Dearest,

By the grace of God and one finger I am typing you a letter. I received you letter this morning but Agnes didn’t give it to me until tonight we had a round about it, it really sounded alot better than the one before that. You didn’t spare any words in it, did you. I was in apretty good mood when I got it. (thank goodness)

Bill Buchmiller is staying all night with me tonight we had band practice till 8:00 it started at 6:30 we have been studying for an Eng. test tomorrow (the paper in this thing is slipping) we are going to take a shower and go to bed as soon as we finish these letters he is writting a letter to Bill McCracken.

The band is beginning to sound better and Mac is going crazy with the rehersals, morniing, noon, and night. You write him and tell him to take it easier or my lip won’t be fit for anything by Easter. (I mean playing my horn—-or do I, thats up to you)

This year the senior don’t get out of exams unless they are making a B, its the biggest hook that I ever heard of Iam going to have to bring my English up and hold the rest right where they are.

How is your Trig coming I hope better than mine we are just finishing the Chapt. on half angles and that stuff. Bill is having atime with it he’s only two days behind now but he was about two weeks. Some of that I just don’t understand as well as I should but nobody else does so why should I worry. (I’m NOT

Iam going to get up at 7:00 in the morning so I had better get to bed, write soon but no more catty ones like that one was, Because Gene hasn’t been any piker about going out with you.

With LOVE,

Sun. night

11:00 o’clock

Dearest,

I hope you will pardon the pencil but Agnes’ either has my pen or else I lost it.

Bill B. is staying all night with me, tonight he and I had dates we went to the show and then walked the girls home Dad better hurry up and get home with the car I would hate to have to walk to Sorento^[1]Sorento is 14 miles northwest of Greenville but if you were there I would certainly do it.

I would certainly have like to come up for the state tournament not altogether to see the games even if they were pretty good, but I miss you an awful lot.^[2]Zoe is at the University of Illinois in Champaign, Illinois, about 130 miles northeast of Greenville

Did you see any of the boys when they were up there Redfearn said he was going to see you but I haven’t seen him yet.

Next Sat. the band goes to Granite City if we don’t play better than we did in the Kasper Concert we gave this afternoon we’ll do good to get a 2nd rating.

By the way you owe me a letter I haven’t gotten one since I wrote the last one so just send two next time.

Dad coming home next Sun. they must have been missing me I got a coat from them when they were in Hot Springs and two ties from New Orleans.

Don’t forget those letters.

With love, Tom

P.S. Bile said hello.

Tues. night.

Dearest,

I received your letter this evening about writing, heck yes I want to keep it up. I’ve told you about the dates that I’ve had (that’s only been two) you kept telling me to go out and Bob and Bill kept after me all the time to get a date and they keep saying how you have dates up there. Jim C. was home last week-end and Bob asked him how you were coming along he said that you were doing pretty food for your self and I thought if you were going out up there I might as well go out to. It was between Mary or Shirely (sp) Ward and I knew Blizzard wouldn’t like it if I went with Ward in fact he wanted me to get a date and I told him I would ask Ward, he said if I did he’d never speak to me again. That left Mary and I don’t know of anyone else down here that I’d care to go with. That’s the truth.

Have Ruth and Bill got a crush on, he’s a swell fellow. Don’t pass out but I think I made honor roll this 6 weeks. Cline surprised me and gave me a B in Physics that made 3-B and 1-C and A in band. I am going to bring that Eng. up to a B if it’s at all possible.

I haven’t been able to talk all day the sore throat I had left but it took my voice with it.

Zoe you you don’t need to worry about me because I’ll always love you I’m the one thats got to worry. I hate to think of you up there with a couple thousand boys.

With love,

Tom

Dearest,

Pardon the pencil but Agnes is using my pen I’ll try to grab it long enough to address the letter.

Dr. Maxwell is here and he has a little daughter about 2 years old I’m just about ready to move when I see her and the things she does I see why some people get discouraged about getting married. I went to the show last night and took Mary. It was “Andy Hardy Private Secretary” it was really pretty good.

When are you coming home? Two weeks from Sat. I am going to Chicago all of next year’s freshman have to be there and set in on the classes and answer some questions, those are the little things that make life awful.

Miss Stoutzenberg was sick today and I taught the 8th hour class we really had a picnic, and a test tomorrow.

I don’t know how I am going to ever finish this letter that little _____ keeps running in and telling me I am a monkey.

I got your letter this morning and you can say anything yhou want to about Jim C. without being Catty as far as I’m concerned.

I just got a kiss from Dr. Maxwell’s daughter she’s sorry she called me a monkey and had to kiss me. I am anxious for Easter then I’ll call you a monkey. (We’ll make up the same way, I think that’s a good idea. Don’t you?)

Write soon.

With love,

Tom

P.S. I’m glad you liked that last letter and remember I still love you and will always.

This pen is just about to give out. I am down here at the office waiting for dad to come back from Vandalia^[1]Vandalia, Illinois, is a larger town about 20 miles east of Greenville we’ve really been having a blizzard it been snowing ever since 6:00 o’clock and freezing all the time. We had band practice at 15 till 6 and it lasted till 8:00 we have been practicing for the drill we are going to put on at the basket ball game tomorrow night. Nobody knows their numbers it really sounds awful.

I hope I didn’t sound to unreasonable in my last letter but there’s some people I can’t stand I don’t know wether you have ever felt the same way or not but if you have I think you know how I feel.

To straighton you out on who’s going with who: Bob is going with Ward and Bill Redfearn is supposed to be going with Mary R. but every chance he gets he takes out some one else. (she does the same). Bill Van Meter and Tom Cartmell are still single yet and will be till Easter and then it’s entirely in your hands. (about me)

The reason dad went to Vandalia was because Mr. L.G. Baker either has a ruptured appendix or a ruptured stomach, he’s the teacher at the high school, the one that use to be the basketball coach.^[2]Mr. Baker survived and was still teaching at the high school in 1943.

I hope your Trig isn’t as hard as ours’ is because I am going around in circle now and a test coming up Tues. cross your fingers for me.

I missed a letter this week so that only makes it aobut 10 that you owe me.

I’ll mail this in the morning so you will get it Sat.

With love,

Tom

February 16, 1940

Dearest,

I just got back from St. Louis^[1]St. Louis, Missouri, about 50 miles west of Greenville where I went to a wedding it snowed most of the way down and all the way back.

I sent Elaine one of those singing telegrams it’s her birthday.

I worked yesterday morning and yesterday afternoon I went down to St. Louis and got Cleda.

We really had a time at the Sadie Hawkins party Boyd, Dale B., Victor C., and I went stag we had a better time than those with dates. Afterwards we picked up Billy and Mervin Wise and Victors two Brothers and went down to Poca^[2]Pocahontas, Illinois, a small town about 10 miles west of Greenville. I asked Mervin about that card that he and Hank sent you he said neither one of them could remember what they said, they must have been pretty tite they wrote alot of people but they couldn’t remember who.

Bob had a date at the party with Ward, Bile R. with Mary R., Bill B. with Georgeanna B., Boyd with Boyd and Me with me. Kate was there with little Harford.

I made an 88 on Trig test but fI was sick all day over a Physics test it was awful.

All next week we have noon hour band rehearsals do I ever hate them I doubt if I go to all of them.

I received your letter Fri.

I have 3 book reports for Eng. to read and a project on nutrality vs. aid to Britain for Civics and a test in Civics Tues. I hope I get all that done before I get in one of those moods of not giving a _______.

Write soon and remember I still love you.

With love,

Tom

Dearest,

I have a harder time staying awake in this assembly than any other one so if I go to sleep I’ll finish this the 7th hr. I hope you will pardon the paper.

I wish you had told me about Jim when you were home it would have been a little better than getting it second hand. He must have considered that coking (sp) party a pretty heavy date to have it bounce back in Greenville like it did. I’ll forget about it but just remember that promise.

This Fri. night they are having a Sadie Hawkins^[1]Wikipedia: Sadie Hawkins Day is an American folk event and pseudo-holiday originated by Al Capp‘s classic hillbilly comic strip Li’l Abner (1934–1978). This inspired … Continue reading party here at school but Boyd and I have a bargain that we will both go stag.

Have you got a letter from Bob or Bill R. yet they both said they were going to write you. Bill was going to write as soon as Bob told him about what Mrs. Wise told him. I explained things this morning – they wouldn’t tell me if they had already wrote.

7:30 night.

Sorry I didn’t get to finish this the 7th hr. but I had to finish a Physic experiment.

Bob stayed all night with me last night I have more trouble keeping him on his side than anybody I know of I am wore out more in the morning than when I go to bed.

The folks went to St. Louis yesterday afternoon and 7 of us had a stag party up here yesterday afternoon and night my net income was 25¢ it was all from Bob he lost about $1.50 he’ll never learn.l

I’m getting tired of fighting with you so how about a peace treaty?

Stay away from Jim.

With love, Tom

P.S. If you see Jim you can still tell him I said he was either a lair or else he hasn’t learned to keep his mouth shut.

Thurs. night.

Dearest,

I received your letter yesterday I don’t know shy I should pay any attention to what Bill say If you say he stretched things I’ll believe you and if he says anymore about it I’ll tell him to go to _____.

I don’t know whether things have gone O.K. or not, you don’t seem to give me a whole lot of cooperation especially the way you say you don’t care what I do or believe. I guess it is sort of funny to fuss over him though.

By the way Bob heard from Mrs. Wise who in turn heard from Mrs. Czarnell  that you had gone with Jim.^[1]James E. Cearnal Is that true?

You know what I’ve decided Zoe that I would do just about anything to keep you.

I am sending you a clipping from the paper that either Evelyne or some one for a joke put in. It appeared in Tues. paper. It don’t sound much like her. Cleda said that Mac said she didn’t do it. Some one put it on the bulletin board and I grabbed it I thought you might like to see it.

I want to know if what Bob heard is true, if it isn’t you tell Czarnell I said he was a lair. Let me know about it?

I have some English to finish so had better close.

With love,

Tom

Sun. night.
7:00 o’clock

Dearest,

I’ve just been talking to Bill V. by the way he talks you must have made a fairly noticable play for Hal. Hal told Bill that night afterwards that he hope I wouldn’t get mad because he tried not to dance with you I don’t know how true that was but I do know that one time it wasn’t his idea. Zoe I do love you an awful lot but I don’t like to be pushed around if its that you are getting tired of me I wish you’d tell me instead of trying to get around it in different ways I pray that’s not it because I don’t want to lose you Zoe and I’d do just about anything to keep from it. Bill also said that he thought somebody else could have gotten a date with you during the vacation.

I know that he blows alot but sometime a little of what he says does make sense. Don’t blame Bill for telling me this because he’s a good friend and I guess he thought he should.

Zoe you should know by now how much I really do love you especially by the way I begged you Fri. night I might as well gotten on my knees and you should be very honored because I very seldom beg any one I guess maybe I figure you’re worth it.

This is alittle to soon for any news but I expect to here from you pretty soon.

With all my love,

Tom

Thurs night.
11:00 o’clock.

Dearest,

In bed again it seems like thats where I always am when I write you. I went down to the college band practice tonight there were three cornets there and none of them could keep the place over six measures they have a real band. Tomorrow night 12 of us are playing for the junior play we don’t know what but something. Since we moved into the office I have been taking a shower every night I just about freeze walking down there and back in a bathrobe then I stand in it and soak for about a half hour are anyway till all the hot H2O runs out of the tank.

Stoutzenburg really blew up yesterday half at me and half at an other kid she jumped on me for never copying my assignment she talked on that for 15 minutes we sure aren’t hitting it off very good any more. I went in after class and asked her for another set of review questions because I lost mine and I expected her to blow up but she was just as nice as she could be (I can’t figure these women out.)

Bobs ^[1]Tom’s friend, Bob Blizzardtrying to fall in love again this time with Shirley Ward he sort of held back because he thought she was too young but Bill B. and Baker seemed to do O.K., so he has decided to try.

You don’t need to worry about me being a good boy because I am too busy to be bad and in my spare time I am always thinking of you and what your doing and wondering if you think of me as much as I think of you. I do love you Zoe more than I could tell you here or any other time but I think you know I do.

Write soon. (even if it is just a note.)

With all my love,

Tom