Leafing Through The Past - Part Last

[mgc1961]

This will be the final post in regard to my in-law's scrapbooks. There are several reasons for this decision. First, I'm quite simply running out of scrapbooks to examine. There are only two, I think, left and they have little in the way of the written word either by the book's compiler or newspaper clippings. The second reason for ending these posts is I've decided not to reveal any more of their personal correspondence as I was considering doing. Some of the people involved may still be living and I don't know what they may think of these revelations. Third, the interest of DU readers seems pretty limited if the view and recommend numbers are reliable interest indicators. And lastly, looking through these items and reading their correspondence puts me there, if you know what I mean, and it's a bit upsetting to dwell on.

For those who have read these overviews, I hope you enjoyed this short time ride.

This scrapbook has the white cover with black construction paper inside. It has some mouse damage too though not nearly so bad as the last book I examined.

The inside cover of this album has eight photographs. One is Sis "getting some sun tan." Three of them are group photos of her friends. In the upper left-hand corner is a nice photo of Mr. and Mr.s Colvin standing on the walkway of their house.

The first page has small Christmas gift cards that were inserted in the boxes Sis received as presents (1943). Jake sent a pen and called long distance from Nebraska. Dewey bought her a pen too. It's a Parker "51," described on the product insert as Like a pen from another planet. Page Robinson gave her a silver bracelet.

Homer Bridges "Cookie" Cook sent Sis an invitation to his graduation from Aloe Army Air Field. He was in class 44-A. The ceremony was held January 7, 1944.

There's a newspaper clipping that reports Jake's status having changed from prisoner to lost or missing. The third paragraph states, "Lieutenant Colvin's father was a member of the 307th aerial squadron, first in the United States and later in England in World War I." My initial research on the 307th turned up only a squadron by that number originating in the '50s. I contacted a World War I aviation researcher who says that's not unusual. He says many of the first squadrons of the United States Air Service have little or no first hand histories written about them. The chances of finding anything substantial are remote. In fact, the most we may ever know is what we have in Jake Jr.'s letter and this newspaper clipping.

Sis took the Smoky Mountain Trailways bus home for Christmas. The ticket stub and bad tag is here. Sis says it was so crowded on the bus she couldn't move.

She spent what looks like the last couple of days of the first semester in the school infirmary for an unspecified illness.

Sis spent Thanksgiving at Turkey Shoals with Palmer Patterson, Doris Moorhead and Tom Nelson.

A long, two-page letter to Jake from Sis is here dated February 16th, 1944. It was returned to her stamped "Missing." She goes into some detail about her visit to Atlanta for the Georgia/ Georgia Tech football game and their evening on the town which, in addition to eating at the Magnolia Room they went to see a movie. The feature film was Old Acquaintance with Bette Davis. The stayed at the Robert Fulton Hotel. She says she was interrupted during the writing of the letter by a house meeting and now the room bell. She closes, "Stay as you are and remember I love you, Nity-nite, Sis." There's a postscript: "Hello to C.C."

Sis apparently wrote frequently to Jake. He thanks her for doing so in a letter postmarked November 26, 1943. He tells her not forget to study and write him if she needs some extra money for Christmas.

More demerits. Sis is too loud, does not sign in/out for school activities, dates off campus, and was "off bounds Sabbath afternoon."

The local paper put a picture of C.C. incorrectly over a story about Jake's safe arrival in England.

Sis's grades for the first semester (1943) were not to her liking. She got a D in psychology. Maybe she was too busy writing letters to Jake to pay class attention. Her other classes were English, History, Genetics, Spanish, and Gym.

Erskine Dean William Boyce wrote a sympathy letter to Sis after Jake's disappearance. He says, "I deeply sympathize with you in the anxiety and concern you feel for your dear brother and I pray that you may soon have a reassuring message from him. We all realize the terrific cost of this war, and the hazards that go with every branch of service. Still, we hope and pray, as we should, for the safe return of our own."

On the letterhead of The Equitable Life Assurance Society, Jake Sr wrote to Sis after a short visit to Erskine. Jake's fate heavily weighs on the family. "There of course was a mist over the sunshine of happiness but you have been reared under a home and of parentage that realize every thing is possible with our God. He knows all and He has a purpose in every thing He does. We can not see that purpose at the time and some times, we never understand, but there is a reason. This terrible pain and heart ache that He has brought upon us is for some good reason."

Jake's picture is incorrectly placed over a story about C.C. in the local paper. I suppose this second mix up means these two young men were inseparable friends.

Hugh Lake Jameson, the writer of the postcard from the stalag, had a newspaper article written about him detailing his shoot-down and capture by the Germans as well as his local roots. He played football for Clemson College.

The large photo of the beautiful young woman Jake mentions in a previous letter (Margaret Neeley), he mentions again in a V-Mail to Sis that she received on February 28th, 1944. He says, "Your are right in not taking up any proposals for marriage. You have plenty of time to do things like that and a beautiful, sweet girl like you won't have any trouble finding the right guy. Have been getting a lot of letters from Margaret. Really think she and I have hit it off very well. Surely would like to get home just to see how well I'm doing."

[jaxx]

1. I've found these to be interesting and have read them all.

Not often do we get a glimpse into the past of ordinary citizens. Thank you.