Volume 11 , Issue 19

Insight Into Grandma

This week our "Insight Into John & constance takes us back to July, 1904 with the letter postmarked July 5, 1904, 10am, Quincy, Ill -- John C McClure's letter to Miss Constance Warwick in Alva, Oklahoma Territory was received two days later, July 7, 1904.

This week's letter is not handwritten, but is a two-paged, typed and dated July 2, 1904, Quincy, Ill., Miss Constance Warwick, Alva, Okla.

This week we find out that the Nellie John has been talking about in his letters is his cousin. It is the coming of the fourth of July with prize-fights and picnics.

"Dear Friend: I will endeaver to answer your most welcome letter I received a few days ago. It has been nice and cool for the past week; nice weather to go to school. Well the big forth is nearly here, but I don't believe that I will do any very big celebrating. There are to be several big prize fights here, several picnics and I guess that is about all.

"I believe if I were you I would quit teaching school and take shorthand some where; you will find it much nicer work and your patience will not be tried half so much. The Gem City Business College never closes. The attendance of course is not nearly so large as in the fall and winter but I think the attendance, now, must be at least 300. This school does not guarantee positions, but on the other hand they are always placing their graduates in positions.

"If you are writing to them you might make some kind of a proposition to them, as to guaranteeing you a position, but if you have not written to them yet, let me know and I can perhaps give you a bit of advice. I think myself, it is a bad policy for any school to guarantee positions, for you know what kind of kids some times drift in a business college, some are good for nothing.

"I don't expect to finish before Sep. 1st. Spelling is really the main thing in shorthand, and I am sure your knowledge of grammar would help you out grandly.

"You talk about those ikey looking boys down there; well you can nearly see anything you want to here. I must tell you what I saw least night. I was down in the park, and there was sort of a crazy man down there. He was an Irish man and appeared to be a hard working man. Well, he went running around jumping over the seat, then he would stop and jump up in the air and whirl around just like a soldier. It was the funniest thing I had seen in a long time.

"I suppose Alva will have a big time the forth (sic). I wish I could be there, for I expect Nellie will be there, and all of the others. My cousin Nellie and her husband are visiting at our home. I don't know whether they are coming through Quincy to see me or not. That Mrs. Adams who is from Alva and attending school here went to Ohio the other day. She is coming back in Sep. to finish the shorthand course.

"Well I guess I had better close for this time for I am making all sorts of mistakes, writing words twice spotting over letters and every thing else. I am not used to writing with out notes. Write soon. Yours ylgnivol (lovingly backwards), John C. McClure.
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