've seen him since I've been here, as of course there is
little opportunity to visit; there are even men here, whom I
know well, that I haven't seen at all. "Shorty" Lillibridge
(6 ft. 4 in.) whom I know very well, and "Ham" Gordon,
both of '13 are here somewhere, but I haven't yet seen them,
except once each, both times at a distance, while on the march,
& neither of them saw me. This afternoon I took a little
walk and wrote another letter, and am now writing you, as I rather
expected to, there being a few things in your last weeks' letter
which I haven't yet answered.
It was a relief to learn in your letter that the laundry case
had arrived, and particularly the tin box. There are two keys
to the box on my keyring, which is at present in my suitcase;
I'll try to remember and leave them home next fall, if my activities
after the first of September are military.
When I spoke about newspapers, I only meant there was little
time to read them thoroughly; there are plenty here, and I buy
one once in a while, and usually get a chance to see somebody's
headlines. I wonder if you'd want to try and get the New York
Times on Sundays and save the picture and book review sections
for me against the time when I shall once more be a civilian.
Another thing I need beside the things I spoke of Sunday is an
extra bath towel.
Gabriel's home is quite a way out in New York State but he enlisted
as from New Haven; that is of course why he's in the New England
camp. He has been engaged for some time, it seems; the girl's
name, if I remember rightly, is Christine Davis. Sam Sewall hasn't
been getting along very fast, and his knee has affected his limbs
further on, just how, I don't know, but he's had his whole side
in a cast; a letter from him written by his nurse about two weeks
ago just reached me last night, forwarded by Carey, as did also
the postcard and book from Aunt Kate.
It is cold here rainy days, and pretty chilly nights. I have
plenty of day clothes and bed clothes and so for the main part
don't mind it, but my hands seem to be very unruly, and need
some hardening. They get so numb, I can hardly handle my rifle
cold damp mornings, and we are not allowed to wear gloves now
any longer. I sleep allright, even if I have slept in greater
comfort. I get right off to sleep nights, and wake up about four-thirty
and doze until five-fifteen.
There has been no definite announcement made as yet about pay;
but oceans of semi-second-hand-rumors are mostly to the effect
that we are to be paid at the rate of $100 a month.
The clipping you sent of Cromwell news was the first I knew of
the Christian Endeavour play; I was interested to hear about
it. The Satanic wail was very good.
Percy Whittlesey was a class ahead of me, 1908, at High School.
I knew him, but not very well. His sister was in Ralph's class.
I haven't had any foot trouble at all; had a cold for about a
week, but have lost it practically now. Most everyone has them,
and I have catarrh [note- lots of mucus due to nasal passage
inflammation] worse than any other place - I suppose because
of the close living conditions in the barracks. There is some
kind of eye trouble going the rounds, I don't know whether its
pink-eye or just what; Church, right below me, has had it. There
is a sick call everyday at 4:45, and everyone who reports is
marched over to the dispensary, and of course the minute I have
any trouble, I'll report at that next call.
Last week you asked if I had had any news from the Pleasantville
people. Of course the Winch moving was one bit of news. Carey
and Cruse were both removed from duty just a week before school
closed, but I know nothing of the details, except that I know
a great deal of events in the past which no doubt contributed.
Carey was a good fellow in lots of ways, was a man who I believe
would never hurt another to serve his own ends, and in all essential
things was on the square, he'd do anything he could for me, but
he didn't do conscientious work, conducted his classes in slip-shod
fashion, had no discipline, and in some other ways didn't conduct
himself with the dignity his position required. I hope it won't
injure him in later life.
I have Dr. Whitney down on paper that he will hold the position
open for me until July 1st at least - if I should be dismissed
from here as incapable by any chance it would be before then.
After that, I won't know anything until Aug.15th or probably
later, and his agreement won't do much good, as it stands. But
I don't imagine it will make much difference. His position is,
as he wrote me, that he must be sure and have good teachers in
the fall "having been burdened with two useless over this
year"; but I have seen him take other positions and recede
- in fact that's his favorite occupation. He's been going to
fire Carey before, and brought me in to tell me about it; whether
what I said had anything to do with it or not, at least he never
did it, but took a plan I suggested instead; and many times he
receded from positive statements by some soft method without
prompting. A very suave creature, he! And so perhaps I could
back him off & off, if I wanted to, until September, from
him saying "at least". He's a decided uncertainty all
around, but I do know that he has been very consistently back
of me all the year, I know it beyond question. I don't believe
he liked my going so suddenly, because he wasn't in favor of
the war, and probably thought me foolish to come here. He'll
have a small picking for men teachers next fall anyway, a point
which he doesn't seem to recognize officially.
School closed there yesterday. I don't know just what Eva is
going to do thru the summer, yet. Last night I had disappointing
news from Miss Tolbert in regard to her securing a scholarship
at a college (Earlham in Richmond, Ind.) where it was planned
for her to go, on account of provisions made by the university
due to war conditions. So her next year is somewhat up in the
air; I hope something more favorable will develop for her during
the summer. That was her writing on the letters you forwarded
to me; she can write much better than that, when she writes more
slowly, and I think it an attractive hand-writing myself. Her
weak point is spelling, and there she can equal if not surpass
Raymond Coe, particularly when she writes quickly, as is her
wont. It is pretty early to talk about life partnership, as there
are possibly several years of education before her, bringing
with them many new friends and new and wider experiences. And
she is not tied in any way, nor has such a matter been even remotely
discussed between us. But we as we came to know each other, did
develop a real friendship, mutually enjoyable, one which made
it a tug on both of us to end for a time the pleasant companionship
we had had - this I know. And I hope it can be renewed in days
to come. To write in words the meaning of such relationships
is not easy. She is lovely - in feature, thought, in the whole
expression of her personality.
With much love
Sylvester.
P.S. I couldn't finish this yesterday, so it is going a day late.
The laundry package came tonight, and I thank you ever so much
for the sweet chocolate & nabiscoes. And I forgot all about
thanking Aunt Sarah for the sweets last week. Please thank her
for me, and thank Father for his share.
S.
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