Saturday Evening

Hello Folks,

How are all the sick coming? I trust that Dad has used a sufficient remedy and that Liz has done the same. Don’t you get a cold too, Mother, because if the whole household is sick, it will not make a good showing for the Proseus family.

Your letter broke all records and arrived this morning, small and wee but still great. I was very glad to hear from you and am starting to write back tonite because I feel so good. The time ’til Taps is short, however, so I will probably finish this episode I tomorrow.

Navy won the football game from Davidson today and we plebes are carrying on. There is a hop tonite too, so you can see the atmosphere is quite electrified. Another thing, Saturday terminates a week and my name didn’t appear on any trees. That isn’t anything to brag about, it being the first week of the “ac year”, but it makes one feel good.

I just returned from a show in the “yard”, “Escapade” by name and I enjoyed it. With a good football game, a few minutes in town, a good square meal in peace and a good show, I cannot complain. The only thing that might sound bad is my voice. I have yelled ’til I am hoarse.

You can’t imagine the noise we make on Friday nites in the mess hall, before each game. We get no chance to eat, but are continually standing on our chairs and yelling, or chasing the whole length of the hall, hand in hand (800 plebes–imagine the picture). A band of 15 or 20 pieces plays continually, and we sing all the athletic songs with plenty of gusto. You can’t begin to know the spirit and the noise there is amongst the regiment. Things are thrown, all classes stand on chairs and give cheers, (separately by classes), tables are picked up by all members and are raised over the head, in succession down one side of the hall and up the other. Some fun but I must turn in now and finish this tomorrow.

There is yet a minute tonight so will continue. It is so much fun on Saturday, but so hard to come down to Earth on Sunday. Tomorrow nite at supper we have to have after dinner speaking. I am not sure what that is like yet, but I may use the one about the house-seekers. I will also return that as soon as convenient. Another thing plebes have to do is turn in 3 jokes for the log every Friday nite. I get some out of the Record and used that one about the back houses. Collect any good ones when you have the chance. Thanks very much for the ones so far. Speaking of the “Log”, the first issue appeared yesterday. I was going to order one to be sent to you, but I am afraid that it would not be worth the money. I can send you mine when I finish with it and that will do just as well.

Today I received another letter besides yours. Dwight Gaylord wrote a nice letter, and his secretary enclosed a little note. What is the score on “Marily” Beal anyway? You haven’t told me yet. Also, I received a letter from Archie yesterday. He has been promoted as you doubtlessly know and he also wants me to get him four tickets to the Army game. With his four and Charlie’s probable four, I hardly now what to do. We are only allowed two at the reduced price.

Well, now it is Sunday and I have been to early Chapel. That does not amount to much. It is later Chapel that has the band and all. It only lasts twenty minutes, early Chapel. They cannot get the whole regiment in at once so every other Sunday I will have early formation.

Today I have to write a 750-1000 word composition for English. Last Sunday I had to write a letter of this length. I guess I got a fair mark on it, but I don’t yet know. Friday I had chemistry and worked in a laboratory on an experiment. We really have big, well-equipped laboratories here. We had an examination in math on Wednesday. That was a monthly exam, and they are the rivers that we have to cross. They mean plenty, these monthly exams. In our daily class work, we never stand up to recite or hand in written work but what we get a mark on it.* These daily classwork marks, together with any homework makeup our weekly mark, so you see if we get a very poor mark one day only, it imperils our whole week’s work. Studying is popular here.

The check you send is already cashed. With that and this month’s monthly insult I am quite rich. (John sends his regards. He made the “ac” chair and is just leaving.) About money for football games, I feel sure I will have enough as we don’t have time to gad about when we go on those trips. When we go to Boston, there will be a little time but probably money will be given us. We get $5.00 for the Army-Navy game. When I’ll need the money is at Xmas time. Believe me, I shall have fun then and believe men I’ll know how to appreciate a date and a nite out.

Life here at the Academy is so rosy at times and so dreary at others. Last week it rained steady for two days. It was cold and everyone felt so gloomy. Sometimes I feel like I would like to leave and then I think, what would there be to do? At last I have realized an ambition–to make a corner for myself in the world. I have the opportunity and if I ever flunk it, it will mean more than anyone will ever know. It’s the greatest of disgraces to have to leave here on a poor excuse and it is an irreparable accident. It can never be regained. Sometimes I can hardly make it seem possible that just a year ago I was studying for my “compet” exam. At last I have the opportunity of acquiring an education on an equal basis with every one of my classmates. $25,000 is being spent on it and that is more than the Proseus’ finances could raise. I have my family to thank for more than most college fellows do. You provided me the environment, the home, and the experience that enable me to dig my own way. That is the way I would have it, the only way. All that I want in life is to be worthwhile and gain personal satisfaction.

Jack has written me but the one letter. Charlie owes me one and likewise some of my other old classmates. By the way, how about Eddie Jones? What have you heard about Arthur and is there any word from Lawrence? Also, how are the prospects on those line-ups for jobs that Un had? I sure hope they pan out.

That new teacher you have must be terribly young. How can she ever keep order? I hope that there are plenty of women when I come home, because I haven’t seen any for four months. If we don’t get our dress suits I’ll be disappointed. They are the “berries” and just proper for nice dances. I don’t know how John stands on Christmas, but I realize if he comes with me, there will be less time to spend with the fellows. It is quite likely he will go to Chicago.

Well, I got my reefer this week and also the trousers to my best suit of blue service. You see, we have about four hundred dollars worth of clothes apiece to stow in quite limited space. Well, I’ll sign off and maybe add a little before I mail this tonite.

Love,

Reg

P.S. Your cookies and dates came. Oh Boy! Thanks a carload!

*I typed that sentence exactly as it was written. It seemed a little unclear, but I try not to change his words,