A little less than 99 years have passed since my great uncle was living in the Willamette Valley and trying to put himself through college. 1916 was a rough year for finding the right temporary job, and so he missed out on a semester. He detailed his struggles in missives to his parents back “home” in Wisconsin.
Wages, board, and “hospital fee, of course”…
Eugene, Ore. Nov. 18, ’16
Dear Folks,
I didn’t write last week because I didn’t know where I would be by the time you would get the letter.
I am going up in the mountains near here to work in a saw-mill. The wages are $2.00 per day and board is $5.00 per week with a dollar hospital fee, of course.
I worked today for Harvey’s and made a dollar putting in wood. I can’t begin before Monday at the mill, so I am not going out until tomorrow afternoon.
I noticed that the old maids have gone out of business. I guess they couldn’t run the place without my help.
I saw Longworthy in Portland and he told me that Jim Hess was married to a widow who had a place near his homestead. He told me last summer that he intended to build up his place. Queer way to do it though.
The University is a lot larger this year than last. Prof. Reddie isn’t there any more. He is with some theatrical company now – I think on Broadway.
How much money could you let me have on a 20 year endowment life insurance policy? I understand that they go at nearly face value. There will have to be some scheme like that if I get through much more school, I guess.
While I was in Portland I looked around for a job. I found some good propositions but they wanted a permanent employee. The Y.M.C.A. offered me a job teaching German and superintending dramatics, but I would have had to have waited a couple of weeks for it, and they wanted me to work there the full year. The ship yards wanted men at 32 cents an hour as soon as their lumber came, but that meant waiting too.
Garfield Johnson is working for a wholesale grocer firm. He gets $75.00 per month for 9 hours work per day with Saturday afternoons off and two weeks vacation per year on full pay. That is pretty good for a kid!
I had a letter started to you while I was in Portland but I wont send it now. I wasn’t feeling good and it sounds too blue.
My address will be the following.
Dale D. Melrose
Mabel,
Ore.