Letter 10 10/20/1952 Laundry Chutes, Love Letters, and the Madness of Monday

In this letter—misdated "1959" but likely written October 20th, 1952—Joyce writes from the eye of a college storm. Between roommate drama, academic overload, and an ink-leaking pen, she still manages to beam love and longing toward Earl. She reflects on marriage talk among her peers, frustrations with professors, Red Cross controversies, and the chaotic environment of young women jockeying for sorority recognition. But as always, Joyce grounds the letter in deep emotion, heartfelt gratitude, and a fierce desire to simply be by Earl’s side.

Topics include:

• Morning coffee with friends and quiet reflections
• A debate-filled education class that challenges Joyce’s values
• Homefront tensions: Winnie considers marriage at 17
• 14 pages of study notes and a genetics exam on the horizon
• Sorority competitiveness and roommate spats
• Tender affirmations of love, longing, and future dreams
• Social pressures, family opinions, and the pull of independence
• The chaotic, comical, and sometimes heartbreaking life in the dorms

Transcript

Okay, this is interesting because the scratch pad says October 20th, 59, but it's in an envelope that says October 21st, 1952. So I think it was just a missp right at the top of the letter. So we'll see how it goes. October 20th, we'll assume 1952. Dear honey.

It's 1 12 p.m. and I'm writing between classes. George came over for coffee with Barb and I today and we were all about as quiet as Saturday night or rather Sunday morning at 2 a.m. George is going to Boulder Wednesday night but he's planning on leaving at 6 15 so I won't go up with him. I reread your last letter today. I'm really sorry it came Saturday.

but it was sweet of you to think about what Monday mornings always feel like. There's a Kleenex wrapped around this pen so I won't get all inky and it's hard to write this way as I can't grip the pen in my usual manner. Where does the laundry chute at your house come out in the basement? Forgot to tell you Sunday, but Judy, I had been up in the bathroom with the chute open.

probably with her head in the chute listening.

Sandy is screaming at the top of her lungs about she'll never donate to the Red Cross as long as she lives. And now I switch to pencil. I'm out of ink, sweetheart, so I have to use pencil. I've always heard a lot of complaining about RC activities, but aren't most of the nurses in overseas duty RC nurses?

Is there a figment of my or is that a figment of my imagination? I guess they could be army nurses and people from the medical corps though Winnie and Bob got over their difficulties or should I say winning got over hers and she thinks she loves him It seems she wants to get married next week, which would give them two days or so married life

and a year's separation. They're worse than we are. Winnie is going to the branch post office on University Boulevard this afternoon. So I'll have her mail this there in hopes you get this Tuesday morning. There's some more things I wanted to tell you, but I'll let it go till...


Next time I write. I'll let it go till next time I write. I may get written tonight after I study for genetics and evolution. Sweetheart, I love you so much it hurts, but it's getting a little easier to be alone all week because I know now that the weekends always come and I can be with you again.

Darling, how could I ever be so lucky to have you for my own? Every time I get blue, I just sit and remember that we are luckier than if we were miles and continents apart. And if we never have all the money in the world, we will have a love greater than any or and all other values. Bye bye for now.

and I love you lots and miss you lots too. All my love, always, Joyce. P.S. It's Monday p.m. Winnie changed her mind about going to the post office. If I had known she had changed her mind, I'd have gone down, but you'll get this Wednesday, I hope. Just finished making a study outline for genetics and evolution. 14 pages of the stuff.

When I look at all there is to remember, I'm beginning to think I'll be lucky to drag out a B. The story goes that what Dr. Hatch gives the first quarter, he has a student that's always their grade. I...

He gave me a B last year, so I'm wondering if I'd get an A even if I earned it. Out of those 14 pages, I'll have three essay questions to do. Anita Anderson, the one I call Ann, she wore a white formal when we took her over to the Sigma Kappa house. She has two sorority daughters now. Boy, is she elated.

Connie has one and neither Marilyn nor Sandy have one. I take that back. Marilyn may have one after tonight's meeting. Dr. Ed Soche, went off on a tangent or Dr. Shirley and Ed Soche went off on a tangent of teaching values in the school. It got rather wild for a while and I became very annoyed and finally paint.

pointed out to him how he had contradicted himself several times, especially when he said that he granted that Christ's own two commandments were the ones to be lived by and then went screaming on about how the Old Testament 10 were wrong and couldn't be fitted into today's culture. And when he said that Christ was wrong and not to be taken seriously,

and then set up the one commandment in his own words as the goal for today's living. I've never wanted to leave a classroom so badly. I won't write the rest of the battle because I want to get back to genetics and evolution. But the next time I'll try to go into detail, including his expositions on education, which are certainly different than the idea you and Ron were screaming about. I don't think I agree with Shirley.

You and Ron either one some of the remarks you made about our government and the This is about to get interesting

Our government and the position we hold in relationships to Great Britain, a past government, and the probable future, et cetera, were so closely akin to some of the discussions that Ina, Art, and some of the professors at Washington University used to get into that it was amazing. But I still haven't figured out one for that one for myself either.

But you know, kids never give me a chance to say two words when you argue. I guess I'll have to learn to scream, although it's against my principles. It's almost 10 p.m. and I must get back to genetics. Writing this has given my head a rest, which it needed. Bye bye for now. Do you miss me? All my love and thoughts till this weekend. Love always, Joyce. I love you and miss you, my sweetheart.

No, there's more PPS or PSS or something just finished reviewing. I'm going to go to bed and get up in the morning and study when I'm refreshed. When he was going home to be with Bob and her folks told her to stay here because they don't want her to get serious. So after crying for a long time, she's debating whether to pack her bags.

and meet Bob and be married, quit school and go back to the base. I feel so sorry for her. I'm not sure what her folks said except that since she was only coming to see Bob and not them, she just better not come home and they won't meet her. She just said she's not yet 18, her birthday's next week, poor kid. Parents can be a big pain in the neck sometimes.

I guess I like Denver, especially because no one's here to be voicing an opinion and trying to direct my paths as mothers always do. well, I guess all I can do is go to bed and let Winnie solve her own problems. I hope it isn't a physical and sexual impulse.

and the freedom from parents that causes them to be married because it will be hard at best for them to get used to being so close. well, as I said before I'm going to bed. Goodnight sweetheart and all my love always. Love and kisses Joyce. Now Anne and Marilyn are fighting because Anne has two daughters and Marilyn only one. Can I come and sleep with you tonight? This place is a madhouse.


I love you loads and miss you much, sweetheart. I want to hug you and kiss your neck. Can I?