74 7/9/1946 Helen Carlson to Sadie Erwin

Helen Carlson Box 281, Sparta Pike, Lebanon, Tennessee Tuesday, July 09, 1946

Sadie Erwin Box 44, Enumclaw, Washington

Dear Folks, Elmer left for Knoxville last night and will be back tomorrow if he passed the oral exam today, otherwise he will have to take a two-day written exam. You never mentioned the earthquake you had there the latter part of June. I just read about it last night. There was quite a write-up about it in Elmer's engineering magazine. It said it was the worst one you have had. Everyone around here knows Mrs. Jackson's husband as he is a Lebanon man. They all say he is a drunkard and no good and has always been trying to get some woman to marry him, so I don't see where she is any better off. I can't understand how a mother could give up her children for a man. She doesn't seem to worry much about her children and doesn't seem anxious to get them back. I hope the grandmother keeps them. Thursday Morning Elmer passed his exam the first day so got home Wednesday morning. He is a professional engineer now in the State of Tennessee. Now he is going to put in his application for the National Council, which, if he passes, he will be licensed in almost every state without taking each state exam. He sure is glad this is over. He said he sat on a chair while the five men on the board all asked him questions. Then he had to leave the room for a while and when they called him back they told him they would mail his license to him. One of the professors on the board knew one of his professors at the University. I wish Elmer's knowledge would bring him more money but maybe it will some day. I'm already telling Jimmie not to be a Civil Engineer. The ink wasn't dry on that first piece of paper so I couldn't turn it over to write but it's dry now so that will be number 3. Jimmie and Mary should have other children to play with. Now that the Jackson children are gone they have no one, but Jimmie is beginning to find Mary fun to play with. I just told Jimmie I wish there were more for me to write about and he said to tell you he liked you, and then Mary said she liked you too. Elmer entered a chess tournament through the mail. He plays six others and they mail their moves back and forth and keep their chess boards up accordingly. Everyone who sent in his name also wrote a note telling something about himself. One girl is from Wewaka, Oklahoma, which is the town next to Wetumka where we used to live so we know it well. I had a note from Dorothy Geisinkatter yesterday. Her baby is keeping her busy. Elmer says Sunday he is going to write to the Seattle Chamber of Commerce asking about jobs out there. Well folks I guess I had better stop for now and get busy but will write more soon. Love, Helen