Category Archives: Uncategorized

August 20, 1941

Wednesday P.M.
Aug. 20, 1941.

Dearest Sweetheart:

We were so happy to have your card today. Could you write more often? It had seemed such a long time since we had heard.

August 20, 1941

It was a great relief to know that Dr. Arman had been been chosen Chief. It probably would have been better if Mr. Hoyt could have been, but Dr. Arman most certainly is better than an outsider. Now that the chiefship is settled, perhaps the ball will begin rolling again. I’m anxious to know what your assignment will be. I know of only one person who qualifies perfectly for Dr. Arman’s former position. It would be nice if others with more authority than I would see it that way, and would act accordingly.

All the boys are fine. W.W. is spending the afternoon at Ina Marie’s. L.D. had his whooping cough shot Saturday. Dr. Fielder used the serum that we brought. Tommy is a little cross because he is cutting some upper teeth. It is the greatest relief to be free of the worry about polio. Have any new cases developed in Bay County?

No doubt you are having a nice, quiet time without your family. We hope you are eating and sleeping regularly, and are feeling well. We miss you lots.

Honey, will you please see that the front shades are kept down in the mornings so that the sun will not fade the furniture and rug? I am so sorry I forgot to give you the key before we left you. No doubt you have received it by now.

Regards to the people at the lab and their families.

I’m sorry that the control project is so slow in going though.

“Associate Chief” is a new position created in the bureau, is it not? That certainly places Mr. Hoyt next to the chief.

Lots of love & best wishes from your family.

Always, your
Ina.

August 18, 1941 (PM)

At home, Monday nite,
Aug. 18, 1941

My dear Sweetheart & Boys,

Your letter was a real good one and I was more than pleased that our boys are on their best behavior. I hope that they will keep up the standard they have already set, and that all of them including Tommy will not give any trouble to Mother and Daddy Lewis.

August 18, 1941

It is lonesome here without you and I’ll be glad when you return. At Gulfport I saw Helen and Kenneth and their little red headed boy. He whines like Helen used to, and I think she has quit it. They have a nice new home about 1 1/2 blocks from US 90 and the water front. The corn in the back yard is not as tall as it was in Minneapolis, but there is a larger lawn of fast growing grass to mow. Helen put a little package in my coat pocket for you, Ina, and at home I find that it is some sort of Verbena soap. I opened it to see if it was fruit cake which might spoil before you come home. You might care to send her a card. I had to promise that we would stop there on the return trip. I did not leave Gulfport until about 8:30 PM, after Kenneth and I had dinner down town, so that I did not get home until about 3:30 Tuesday morning. I had a good visit with the White FB men and learned something. Dr. Dickison was expecting his family soon. R.A. was in a very good mood and will be there two or three weeks.

As yet there has been no word on the control program. I am expecting it at any time, but am inclined to believe that the papers showed up on the desks of some disinterested parties. Mr. Wylie of the USPHS has been here a few days going over the problem. Apparently with a view of making recommendations for a PHS project by WPA. A high tide on Santa Rosa Sound gave a good degree of natural control, and it seems that there has been quite a delay in the season this year.

Saturday PM I washed 2 lots of soiled clothes and dried them. Sunday I ironed them, on the ironer, including 10 shirts and 3 pairs of trousers. Sunday night I drove to the Old Dutch Tavern for a steak. It was fair and I met Mr. Bergdorf who had a collection of heads and skins from Alaska. I found that he had spent about the same amount of time up there as you and I. He went north from Fairbanks to Point Barrow. I drove back by Panama City Beach and listened to Mr. Weir toot his trumpet. He isn’t as good as Walter White thinks he is.

That quart of milk each day makes me think that I am cheating some calf out of something. It is more than I need.

Have a good time and be good.

With love
Walter.

Walter is starting up a program to control dog flies in the Panama City coastal area. The flies breed along the shoreline, which is why an unusually high tide killed off a batch of them. Apparently there are some administrative snags holding up the program.

August 18, 1941

Ina is visiting her family in Uvalde, TX with the three boys, while Walter stays back in Panama City, FL.

Monday.

Thanks very much for the nice letter. No word on the control p. yet. Tides have helped some on Santa Rosa sound, but have not given complete control.

August 18, 1941

An announcement issued Sat. states that Annand was appointed Chief of the Bureau & Hoyt as Associate Chief.

The weather continues hot here.

Walter.

February 4, 1941

1024 N. Oregon St.,
El Paso, Texas,
Feb. 4, 1941.

Dear Ina & Walter:

It is hard to say which was the more surprise, your letter or the announcement of the arrival of your third son. To say the least both came as a surprise.

February 4, 1941

On account of a severe attack of cold and a lot of work — only to be followed up by wife having a similar attack, this is the first time I have had to acknowledge receipt of your letter and the news. Certainly, congratulations are in order.

Several years ago, Walter, long before you met Miss Ina, you remarked that if you ever married and had children you want them all to be boys — so what?

On some two different occasions we have discussed the subject of transfers — you and I. Mention was made that some employees remain “put” at some one station for ever while others are continually being transferred from pillar to post. I know several, personally who have been stationed upward to 25 years at one post while others have averaged being transferred each 24 months. Within our Bureau it seems that you head the list. Trotter has averaged a transfer each 24 months. I have averaged a transfer each 30 months. Say; are we living right, or not? Are we so darn good or so darn rotten that they just keep on moving us to see if they can land us in a hole in which we will fit — or are others so good they hate to lose their valuable service by transfer — or so rotten they fear to transfer them for fear they will get lost in the shuffle?

The above paragraph is written for a specific purpose. Last year we were told in a casual way that possibly 1941 would see another transfer for us. We happened to not be in on the last wholesale transfer list last year when one-third of our force was transferred. If we are to be transferred this year same will probably come before June 30th. Furthermore, if a transfer is in the offing, goodness only knows in what direction it will be. A tentative application for leave for vacation has been made for the month of April and if same becomes a reality we had slightly planned going to New Orleans and in that event would certainly like to take you up on your cordial invitation to visit in Florida. Surely you would like to cast a line into the Gulf of Mexico in the vicinity of Panama City. According to the map Panama City is not far from the Gulf.

If we were to learn we were to be transferred in that general direction before June 30th, we would probably delay our vacation date. So that is that.

Under separate cover we are sending you by insured parcel post a little gift for that new boy of yours. Hope you three like it. To you and your family every good wish and contratulations from,

Your friends,
The Pettits

January 26, 1941

Stationery from the Plaza Hotel, San Antonio, TX; “Come to San Antonio – the Venice of Texas.”

Sunday Jan. 26

Dearest Ina and Walter and BOYS!

We were so glad to hear the news we hardly knew what to do. We had decided you had changed your minds about the whole thing. I know that weary waiting was terribly trying. Ina, you will stay in the hospital until it’s perfectly safe to go home, won’t you? And then take good care of yourself? It’s so important – to all of us as well as to you.

January 26, 1941

Even though a little girl might have been nice, another boy will be awfully nice – you have a third of a baseball team now, you know. And I’ll bet Lewis Dunbar and Walter White are glad. What on earth will you name him?

Mama and Papa seemed to be recovering nicely from the flu when we left Wednesday. Mama actually stayed in bed 8 days, but Papa was up and down – continued to take his children back and forth. Mama had no cough at all, but Papa did – that seems to go with flu often. Almost everyone in Uvalde has been sick.

B.M. had to fly back to Washington for almost a week, and just now he’s in Gulfport. He left Friday night and I’m expecting him before noon. We’ll probably leave today for Austin, be there tomorrow and then – probably – on to Gulfport. We’ll have to spend some time there, I don’t know how long. We are still hoping to see all of you, but I’ll try to write you more definitely as soon as we know. You know how that goes.

Just this minute had a wire from B.M. that he’s arriving at 2:40 this afternoon to resume the honeymoon.

We enjoyed so much our stay in Uvalde – everyone was lovely. We had a nice trip to the Valley. Dolph is such a cute child – I don’t see how Thelma can even pick him up, but she does. Ina Marie is so anxious for W.W. and L.D. to get back to Uvalde.

Mama has been so glad she didn’t go to your house and get sick; of course, she might not have gotten sick there.

Who does the baby look like? We’re as anxious to see him. And Ina honey, you will take care of yourself, won’t you? We love you so much.

Love and congratulations from both of us.

Claudelle

January 23, 1941

Western Union telegrams.

SAN ANTONIO TX
MRS W E DOVE
AGRICULTURE ENTOMOLOGY PANAMA CITY FLO

DELIGHTED TO HEAR THE NEWS. LOVE AND CONGRATULATIONS.
CLAUDELLE AND B M.

UVALDE TEX 23 934A 1941 JAN 23 AM 10 07
DR AND MRS W E DOVE
105 COVE BLDG PANAMA CITY FLO

CONGRATULATIONS FOR THE BOY
BOB AND THELMA.

So much for expecting a daughter. Walter and Ina’s third son is my father. You can see how he turned out by browsing his blog.

January 23, 1941

Late 1940

This is how people used to write scientific papers. Reprints of all of Walter’s published papers are now in the archive at Johns Hopkins. These 3×5 cards appear to have been his draft of a report on dog fly breeding in salt marshes.

Late 1940

December 12, 1940

Regular readers will recall that Claudelle is Ina’s sister, and Gaddis is one of Walter’s colleagues at the USDA, who divorced his first wife in June 1940.

Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Nicholson Lewis announce the marriage of their daughter Claudelle to Mr. Bevy Marshall Gaddis on Thursday, the twelfth of December Nineteen hundred and forty.

Fredericksburg, Virginia

At Home after the fifteenth of January, Arlington, Virginia.

December 12, 1940

September 18, 1940

Wednesday Afternoon
Sept. 18, 1940

Dearest Sweetheart:

We were glad to have your letter this morning. The car trouble you had on the way down was not in the form of an accident, was it?

September 18, 1940

We are greatly pleased that you think you can return sooner than you first thought. We have missed you a lot. We had gotten spoiled to having you around.

Our boys are enjoying school. So far neither has had to bring any books home. They have to be left at school by 8:30 A.M. and come home at 12. Lewis Dunbar does not have to go in the afternoons, but Walter White goes and stays until 3. They seem to like walking to and from school. While we were eating lunch the first day, Lewis Dunbar said, “By the way, Mother, I had a fight today.” He said he ran and didn’t get hurt.

I’ve spent a lot of time since you left inquiring about pianos and piano lessons. I find that the Philips Music House is the only music store here. Both Mr. and Mrs. Philips are musicians. Mr. Philips is manager of the radio station here and has other interests, while Mrs. Philips runs the music store and gives lessons. She is not the one I talked to about lessons before you left, but I am much more favorably impressed by her than I was by Mrs. Barnes. I believe she gives her pupils more personal attention than Mrs. Barnes does. In fact, Mrs. Simmons says that she understands Mrs. Philips is considered the best teacher in Panama City. Also, Mrs. P. charges $5.00 a month for her lessons (2 lessons a week) while Mrs. B. charges $6.00. Mrs. P., as well as several others, thinks that it would be fine if W.W. & L.D. could begin taking lessons at the same time. They say that the competition would be stimulating, and that Walter White, since he is older, would be able to keep far enough ahead of L.D. to keep him encouraged. Both boys are so enthusiastic about it that I have taken the liberty, during your absence, of starting both of them with Mrs. Philips tomorrow afternoon. I remember that you have mentioned that you thought it would be nice for Lewis to take too, but I had discouraged it. Now, about the piano; I didn’t realize that it would be such a problem. The only ones I have found for reasonable rent are those huge upright ones with fancy scroll decorations and shiny cheap finishes. We couldn’t possibly find room in our living room for one so large, and it would ruin the appearance of the rest of the furniture. Mrs. Philips has new pianos which she will rent for $7.00 or $8.00 per month. However, and this is what I have been driving at, in her store she had a lovely little bungalow size Haddorff “Demichord” which had been in the home of the Supt. of the high school for six weeks, but on account of a defect that developed in the finish of the pieces that connect the legs with the back of the piano, the supt. returned it. The piano has been on the floor of the music store for 10 months since then, but not another flaw has developed. Undoubtedly it would have by now if it were going to. I was so taken by its appearance and tone that I asked Mrs. Philips how much she would sell it for. She said the original price was $365.00 F.O.B. the factory. However, after talking it over with Mr. P., she sent me a lot of literature on the Haddorff pianos, and a note saying they would sell us this one for only $265.00. She knew you were out of town, but said she could send it to our house and let us use it until you return. Then we can decide whether or not we want to buy it. If we don’t, I am sure we can rent it. I certainly hadn’t planned for us to buy a piano now, but this one is such a temptation. Although it isn’t a toy size piano, it is small enough that it shouldn’t present much of a problem if and when we move. It is not as large as Joyce’s. I almost forgot to say that the $265.00 includes two tunings and a piano bench to match. I have inquired quite a bit into the “Haddorff” line. It seems that they are a Swedish family (in the U.S.) and quality piano manufacturing has been a tradition in the family for a long long time. It is one of the few companies that did not change hands during the depression. I have quite a bit of literature on them that you may read when you return. The piano has been delivered, and it looks like it belongs in our living room. However, if you don’t want it we can return it. We haven’t paid or promised anything. I am sure at least one of the boys will do something with his music, and I believe they both will – then there will be the little daughter.

Little Billy Simmons has had a severe siege of asthma all this week but it is better today. However, the doctor advises him not to go to school before next week. I have been over there twice.

Mrs. Barrow was here for a while this afternoon. She said we certainly had things looking nice. She doesn’t know how long she will be in Panama City, but she is planning to visit either her daughter in Washington or her sister in Mobile. She is getting a new cog or some new cogs for the lawn mower.

We hope you will have a pleasant and successful trip, and we hope you will be home soon. The boys were so glad when I told them you would not be gone as long as we first thought.

We all love you, Honey.

Always your
Ina.

September 16, 1940

Walter and Ina moved to Panama City, FL in late summer 1940, and he began working in his new USDA position reorganizing the Department’s entomology research and insect control programs in the Southeast. Now he’s traveling around the state to check on various projects.

Stationery from the Fort Gatlin Commercial and Tourist Hotel, Orlando, FL.

Monday PM.

My dear Sweetheart,

There was car trouble, but I drove some extra miles between Floral City and Orlando so that I did not arrive until almost 12 o’clock.

September 16, 1940

This morning I met King & Bushland and during the day I have learned much of the work they are doing. Tues. AM Dr. King & I are to be in Cocoa at 9AM & will then drive south for visits in other counties where mosquito control is under way. We will be in Fort Pierce about Wednesday night & in Miami about Friday night. I’ll return to Fort Pierce & spend Saturday & Sunday there. Will be in New Smyrna next Monday & Tuesday & return here about Tuesday night. Will stay here a day with Bushland. King leaves next Tuesday for the conference & for his vacation. At that rate I should be home about Thursday night of next week & Mr. Shields will probably come with me for one of the pickups.

I hope the boys are helping you by putting their toys up & by keeping quiet witn no running in the house. I’ll ask about these when I return.

With love to all 3.

Walter.