Letters to a Camper – Circa 1930’s

I wonder if the joy of mailing and receiving written letters is gone from the American psyche. I remember my first months in college, stopping by the wall of mailboxes in the lobby of the dorm and seeing something blocking that tiny window. Any letter would instantly transform my freshman brain bubbling with new experiences, ideas, and fears back to a more relaxed and grounded state.

It’s somewhat sad to think that when my daughter attends college she will probably look forward to the times when she can unplug and not have any contact from everybody for a few minutes.  How the times do change. The one thing that won’t change is the gamut of communication, from well written to unintelligible.

When I am digging in the attics of America I will often come across odd piles of letters, some carefully bundled with string, others strewn and separated from their shoebox coffins. It always happens that my overactive curiosity takes over and I will read a few in the dim light of a dangling naked bulb. My hope is to find local references from long ago and capture a slice of what life was like back then.

Here are some excerpts from a few of the letters:

In a letter from friend Jane:

…Mainzer’s green car turned over up past Bennett’s garage, Charles was bringing the maid home from church in Watertown and something happened and he couldn’t steer it and they turned over. I think Charles had some teeth knocked out or something like that and the maid cut her foot.

…My Father caught a Hog-nose snake and skinned it and sent it to Harriet’s to tan…. Don’t let the water snake bite you down there I heard they found a couple. We are picking quite a few sweet peas…

From friend Edith:

…It would be a nice day today if it hadn’t rained. What a day for Mr. Sanford’s funeral. I guess it’s going to clear up in time for the funeral though.

…How do you like camp? Are there many mosquitos?… How many girls are in your tent? I hope you get better eats than I did when I went to camp. I never could manage to get such a mixture of goulash.

The letters get more detailed and more obscure, for a really bizarre letter and a good wrap up – read the rest of the story here: