October 27, 1956 Bonnie Risks Jail, First Graders Talk Politics, Practice Makes Perfect, Assignment Moscow and Pies Sitting Down

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"This is the only paper I can find to write on.  Maybe I won't end up in the cell next to Hodge if I use it.  Even the first graders talk politics now.  I heard Ann ask Bobby one day if he was for Ike or Eisenhower.  He patiently explained that they were the same man.  The kids come home with poems and riddles about the candidates.  One poem was:

                Ike's in the Whitehouse ready to be elected,
                Stevenson's in the garbage can ready to be collected.

They don't get this in the schoolroom but on the playground from older kids.  Ann asked the other day, "Why did Stevenson kill the dog when he stepped on its tail?"  None of us knew, of course.  She laughed and said, "Because the dog said Ike, Ike, Ike."

Bob's piano lessons are coming along fine now.  He had such a good lesson yesterday that he got a lot of points and stars and was the happiest kid you ever saw.  He has to practice 45 minutes by the clock and everyday except Sunday.  So far, we are doing fine with it and I think yesterday's lesson showed him what good practice can do.  His private teacher is wonderful with him.  She is younger than the one you saw, Mother.  He has one class every week with each teacher.

Everything has been so dry we started watering our lawn.  It is getting green again and we finally had almost a half-inch rain.  Everything looks so much better now.  I think all my mums are white.  If yours bloom try to remember where the yellow ones are, will you?  I'd like to get one of them.

Bob was fine by Sunday and went to S. School.  I found out then that this sort of thing was going all over town.  It hit me Wed. night and B had a touch of it Thursday.   I was real sick Thurs. but Toni brought me some medicine that settled my stomach.  We had so many things to do Thurs. but all I managed to do was make two pies to send to a school supper.  I did that sitting down but I had promised and had to do it.

B took them to school for me.  Then I went to bed.  I was supposed to take two new wives to a party in the afternoon but called the hostess and said I couldn't.  B took the kids to the school supper and we sent our regrets to another party that night.  I wanted to go because it was a reception for a newspaper correspondent whose assignment was Moscow.  He showed some pictures afterwards.

The kids are going to a Halloween party at the church this afternoon.  I have to send a couple dozen cookies so I'll have to stop & get them ready.

B is cutting wood for the fireplace this morning.  It stays warm but each day is just a mite cooler so one of these days we'll wake up to find snow."

                           Lots of love,

                                    Bonnie

NOTE:  Orville Hodge was the Illinois State Auditor, imprisoned in 1956 for embezzling 1.5 million from state funds, creating a big scandal (the first of many to come) for the state.