Tuesday Night.
My dear Ina & All,
Polly is a good cook and I enjoyed her steak dinner & the visit. She wanted to know all about all of you. Later she brought up Mr. Messenger & I think I anticipated her and put her straight without offending her. Poor Dr. Wakeland will never get wise to Messenger’s dual personality, & the dislike that all have for Mr. M (except Polly).
It rained tonight & I went to a movie by myself. “A Million Years BC,” & it was interesting.
With love
Walter.
May 7, 1940
Sunday Night.
My dear Ina & Boys,
I missed you very much today. Last night I went to dinner at Mr. & Mrs. Townsend’s, and he doesn’t talk any more than I do. Mrs. Townsend served a nice dinner with roast beef and I enjoyed the dinner and visit. They have a big Persian cat to play with, and she finds it difficult to keep cat hair cleaned from the rug & furniture.
May 5, 1940
Friday night I took Polly & a Miss Cagle (one of the girls at the office from Georgia) to eat and we walked out to Polly’s apartment and visited for a couple of hours. I am to eat some of Polly’s cooking Monday night. I think she still likes Mr. Messenger pretty well and I have an idea that I’ll hear more about it later. I think the Bureau has done pretty well by him. He seems to be scrambled and I think he has had more than he could handle. R.A. seems to be feeling fine and seems to have improved some during the past two years. I hope to work pretty close with him so that he can do this work in the future. Beckwall seems to be much more agreeable since she had her operation, and she misses Quarterman too. Dick Thompson is the same and it will be a pleasure to work with him again. His good nature and smile seemed to be the principal asset for a good morale in the office. Wakeland is a sick man and I don’t know whether he will be much help or not. RA says that he insists on being at the office and this means that the three of us will be here.
It is about 60º here during the AM & PM and 84ºF on Friday. Quite a change from the snow at Chicago.
With all my love,
Walter.
Stationery from the Sunset Limited, Southern Pacific Railroad.
Tues Nite – En Route to Yuma.
My dear Ina & Boys,
I had a most pleasant day at El Paso with the Pettits and tonight the Trotters came to the train with me. Dinner at the Pettits’ tonight, chicken & all of the trimmings. Visited the irrigation plant this AM & this PM we drove on the River Road above the city.
February 6, 1940
Yesterday I had a good day at Amarillo. Attended the USDA Club luncheon at noon where about 250 were present. Was introduced to the club from the speakers table but was not called on for a speech. The weather was hazy & not good for flying so did not go up in the auto-giro or Cub plane but I did visit the storage & shop. Spreirs had me to dinner lats night (steak & all the trimmings including apple pie). Landrum took me out to his house to meet the Mrs & the new baby who is about 3 weeks old. Mrs. Landrum is still in bed & weak but baby has good lungs and a strong vocal apparatus. At both places I was entertained and all seemed very glad to see me. The trouble is that they want to transfer to me. Miss Anderson & I had a cup of coffee Monday afternoon & she wants to go to Menard or Uvalde too. I told her about Polly’s wish & that it looked like Miss Autrey would continue.
Wednesday I’ll be with Mr. Rainwater at Yuma & I expect to see Mr. Schroeder there too. I should be able to see Frank about Friday & Lindquist Saturday. Think I’ll try & call on Prof Harris at Berkeley & also visit the University Exp. Sta. at Davis for a little while.
On my return from Portland I want to stop at Hamilton to see the new Public Health Lab & to see what they are doing. I should get some ideas on construction of the lab at Uvalde. Also I hope to spend a little while at Fargo before reaching Mpls. I know that all of this seems a delay in our moving from Mpls but it is all important.
John thinks that things are moving rather slowly in Denver & that the general supervisors (now called field supervisors) should sit in on the state conferences with Wakeland, RA, Mr. Holton & Mr. Dutton. It seems Messenger is with Townsend at Denver & others are in the field.
With love to all three of you,
Your
Walter.
Saturday Night
Dec. 9, 1939.
Dearest Sweetheart:
We were so glad to have your letter of Thursday night today. I had been thinking and thinking of your conference with Dr. B., and wondering how it would come out. It looks as if you have things going your way, doesn’t it? I’m glad that you will have so much to say about the consolidation etc; also, I’m glad there was no struggle over the salary. Now I’m wondering where your leave comes in, and when we are going to move. No doubt those things will have to be decided after you have made your trip to Texas.
December 9, 1939
Lewis Dunbar was so pleased to have your letter. He wanted to write you and Claudelle tonight, but I persuaded him to wait until morning as he was so sleepy.
We are very happy that Claudelle is coming. Polly and I want to know just when she will arrive, so we can meet her.
I read Polly’s letter from you over the telephone to her. She asked me to thank you for it and to tell you that she would be glad to remain in Mpls. as long as she is needed here; also that she was glad to know that she still had a job. You know her name has been omitted from most of the plans for the personnel. She was glad to continue working this month instead of taking leave, because she really had no place she cared to go, and she would hardly know what to do with a vacation in Mpls. Not that she complained at all when it looked like she was going to have to take leave, but I just know she preferred to continue working.
Kenneth was pleased when I read him the paragraph you wrote about him.
We had a good time last night. I left the children with Louise while Polly & I entertained Kenneth, Helen, and Hallie Fulcher at dinner at the “Wishing Well.” It is on LaSalle back of the Y.M.C.A. The food was good, and Mrs. O’Brian, the fortune teller, is remarkable. I’ll tell you some things she told me when you return. The fortune telling is included in each dinner. Polly & I plan to take Claudelle there. After dinner Kenneth & Helen took us to a movie.
Honey, will you please send me a list of the men in the work to whom you wish to send Christmas cards? Or would you prefer sending them yourself? If so, will you tell me the names so we will not duplicate? Of course I realize that you don’t want to send one to all the men, but I know there were a few special ones you wished to remember.
Dr. & Mrs. Dickinson & baby had hardly gotten out of Mpls on their way east when someone ran into their car and demolished it, but fortunately they were uninjured. The man who caused the accident was sentenced to a number of days in jail, and the Dickinsons hope to get a new car from the insurance co. About the same time, I believe, Mr. & Mrs. Gray Butcher and children were making a trip in their car when a coal truck ran into them as they (the Butchers) were passing another truck at high speed, Mr. Butcher admitted. The children were uninjured, but Mr. B. received a severe cut on the face, almost from ear to mouth, and Mrs. B. was very seriously injured about the head and elsewhere, I believe. She is still in the hospital. I almost forgot to say that the Dickinsons proceeded to the east by train a few days after their accident.
I have mailed all Christmas packages except to Mother Dove & Revah. I thought I would send a shirt to Revah – size 18 collar, I believe – and Mother Dove prefers a check. Would you mail her the check please? I believe she would appreciate it more if it came from you.
Our weather continues to be very mild – down to about 23º at night and up to 45º or 50 during the day – and as dry as a bone. I noticed that last month was the driest November in Minn. for over 100 years.
Your last letter was unique; it is the first one I have received from you in almost 2 years that did not contain a mention of grasshoppers. When I told Kenneth about it he was pleased; he said your change of thought will refresh you. I’m glad you are having a little social life while you are in Wash. Kenneth & I agreed that a touch of that in the future would be of great benefit to you.
We are very happy that you plan to be with us at Christmas; it just wouldn’t be much Christmas without you.
Lots of love to you & to Claudelle.
Ina.
Tuesday Night.
Dec. 5, 1939.
Dearest Sweetheart:
We enjoyed your letter of Sunday night which came today. Walter White was so pleased when I handed him his. He thought your remark about Mrs. White’s being in charge of Mr. White and the boys was very funny. He remarked that Daddy can make some pretty good wisecracks when he isn’t too busy. I had him promise not to tell Lewis Dunbar about the letter, because Lewis is very jealous of the mail Walter White receives; he doesn’t know that most of it is in return for a label or a box top. Even your promise to write him next time would not have sufficed.
December 5, 1939
Between 7 and 8 o’clock tonight I went to the Douglas school to the annual “open house.” The rooms were decorated, each child’s work was on his desk and the teachers were on hand to welcome the parents, and to try to say something nice about their children. I was pleased with Walter White’s exhibit of the works he has done so far this year. Sometimes he talks like he isn’t doing anything, you know. However, this afternoon he told me that his teacher said his work was one of the best in the room, and there are 40 children. Lewis had a little toy puppy he had made on exhibition. With his teacher’s assistance he made a really cute one of black oilcloth, stuffed it with cotton, and sewed it with green wool thread. He told me that they must keep their Christmas presents a secret, so he wasn’t going to tell me that he was going to give me a little black puppy that he has been making in school.
Polly and I are going to have Kenneth, Helen, and Hallie Fulcher down town to dinner Friday evening. We plan to present each of them with a little inexpensive remembrance. As you know, Kenneth received his marching orders today, and Nellie is leaving Saturday afternoon. Polly doesn’t know when she is expected to leave.
So Mrs. B. gave a bridge party for you and Mr. Stage! Did you really play?
Lots of love to you and to Claudelle.
Always, your
Ina.
Sunday AM
My dear Ina,
Last night Claudelle and I went to the Bishopps for a little get together, expecting the Bishopp office force. It turned out to be a bridge party for Mr. Stage and myself. At least he and I had cherries on our ice cream and the others did not. About 4 tables or 16 people were there. Mr. & Mrs. Hoyt, Mr. & Mrs. Annand, Mr. & Mrs Hyslop, Mr. & Mrs. (Harmed’s assistant), Dr. & Mrs. Robinson. Mrs. Hoyt was very interested in Wayne Hill and she told about how Mrs. Wright enjoyed their dinner with us and what a fine wife and sons I had etc. Mrs. Hoyt smokes cigarettes but otherwise she is a prim and dignified little lady like her mother. Like Hoyt she is also a democratic and diplomatic type. She said that she would like for me to meet the daughter, so I imagine I might get an invitation to eat dinner with them. I think this is a good opportunity to get in a good visit with Hoyt. There are a number of things I want to discuss with him.
December 3, 1939
Strong is in Chicago for a meeting tomorrow.
We have not had the hectic meetings I expected which is due to delayed meetings of state leaders to Jan. 11 & 12th. As a matter of fact the meeting will be for extension directors and Commissioners of Agriculture, primarily, with a suggestion that state leaders should also be present. So far my recommendations to B.M. are going right through regardless of others’ recommendations. Consolidation of cricket & Ghops, with RA as asst project leader. Messenger & Landrum will probably have assignments very similar to the ones they had last year & on the same basis for next year. Dickison to be at Mpls.
Claudelle is thin but not more so than usual. We ate together about three o’clock yesterday afternoon & visited until we went to the Bishopps.
I cannot give you anything definite yet. Will try to travel to the Texas stations between now & Xmas if possible to push along enough to select a house at Menard. I’ve got to make recommendations on the place & maybe we can get more cooperation from some other place. Unless there should be a strong reason for some other place we could not justify changing from Menard. Bishopp is more than courteous etc. Also others in the Bishopp family. Mrs. Bishopp looks bad & he is not as bright eyed as at Dallas.
More later & as soon as I can tell you something more definite.
With love to all three of you
Walter.
Enclosed in the same envelope:
Sunday A.M.
Dec. 4, 1939 [sic]
Dear Walter White,
Yesterday, I met a Mrs. White and two boys. The boys are the sons of Bill White and they are 8 and 12 years of age. They are real boys just like you and Lewis Dunbar. Daddy has known Bill White for about 20 years and likes him very much. Bill is in charge of the division of insects affecting truck crops. Mrs. White is in charge of Bill and the boys and I think she has the hardest job.
Next time I’ll write to Lewis.
Daddy.
Another gap. Walter went back home after his previous meeting in Washington, and now he’s returned for negotiations around his new position. For those who haven’t been following since the beginning, “B” and “Bish” refer to Dr. Bishopp, Walter’s former collaborator in screw-worm research, with whom he parted on somewhat chilly terms.
Friday Night
My dear Sweetheart & Boys,
Dr. Wakeland and I arrived as per schedule and I am finding things rather encouraging. Strong is away but he made no doubt about his wishes, though I am not supposed to know yet. This afternoon I called at Dr. B office just to say hello and for a conference later on, which he suggests for about next Thursday. He did say that Mrs. B wanted Mr. Stage and some of the others to have dinner at his home, and perhaps tomorrow night. Stage works on mosquitoes at Portland Oregon & had arrived yesterday. Bish was most cordial but moved about in his chair in an uneasy manner. Bish suggested 46 the minimum of the senior grade but Strong stated that his wishes were that I be kept at the maximum of the grade (which is $5600*). By this I would lose the Prin. grade of $200 which is not so bad. I am sure that B will try to reduce it, but I’m holding out for that much. Although official word has not been given to me I am to review Bish’s entire setup on the work and make recommendations on consolidations & future work. Rather an investigation, with a view to consolidation of all Texas stations and to recommend procedures. It was Strong’s suggestion that I work here temporarily in Cushing’s absence and to review the set up. He stated that the proposal made by Bish was not acceptable (Panama City).
December 2, 1939
Mr. Gaddis has been most helpful and is in a position to help a great deal. Annand and Roehner support the views expressed by Strong and I am quite sure of Hoyt. Claudelle has been helpful and appears to be greatly concerned on the outcome and wonders why I want 2 months leave & what I am going to do with it.
Last night Yeomans was here and I spent the evening with he and Gaddis. Tonight Claudelle and I ate together and visited until almost 10 o’clock. Everyone seems to know that I am to be here temporarily in Cushing’s place & that I am to visit field stations, but Yeomans advises me to stay with B.M. Wakeland is going to visit some larger control offices in the east for ideas. He has been obliged to agree to a consolidation of Mormon Cricket & G hop at Denver and with R.A. as an assistant project leader. The alternative was to let R.A. run crickets as a separate project, which Wakeland cannot agree to do. The matter of Messenger as another Asst has not been decided, but the odds are against it and also against all other general supervisors for such a place. It needs to be someone with fiscal experience. Otherwise, it will mean running the projects from the Wash. office. Schmidt may be Asst in charge of Mormon cricket. He is considered almost a second Quarterman, for which I am proud. Tell Polly that Mr. Townsend will be in charge as this will ease her mind until I can arrange to steal her. Claudelle thinks it impossible for me to get Polly. Kenneth should be able to get away about the 15th of Dec. & it looks like we can close the office there about that time except for a few details. Rainwater & Lugginbill will be there to summarize chinch bug survey but they will not need much help. The meeting will be at Denver on Jan. 11 or 12th & will include Extension directors and Commissioners of Agriculture with less emphasis on state leaders. Regardless of my work here or visits to field stations I am planning to be home Xmas. Claudelle is uncertain but she wants to go to Uvalde & is going to look up rates with a view of going by Chicago & make a side trip to Mpls. She may not know for a few days yet.
With love
Your
Walter.
* That’s $93,534 in today’s dollars, so Walter’s pretty high up on the government pay scale now.
It’s been five months since the previous letter, because Walter and Ina were together again at home in Minneapolis. Now he’s traveled to Washington to sort out his future work at the USDA. He’s considering a transfer back to the Division of Insects Affecting Man & Animals (medical and veterinary entomology), but his exact assignment is still unclear.
Sept. 14
10:30 PM
My dear Ina,
Have just returned from the Cushings. Claudelle and I had them for dinner in Silver Springs & were joined by Mrs. Bishopp & Jimmie who were also there for dinner. Cushings took us in their car, and we left Claudelle at her place on the way here. A very pleasant visit & Mrs. B. suggested that she imagined that I wanted to work in the South again. I judged that B. had talked with her about my move to the Man & Animals division. Bish is now on a trip to Texas & will be in Dallas on the 16th & here on the 21 or 22nd. I don’t see how I can wait here until he returns & I don’t believe I can get through here in time to meet him down there. I doubt if that would be necessary.
September 14, 1939
Strong saw me this PM in company with Gaddis & we went over ‘hopper work. He seemed very pleased & took copies to show the Secretary of Agric. He said that he wanted to see me tomorrow morning & would call for me at Gaddis’s office. He seems to be in a good mood but is very thin and with some forced pep in talking. I am to prepare a news article on the program to be ready here next Tuesday for Mr. Milloy of the Minneapolis Tribune.
From talking with Gaddis & Cushing I am led to believe that there is no difficulty in transfer, but BM did ask if I wished to reconsider & stay on hoppers. I told him that that depended upon Dr. Bishopp’s attitude & what the chief’s office had to say. BM is doing all he can for me & I appreciate it. He is willing to pay my salary on ‘hopper rolls until Bish can get money. I have an idea Bish would like for him to do that until July so that he need not drop anyone. Apparently he & Cush have not considered who would be transferred to Gaddis’s division.
Cushing thinks it would be better for me to come to Wash. & seems anxious, as Stage from Oregon was supposed to come & he did not care especially for that. He also mentioned the same possibilities suggested in Claudelle’s letter & said it looked like a question of where I wanted to live if I did not care to come to Wash. Bish did call on Gaddis & say that he would like to have me.
I have an idea that the Chief is going to ask me to pep up the work in that division & see that they produce, regardless of my assignment.
More tomorrow, possibly by wire if unsure or different from what we already know.
Love to the 3 of you
Walter
Friday PM.
My dear Ina,
Enjoyed your letter and the one from Lewis. I understand that Walter White was not there at the time you wrote. It seems ages since I left you at Uvalde.
August 4, 1939
Kenneth is in the migratory area and is doing some good work. I’ve just phoned Mrs. Q to let her know that I talked with Kenneth and that he expects to be back Monday Morning. She sends Hello.
Thursday morning Mrs. Pettit had phoned the office so I came to the Curtis where they were eating breakfast. They looked well and were enjoying their vacation. In Iowa they went to Mrs. Pettit’s old home. They still own it. Chinch bugs injured crops some. They went from here to some other point & then to Estes Park Colorado.
Mr. Palcek phoned from Miles City & is going west from there to Yellowstone.
Miss Beckwall has been sick & is at home. Mrs. Hastings tells me that it is serious and that she (Miss B) should have an operation. I do not know the trouble but according to Mrs. H it is the same thing that Miss B had last year at Wash.
I heard Claudelle’s voice this morning but did not talk with her.
After Kenneth returns and during this month I think I can come down for you OK. If we go to Miss. we would not stop long. Dr. Dickinson is back now and can help Kenneth some.
With lots of love,
Walter
Separate letters for Lewis and Walter White:
Dear Lewis,
I was glad when I got your letter. There is a circus in town now and I wish you were here. Maybe another one will come after you return and if so you and I will take Mother and Walter White.
With love
Daddy
Dear Mr. Swimmer,
Today is Aug 4 and it was just 13 years ago today that Frank Adams and Daddy were caught in the flood waters on the Dry Frio. Deep water and flood waters are dangerous and I am glad that you are careful and that you are learning to swim. Will come for you before long and I want you to take good care of Mother and Lewis.
With love
Daddy.
Tuesday A.M.
July 25, 1939.
Dearest Sweetheart:
It seems ages since I heard from you – what do you do with your time?
July 25, 1939 (Ina)
Sunday afternoon Mama, the boys, Ina Marie, and I went beyond Barksdale to see Mr. and Mrs. Fisher. They live in a tiny two-room house, away out in the brush on a little ranch road, depending upon a few sheep for a living. They seemed so happy to see us; they hadn’t seen anyone for two weeks, and haven’t been to Uvalde since March. They used to have so much. It is pathetic for people to be reduced to such circumstances in their old days. If I ever complain of any inconveniences again, spank me, will you? Mr. and Mrs. Fisher asked a great deal about you; they said tell you to come to their place to shoot squirrels next time instead of going to Reagan Wells.
Walter White and Lewis Dunbar are impatiently waiting for that letter from you.
We hope all goes well with you. We’d like to see you sometime.
Lots of love,
Ina.