Competing Interests

June's father Theodore Anderson, Art Price, and June Anderson.

“Don’t let your mother push you too much.”

                                                                        Art Price

                                                                        Letter to June Anderson, July 18, 1950

Pencil sketch by
June Anderson.

Judging from the letters, June had to deal with conflicting pressures from loved ones during her return to New York City in summer 1950.  Her mother had always been a strong advocate of women’s education and she approved of women with careers.  June received a practical education and her mother was pushing for her it put it to use now.  On top of all this, June’s mother loved New York City and the prospect of her daughter finding a good job there would have been very pleasing.

On the other side, Art clearly wanted June to give up the New York City job hunt and return home to Riverhead, where she’d only be twenty minutes away.  In his letters, he offers some minimal support for the job hunt but he’s unable to hold back his real feelings for long.

“Well I haven’t heard from you, so I guess you haven’t found a job.  I still like the idea of your returning home but then I’m selfish, as you know.”

                         Art Price 

                         Letter to June Anderson, July 19, 1950

Art probably kept these sentiments to himself while visiting with June’s family.  He would have wanted to keep the peace.  His real feelings probably only slipped out in the letters.

June’s mother was at an advantage in this situation.  As long as things proceeded smoothly, her mother could keep the pressure up, pushing June to pursue that elusive dream job in the big city.

(For Monday – something's wrong.)

© 2011 Lee Price