Tag Archives: kids

December 5, 1939

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

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.

July 30, 1939

Sunday A.M.
July 30, 1939.

Dear Sweetheart:

I’m wondering how you are feeling this morning after the meetings of Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I hope Mr. Gaddis has left town. Did you and the young lady have a good time at Mrs. Ruggles’ dinner Friday evening?

July 30, 1939

July 30, 1939

Last night Walter White asked me when you were going to take your 60 day vacation. I told him that I doubted if you would ever take it all, and explained that you were a very important man. He promptly said that he wished you were not so important so you could be with us more.

The long walks, the reduced weight, the coat of tan, and even the home-made meals sound good. No doubt you feel much better. I wonder if you are eating at home today.

The children and I are eating dinner at Thelma’s and Bob’s today. Reitha has gone horseback riding with one of her male admirers this morning. The joy of being at home has not worn off for her yet. She is so fond of her little baby brother; she bathes and dresses him several times a day, and takes him around to show him to everyone who hasn’t seen him yet; she even takes him along when her boyfriends come by for a ride in the daytime. She was eighteen yesterday. A few afternoons ago she went with us to Shut-in at Con Can for a swim. She was by far the most attractive girl on the beach; she wore the white bathing suit you and I gave her for graduation. Walter White, Ina Marie, and Lewis Dunbar went in too, but Thelma, little Dolph, and I stayed out and watched them. How much would I give if I didn’t go through such agony of fear when our children are in the water! Reitha is a good swimmer, but I doubt if she could rescue big, heavy Walter White if he were to step off in a hole. I realize, though, that he can’t learn to swim on dry land or even in very shallow water. Lewis Dunbar ventures in only far enough to wet his ankles.

The children are so pleased when they receive separate letters from you. Walter White didn’t know I was going to write today, so he has already gone to Ina Marie’s. Lewis Dunbar is here though.

Lots of love, from your
Ina.

Edited 2013.4.4 11:22 to fix spelling of Con Can.

May 29, 1938 (Walter White Dove)

222 W Mesquite
Uvalde, Texas
May 29, 1938

Dear Daddy

Have you selected a house for us to live in in Minneapolis? If you have, is it a good house?

May 29, 1938 (Walter White Dove)

May 29, 1938 (Walter White Dove)

I am not writing this in ink because all the pens here leak.

We hope we will see you soon, and don’t forget the tire chains,

Yours sincerely,
Walter White Dove

January 14, 1932

Stationery from the Hotel Houston, 910 E Street NW, Washington, DC; “All rooms with shower bath – A room and a bath for two and a half.”

My dear Sweetheart,

Had a good rest and arrived on time, about 6:40 A.M. The train was not crowded but the Washington car was filled. I had a berth in a NY City car and this one did not stay here. Had to get up a little earlier than I would have in a Wash. car.

January 14, 1932

January 14, 1932

It is very foggy here this A.M. It was difficult to see the buildings from a street car on Penn. Ave. Had breakfast on the Ave. & then came here. This is the hotel Mr. Reid suggested. It has a Charleston atmosphere, dirty bath room and dim lights. But it doesn’t cost $4.00 like the Harrington, only $2.50. The shower bath looks like it might work.

I hope you had a good rest and that Buddy is not too much trouble. Honey, I don’t like for you to lift him. I believe the little step ladder stool in the kitchen, would be about right for his bed. I think it would be a good idea to try and let him climb into his bed. Also when he gets up, let him use it to climb down.

I’ll try to get through here as soon as possible. I have no idea just when this will be. I may get home Sunday A.M. but don’t be disappointed if I don’t get back that soon.

I love you Honey, and you too Buddy.

Your
Walter.

November 5, 1931

Wednesday Night.
Nov. 5, 1931*

Dearest Sweetheart:

No letter today, but I’m sure you are busy with your manuscript.

Walter White is sleeping soundly. He has gotten so he takes only one nap a day and that is usually just before noon. He surely leads us a merry chase the rest of the day. Unless we latch the louvers (and the screen latches are useless unless they are too high for him to reach) he will hardly stay in the house. The fresh air and sunshine are fine for him and we are glad he likes the great outdoors. It would be more convenient, however, if he were satisfied with Mama’s & Papa’s yard as a playground. He insists on “goin’ wawkin” at all hours and it is impossible to exhaust him. I am doing more walking now than I have done in many a day. It is good for both of us though. He has to be watched every minute that he is in the yard here because there is no fence and he is so quick that he can be away in a minute. Don’t worry though. One of us is on the job all the time. That nice, high solid board fence and gate at Charleston will be fine. I think he would enjoy a sand pile in a good sunny place there now. The beach would would be lovely. There is some red sand in the yard here and he enjoys throwing handfuls of it above his head. Sometimes you have a red handed son. Before the weather turned cool he had something on one shoulder that we thought was heat. It itched when he was too warm and it gradually spread to the other shoulder, his neck and finally his face. The cool weather did not seem to help it. After he had had it for over two weeks I asked Dr. Knox to look at it. He said it was nettle rash or – how do you spell “Erticaria”? [urticaria, aka hives]. I suggested that we probably had been giving him too much acid food – lots of orange juice and apple sauce. He agreed that it was caused by that and advised us to eliminate the apple sauce. He also prescribed some medicine which we purchased and gave him – a liquid and some powders. It seemed like a joke to give W.W. medicine. He felt good (but he looked terrible), it seemed, except that the itching troubled him. We bathed the places with soda water and that helped greatly. His face was swollen some when Claudelle came but by the time she was ready to leave he looked well enough for her to take some pictures of him. The rash has disappeared now and he is feeling fine. It upsets me for even the least thing to get wrong with Walter White when you are away. He is so sweet and so valuable to us.

November 5, 1931

November 5, 1931

Marguerite is getting on well as could be expected they say. Her trouble was a ruptured ovary. They removed it. They said her abdomen was so full of blood that they dipped it out by the handful. The doctors seemed to know their business and there were two graduate nurses present. They expect to give Marguerite a blood transfusion tonight. If Bob’s blood types I imagine he will be the one to furnish it. He said he had killed lots of deer but he never saw one lose as much blood as Marguerite did.

It is good to think that we are really going to see you soon. You are going to find your son about the most interesting thing you have ever seen. I love to play with him and see how quickly he learns and develops. He is much less babyish and much more boyish than when you saw him. The family can hardly talk of his leaving. They are going to miss him dreadfully. The neighbors will miss him too. Mrs. Cain said she didn’t know what she was going to do after he left. Bertie said she was going to leave home the day he did because she couldn’t stand to tell him goodbye. She told her mother that if she could have a son like Walter White she wouldn’t mind having one before she married. She is to be married in a few months I think. She said she wanted a dozen children. She loves them so. After she has had one she will probably cut the number some as there isn’t a great deal of fun in bringing one into the world. They are more than worth it after they arrive though. I just wonder how we got along without ours as long as we did.

Lots & lots of love from all of us.

Always, your
Ina.

* November 5 was a Thursday; I’m guessing Ina got the date right and day wrong.

November 3, 1931

Monday Night.
Nov. 3, 1931.

Dearest Sweetheart:

Your letter of Thursday night came this A.M.

I know you are a busy man. Dr. Bishopp should feel very proud of the Charleston lab – especially my husband. It is lovely that he is to give the address to the Ent. Soc. of America.

November 3, 1931

November 3, 1931

You said you thought Walter White and I should arrive in New Orleans on the 20th. I’d love to see your exhibit if it is still up at the meeting when we arrive. Since we will arrive at 7:30 A.M. you may prefer that we make it the 21st so that we can leave immediately for Charleston. Either way will be alright with us. The main thing is to see you soon.

I’m so glad that Gilbert is manifesting so much interest in his night school work and is progressing so rapidly. I know it is a relief to you to feel that you can soon turn that sort of thing over to him. You have a lab force to be proud of.

Our son may be a musician. I don’t know for sure yet. He has learned to open the piano, climb upon the bench and my! how he does play. Tonight he played from memory for a while, then he stopped suddenly. There was no sheet music in sight, but he pointed to the front of the piano and said “onna book.” After I placed the music before him he bent over the keys and played, looking very intently at the music all the while. It was amusing to us, but he took it very seriously.

But our son will not be a barber. That is, unless he does it for revenge. His hair had gotten so long that Mama tried every week or so to trim it a little. The moment Walter White saw the scissors or heard the hair being cut he was up in arms. She improved his looks some but just a little at a time. We were explaining our difficulties to Bertie, so she volunteered to carry him to a beauty shop to have it cut. He thinks anything she says or does is quite right and we thought he would not be reminded of former ordeals if she carried him. Also, he might be less frightened if a lady cut his hair. She carried him this P.M. at 2:30. She said it nearly broke her heart when he would plead in a tearful voice “Down, Bertie down.” She took him on her lap and she, as well as everyone else, tried to divert his mind. He was pretty badly frightened I’m sure, but he must not have been as much so as usual because she said he had quiet moments during the ordeal. I did not go, but I might as well have gone because I felt almost as if he were undergoing an operation without my being there. It looks as if you or I or both of us will have to take lessons in barberism and care for his hair until he is old enough to decide whether or not he wishes to join the “Sons of David” or whatever creed it is that forbids cutting hair.

The article regarding tax on airplane gas indicates that South Carolina is a little heavy on her taxes. If the airplane gas tax is abolished I’m afraid highway #17 will suffer.

We love you lots & lots, Honey.

Good-night, and I hope you sleep good.

Always, your
Ina.

October 4, 1931

Sunday Night.

Oct. 4, 1931.

Dearest Sweetheart:

Mama and I went to church tonight while Papa kept Walter White. Walter White was almost asleep when we left him. Mr. Palmer brought us home. We had not been with him over a minute before he began asking about Claudelle.

October 4, 1931

October 4, 1931

I really did carry W.W. to Sunday School this morning. Mrs. Pilgreen has the cradle roll class and has three assistants. W.W. decided he didn’t want me to leave him with the crowd of strange little boys and girls so I stayed in the room with him. He was satisfied and immediately started playing with the little trains, automobiles, blocks, boxes etc. etc. that were provided. I gave him a dime to drop in the collection box but he would not do it until Mrs. Pilgreen showed him how. Then he dropped his in the slot, and, when a timid little boy would not drop his in, Walter White took it and did it for him. It was lots of fun to watch them. It really is a Sunday kindergarten where the teachers watch and study the pupils while they play together. They try to teach them to be unselfish etc. For those that are large enough and care to take part there are songs and nature studies. It is really fine and the children enjoy it. After a Sunday or two they are willing for their parents to leave them for their own classes. The Mothers’ class is just across the hall from the children’s. After it was all over Walter White was the last one to leave. He had just opened a closet door and found the closet full of playthings. He wanted to stay. He can say “choo-choo train,” “autobile” and anything else he wants to say. Ina Marie spent today with us. W.W. feels more kindly toward her now. Occasionally he suddenly leans toward her and says “kiss.” Of course she is always ready and it is real sweet. Sometimes he changes his mind before she reaches him so he pushes her away. He is not as unselfish with his toys as he used to be. He is going to have to learn how to play with other children. He holds his own almost too well now.

By the way, Honey, I forgot last night to ask you to thank Dr. Shelmire for his invitation to us to visit them.

I imagine you and Mr. Hall started on your trip to Florida today. The checks have had time to reach Charleston. I hope you will have a pleasant trip. Also, that you will continue to write often. I can hardly wait to receive your report on the Tampa situation.

We love you ever so much.

Always, your

Ina.

October 2, 1931

Friday Night.
Oct. 2, 1931.

Dearest Sweetheart:

Your letter of Monday night started the day off right for me. On the days that I do not get one from you things don’t seem to go so good.

October 2, 1931

October 2, 1931

I was interested to note the tone of Jimmie’s letter – rather blue and somewhat apologetic didn’t you think? You are not going to reply to it, are you?

Your “sprout” is sleeping soundly. He has a good time all day and sleeps well at night. One of his new stunts today was, when we asked him what he was, to pucker up his lips like he ust to do when he said “owna go, owna go” and say “hobo.” He picks up things so quickly that it is almost alarming. Mama carried him for a walk this afternoon. She said she felt almost like she was with a man when she was with him. After being with Ina Marie he does seem big and grown-up. He is so sweet and good natured. He speaks of you often now, but for a week or two when we first came he would not mention you. We would ask him “where is Daddy” etc. and he would immediately change the subject to the moon, stars, lights or something else without answering. It gave me a queer feeling to see him deliberately avoid speaking of you when I knew that he used to talk of you almost constantly. Even when he heard a car drive in he would not say is usual “is that Daddy – it’s Daddy.” I can’t imagine why he did it. He stopped mentioning you as soon as you left us on the train. I would not tell you before because I thought it might hurt your feelings. For the last few days he has been calling “Daddy” & “Walter” real often and loves to talk about you. Isn’t it queer? I knew he had not forgotten you. He either did not like it because you did not come with us or he was resigned to it and did not care to discuss it. Again I say, babies, or rather, little boys, have more sense than we give them credit for. I wonder if he realizes that it will not be so very long before we see you again so he can afford to speak of you. He hears us talking about it. Of course I don’t expect as much of him as Mr. Parman did of his 6 week old baby.

We love you lots & lots, Honey.

Always, your devoted family,
Walter White & Ina.

December 5, 1930

Friday Noon.

My dear Sweetheart,

Your letter came a few minutes ago. Am pleased to know that Buddy speaks of me, and that he is OK.

Mr. Parrish and I just returned from Mrs. Laake’s where we had lunch. She had a party last night and needed some one to help her eat the rest of the chicken salad. It was a nice lunch.

December 5, 1930

December 5, 1930

Yesterday afternoon Shelmire came out and we inoculated some guinea pigs. I went home with him for dinner. Mrs. Shelmire was sorry that she did not have you and I out there when you were here. They had a lot of company at that time. “Wo” is not as large as WW. He walks a little and tries to talk. He looks like a preacher. I am sure that we did not get our babies mixed at Baylor, that each of us got the right one.

I deposited our check here and am enclosing one for you. Please do not buy anything for me for Xmas. That extra pair of trousers will serve as a Xmas present. Mrs. Laake says that she isn’t going to mail cards this Xmas. She is on an economy program.

With love to all, I am

Your
Walter.

May 20, 1930

May 20, 1930-

My dear Honey Bird,

Your letter came this Noon. I had begun to think that perhaps Walter White was not well and that you did not care to tell me. Had I not heard from you today I intended to phone you tonight.

May 20, 1930

May 20, 1930

I am sending Claudelle part of my thesis for copying. If she is busy with the new company or fixing dresses for herself or anything, do not let her bother about the copy. If she does copy it I’d appreciate any changes she may make which will improve the English or add to the clearness of thought.

Today has been a hot day. It looks like we might have a little dry weather for a change.

The house looks just fine. The hedge is planted along the west side, but of course it is very small. It extends from the corner of the fence to the side-walk.

I saw the little Chamberlain girl on her porch this AM. I think they were away Sat PM & Sunday. They are so quiet over there that I can’t tell when they are at home.

Hon about Walter White’s “Double Sugar” Dextrose-Maltose? Does he need another can now or should I bring it with me about the first of the month? I’d like to see you now but I can’t start any new work at Uvalde. Besides I have more than I can do here. The trip to Longview & vicinity will probably add more to my lot. Then the Shelmire paper will need the attention of both he and I.

I love you Sweetheart and it seems like an awful long time since I saw you and Walter White.

With love,
Walter.