Listening to Pete Seegar as I write. Not sure if I spelled his name right. I missed posting on Wed. Our daughter Jenny was here for Thanksgiving with her boyfriend and I gave over the computer room which is also the art room and the guest room. Now I am busy grading exams and averaging grades as the semester is at an end.
I was thinking about the statement in this letter about Dad and another guy knowing how to use the printing press. Growing up I just thought that all men my father's age knew how to do everything. In reading these letters I've come to see how he was a quick and interested learner, at age 24 he already had a lot of knowledge from the farm life but he learned quickly in all the areas that he worked in. He passed on this interest in learning to us.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
November 8, 1942
Thanks for the buck.
C. P. S. #23
Coshocton, Ohio
Nov. 8 1942
Dear fambly,
Here it is Sun night and I havn’t written to youns yet. I’ve been sort of busy this week. We got our printing press to going and had a couple of big jobs and there are only two of us that know very much about it. After some of the others learn more about printing I wont have to work so much. The jobs were the cover of Seed and some programs for a play that some of the fellows gave here last night. Wait till you see the Seed cover, its a two color job done with linolium blocks. The cover of the play program is made with the same process, they just carve the picture in some linolium and mount it on a block of wood and print it on the perss. The play was “Brother Orchid” and our artist drew a picture of an orchid and carved out a block.
There has been a wave of practical jokes going through camp since Hallowe’en. They have been fixing a dummy in the bed of some unsuspecting fellow that is coming back from furlough and the telling him that a visitor came in and they have him this fellows bed not thinking he’d get back so soon. So far the fellow they have pulled it on will always hunt up an empty bed and sleep in it the first night then they try to get him to wake up the dummy. Sometimes it lasts till noon before the victum gets wise. The last guy that got sucked in said he was convinced that anything could happen in CPS.
My work has been extra interesting this last week. I have been riding around the country a lot, we are checking the streem gauging stations. The last issue of Seed that you got had a short article about stream gauging and a picture of a gauging station. I guess I’ll have to draw a picture of what I was doing. There were three of us in the crew we spent most of uor time riding around. I’ll draw the picture on the back.
The elevation here is between ten and eleven hundred feet. There is a lookout tower that is on a high spot at 1250 ft. That is probably the reason that it is so chilly, also I have one of the coldest jobs, but I like it. I have had a slight cold since I have been on surveying but I am over it now and enjoy good health. I do well if I get over 7 hours of sleep and seem to get by with it. Letter writing and reading and Printing keep me pretty busy.
It does seem like you’ve been having bum luck, but I think there are lots of people in the same boat. I’ll try and console you a little by saying that if you don’t get everything done you’ll never know it a hundred years from now.
[illustration of stream gauge with a well house, outside gauge , intake pipe and a bridge for gaging when water is deep and a note:]
Called a Wier. It is a dam with a notch that is measured so that they know how much water flows through at a given depth. The notch enables them to accurately measure the depth. The intake pipe that goes into the well house keeps the water within at the same level and it is measured all the time with a recording gauge that runs with a clock. That outside gauge is a check on the other one. What we surveyor do is check the gauges to see if they line up and regulate(?) right. We do this with a level (that one with a telescope on it) The dam and water level readings establish the width and height and the gaging which take place during a storm establishes the velocity which corresponds to the third dimension (?) and enables thus to figure the volume of water that leaves this part of the country. The velocity changes with the change of height of water so we have to get velocity reading at several different heights. That picture in the Oct. issue of Seed is of a cable car that they use if the water gets too deep for the bridge. They really have some good floods here they say when it gets raining. Wish we’d get some good rains, I’d like to try out my new raincoat.
Yours,
Bernard
C. P. S. #23
Coshocton, Ohio
Nov. 8 1942
Dear fambly,
Here it is Sun night and I havn’t written to youns yet. I’ve been sort of busy this week. We got our printing press to going and had a couple of big jobs and there are only two of us that know very much about it. After some of the others learn more about printing I wont have to work so much. The jobs were the cover of Seed and some programs for a play that some of the fellows gave here last night. Wait till you see the Seed cover, its a two color job done with linolium blocks. The cover of the play program is made with the same process, they just carve the picture in some linolium and mount it on a block of wood and print it on the perss. The play was “Brother Orchid” and our artist drew a picture of an orchid and carved out a block.
There has been a wave of practical jokes going through camp since Hallowe’en. They have been fixing a dummy in the bed of some unsuspecting fellow that is coming back from furlough and the telling him that a visitor came in and they have him this fellows bed not thinking he’d get back so soon. So far the fellow they have pulled it on will always hunt up an empty bed and sleep in it the first night then they try to get him to wake up the dummy. Sometimes it lasts till noon before the victum gets wise. The last guy that got sucked in said he was convinced that anything could happen in CPS.
My work has been extra interesting this last week. I have been riding around the country a lot, we are checking the streem gauging stations. The last issue of Seed that you got had a short article about stream gauging and a picture of a gauging station. I guess I’ll have to draw a picture of what I was doing. There were three of us in the crew we spent most of uor time riding around. I’ll draw the picture on the back.
The elevation here is between ten and eleven hundred feet. There is a lookout tower that is on a high spot at 1250 ft. That is probably the reason that it is so chilly, also I have one of the coldest jobs, but I like it. I have had a slight cold since I have been on surveying but I am over it now and enjoy good health. I do well if I get over 7 hours of sleep and seem to get by with it. Letter writing and reading and Printing keep me pretty busy.
It does seem like you’ve been having bum luck, but I think there are lots of people in the same boat. I’ll try and console you a little by saying that if you don’t get everything done you’ll never know it a hundred years from now.
[illustration of stream gauge with a well house, outside gauge , intake pipe and a bridge for gaging when water is deep and a note:]
Called a Wier. It is a dam with a notch that is measured so that they know how much water flows through at a given depth. The notch enables them to accurately measure the depth. The intake pipe that goes into the well house keeps the water within at the same level and it is measured all the time with a recording gauge that runs with a clock. That outside gauge is a check on the other one. What we surveyor do is check the gauges to see if they line up and regulate(?) right. We do this with a level (that one with a telescope on it) The dam and water level readings establish the width and height and the gaging which take place during a storm establishes the velocity which corresponds to the third dimension (?) and enables thus to figure the volume of water that leaves this part of the country. The velocity changes with the change of height of water so we have to get velocity reading at several different heights. That picture in the Oct. issue of Seed is of a cable car that they use if the water gets too deep for the bridge. They really have some good floods here they say when it gets raining. Wish we’d get some good rains, I’d like to try out my new raincoat.
Yours,
Bernard
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Our Uncles
In this post card Dad refers to his two brothers and the possibility that they might be drafted. I believe that Charles had a farm deferment and Harry was deferred because of an eye that did not look straight ahead.
On our mothers side her brother Bruce was a conscientious objector and spent part of the war in prison before accepting a position in charge of taking cattle to Europe on a boat. It was kind of a family joke that Dad, who had the farm experience worked in Chicago at the end of the war, and Bruce who was from Chicago helped out with the cows.
On our mothers side her brother Bruce was a conscientious objector and spent part of the war in prison before accepting a position in charge of taking cattle to Europe on a boat. It was kind of a family joke that Dad, who had the farm experience worked in Chicago at the end of the war, and Bruce who was from Chicago helped out with the cows.
October 30, 1942
Fri. nite 10/30/42
Dear Folks,
Received the cookies today, in fair shape but the crumbs are good too. I havn’t eaten many yet. I got the order you sent yesterday and the only thing I failed to get was the sweatshirt. The raincoat is a dinger. Really looks like a good rubber and smells like it too. As far as I can see it is worth the money. Thanks a lot for sending it, I mean the order. It seems that I’m always bothering you for something or other. If this dumb war lasts long enough to get all three of us in camp you will have an awful time. I pray that never will happen. I hope you (meaning Mom) don’t work too hard making stuff to send me, but I know you do.
Yours
Bernard
Dear Folks,
Received the cookies today, in fair shape but the crumbs are good too. I havn’t eaten many yet. I got the order you sent yesterday and the only thing I failed to get was the sweatshirt. The raincoat is a dinger. Really looks like a good rubber and smells like it too. As far as I can see it is worth the money. Thanks a lot for sending it, I mean the order. It seems that I’m always bothering you for something or other. If this dumb war lasts long enough to get all three of us in camp you will have an awful time. I pray that never will happen. I hope you (meaning Mom) don’t work too hard making stuff to send me, but I know you do.
Yours
Bernard
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Work without pay
In this letter Dad mentions some men who join the army in order to get a pay check. In the book "Peace was in Their Hearts" by Richard C. Anderson on p. 29 I found the following words " In short, the churches provided a home for the men so they would be available to work without pay on government projects." The churches here are the historic peace churches The Brethren, the Mennonites, and the Religious Society of Friends(Quakers). It was a strange arrangement but an improvement over the CO (conscientious objector) arrangement of WWI, which basically required all men to be drafted and allowed for CO's to do noncombatant work, which was not always carried out. Some CO's refused to wear uniforms or participate in the military and were put into prisons or the stockade, many were mistreated and some died. The "Peace" churches wishing to avoid this situation offered to help run the camps and agreed to the "work of national importance" which was difficult to define. Another point of progress was the The selective training and service act of 1940 section 5g, now allowed as CO's anyone who "by reason of religious training and belief, is conscientiously opposed to participation in war in any form" . This was an expansion to people beyond the three Churches named in WWI. The CO had the choice of noncombatant service or work in the CPS camps.
October 26, 1942
C. P. S #23
Coshocton, Ohio
Oct 26, 1942
Dear family,
Here’s hoping that Charles is better and Eileen has conquered her case of Pembleitus.
I was sure glad to hear that the corn is going to be picked by hand and that you have two good pickers to do it. What kind of loads are they getting? Can they fill up our big boxes? It is nice that they are bringing their own dinners too.
I guess I havn’t told you about my new job, helping survey. Do you know what a “Watershed” is? Well it’s a piece of ground that drains down through one particular gully. There are 30 watersheds that are fixed up so that they can measure the amount of water that comes off them. The main thing the survey crew is doing now is taking the elevation on these watersheds. To do that we take a transit and measure off the ground into 20 ft. squares. Then we use a thing they call a level, which is simply a level with a telescope on it, and go from a known elevation that has been established some time ago, all over the watershed at each on of these 20ft marks we staked off. When we get done we know just how high every spot on that ground is and the draw a map of it. They tell us that next year the same thing will be done over again and they can see if any soil has been lost and where and thus know how better to stop it. These watersheds run from less than one acre to over six. The six acre on had a difference of over 100 feet in it and then we only went about half way to the deepest part of the gully, cause they didn’t farm that. They have a way of catching the dirt that washes off of some of the watersheds and some of the boys were telling me about one of them that was only about 4 acres and they got 9 tons of silt off in after one strom. I guess they got bussy and planted some sod in the little gullys that had started and got most of the erosion stoped. I like this job pretty well, the only thing is that it is pretty cold in the mornings. I wore two sweatshirts and my sheeplined coat today, I guess it was a little below freezing. I hope I get used to it before it really does get cold. I have been wearing my boots the last few days and they sure feel good.
We are going to have movies here in camp now if we can keep them paid for. It takes 50c a man from 100 men each month. If we want to keep it up the rent we pay for the machine will go in payment for it and after a certain time it will belong to the camp. We can get some of the better pictures that have been made in the last few years also some comodies and weaterns which are cheeper. They are figuring on one show a week. We have had a couple of Gov’t pictures put on by Soil Conservation. They were very good fro us. We learned about the importance of what we are doing.
I found out that 25% of the topsoil in now gone off the corn-belt now. Most of it is in the gulf of Mexico. The dam at Keokuck in now 30% covered up and it was only built in 1913. So guess soil conservation is pretty important after all. I guess we don’t realize what soil erosion is.
The candy got here Fri. evening in good shape. Some of it had to be cut again but it is sweet and that is the main thing. The fellows liked it. Some one gets something to eat almost every day. Today a fellow got some good chocolates., also some coffee, which he is going to give to the kitchen. We havn’t had much coffee for about a month now, they just couldn’t get it. That doesn’t bother me much tho. The camp got about 90 pullets the other day and we have had two eggs so far but hope for more. I wish somebody would give us some cows.
Did I tell you about the two fellows that had to leave camp and go to the army cause they had dependants to support and tho it didn’t cost them anything to come here they needed the income. I think it is a crime that there isn’t some arrangement made for cases like that.
I had a good time in Cleveland last Sun. I saw a crowd of about 400 at a morning evangelistic service. The preacher was pretty good tho he was the ‘hand shaking’ type. He didn’t agree with us on the war but otherwise he preached the Gospel.
Don’t you guys work too hard now. As far as I know now I hope to get home next spring to help put in the crop.
You must have some ratty neighbors. I hope they don’t do any more damage than that. People are sure silly aren’t they.
I finally heard from Evelyn, a very nice letter about all the romances at school. Quite interesting. I havn’t heard from Harry yet tho.
I got card from Miriam Byerly today saying that her folks were going close to Paton next Sun and Dorothy and her sister might stop, I imagine, to see a couple of Wilson boys.
The letters I get from home and from my friends help a lot to make my life worth while.
Yours,
Bernard
PS. My foot quit hurting so I don’t need the pads. I hope I get all that stuff I ordered.
Thanks for that green back. I find that stamps are quite an item so you’ll get some of it back stuck on letters.
Attached: a flyer for “Worship Service: Camp Coshocton” with note:
Thing (?) printed the ------on our printing press. The picture is made with a linoleum block carved out.
Coshocton, Ohio
Oct 26, 1942
Dear family,
Here’s hoping that Charles is better and Eileen has conquered her case of Pembleitus.
I was sure glad to hear that the corn is going to be picked by hand and that you have two good pickers to do it. What kind of loads are they getting? Can they fill up our big boxes? It is nice that they are bringing their own dinners too.
I guess I havn’t told you about my new job, helping survey. Do you know what a “Watershed” is? Well it’s a piece of ground that drains down through one particular gully. There are 30 watersheds that are fixed up so that they can measure the amount of water that comes off them. The main thing the survey crew is doing now is taking the elevation on these watersheds. To do that we take a transit and measure off the ground into 20 ft. squares. Then we use a thing they call a level, which is simply a level with a telescope on it, and go from a known elevation that has been established some time ago, all over the watershed at each on of these 20ft marks we staked off. When we get done we know just how high every spot on that ground is and the draw a map of it. They tell us that next year the same thing will be done over again and they can see if any soil has been lost and where and thus know how better to stop it. These watersheds run from less than one acre to over six. The six acre on had a difference of over 100 feet in it and then we only went about half way to the deepest part of the gully, cause they didn’t farm that. They have a way of catching the dirt that washes off of some of the watersheds and some of the boys were telling me about one of them that was only about 4 acres and they got 9 tons of silt off in after one strom. I guess they got bussy and planted some sod in the little gullys that had started and got most of the erosion stoped. I like this job pretty well, the only thing is that it is pretty cold in the mornings. I wore two sweatshirts and my sheeplined coat today, I guess it was a little below freezing. I hope I get used to it before it really does get cold. I have been wearing my boots the last few days and they sure feel good.
We are going to have movies here in camp now if we can keep them paid for. It takes 50c a man from 100 men each month. If we want to keep it up the rent we pay for the machine will go in payment for it and after a certain time it will belong to the camp. We can get some of the better pictures that have been made in the last few years also some comodies and weaterns which are cheeper. They are figuring on one show a week. We have had a couple of Gov’t pictures put on by Soil Conservation. They were very good fro us. We learned about the importance of what we are doing.
I found out that 25% of the topsoil in now gone off the corn-belt now. Most of it is in the gulf of Mexico. The dam at Keokuck in now 30% covered up and it was only built in 1913. So guess soil conservation is pretty important after all. I guess we don’t realize what soil erosion is.
The candy got here Fri. evening in good shape. Some of it had to be cut again but it is sweet and that is the main thing. The fellows liked it. Some one gets something to eat almost every day. Today a fellow got some good chocolates., also some coffee, which he is going to give to the kitchen. We havn’t had much coffee for about a month now, they just couldn’t get it. That doesn’t bother me much tho. The camp got about 90 pullets the other day and we have had two eggs so far but hope for more. I wish somebody would give us some cows.
Did I tell you about the two fellows that had to leave camp and go to the army cause they had dependants to support and tho it didn’t cost them anything to come here they needed the income. I think it is a crime that there isn’t some arrangement made for cases like that.
I had a good time in Cleveland last Sun. I saw a crowd of about 400 at a morning evangelistic service. The preacher was pretty good tho he was the ‘hand shaking’ type. He didn’t agree with us on the war but otherwise he preached the Gospel.
Don’t you guys work too hard now. As far as I know now I hope to get home next spring to help put in the crop.
You must have some ratty neighbors. I hope they don’t do any more damage than that. People are sure silly aren’t they.
I finally heard from Evelyn, a very nice letter about all the romances at school. Quite interesting. I havn’t heard from Harry yet tho.
I got card from Miriam Byerly today saying that her folks were going close to Paton next Sun and Dorothy and her sister might stop, I imagine, to see a couple of Wilson boys.
The letters I get from home and from my friends help a lot to make my life worth while.
Yours,
Bernard
PS. My foot quit hurting so I don’t need the pads. I hope I get all that stuff I ordered.
Thanks for that green back. I find that stamps are quite an item so you’ll get some of it back stuck on letters.
Attached: a flyer for “Worship Service: Camp Coshocton” with note:
Thing (?) printed the ------on our printing press. The picture is made with a linoleum block carved out.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Money and shopping
This post has some numbers in it as Dad sends his folks an order from the Montgomery Wards catalog. I heard that the catalogs begining had a similar effect in small towns as Wallmart does today, that they put the local store that sold everything out of business. It is fun to look at the numbers and compare with todays costs. I like the 72 cents tax.
Vickie
Vickie
October 19, 1942
C. P. S. #23
Coshocton, Ohio
Oct. 19 1942
Dear Family,
Well, how’s everybody now? Grandma and Lena told me that the sick kids were better. I supposed you have been bussy as usual and havn’t found time to write your wandering kids except on Sundays. I do kind of like to hear from you but if you don’t write I don’t have to answer you so often.
The reason I’m writing now is to get you to send an order to Monkey Wards for some stuff. Some of it I’m going to need when it gets cold and some of it I think I’d better get while getting is good and I still have some money in my name. You can just make it out to be mailed to me here at camp and send the order to Chicago as it is closer that Minnapolis
Page
436 A-29090 3 Short slieve undershirts 36 1.59 4.68 3 12
B-29091 3 Ankle length drawers 32 1.59 4.68
490 42C5168 1 Whipcord Breeches (dark forest green)
32 waist 27 inseams 3.49 2
496D 35C7765 6pr Tow thumb Husking Mittens 1.24 1 5
507 42C5452 1 Fireman’s Coat (rain coat) 40 7.49 5 12
451 30C541 2 All Wool 20-in. Socks Red tops 1.25 6
457 60C5807 1 Solid Scarlet Sweat Shirt Medium 1.15 1 6
23.98
23.98 14 9oz
Postage .59
Tax .72
25.29
Say, that turned out to be quite an order. When I started all I was going to get was underwear. Don’t you think I’d better get that stuff before my money is gone and it gets too hard to get? The weather is terrible damp here and they tell me it doesn’t stay very cold for more than a few days at a time but it does get down below zero. It is chilly enough right now, this morning I wore two sweatshirts and a jacket to work and kept them on till noon. I’m on the surveying crew now and there isn’t a lot of activity but there is considerable exercise. It is almost always foggy when we get up which is what makes it seem so cold, we havn’t had any frost for a long time either.
As for the rain coat. The one I have is a good windbreaker yet but that is all. We have about one rainy day a week and they tell me that sometimes it rains twice as often. One day I walked about 80 rods in a nice gentle rain and my raincoat was wet through on the sholders. I understand that according to the records they usually have a lot of rain in the fall sometimes that really floods things so I suspect I’d better get a good raincoat if it is possible. I really don’t expect much tho, they will probably be out. I don’t know whether a coat made of reclaimed rubber will be worth that much or not. If Pop should think he can do better for me on a raincoat he can try, but I don’t think much of a cloth coat. There might be a rubber one around somewhere. If he is too bussy, which he is, forget it.
I had a good time in Cleveland yesterday, tell you about it in the next letter. Time to go to bed now.
Yours
Bernard
P.S. Ohio Sales tax is 3 %. For you information I put down the page in the Catalog. Thank for your trouble. Those cookies were better than anybody elses.
BA
Coshocton, Ohio
Oct. 19 1942
Dear Family,
Well, how’s everybody now? Grandma and Lena told me that the sick kids were better. I supposed you have been bussy as usual and havn’t found time to write your wandering kids except on Sundays. I do kind of like to hear from you but if you don’t write I don’t have to answer you so often.
The reason I’m writing now is to get you to send an order to Monkey Wards for some stuff. Some of it I’m going to need when it gets cold and some of it I think I’d better get while getting is good and I still have some money in my name. You can just make it out to be mailed to me here at camp and send the order to Chicago as it is closer that Minnapolis
Page
436 A-29090 3 Short slieve undershirts 36 1.59 4.68 3 12
B-29091 3 Ankle length drawers 32 1.59 4.68
490 42C5168 1 Whipcord Breeches (dark forest green)
32 waist 27 inseams 3.49 2
496D 35C7765 6pr Tow thumb Husking Mittens 1.24 1 5
507 42C5452 1 Fireman’s Coat (rain coat) 40 7.49 5 12
451 30C541 2 All Wool 20-in. Socks Red tops 1.25 6
457 60C5807 1 Solid Scarlet Sweat Shirt Medium 1.15 1 6
23.98
23.98 14 9oz
Postage .59
Tax .72
25.29
Say, that turned out to be quite an order. When I started all I was going to get was underwear. Don’t you think I’d better get that stuff before my money is gone and it gets too hard to get? The weather is terrible damp here and they tell me it doesn’t stay very cold for more than a few days at a time but it does get down below zero. It is chilly enough right now, this morning I wore two sweatshirts and a jacket to work and kept them on till noon. I’m on the surveying crew now and there isn’t a lot of activity but there is considerable exercise. It is almost always foggy when we get up which is what makes it seem so cold, we havn’t had any frost for a long time either.
As for the rain coat. The one I have is a good windbreaker yet but that is all. We have about one rainy day a week and they tell me that sometimes it rains twice as often. One day I walked about 80 rods in a nice gentle rain and my raincoat was wet through on the sholders. I understand that according to the records they usually have a lot of rain in the fall sometimes that really floods things so I suspect I’d better get a good raincoat if it is possible. I really don’t expect much tho, they will probably be out. I don’t know whether a coat made of reclaimed rubber will be worth that much or not. If Pop should think he can do better for me on a raincoat he can try, but I don’t think much of a cloth coat. There might be a rubber one around somewhere. If he is too bussy, which he is, forget it.
I had a good time in Cleveland yesterday, tell you about it in the next letter. Time to go to bed now.
Yours
Bernard
P.S. Ohio Sales tax is 3 %. For you information I put down the page in the Catalog. Thank for your trouble. Those cookies were better than anybody elses.
BA
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Peace, Veterans Day and Contientious Objectors
I have been failing at my attempts to upload a picture taken last year at veterans day in Deming, NM. Tim and I were asked to take the Iraq Peace Crane Memorial to the Veterans Day celebration in Deming. This memorial has a white paper peace crane to represent each US military death in Iraq, the origami peace cranes are mounted on black foamboard panels. There are over 4,000 of them. At that Veterans day ceremony I was struck by a young Iraq War Veteran who spoke and said that this day, 'veterans day' was not a day to glorify war but to honor and support the people who had served. I think that those of us who work for peace without war, need to reclaim both veterans day and memorial day as days to work for peace. As I've read the letters from my dad and learned more about CPS and CO's, they served for years and have received little recognition. I have managed to add a picture which is of the Iraq Peace Crane Memorial in Washington, DC with our friend Mary Burton.
October 16, 1942
Fri. Nite 10/16
Hello Folks,
The cookies arrived yesterday evening in pretty good shape, there were a few crumbs on top but even crumbs are good. Home cookies sure tasted good and the guys in my dorm braged on the Iowa cookies.
I’m working on the surveying crew now. I think I’ll like it fine. I get see the country around here on a job like that.
Glad to hear Charles is better. I’m expecting a letter from you‘uns.
I’m going to Clevland C. Sun. with the same guy we went to Dayton with. There is an Evangelist there and I want to see some of the country before they ration gas.
Yours
Bernard
Hello Folks,
The cookies arrived yesterday evening in pretty good shape, there were a few crumbs on top but even crumbs are good. Home cookies sure tasted good and the guys in my dorm braged on the Iowa cookies.
I’m working on the surveying crew now. I think I’ll like it fine. I get see the country around here on a job like that.
Glad to hear Charles is better. I’m expecting a letter from you‘uns.
I’m going to Clevland C. Sun. with the same guy we went to Dayton with. There is an Evangelist there and I want to see some of the country before they ration gas.
Yours
Bernard
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Religion
One thing that has fascinated me about these letters was watching the change in my father's religious beliefs. His grandfather Albert Ozborn was a Quaker minister in a Friend's Church in Iowa. Dad attended the Friends church as a child and also went to tent revival type gatherings, he also considered becoming a minister himself. In this letter he mentions evangelism and the difference between his beliefs and others in the camp. His beliefs change in the next few years.
After the war he and our mother Dorothy help to found the Mountain View Friends Meeting in Denver, Colorado. This is an unprogrammed (spell checker does not recognize that word) Meeting as is Las Cruces Friends Meeting which I belong to. The Friends Churches have ministers or a planned program, while those of us who are un-programmed worship in silence, which is broken by ministry from any of those worshiping.
After the war he and our mother Dorothy help to found the Mountain View Friends Meeting in Denver, Colorado. This is an unprogrammed (spell checker does not recognize that word) Meeting as is Las Cruces Friends Meeting which I belong to. The Friends Churches have ministers or a planned program, while those of us who are un-programmed worship in silence, which is broken by ministry from any of those worshiping.
October 9, 1942
C.P.S. #23
Coshocton, Ohio
Oct. 9, 1942
Dear home folks,
Your last letter had a lot of good news in it. I guess things come out pretty well if we wait long enough. I’m sure glad that the sick people are better also that the corn is going to be picked. From what Opal say about the corn, it will be pretty good picking. The first time for several years that I havn’t picked corn.
You will find my sugar book in the letter. It seems that they don’t need them to get sugar for the camp. So if you can manage to get sugar with it, you might use some of it to make me some candy or cookies. You could send it in those tin film boxes that we got at the fair I think there are three upstairs that I bot. Nearly all of the fellows get stuff from home and from people that feel sorry for them I guess. Well, they are very generous and pass stuff around, so I’m sort of in the hole. I’ve even gotten in the habit of eating before going to bed. There are a bunch of guys in my end of the dorm that have an electric coffie pot and every once in a while they have tea party and sometimes they have hot chocolate and always bread and jam. They bring the jam from home when they come back from furlough, we get the bread from the kitchen. They insisted so that I finally consented to eat with them and now I’m a regular tea party man. I even drank some tea the other day, it had a lemon in it and didn’t taste like tea. Well, that’s the eating story.
Ab and Opal and I took a week-end trip last Sat. and Sun. Stayed all night in Dayton O. The town was full of defense workers and soldiers. We went with a guy that wanted to see a friend of his in a small town near Dayton, but his friend wasn’t home so we went on to Dayton and saw the big defense city, the third largest defense city in the US. I went to church with the fellow that took us he is a Baptist named Francis Clark. We went to a big Baptist church, the biggest that I have ever been in. It was world-wide Communion Sunday and so I comunioned with them. I still think it is a lot of hooey. However it was a very solem service. That was sure a swanky church tho, they had a bunch of ushers that wore long tailed coats and standup colars and only seated late comers between songs and stuff. This guy I was with thinks a lot like we do about the Bible and believes in evangelism and that people must be saved, which is a little odd around here. Some of the fellows here don’t even think there is a heaven.
As for my work, I like it better than the kitchen, tho I havn’t been on any set job yet. I guess I’m sort of an odd job man for the Hydrolic Engineer. I have been working on what they call an experimental water-shed. There are five flumes on each of the two water-sheds that I have been working on. They are similar to the pictures on the Sept. issue of Seed, expect one is quite abit larger and the rest are smaller than the one on the picture. The article on flumes in that paper sort of explains what they are for. Today I installed a rainguage. It looks something like a ten gallon cream can with a hole in the top for the rain to run in. Then in the side about two thirds to the bottom is a door with a glass window. Inside is a lot of works to weigh the rain as it falls and record it on a chart that will tell the time it starts and the rise in rainfall and when it stops. All I had to do was stake down a wonden base and fasten it on with lag screws. It had to be level which took a little time.
The county has been exceptionally Pretty this week, we have so many pretty trees here and they all have a different color now. We had our frost a couple weeks ago and few days of cold weather.
The new issue of Seed has just come out tonight and will probably be mailed tue. The fellow that drew the Cover page sleeps across from me and we were kidding him about the pitchfork he drew. You will notice it the first thing. He says that the dunb sack you see is alright cause what looks like the bottom is just a shadow. You won’t know what this is about till you see Seed. The Seed costs me 2 ½ cents per copy and you can save me that. You will find a subscription blank in the copy I’m sending you. But you may not want to subscribe, I might find a detached service project that I like before the year is up. So far I don’t like anything we have had a chance at.
The clothing you found are mine but I don’t need them here. I may want my bed blankets later on tho, I’l tell you when. I left a pair of those long metatarsel pads around somewhere, I didn’t think I’d need them but I wish you’d send them if you can find them. My left foot has been hurting a little when a I do a lot of walking the last couple of days.
Keep praying for better days, I’ll have to quit now.
I’m going to write to Eileen someday yet.
Yours,
Bernard
P.S. [illegible]
Coshocton, Ohio
Oct. 9, 1942
Dear home folks,
Your last letter had a lot of good news in it. I guess things come out pretty well if we wait long enough. I’m sure glad that the sick people are better also that the corn is going to be picked. From what Opal say about the corn, it will be pretty good picking. The first time for several years that I havn’t picked corn.
You will find my sugar book in the letter. It seems that they don’t need them to get sugar for the camp. So if you can manage to get sugar with it, you might use some of it to make me some candy or cookies. You could send it in those tin film boxes that we got at the fair I think there are three upstairs that I bot. Nearly all of the fellows get stuff from home and from people that feel sorry for them I guess. Well, they are very generous and pass stuff around, so I’m sort of in the hole. I’ve even gotten in the habit of eating before going to bed. There are a bunch of guys in my end of the dorm that have an electric coffie pot and every once in a while they have tea party and sometimes they have hot chocolate and always bread and jam. They bring the jam from home when they come back from furlough, we get the bread from the kitchen. They insisted so that I finally consented to eat with them and now I’m a regular tea party man. I even drank some tea the other day, it had a lemon in it and didn’t taste like tea. Well, that’s the eating story.
Ab and Opal and I took a week-end trip last Sat. and Sun. Stayed all night in Dayton O. The town was full of defense workers and soldiers. We went with a guy that wanted to see a friend of his in a small town near Dayton, but his friend wasn’t home so we went on to Dayton and saw the big defense city, the third largest defense city in the US. I went to church with the fellow that took us he is a Baptist named Francis Clark. We went to a big Baptist church, the biggest that I have ever been in. It was world-wide Communion Sunday and so I comunioned with them. I still think it is a lot of hooey. However it was a very solem service. That was sure a swanky church tho, they had a bunch of ushers that wore long tailed coats and standup colars and only seated late comers between songs and stuff. This guy I was with thinks a lot like we do about the Bible and believes in evangelism and that people must be saved, which is a little odd around here. Some of the fellows here don’t even think there is a heaven.
As for my work, I like it better than the kitchen, tho I havn’t been on any set job yet. I guess I’m sort of an odd job man for the Hydrolic Engineer. I have been working on what they call an experimental water-shed. There are five flumes on each of the two water-sheds that I have been working on. They are similar to the pictures on the Sept. issue of Seed, expect one is quite abit larger and the rest are smaller than the one on the picture. The article on flumes in that paper sort of explains what they are for. Today I installed a rainguage. It looks something like a ten gallon cream can with a hole in the top for the rain to run in. Then in the side about two thirds to the bottom is a door with a glass window. Inside is a lot of works to weigh the rain as it falls and record it on a chart that will tell the time it starts and the rise in rainfall and when it stops. All I had to do was stake down a wonden base and fasten it on with lag screws. It had to be level which took a little time.
The county has been exceptionally Pretty this week, we have so many pretty trees here and they all have a different color now. We had our frost a couple weeks ago and few days of cold weather.
The new issue of Seed has just come out tonight and will probably be mailed tue. The fellow that drew the Cover page sleeps across from me and we were kidding him about the pitchfork he drew. You will notice it the first thing. He says that the dunb sack you see is alright cause what looks like the bottom is just a shadow. You won’t know what this is about till you see Seed. The Seed costs me 2 ½ cents per copy and you can save me that. You will find a subscription blank in the copy I’m sending you. But you may not want to subscribe, I might find a detached service project that I like before the year is up. So far I don’t like anything we have had a chance at.
The clothing you found are mine but I don’t need them here. I may want my bed blankets later on tho, I’l tell you when. I left a pair of those long metatarsel pads around somewhere, I didn’t think I’d need them but I wish you’d send them if you can find them. My left foot has been hurting a little when a I do a lot of walking the last couple of days.
Keep praying for better days, I’ll have to quit now.
I’m going to write to Eileen someday yet.
Yours,
Bernard
P.S. [illegible]
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Illnesses
This letter refers to something happening to Eileen and Charles, Barney's sister and brother. I'm not sure which illness this is, but I was struck throughout the letters by the amount of illnesses the family on the farm had. This is something I might ask my Aunt Eileen or Aunt Betty about, Betty was Charles' wife. I think Eileen and Charles may have had rheumatic fever. It is curious to read these letters and hear only one side of a conversation. Another item mentioned in this post is "detasseling" corn, if any reader can let me know what this is about I would appreciate it.
September 26, 1942
C. P. S. #23
Sept. 26, 1942
Dear folks,
Well, how’s everybody by now? I’m afraid I don’t write home very often do I. I’ve been sort of busy lately and a lot has happened since I wrote last. First, I caught a heck of a head cold last Sun. night, most of which is gone now. Then the educational director here at camp got ahold of an old and quite small printing press. The type is sort of mixed up and we havn’t got it all unpacked yet, there will have to be a lot of work done on the outfit before it will do any printing. Then I have been getting sort of fed up on dishwashing and this was my last week, well, I got a chance to work on a farm for a couple of days. So I took 2 days furlough and did that, I’m sure glad I did it was pretty good to get my feet back on some ground that would grow something again, this farm was down in the valley and the ground is quite rich I guess. That was Thur. and Fri. Well, I got a little vacation from camp and $6 out of it. Wages aren’t quite as high here and some of their farming methods are pretty ancient. I had a good time and saw some new country and met some nice people too. My only regret is that I had to use up 2 days furlough time. I think I’ll try and save up the rest of my furlough till next spring and come home and help put in some of the crops. We’ll have plenty of time to talk about that later. I had though of coming back at corn-detasling time, but I wonder if the community might miss-understand and think I was getting away with something. There was a story about some guy that went home to Kansas and some people in his home town telegraphed Washington D. C. and wanted to know how come the let C.O.s run around loose like that. Just how is the situation at the present there along that line?
I hope Charles and Elieen are doing alright, it was somewhat of a shock to me, I never thought of such a thing. But I wouldn’t be supprised if it will turn out for the best some way tho we many not know it or see it.
That “buck” I found in the last letter will find a good place and I appreciate it. There are week-end trips to Colombus every other weekend. The pacifists there have sort of a party for some of the C.P.S. boys, Ab went a couple of weeks ago and said he had a swell time. I think I’ll take in one of those sometime, so that’s probably where that $1 will go, for transportation.
I start a new job next Mon. I don’t know what it will be tho. I’ve been trying to get some sort of carpenter work or shop work, they have a carpenter shop at the station and one at the camp too.
I hope to get this in the mail today so I’d better quit. I’m praying for you, keep your chins up. Don’t work too hard.
Yours,
Bernard
Sept. 26, 1942
Dear folks,
Well, how’s everybody by now? I’m afraid I don’t write home very often do I. I’ve been sort of busy lately and a lot has happened since I wrote last. First, I caught a heck of a head cold last Sun. night, most of which is gone now. Then the educational director here at camp got ahold of an old and quite small printing press. The type is sort of mixed up and we havn’t got it all unpacked yet, there will have to be a lot of work done on the outfit before it will do any printing. Then I have been getting sort of fed up on dishwashing and this was my last week, well, I got a chance to work on a farm for a couple of days. So I took 2 days furlough and did that, I’m sure glad I did it was pretty good to get my feet back on some ground that would grow something again, this farm was down in the valley and the ground is quite rich I guess. That was Thur. and Fri. Well, I got a little vacation from camp and $6 out of it. Wages aren’t quite as high here and some of their farming methods are pretty ancient. I had a good time and saw some new country and met some nice people too. My only regret is that I had to use up 2 days furlough time. I think I’ll try and save up the rest of my furlough till next spring and come home and help put in some of the crops. We’ll have plenty of time to talk about that later. I had though of coming back at corn-detasling time, but I wonder if the community might miss-understand and think I was getting away with something. There was a story about some guy that went home to Kansas and some people in his home town telegraphed Washington D. C. and wanted to know how come the let C.O.s run around loose like that. Just how is the situation at the present there along that line?
I hope Charles and Elieen are doing alright, it was somewhat of a shock to me, I never thought of such a thing. But I wouldn’t be supprised if it will turn out for the best some way tho we many not know it or see it.
That “buck” I found in the last letter will find a good place and I appreciate it. There are week-end trips to Colombus every other weekend. The pacifists there have sort of a party for some of the C.P.S. boys, Ab went a couple of weeks ago and said he had a swell time. I think I’ll take in one of those sometime, so that’s probably where that $1 will go, for transportation.
I start a new job next Mon. I don’t know what it will be tho. I’ve been trying to get some sort of carpenter work or shop work, they have a carpenter shop at the station and one at the camp too.
I hope to get this in the mail today so I’d better quit. I’m praying for you, keep your chins up. Don’t work too hard.
Yours,
Bernard
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Dad's education
I actually missed this wednesday's post as we had friends visiting and I didn't get to it. It has been a busy week. Today is Dia de Los Muertos and we have put up the Iraq Peace Crane Memorial in the plaza in Mesilla and will go soon to take it down. The memorial has a paper peace crane for each US military death in Iraq posted on black foam board panels, with the info on the individual beneath the peace crane.
Back to Dad's letters, I wanted to say a little about his education, he attended a one room school in Iowa for the elementary grades and graduated from high school and then before the draft came he did one semester of college at William Penn College in Iowa. From his letters it seems he also had quite a bit of bible study and a lot of knowledge from the farm. I use to think that all people of his generation knew how to do everything, but I see he just learned it all, remembered and was always interested in learning more.
Vickie
Back to Dad's letters, I wanted to say a little about his education, he attended a one room school in Iowa for the elementary grades and graduated from high school and then before the draft came he did one semester of college at William Penn College in Iowa. From his letters it seems he also had quite a bit of bible study and a lot of knowledge from the farm. I use to think that all people of his generation knew how to do everything, but I see he just learned it all, remembered and was always interested in learning more.
Vickie
September 14, 1942
Sept. 14, 1942
Dear people,
I received a nice fat letter to-day from youns. Mighty glad to get it too. Tho I don’t write you too often I still like to hear from you. I got the overshoes last fri. They work very nice and I can save my good ones too. I just about had to wear something in the wash room as the greasy water was hard on my shoes and one of my old ones leeked a lot too.
I’ll finish this tomorrow cause there’s a bunch of guys around and I can’t think and besides I like to talk too.
9:25 Tue. Morning----
We had pretty much good luck with the dishes this morning and got the breakfast bach done by 8:45. Sometimes we work till nearly 10:00.
I’m really sorry to hear that some of you are not feeling the best. I hope the sick ones are better now. If time hangs heavy on Charles’es hands he might see if he could write me a letter. It might be good practice, he may want to write a letter to Myrt or some other girl that he lives closer.
That’s certainly bad a bout Waddel. Doctors are getting scarce too. I imagine that Duane is about ready to come home by now and I certainly hope he is getting along alright. In my opinion Lena has had her share of bad luck. But I guess she can take it. When a person trusts in God that helps a lot.
The other night I got my first camp hair-cut. A fellow from New Jersey did it. His name is Ted Flanigan, and his father is an Episcapalian minister. They have a different barber on duty each night except Sat and Sun. In payment for their work they get Sat. morning off when the rest have to work till noon. WE pay a nickel toward a pair of electric clippers, now we are using a borrowed pair that belong to a fellow’s father-in-law. He and Ted are the only ones that use them and the rest of the barber have to use hand clippers.
The Educational program isn’t organized in classes like school, tho there are several classes that sort of meet under the direction of one man. We have one man that is known as the educational director and that is all he does. The library has a lot of books that can be used to learn about anything you want to know and he takes care of that too. Some of the classes that I can think of now are: Choir directing, Non Violent action, Postwar reconstruction, First Aid, Co-operatives, Accounting. There are two Bible classes, Old and New Testament, The Old Testament is taught by a Jewish refugee. That is the only class I have gone to, I don’t think I’ll get in to too much and do good what I do do. Also there is a Chorus, They sing nearly every Sun. in the preaching service.
I am getting better acquainted with more people and I find that there are a few here that don’t believe in the Bible like we do and some that think Christ was just a good man. I think in general the Methodists are more like me in their beliefs than the eastern Friends. I met one fellow that new Errol Elliott and we agree on a lot of things, he works in the kitchen too and likes to sing some of the old revival songs which many of the fellows think and childish or foolish. It is hard to find out just what the fellows believe cause so few of us agree and those that have been here a while are tired of trying to find someone that agrees with them. We have some good discussions tho. We set up quite late sometimes.
They have a nice little carpenter shop here at the camp and I fool around there a lot when I’m not working. If I quit dishwashing that is what I would like to do, get in the shop over at the station if I could. But I like dishwashing pretty well because my spare time comes when there aren’t so many people around and I can read or write letters. How did you like the Camp Paper? Some of the guys think it should have more camp news.
Ab and I got an engouraging letter from Whitely and Opal wrote to me the other day, I kidded Ab about that. She told me about taking Myrtle down to school and the changes in the Faculty there.
Now, don’t you work too hard, any of you. If you don’t get everything done that you want remember that no one will know it a hundred years from now and you will feel a lot better now if you take care of your-selves. Keep Praying, There are a lot of people that need it.
I trust you understand about the 35 dollars. I got paid when the rest of the fellows did and got $1.67. next time I get 2.50, 80 a day. But I’m getting a lot more than that.
Yours
Bernard
Attached: Two photos
This is the camp. That tree is in the NE corner. The Dorms run east and west, but are twisted a little to the Nw and Se. I am in the west end of the second one from the right hand side, known as Dorm 3 west.
This is of the three of the Station buildings there are two or three more that aren’t in the picture. This shows the landscape in the background and the haze that is always in the distance and sometimes is a for right close. This makes picture taking difficult.
Dear people,
I received a nice fat letter to-day from youns. Mighty glad to get it too. Tho I don’t write you too often I still like to hear from you. I got the overshoes last fri. They work very nice and I can save my good ones too. I just about had to wear something in the wash room as the greasy water was hard on my shoes and one of my old ones leeked a lot too.
I’ll finish this tomorrow cause there’s a bunch of guys around and I can’t think and besides I like to talk too.
9:25 Tue. Morning----
We had pretty much good luck with the dishes this morning and got the breakfast bach done by 8:45. Sometimes we work till nearly 10:00.
I’m really sorry to hear that some of you are not feeling the best. I hope the sick ones are better now. If time hangs heavy on Charles’es hands he might see if he could write me a letter. It might be good practice, he may want to write a letter to Myrt or some other girl that he lives closer.
That’s certainly bad a bout Waddel. Doctors are getting scarce too. I imagine that Duane is about ready to come home by now and I certainly hope he is getting along alright. In my opinion Lena has had her share of bad luck. But I guess she can take it. When a person trusts in God that helps a lot.
The other night I got my first camp hair-cut. A fellow from New Jersey did it. His name is Ted Flanigan, and his father is an Episcapalian minister. They have a different barber on duty each night except Sat and Sun. In payment for their work they get Sat. morning off when the rest have to work till noon. WE pay a nickel toward a pair of electric clippers, now we are using a borrowed pair that belong to a fellow’s father-in-law. He and Ted are the only ones that use them and the rest of the barber have to use hand clippers.
The Educational program isn’t organized in classes like school, tho there are several classes that sort of meet under the direction of one man. We have one man that is known as the educational director and that is all he does. The library has a lot of books that can be used to learn about anything you want to know and he takes care of that too. Some of the classes that I can think of now are: Choir directing, Non Violent action, Postwar reconstruction, First Aid, Co-operatives, Accounting. There are two Bible classes, Old and New Testament, The Old Testament is taught by a Jewish refugee. That is the only class I have gone to, I don’t think I’ll get in to too much and do good what I do do. Also there is a Chorus, They sing nearly every Sun. in the preaching service.
I am getting better acquainted with more people and I find that there are a few here that don’t believe in the Bible like we do and some that think Christ was just a good man. I think in general the Methodists are more like me in their beliefs than the eastern Friends. I met one fellow that new Errol Elliott and we agree on a lot of things, he works in the kitchen too and likes to sing some of the old revival songs which many of the fellows think and childish or foolish. It is hard to find out just what the fellows believe cause so few of us agree and those that have been here a while are tired of trying to find someone that agrees with them. We have some good discussions tho. We set up quite late sometimes.
They have a nice little carpenter shop here at the camp and I fool around there a lot when I’m not working. If I quit dishwashing that is what I would like to do, get in the shop over at the station if I could. But I like dishwashing pretty well because my spare time comes when there aren’t so many people around and I can read or write letters. How did you like the Camp Paper? Some of the guys think it should have more camp news.
Ab and I got an engouraging letter from Whitely and Opal wrote to me the other day, I kidded Ab about that. She told me about taking Myrtle down to school and the changes in the Faculty there.
Now, don’t you work too hard, any of you. If you don’t get everything done that you want remember that no one will know it a hundred years from now and you will feel a lot better now if you take care of your-selves. Keep Praying, There are a lot of people that need it.
I trust you understand about the 35 dollars. I got paid when the rest of the fellows did and got $1.67. next time I get 2.50, 80 a day. But I’m getting a lot more than that.
Yours
Bernard
Attached: Two photos
This is the camp. That tree is in the NE corner. The Dorms run east and west, but are twisted a little to the Nw and Se. I am in the west end of the second one from the right hand side, known as Dorm 3 west.
This is of the three of the Station buildings there are two or three more that aren’t in the picture. This shows the landscape in the background and the haze that is always in the distance and sometimes is a for right close. This makes picture taking difficult.
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