450 3/25/1942 Jim Erwin to Helen Carlson

Jim Erwin 1903 Alpha, Pullman, Washington Wednesday, March 25, 1942

Helen Carlson Box 582 Newburyport, Massachusetts

Dear Helen, Your nice letter came Monday. This week is mid-semester tests so haven’t answered. Tomorrow all my tests are finished so am going home. Two of the fellows here are going home and have a ride. I can ride about 100 miles with them so decided to go. Mother sent me one of Gladys’s letters and she said Cully had his operation and was still pretty sick. The Dahlstroms might have a little trouble getting out here if everybody is rationed with gas. If the new draft law goes through, I wouldn’t mind it a bit. The only thing I hate to think of Pop having to register. Clarence Pope isn’t my idea of a soldier but guess they have to take everybody. Since he is Eden’s brother it is no wonder she wants to see him. How come Alvin hasn’t been drafted. He must be pretty old. It would be too bad if you had to move. Maybe things will work out O.K. The time certainly has gone fast. You will enjoy taking care of the little girl. (???) When she gets old enough to go to school you should be settled down. If your recipes are for brides they must be easy. When I get married it’s going to be a Home Economics major. Won’t have to worry about the food then. You were sure lucky to get your billfold back. Guess there are some honest people left. Floyd’s folks sent him some money for a radio. He ordered one which came today. It is a radio, phonograph, recorder, and has a microphone attachment. We made some records from Glen Miller’s program this evening. It sure is fun. We also put our voices on a record. Pretty nice outfit. He is going to fix my radio the 1st of the month. My reducing has been coming along pretty good. I started about 3 weeks ago and weighed 175. Today after playing up in the gymnasium it was 156. Pretty good. 19#. I still am plenty fat so am going to keep on going as far as I can. I was tired of being fat. The traffic has been cut to less than half so might have a little trouble getting home. We don’t have to be back til Monday so will have plenty of time. I’ll write to you as soon as I get back. With love, Jim. P.S. Didn’t read it over so please excuse all the mistakes.