Tag Archives: Alaska

May 25, 1930 (Noon)

Sunday Noon.

My dear Sweetheart,

We returned about five o’clock yesterday PM. Mrs. Laake had invited me to eat dinner with them. Mr. & Mrs. Chandler were there also. It was another chicken dinner and it was just fine. I didn’t enjoy the cards one bit. Spent the night with the Laakes and had breakfast over there this A.M. Had some rats and parasites that needed attention so I came back to the lab. Shelmire and his son (JB) came about 11 o’clock and stayed for a while. One of the rats bit his finger.

May 25, 1930 (Noon)

I am going to stop at a restaurant for dinner and then go home. This AM I forwarded a letter from Mrs. Crowley of Nome. Had one from Miller. He is going to Kuskokwim this summer on a range survey.

It was a joy to find your letter when I returned. Will send the Dextrose-Maltose tomorrow. I think a smaller can is OK since there is very little saving in buying the large size.

Hope the company did not give you more to do. You have your hands full with Walter White. I certainly miss you two. I am mighty anxious to see you.

With love

Your
Walter.

June 1929

We’re in another gap in the letters, as Walter and Ina are together again. He returned to Dallas with his Sc.D. from Johns Hopkins, and the two of them left immediately for his new assignment in Alaska. Walter investigated a parasitic fly that was laying its eggs in the hides of reindeer, sickening the animals and riddling their skins with holes. After working out the insect’s life cycle, Walter recommended a series of control measures that would prevent the problem. I believe someone in the family still has a chair upholstered in fly-damaged reindeer hide, a souvenir from this trip.

Ina was pregnant with their first child as they journeyed up the Nome River in an open boat.

June 1929

May 19, 1929

Sunday PM. 11:00.

My dear Sweetheart,

I have just returned from the Corts. Place card enclosed herewith. The Scotts and the Springlers, Sarles and I were present. The lunch was very nice and informal. I wore my black suit and so did the other men except Scott. He wore a light grey. Chicken a la King on toast, hot biscuits, asparagus, mashed potatoes, some kind of a fritter, olives etc. Fresh strawberries with pineapple etc. for dessert. It was OK. Scott talks as much as ever. Cort said that Scott did not have the Egypt job closed but that it would come OK. They do not feel sure yet.

May 19, 1929

They have a Chevrolet sedan, mileage 10M. Everyone wished that you could have been there. Mrs. Springler was anxious to meet you. She has a position somewhat similar to the one you had. She did not find one until after Xmas. Springler gets his degree this spring and may take a job on swine parasites with Hall, location in Alabama. He is on Cushing’s type. She is quiet, refined and rather good looking.

I have not talked to anyone about the Alaska job. Think it better to keep quiet about it.

Tonight Cort told me that he was “very pleased” with my written examination. That I had a better grasp of helminthology than he had supposed. He also assured me that I would get the degree OK. The oral is a form and it is up to the candidate to make a good impression on the thesis and minors. This sounds good. I feel more certain of it now.

I took a box (2#) of candy to Mrs. Cort and the girls. They were very appreciative. Mrs. Scott’s Xmas cards were returned to her both times.

Am studying bacteriology, protozoology and ento for the oral. Root said in a joking way that he might quiz me on entomology too. I hope he does. I think I’d impress the committee more favorably.

With all my love, your
Walter.

I have not mailed the Owenwood check. If you need some money draw on the account.

Monday AM.

Sweetheart,

Just received your letters of Tuesday, Wed & Friday, and I enjoyed them more than you think. I am glad that everything is going OK.

I am going downtown sometime today to look up the sailings for Alaska. Sounds funny, doesn’t it? I’d like to tell Cort but I am afraid that the news would reach persons whom we would not care to know of it. The thesis news seems to be rather general among the Sch. Hyg. folks.

I am sorry that Jimmie has trouble with his car & that he had 25 expense [?]. However it had the earmarks of such a car. Think he will get a lot of good out of it, anyway.

I want to talk to Bishopp about taking Jimmie to Alaska. It is advisable to see how he comes on the exam. It may be better to not interfere with his course work at SMU. Maybe next summer he can go with us.

With all my love, Dear,

Your
Walter.

May 18, 1929

Baltimore Md.
Saturday Night 11:30 PM

My dear Sweetheart,

I spent today in Washington and attended the meeting tonight (Helm. Soc.) I reported on the thermotropic experiments and the report went over in good shape. Stiles made a few remarks in the form of contratulations to Dr. White and I in our establishing a precedent of breaking away from the time honored rules of an entomologist for insects. All others hands off! Said he wanted to work a problem which dealt with an insect and he was not permitted to do so. That we had broken the old established rule which should have not been a rule and that he was glad of it. Dr. White and I decided that it was better to keep “mum,” so it was not discussed in the meeting. I rather wish that I had not reported, but Dr. White said it was OK anyhow since Stiles needed a chance to get it off his chest and that he probably felt better. I started to skip the meeting, but Dr. White insisted that we go down. I did not report on the incidental infections of A. braziliense and A. caninum in the boy. I am glad that I did not.

May 18, 1929

Hall is in the hospital. He is improving but may be confined for two months more. Only one man besides myself was present from Hopkins. He made a report. Other reports were of passing interest.

The Alaska work is practically forced on me. I indicated to Bishopp that I would be interested and that I’d consider it if my wife could make the trip with me. That I felt that I should have sufficient expenses to take care of both of us. He does not know how much will be allowed but the Bureau pays the salary and the Territory of Alaska pays expenses. Told him that I was not in position to finance the trip. He is attempting to get an advance from the Dept. & to get other advances from the Governor of Alaska. I am enclosing the telegram. Bish thinks that it is a wonderful opportunity for his division to get in and establish itself on the parasites. He thinks that about 20% can be added to my salary to take care of increased expense. The trip would begin from Seattle about June 7-10th and we would be up there until about the middle of October. The same for next year. We would be in Dallas when we returned from up there.

The problem is of vital importance and it is an opportunity to accomplish something of lasting value to the reindeer industry. I believe I can do something which they have not been able to do in the cattle grub problem. I have confidence enough in my ability and curiosity enough in Alaska to want to go up there. Bish is figuring that I am going. If you have a serious objection to it, wire me at Bureau Tuesday.

I asked Bish if he considered Mr. Laake for the place. That I did not want to get any hard feelings with him. Bish said that Laake’s physical condition was not good and that he could not possibly be considered on that account.

If possible I’ll leave Washington Thursday night for Dallas. It may be Friday night. We would have only a limited time to get things in shape to leave, but I think we would have sufficient time after I get to Dallas. I wish we could take Claudelle with us, but I cannot see how we could do it this summer. We’ll see what they offer for expenses etc. We will probably go this summer and next. I’d like to take Jimmie too, but it does not look favorable. Bish wants him to go to Southern California in Aug. Too, he needs a summer course at SMU. We do not know about his exam yet. They are grading mighty close. In another lot 10 passed & 8 failed. I hope we can get Jimmie over the dead line. Bish will do what he can but there are three others to grade the papers too and two of them are firm in their convictions of the values of answers.

The written exam yesterday lasted for about six hours. 10 long questions out of 12 in the forenoon and about 200 short, rather catch questions, in the PM. Think I passed but I did not make a wonderful grade. The exam was fair but directed for the younger ones who are leaving this year.

I’ll have lunch with the Corts tomorrow (Sun) evening. Will see how the exam took with him.

With all my love, Dear, and with hopes of seeing you about this time next week,

Your
Walter.

May 15, 1929

Wednesday Night

My dear Sweetheart,

The time for the written is getting close and I’ll be glad when it is over. I am anxious to get through and leave here. The review conferences add to the length of the day and it makes a long one. This PM the other candidates drove out to the bay to go in swimming. I excused myself and made the call to the Gas Co. office. Did not shake hands with all of them, but made my little spiel to Miss McCann and left a 3# box of chocolates (Martha Wash.) She was pleased etc. and when you come up with me she wants us to come to her home. They will write you of my call etc.

May 15, 1929

Had supper downtown and to break the Baltimore monotony I went to a movie-talkie (Mother’s Boy). It was very good. Did some window shopping and then came to my room.

This morning it really looked as though the sun would shine. It came out like a real sun. Wore the heavy black suit. We had a good shower of rain.

On account of the exam Friday, I’ll probably wait until Friday night before writing again. You should get it Monday. I expect to leave here next Tuesday night just after the oral exam. Can’t tell how long it will take in Wash. but you can bet that I’ll get through as quickly as possible. I’ll try and get through over there on the following Friday or Saturday. I have an idea that I won’t care to make any stops on the return trip. I am getting anxious to see my Sweetheart. It seems like ages since I left you.

With all my love,

Your
Walter.

Thurs. noon.

Bish phoned this AM. Says the Territory of Alaska has ten thousand for the study of bots in reindeer. He says that I am the best man in sight & he wants me to think it over. Headquarters would be in Nome. The work would consist of this summer & next, should start in June. Will see him at Helm. Soc. Sat. night. Will go over Sat. AM & talk about it. Don’t mention it to anyone except Claudelle. Write me in Wash. and tell me what you think. Hadwen the Canadian parasitologist was up there for about two summers, but evidently he did not give them what they wanted. Would you like to go up there for about three months this summer and next? Don’t know whether we would sail from Frisco or from a point in Oregon. The reindeer are tame and the bots affect them like our cattle grubs do in the U.S. I have an idea the same control methods would be OK. It should be an interesting and profitable trip. They should pay more money than I am now getting, and be liberal for expenses etc. It should help for an increase in the Bureau. It appeals to me.

Walter.