January 22, 1944 Bubble Dancer, B's Work, Declining Food Prices and Norman Thomas Speaks

Dear Mother & Daddy,

"Only two more days vacation for me, but I'm anxious for school to start.  My classes will start at 8:30 which means getting up awfully early.  I don't know much about the work, but next time i write I can probably tell all about it.

 I have accomplished quite a lot since I quit work.  The last three days I've been painting in the bathroom.  It's all done except washing the window and I forgot that and even have the curtain up now.  The walls are powder blue and the woodwork is cream.  I used the bubble dancer border (the other is the kitchen trim) around the ceiling and there is a strip of woodwork around the center of the walls and I just decal transfers on this about 2-1/2 feet apart.  The transfers match the border.  My curtain is white, ruffled tie-back and the room looks awfully pretty.  The bath mat and lid cover were blue so they match perfectly. 

The Bubble Dancer border (Image courtesy of bluevelvetvintage.com)

Do you still find things scarce at home?  I've been noticing lots of things in the dime store that haven't been available in a long time.  I got a curtain rod this week.  I was so thrilled because the wood things aren't any good at all.

B is getting along just fine with his two jobs.  There isn't a great lot to do for the Yale job.  He has to keep books put up in the shelves in the education part of the library and if one of the professors wants books brought in from the other part of the library he has to see that those are sent up.  There is a woman assistant who helps him so there really isn't much to it.  There is quite a lot to his Hopkins job.  I've been grading papers so that helps.  The school is for wealthy boys and since it is so old there is tradition behind everything.  Even the system of work they do is carried over from the old English system.  Tuition is higher than Yale and it is all such a contrast to what we have known.  With all its high-flung ways, I'll still take Pipkin in Springfield for my kids.  We're glad B has the job, though, and it's good experience.

Food is a bit cheaper now, except vegetables.  Cabbage is .06 and carrots are 2 bunches for .25.  Little bunches, too.  We have bought a couple picnic hams.  They are cheap in points and money and last a long time--only 2 points and .29 a pound.  I bake them with brown sugar and cloves and they're delicious.  We can get good eggs for .37 now.  That isn't bad.

We still haven't got anything for our laundry that burned.  We sent the last claim in today.  There is alot of red tape to it and then they will probably give us less than half its worth.  Since I quit work I've done my own wash, but now that I'm going to school I'll have to send it out again.  They don't get it white or clean and it's half ironed.  There are several nice lines up on the roof where I hang my things.

I have a new book--The Joy of Cooking.  It is a best seller and has lots of nice recipes in it.  If you'll save some of that tenderloin we'll take you up on that lunch invitation.  Do you think it will keep till next August?  Summer school will be out the last of July and then we'll be out to see you--If nothing happens.

Norman Thomas spoke at Chapel Sunday.  He's really good and certainly draws a crowd.  Sunday night we're invited to Dr. Hill's for supper.  They are Springfield people.  He's head of the Education department.  She has a reputation for being a good cook so we're planning on a good meal and good time.  I'm out of paper, so write soon.  Take good care of yourselves!"

                                           Worlds of love,

                                                  B & Bonnie

NOTES from Ann:  Norman Thomas was a prominent Socialist and presidential candidate several times.  Although there is no known documentation to support it,  the quote most commonly attributed to him, and often used in current political context follows:  “The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of “liberalism,” they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened.  I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democratic Party has adopted our platform.”  

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/03/books/review/book-review-conscience-by-louisa-thomas.html