Swapatorium

Ring Worms

Two page letter from a Girl Scouts camp, circa 1930s, written by a girl to her father. Part of a large lot of ephemera and photos from an estate sale. From what I could gather, they were a wealthy family and this girl was an only child. Her mom died when she was a small child and was raised by her father.  I have not come across any Girl Scout photos yet, but I'm hoping that I find the film that she shot that corresponds with this letter.

Dear Daddy,

There are two new girls in our cabin. They came yesterday.

I might have ring worms. I have a scab on my head that might be ring worms. Joan & two other girls have them too.

Last night we hiked to town & went to the lodge.

This morning real early we went on a cook out & made pancakes.

I wish you could have come yesterday. It was visiters day. We made pop corn balls & punch for the visiters but we ate most of it. We're going to make shepperd horns today.

We're going on a moonlight ride tonight if it doesn't rain. Wednesday we're going to hike to the "fire tower". It is 16 miles. When we get there we have to go up 10 flights of 40s steps.

We had a Fiesta the other night. We had enchaladas & corn bread & apricot fried pies. We had our fortunes told.

We learn a whole lot of new songs every day.

We make our beds Klondike style. It sure is warm.

We've been horseback riding several times. We hiked to the Y.M.C.A camp last week. It was 7 miles. I sure was tired.

For dinner today we had: Goolosh or something, potatoes, corn bread, milk, water, & rice pudding.

I have run out of films for my camera & I need some more. They cost too much here. it is P.D. 16.

 I can't think of anything else to say except that I hope we don't have ring worms. Write soon.

Love, Violet

Notes of an Inventor

I was going through a box of ephemera from an estate sale from many months ago and found a folder of drawings by Egbert O. Nordin from the 1910s. The first drawing, shown above, had a newspaper clipped to it. I can't remember where these drawings came from since too much time has passed for me to connect it to a particular estate sale. I have boxes of unsorted photos and ephemera stacked in our garage. I am usually good at going through things when we get them, but the last few months have been chaotic, so I am way behind on my sorting. I have scanned some examples of his drawings.

Dear Mom and Dad

I was going through family photos trying to find some images for my parent's memorial in Indiana. I found this note among my mother's albums. I was in third grade when I wrote it. I was excited about a carnival. I think I was trying to be clever by asking them to lend me money, as if I could ever pay it back. And then, to add icing to the cake, I ended the letter with I love you. The clincher. Worked every time.

Batman on the Brain

Dear Mamama

I'm sorry I forget to send you a letter. We went swimming again. I played with Gary and his brother tried to choke me to death. When your letter came I remembered. It's been pretty cool up here lately. I been thinking of the Batman show all week. Say could write and tell me how long we are going to stay in Houston?

Postcard found in the trash.