2270 South Vine
Come with me as I meet my Mother through this series of letters, she died when I was 6 months old and this is my very first real glimpse into her world, who she was, who she wanted to be and how she loved my Father.
A collection of 36 letters hand written by my Mother Joyce at University of Denver and sent to my Father Earl at University of Colorado Boulder when they were first engaged in 1952. The letters span from September 1952 - January 1953. My Mother died from Breast Cancer in 1971 at the age of 40. The original language of the letters is read intact to maintain the integrity of the authenticity of her words, 1952 is a very different time culturally and economically.
2270 South Vine
Letter 12 10/27/1952 18 Reasons and then some
October 27th, 1952 — Joyce writes to Earl from Denver on a Monday afternoon that started slow and academic. She skips class, contemplates the mountain of assignments ahead — from evolution tests to children’s play evaluations — and trades bathroom facilities after a silverfish invasion. Between coffee dates with friends and light dorm gossip, Joyce’s mind drifts constantly to Earl in Boulder.
She shares a rediscovered list of 18 heartfelt reasons she loves him, reflecting on how she once believed such love wasn’t possible until she met him. The letter blends the practical (studying, dorm life, friends’ engagements) with the deeply romantic, as Joyce affirms that no one she’s ever known could match what she’s found with Earl. The tone is affectionate, candid, and sprinkled with humor, from teasing nicknames to taffy-chewing clarifications.
It’s a glimpse into young love in the early 1950s — handwritten in between exams, social obligations, and the ever-present hum of campus life.
October 27th, 1952 from Denver, Colorado. It's funny because it's on a three cent stamp and the postmark stamp says, Remember only you can prevent forest fires. Dear sweetheart, this is a typical Monday morning or should I say afternoon by now. I cut Dr. Shirley's and Mr. Williamson's class. I saw Betty and she said Shirley didn't have much to say.
I've about come to the conclusion that my nine hour nights of sleep are over for a while. It seems Dr. Hulk is giving us another test over chapter over 11 chapters of evolution. The last test was on genetics only. And I got an A plus. Ms. Kiper wants four something is crossed out.
excuse me, parentheses, evaluation reports starting November 3rd and a puppet and a couple of masks, et cetera, to make for traumatic activities. We have to go out to FIP's auditorium and see a children's play and write an evaluation on that too. In that class today, one of the kids said she'd read a couple of chaps
of chapters in our text and thinks it's interesting, so I may as well get it out and read it too. Shirley wants our whole social book read by this week. I've read five chapters. Now all I need is for Williamson to decide we should compare a few.
piano sonatas or the like. The stuff I write for this comp class he seems to like better than what I wrote last summer. The girl in these PJs you saw going through the hall last night was Connie. They, the housing office, had sprayed our kitchen and bathroom for silverfish and so we had to go over to the counselor's apartment to use their bathroom.
We can use ours now, though. We went to coffee with Barb this morning. I guess being gone all last week changed George's mind, because he wasn't in the Union this AM.
Tonight I want to get my genetics done, along with a little social studies, and then write mama and Ina. Poor Ina has been complaining that Jerk and I never write to her. All she ever hears is what we say in mom's letters. Jerk is one of the names I call Cleone, and that and sniff or sniffy or smits. She doesn't seem to mind them.
All I've done all day is wonder what you were doing. By June, I hope I can go through Monday without, and she's gonna say crying, I even have to tell you what this is gonna say, a mile long face and thoughts constantly in Boulder, but I doubt it. I'm going to chew taffy for a while as my dessert, along with Winnie and Sandy, along with Winnie and Sandy chewing taffy, that is.
I realized the way I write it, sounded like I was also chewing them. Last summer, while in Dr. Shirley's criminology class, I wrote down several reasons why I love you. There's 18, but I'll only write some of them down here. You are understanding. You have a terrific personality slash way with people. A fine, sharp, shrewd mind.
You can turn most situations into productivity, dash realization of the problems we will have to face, dash realization of the problems we will have to face. You protect me, you try to find out what's wrong and try to help me with my own feelings and problems. You worry about welfare and put me first. You're always interesting and fun to be with.
The kind of life you want to live is very much like what I want out of life. You have a fine family of which I can be a real part. You know how to make a happy home of your own. You've.
You're willing to let me keep on with my music. I found that piece of paper this morning when I cleaned out my notebook. I had forgotten I had ever written it. Love isn't something I can explain. It seems rather to be a cumulative effect of everything that means a lot to me, plus an added something that enables it to last through all the arguments, adjustments, and
come out stranger, come out stronger from each one.
No one else that I've ever known, no matter how much I enjoyed dating them, has anything compared to you as far as I feel about it. Regardless of how I thought I felt at the time, I guess I just suddenly realized all at once this summer that what I always wanted in a man was you. There were always people around with some of the characteristics I admired and respected, but there were never enough
in any of them to produce anything like a truly beautiful love between us. I had decided that such a love was not for me and I kept trying to decide what I could best do without. But now that I have you, my darling, I realized that I could never have done without you. Winnie and Bob are planning on being married fairly soon. He
Even, he went back to Washington state and either Christmas or the end of second quarter when he will join him and be married up there. Connie and Jim may be married this summer too. What an apartment this is. Well, honey, I have to study in earnest this week. Is that the way you spell earnest? Earnest? She tries a few times. It's looks all right to me. well.
Winnie and Bob are beginning to realize that being engaged is a little has its little problems too. He was engaged before and Winnie isn't sure if he is only talking taking her cause the other girl wouldn't have him or not. She comes and tells me all her troubles for which I'm thankful because she's distant in a lot of respects. I must get
Busy sweetheart, I love you lots and miss you lots too. All my love, always, JoyC.
