A Swell Feeling to Have a Letter Waiting

Thursday, October 6, 1949

20 Cooper St.

Southampton, NY

Dear June,

It sure is sweet to hear from you.  I’ve been taking it easy lately, early to bed every night.  I’ll be ready to stay up all night when you do come home.

Southampton United Methodist Church.

Last night I (alone again) saw Anna Lucasta with Paulette Goddard.  It was pretty good.  I think I’ve told you that I belong to the Men’s Club of our church.  We have a supper tomorrow and I’m on the committee so I spent this evening scrubbing potatoes and setting tables.  Now it’s only 9:30 and I’m home already.  I’m really getting in a rut!

I hope you’ve made out all right with your roommates by now.  Don’t do so much worrying, though, it doesn’t do any good.  Too bad I’m not there to try and cheer you up.  What about your old roommate Janie?  Is she in the city, Nassau, Lake George, or Timbuktu?

Still no car but I’m hoping I’ll have it this weekend.  If I decide to come in, I’ll call you Saturday.  If I don’t get my car back, maybe I’ll call you Sunday.  It’s no fun bumming around alone anymore.

Keep writing!  It’s a swell feeling when my mother comes in the store at noon and says there’s a letter waiting at home for me.  See you soon.

Love,

Art

(For Saturday, a life-threatening disruption…)

© 2010 Lee Price

Temporary Depression

Thursday, October 6, 1949

(just after supper, 6:45 p.m. – we’re getting ritzy – eating later!)

40 W. 96th St.
New York City, NY

Dear Art,

I was depressed today.  Then three things happened to change me into a happy little soul.

1 – I called Daddy and he strongly told me not to worry about our apartment troubles.

2 – Our landlord talked to us – more furniture is coming and the gas has been connected – as soon as we call the company, we can start cooking.

3 – I got a letter from you.


Design for Traphagen ad by June Price.



Daddy was very happy to hear from me.  I called him up to give him reports on recent events.  I still have no roommates and it begins to look hopeless – and I had to ask him to send some vitally needed work that I did last year.  As I have said before, he was very glad to hear from me.  It seems mother was getting worried and was actually talking about calling you up to see how I was!  Just think – you probably would have heard from Mother tonight if I hadn’t called.  I guess I’d better keep in better touch with them.

I also feel better about school.  All the teachers admit it’s a terrific jump from first year to the second.  While the work is much harder, it also is much more interesting.

Art, it certainly was nice to come home from school to a letter from you.  I certainly do hope you get your car soon so that you can be out and around again.  Naturally, I’d love to see you during the weekend, but I think the trip is too much for you, all in a day like that.  If you ever call, add that I’m in Apt. 1a.

Now to homework.  Do write more letters – don’t forget!

All my love,

June

P.S.  Glad to hear the blondes haven’t latched onto you yet!

(Tonight -- Art likes getting letters, too...)

© 2010 Lee Price

Life Without a Car

Tuesday, October 4, 1949

20 Cooper St.
Southampton, NY

Dear June:

I got your letter yesterday. It sounds like you’ve been working pretty hard. Let me know about your roommates, I hope you had good luck.


Art's Nash.

 I’ve been taking it pretty easy lately (no car, of course). I went in the Nash garage yesterday to see about my car. It sounds like it’s almost finished. With luck, I should have it in a day or two. I sure hope so – I’m really lost without it. If I do get it back before this weekend I’m thinking of coming in to you. Don’t worry – if I do come, I’ll try and phone you first. Will you be around the apartment on Saturday? If I call person to person, will the landlord know who I’m asking for? Does he know you by now? If I come in, it will be Sunday morning, I imagine. I’ll take you to church, maybe.

Charcoal sketch by
Art Price.

I came home Saturday night at 10:30 after the show. On Sunday, I listened to the ballgame and went to bed early. Last night I went to the movies (alone) and saw Under Capricorn. It was lousy. Don’t bother to see it.  Tonight, I've been working on my art course.

I hope you finally got a check cashed. Do you want a character reference from me?

The boss asked me today if I want to start my vacation on Oct. 17, two weeks from now. So maybe I’ll be seeing you more often than we thought.  Don’t work too hard now. Remember me to Shirl and to your family when you write them.

Love,

Art

(Thursday – letters from both June and Art…)

© 2010 Lee Price

First Day of the New School Year

Monday, October 3, 1949

40 W. 96th St.
New York City, NY

Dear Art,

Received your letter this morning. I sure enjoyed hearing from you. Gee! It’s wonderful to get mail.

It’s almost 10 o’clock and this is the first time I’ve rested all day. On the first day of school, wouldn’t you think they would let us play around? Well! You should see all the homework they piled on me! I worked for almost three hours tonight. Of course, I am a slow worker.

Traphagen homework assignment by June
that illustrates fabric textures.

Honestly, the work this year is going to be terribly hard. I hope I’m not completely wasting Daddy’s money. Something new to worry about.

Other than that, it was fun seeing all the old classmates from last year again. I haven’t sighted any prospective roommates as yet, but reports are a trifle encouraging. (There was talk...) We seem to have a few prospects.

We don’t have a radio yet and never buy a newspaper, but from what I gather from passing people in the street, the Dodgers and Yankees will play the series. Did you and Joe celebrate?

I see where you say not to study too hard but to get my homework done. Art, I’m no magician. It can’t be both!

Please write soon.

Love,

June

(Tomorrow – life without a car in Southampton.)

© 2010 Lee Price

Saturday Night and Nothing to Do

Saturday, October 1, 1949

20 Cooper St.
Southampton, NY

Dear June,

It sure seems strange. Here it is Saturday night and there’s nothing to do. I hope you're settled all right and found a couple of good roommates. I don’t think you’ll have any trouble getting two girls to come in with you.

The Southampton movie theater on Hill Street, just a
five block walk from Art's home on Cooper Street.

Went to a football game last night. We lost and then I went home early, believe it or not. I think I’ll go to the movies tonight and try and get home early again. I'm still using my mother’s car and guess I will be for a couple of weeks.

Bruno goes to the city tomorrow to march in the Columbus Day parade. Why don’t you go over to Fifth Avenue tomorrow afternoon? You’ll probably see some of the boys from here marching.

I haven’t seen any mail from you yet but I’m expecting to get some! When you write be sure and tell me your phone number. Don’t study too hard, but be sure and get your homework done before you come home. Remember me to Shirl. I feel as if I know her. So long kid, see you soon,

Love

Art

(On Monday, June's first day of the new school year…)

© 2010 Lee Price

Hands You Love to Touch

Pencil sketch by June Anderson for Traphagen School of Fashion,
circa 1949

Saturday, October 1, 1949

40 W. 96th St.
New York City, NY

Dear Art,

Just looking out of the window – they have double parking on this street. Ever see that? The cars park sideways, but in two rows. I don’t understand it. Suppose someone in the row next to the sidewalk wants to leave? Oh well, it’s not my worry.

The older I become, the more complicated life becomes. Money matters now. I came with a few dollars in my pocket and a check book. I thought, oh well, anybody, or at least somebody, will cash my check. Guess what? They won’t. The banks are closed till Monday, and people now tell me that the bank won’t give me my money until 3 days after I hand over a check. And here I am – with only 4 dollars!

Art, you know those “hands you love to touch” (Lux, isn’t it?)? Well, they could sharpen a knife right now! When I think back on this past month with nothing to do except maybe get ready for a date with you – Ah-h-h-h that’s a wistful sigh... I slaved here all day! We cleaned the entire apartment. I washed the tile in the bathroom while Shirley scrubbed the floor. I scrubbed the tile under the fireplace. We cleaned the woodwork, polished the furniture, and dusted the venetian blinds. But it was worth it.

It’s an awful responsibility for two girls to take on – signing the lease and everything. I called up daddy today and he says not to worry – if we can’t get some roommates we’ll just have to move and lose the money, but it’s alright. I feel somewhat better about it now.

I keep asking Shirl to get up and make me something to eat, but she won’t budge. Looks like I may have to do it myself. Hooray! She finally got up! Two sandwiches apiece, please! I’m hungry tonight.

Art, how is your knee now?  Please, even if it is feeling better, keep doctoring it – after all, I’m hoping to dance the next time we go out.

Maybe I can squeeze out a dollar for a movie tonight.  We have no radio here as yet, so it’s kind of quiet. It doesn’t seem like Saturday night. I’m afraid I’m going to miss you.

All my love,

June

(Tonight – Art’s first letter to June…)

© 2010 Lee Price

Summer of 1949

What followed was simply a wonderful summer that went by too quickly.

June and Art.

Art called the day after the party and they began dating, mainly seeing each other on weekends and talking on the phone on weekdays. They went to parties and movies together. They met each other’s parents and both sets of parents approved. Within their peer group, friends were matching up and breaking up regularly with emotions often running high. But June and Art were practically oblivious to the concerns of others around them, as they basked in the intoxication of young love that summer.

Art continued working at Roulston’s as a grocery clerk. At night, he would sometimes attend art lessons from Elena Partida, a local art teacher. June didn’t do much that summer. She slept late, listened to the radio, read books, talked to her friends, and waited for Art to call.

Summer passes quickly, especially when you’re in love. Fall approached. For June, this meant that it was time to pack for her trip back to New York City – two and a half hours away on the Long Island Rail Road. Shirley Stahl would be her roommate again, but this time, they weren’t sure where they would be living. As the date approached to leave, nothing was definite yet. They made plans to stay at the previous year’s 96th Street apartment, even though it was really too expensive for them to afford without former roomate Jane to help out. They hoped they might find additional roommates to share the expense. If not, they figured they might have to move somewhere cheaper – provided they could get out of the lease.

On Saturday, October 1, June returned to New York City, probably driven there by her mother and father. Monday would be the first day of the new school year at Traphagen School of Fashion.

June and Art had agreed to write letters while they were apart. True to their word, they each wrote letters on Saturday night.

(Tomorrow -- June’s first letter from New York City…)

Countdown:  Correspondence begins tomorrow.

© 2010 Lee Price