December 29, 1952
311 N. Dallas River Falls, Wis.
Dear Ones All:
This is the time of year when we try to bring everyone up to date with our doings. In July the Harris family reunion in Wheaton, Ill. brought that branch of the family together for the first time in many years. For many of you most of this will be news.
Douglas entered Kindergarten this fall. While it is hardly accurate to any that he enjoys school, it could be said that he tolerates it fairly well. He got skates just before Christmeas and took them to bed with him the first night. Again we must observe that if determination makes a skater, he will be a good one. For the first time he consented to be in Christmas programs. He spoke a piece in one, which was a surprise to us.
Bruce is in third grade and has always liked school although he has missed much of it. This year he has been quite regular in attendance, and has gone much of the time for the whole day. During the summer he became a real under-water swimmer and the best fisherman of the family. He and Doug have been shooting up the joint with the two rifles they got in their stockings.
Merry is most excited about the wrist watch she got. The only thing she wanted more was a saddle horse. She still wants that! She has been working on a stamp collection for over two years and just recently has gotten another big stock from a teacher at the college. There are several other traders in town. She has stamps from most of the countries. At Madison this summer, she attended a dance and art workshop for six weeks. She takes daily lessons on the clarinet and plays in the Junior Band. She promises to be the best lady skier in town.
Bruce says that Mother is remarkable. This comment followed her assertion that there was nothing remarkable about her to put in this letter. She has done 52 washings and more than half that many ironings and washed dishes 1,095 times this year. This includes the two times Merry helped her. Whoops, Merry says that she did them twice this week already. It is Monday just before dinner. Every time anybody wants professional posters made in this town, they ask Betty to make them. They do not pay professional rates. As you may notice by the address we have moved south, two blocks. The house we rented was sold and we are now in an apartment. Betty does not have much house to keep at present.
Will attended summer school at Madison this summer. It was an easy summer with a boat and motor to while away the hours. This year he is taking one course a week at the U. of Minnesota. He attended the Milwaukee convention in November with the whole family. On the way home we visited several families of old friends.
We have found an “angel” who will finance us in buying a home and we have found a home for sale which fits us very well. It will be empty the first of the year. As yet we haven’t made a definite decision, but we are tempted. The main thing that holds up the deal right now is the price. For several months we had been planning on buying a house trailer and making a trip to Florida during the Christmas vacation, but the dealings on the house among other things held it up.
We are enjoying our television set which is quite new. We have excellent reception to CBS and NBC from the twin cities. The Christmas programs were wonderful, but wait until color comes in!
A few days ago four college families spent the day together. We skated in the morning and used a toboggan, sleds and skis in the afternoon. For lunch we met at our house across the street from the rink for hamburgers and cocoa. There were 19 of us.
On the sadder side of the year, while we were visiting in Oshkosh this fall, we received the news of the airplane accident at Eau Claire. Everette Johnson, Will’s brother-in-law, died several days later from the injuries. We drove there from Oshkosh and later went to Milwaukee for the funeral. There seemed to be an endless number of friends there.
We like our community very much. It is certainly cleaner than most places. It has a fine swimming-pool and park. The schools are good and the college brings much activity here that most communities do not have. We are quite active in church affairs, although this is the first time in twenty-five years that at least one of us hasn’t sung in Christmas music. We were too busy with the family. Will is on the official board and Betty is treasurer of the Sunday School. Will is also director of the audio-visual program of the church and is on the Board of Education of the Church.
We hope it won’t be until next year before we hear from you! But until we do, BEST WISHES FOR THE NEW YEAR!
Love from the Harris Family,
Will Betty Merry Bruce Doug