February 17, 1945 The Springy Day, The Chickens are Ordered, "The Walkin' Preacher" and Sixty Going On Sixteen

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"We had a springy day yesterday but today is dark and gloomy and the weatherman said snow this afternoon.  There is still lots of snow and ice around.  They have to use picks to get the snow off the streets.  It is packed so hard.  It doesn't seem like it should be close to garden time already.  B said Daddy must be planning on growing ice-berg lettuce if he planted it so soon.

We enjoyed Tice's letter in the paper and B is going to write to him.  I usually look over the letters to the editor to see if I know anyone.  I wish I had time to read the "Walkin' Preacher" but I haven't.  My reading is coming along fine.  I've read five novels the last three weeks.

Beulah said you had ordered your chickens.  I had a letter from her today.  How many did you order?

The wedding reception is this Wednesday and I don't know what I'll wear.  The invitation said informal but some of the women are going in long dresses.  I'll probably wear my black dress and a hat.  It will probably be a very fancy affair.  I told you the faculty at Hopkins were giving them a tea last week.  We all chipped in and bought some silver serving pieces to go with her silver.  She is about sixty but from the way they're planning for this wedding you'd think she was sixteen.

We got a new Sears catalog and there isn't anything in it.  I doubt if we get a Wards because we didn't order much from them.

B is planning to go to New York to a philosophers meeting March 3.  I would like to go but I wouldn't want to have to get around by myself so I guess I'll stay at home.  I get a vacation beginning Feb. 22 and I'm really planning to get a lot of work done.

I hope you're both fine.  Don't work too hard."

                                       Lots of love,

                                                  B & Bonnie

NOTES from Ann:  A brief review of "Walkin' Preacher of the Ozarks" follows:

Both image and review, courtesy of www.amazon.com; review by David Rust.

Rev. Howard was an Iowa Native, with a mission in life to preach the Gospel. Rev. Howard lost his wife and was left with 2 small boys to raise, when he felt the need to come to Southern Missouri to spread the Gospel. Having no money, he walked and hitch hiked to the Branson, Mo. and Harrison, Ar. area. His travels many times found him pennyless, living with families along the way and holding Camp Meetings where ever possible. After his first trip to Southern Missouri he got word of one of his sons being seriously ill, and he walked right back to Iowa. His accounts of happenings are factual, his being in CCC camps, teaching in a one room school house, cutting wood for a meal, etc. He was widely known in the Southern Missouri area by many many people, my family included.

www.amazon.com

B's meeting in New York:  B had a life-long interest in philosophy, particularly of education.  I believe the meeting he attended was the American Philosophical Association in which Morris Cohen delivered the Carus Lecture, "The Meaning of Human History".   This was one of a series of lectures which began in 1925 with John Dewey presenting the inaugural lecture, "Experience & Nature".  B read extensively both Cohen and Dewey and kept a small library of philosophy books throughout his lifetime.