Jaci Dawn

Whew! I smell like dust! I just dug through a box of memorabilia, looking for items to match up with the letters from Dale (specifically, my great-grandmother’s scrap book). I found some gems, too, but not anything to match with the letter I am sharing tonight. This one is from Dale to his younger brother, the man who would become the father of my mother.

This is the first time addresses are actually being used on the correspondence, although the zip code system has yet to be invented and implemented. John Phillip Vaughn Melrose was my grandfather’s full name.

Eugene, Ore., March, 27, 1917

Dear Brother,

        Ma told me what your address is, and so I thought I would write a line of two and find out what you are doing, how you like the school, the boys and all about it. I suppose you must be pretty well acquainted with things by this time and so you can tell all about it.

      Do you go out for baseball or track, or do they have both of them? Probably you don’t have time for either one, if you go home nearly every Friday. If you have time you want to take a whirl at something like that though.

      I am busy as a cat on a tin roof with all of my jobs and extra study work. The cooking takes quite a lot of time too, but I have quit eating dinner and that gives me a lot of time I didn’t have before. It’s all right, but I surely am hungry for supper time.

     I see the Newberg paper at the library once in a while, and see the names of the kids in it once in a while. The high school basket-ball team won the championship of the state this year. Don Crow, Oswald Best, and that bunch are on it. I had a letter yesterday from the Annual staff wanting me to send them four bits for an Annual but I didn’t have the four bits, and so I guess they have wasted a stamp on me.

     Well, I can’t think of much more to say except to buck in and do good work. Dont mind Dad’s cussing too much. He doesn’t mean half of what he says anyway. After I get out and get some money coming toward me, I will back you in school as far as you want to go. You will be a junior in high school by that time and will be going fine. I wont have anything do with my money but pay off debts and help you along in school.

     You write a good long letter and tell me all about your studies, school, athletics and everything. I will write more next time, but must go to a class now.

Your brother

Dale D. Melrose

1334 Agate St.

Eugene, Ore.

Postscript – 1334 Agate Street is now part of the University Health Center on the UO campus.

It is a very good possibility that 321 Chippewa St. in Eau Claire is still standing. I googled it and the houses look like they were built circa 1900.