Aug. 9, 1943
Dear Gang,
This delay or "hold up" in the "Gang Letter" certainly demands an explanation and I will try to give one. It came while I was somewhere in my rounds, but mother didn't get my address at that place until it was about time to move on, so she decided to take my mail when she went down to visit Marion because I was planning to stop by there, too. Of all things, she brought some but in some way left "The Gang Letter" and another very important one. I was with Marion a little over two weeks, so just last Saturday I got my hands on the letter! Please forgive me this time.
Finally, I have arrived home again for a little while after about two months. Do you remember that I was going to stay home almost all summer? Well, I have not done just that. But this summer has truly been a great experience and one that I shall always remember. It has helped me to meet and enjoy being with strange people, for in most places we knew no one and by the time we had begun to get acquainted it was time to move on again. Everywhere the people were lovely to us and tried to make us right at home. We met various situations in the different churches where we worked. Some were rather large churches; others very small; some had lots of local workers (in fact, Ft. Lauderdale had so many that we sometimes thot we weren't needed at all); one had none at all; etc. So, in spite of the fact that were were supposed to teach the same course for five week there was much variety.
Our last week- at Uceta Church in Tampa- we ran into a rather unfortunate situation. On Monday night we all went to an opening program for a new civic club building which had just been completed recently. One man who was quite enthusiastic about the whole project had just made a speech and sat down when he suddenly dropped his head on his daughter's shoulder and passed out before they could get him to the hospital. Of course there was lots of excitement for awhile around there. He was also an active member of the church where we we were working- in fact he was teacher of the Intermediate Class. Of course, that upset things considerably and so the rest of the week the Director of the School was unable to be there. So our teamof 4 "put on" the Vacation School there. The day before school ended one little girl who had attended for a while tried to jump up on a train and slipped so that the train ran over her leg and cut it completely off. I never have heard whether she pulled through or not but that was so terrible- she was only about 10 or 11. I thought it was a good thing we left when we did before something else tragic happened.
We thought about our best school was held out at Springhead. The group there ere so enthusiastic and eager to do things. There our daily sessions had to be held in the late afternoons from about 4 to 6 because regular school was gong on at the same time. I was afraid that children might be too tired to do much after being in school all day but they were about the easiest group of all.
I have especially enjoyed the with with children this summer; before I have worked mostly with people about my own age and have had very little experience with children. The more I worked with them the more interesting they are. The first of the summer I wanted to go on camps rather than a Comradeship Team, but now I am glad they couldn't find another councilor because I think I profited more from the work I did, although I still think Camps would probably have been more fun, for I love to do that sort of thing.
While in Ft. Lauderdale, I was called home for a weekend because of my Grandmother's death. I think in my last letter I wrote that she was been quite ill. She was getting quite old and seemed to have almost no interest in life for the last year or two; so I guess she's better off. But it is always hard to give up our folks isn't it? I came home on the train Friday night, then joined the gang in Ft. Pierce on Monday night, so I really missed only one day's work.
For the past two weeks I have been down in Lakeland with Marion; her husband has been in Junaluska so I stayed until he came back. She has a very comfortable place there right close to the college. Waldo's brother, DeWitt, is staying there and going to Southern this summer and I will go right on next year. I went to the show with Mabel one afternoon and spent one night with her just before she left. School surely seems different in the summer and winter.
We are all getting excited about Junior (or Judy) now. Mother has been sewing for him this morning. Don't you think Aunt Shott's will sound awfully cute?
My school starts Aug 30 so I won't be able to take in Assembly; however I think I might get down over the week-end because we are planning a sort of reunion of our Comradeship Teams- all 3 of the teams- during that week-end.
Well gang, I must close and get this off.
Lots of love,
Shotts.
