June 17, 1944

6/17/44 Dear Folks, How’s tricks? Is it still wet in Iowa? I’ll bet it is discouraging to try to farm with that kind of weather. I don’t blame him. Of course there is nothing he or anyone can do about it. How’s your eye Mom? I’m glad that the girls are reading to you some. I don’t know what I would do if I was in your shoes. My feet would probably hurt too. (lousy joke isn’t it) More people are getting married! More people are having kids! Makes me feel a little old. You too, huh, parents. Not much cooking that is especially interesting. I’m keeping very bussy these days as usual. I don’t know whether I’ll be in the wood-shop all summer or not. I have only about 2 or 3 weeks of work lined up now but some more will probably turn up. I’d about as soon have it peter out as it looks awful nice out in the sunshine. I’d sort of like to go to a side-camp for a few months. I’m thinking some about transferring to Treton N. D. next fall some time. I don’t know that I will I know about 6 guys that are there from Penn and one of the very good guys is transferring there from here next week. It would be a little closer to home too. I’d like to hang around here for a while till out Coop pland are more mature. Also I’m still learning a lot that I think will prove useful. I might brag a little. I have been clerk of the camp meeting this month. I’m a little proud fo so responsible a position. We appoint one man each Month to be recording clerk and then the next month he is clerk. Well I was recording clerk the month before I went home so they grabbed me this time. I have sort of enjoyed it. Another honor that I received was to be elected to the personel committee. There were three chosen by the main camp out of about 35. What we do is help fill out and get responsible people to fill out personel evaluation sheets for each man in camp so that when they apply for Detached Service or jobs in camp these records can be referred to to see what kind of person a guy is in the estimation of 5 or 6 of his fellow campers. These sheets pretty nearly put a persons personality on paper. They are much better than any system they have had so far. It is just a little bit cloudy so far here. Maybe it will rain. We don’t mind, it keeps the fire season away farther. Nearly all of the fellows that are thinking searously about some sort of Co-op. adventure got together last Sat. night and we decided that it would be good for each one to figure out as nearly as possible exactly what he wanted to get out of life and what he wanted to do to get it. Then to figure out what he thought he could do and get by pretty well. We are trying to be practical. I suspect that we are inclined to be a little idealistic. We thought that there was a difference between what a guy wanted to do and what he would be willing to do and what he could be happy doing. We thought if we could discover this we would have a pretty sound bassis to work from to plan the character of out co-op. What do you think? I guess I’ll sign off and eat breakfast. Yours Bernard Hey Harry! What was that you said about me making you a little case to carry your skates in? If you want me to I’ll make you and estimate if you’ll send me the dimensions. The materials won’t cost much but it will cost something to send it to you. I’ll probably have some stuff that I want to send home tho so it will come in handy. What do you say? How’s the ‘loving’ brother? B. A. Attached: American Friends Service Committee- Personnel Evaluation Form with note: This is one of the ----- sheets we give out.