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1919-01-02 page 1 403 East Sixth St.Bloomington, Ind.
Bloomington, Indiana, Jan. 2, 1919.

Dear Esther:

If I never receive an answer to this letter then I shall know that you disapprove of me and such intimate terms that I dare use when far away. Perhaps you know the reason for that. It is natural for young men to be sort of optimistic in their companionship with those who are the attraction of the human race. Of course you understand what I mean and at the same time not taking too serious a judgement of anything. I hardly know how to talk or express my thoughts to a Sunday School Teacher. Really I look upon you with awe and amazement in that respect and may perhaps do likewise in other ways also. And all "affairs" with me are personal because of the respect and courtesy due you. I am writing under different circumstances than I ever wrote to you before. Ha! And I hope you are appreciating the unknown for you are somewhat a mystery yourself. Hoping to hear from you soon.

Richard Glendening.		 1919-01-02 page 2

P.S. I arrived in Bloomington safely. Already I have passed a compulsory physical examination for compulsory Military training. What do you know about that? I thought I was done with snap and salutes. I guess I had just as well take up Military Science as my life work. Ha!

R.N.G.


[The envelope includes the rough draft of Esther's reply.]


I am afraid you will be thinking by now that you are not going to get any letter from me. I really meant to answer your letter last night but didn't so now I am writing at school. It is in the afternoon, fifteen minutes before recess. If my being a S.S. teacher is going to make it so that you won't know how to talk to me perhaps I had better resign. (Ha) I ought to have had you teach one time before you left then we would be on the same plane so far as that is concerned. I would have asked you to if you hadn't left so soon. You were here such a short time. I was hoping I would have your help, advice and criticism to help me along in any new office but you see I was disappointed.

As to being a mystery perhaps I am and maybe you are also.

Recess has come and passed yet we are not having Latin because the new superintendent has just arrived. He came just before recess was over. Everyone acted simply crazy when the news was carried upstairs that he was here and in the lower hall. The curiosity of all (the girls at least) was keyed up to the highest pitch. It seems that no one here had ever seen him. There were all sorts of conjectures as to what he would be like. I heard some time ago his name was Jayburg. As soon as they heard that they of course changed it to Jaybird. I caught just the faintest glimpse of him from above as he came in the door. All I know is that he was dressed in a uniform which had some sort of symbol on the sleeve in red, white, and blue, and that he had light hair combed pompadour. Some one said that some-one else said that his nose was about so long and then measured a distance of eight or ten inches. He was the cause of my not writing to you last night for I expected him to be here this morning and wanted to be as good as possible. Under ordinary circumstances I would have let the lesson go and would have written.

Yesterday was Mr. Walker's last day. Just before dismissal he made a speech telling us about the legislature and gave us an invitation to visit it while in session. Since the senior class studies Civics this semester I thought it would be nice if some time they could go there in a body. I mentioned it to Lloyd Keller--he is the only senior here except myself--and he thought it would be nice so it may be possible that we will do such a thing. I do hope we can. Since we know Mr. Walker we might get some special privileges.

Miss Byerly taught most of Mr. Walker's subjects but she didn't want to try Physic's so he told her to tell me to teach that.

You said it seemed as tho you might as well take up military science for a life work since it is thrust upon you at every turn just so it seems that I might as well take up teaching.

Well I am home again and have some more things to say about that man. Everybody was heaping maledictions upon his head because he left about three minutes before school was dismissed with out ever having put in [an] appearance. I haven't heard one single favorable thing about him. I am anxious to find out what he really is like. Yesterday there were only about half of the H.S. students present. All the rest have the "flu". There were two or three back again to-day. I hope they will all be back soon so things will get to running right.

Another thing I wish to tell you is that there were only seven (all boys) in the S.S. class Sunday besides my self. Clair is home. He got home early Sunday morning & was at S.S. when I saw him.

And now some questions. Do you like college? What studies do you take? How far aare you from the girls? Have you seen that boy you knew? Are you any way near him?

A large part of this letter seems to be about the new teacher but if you had been there and seen all the excitement his arrival caused you would understand.

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