20th Century

[Page 1] Wednesday – Dearest Jesse, It was perfectly sweet of you to write again before you had received my letter. I love for you to do things like that! Did you really go to Hartford? How was everyone? There is a Baptist Student Conference meeting in Ft. Smith in Nov. and Mr. King plans to drive to Ft. Smith for it. You can’t imagine how much I’d like to go along. I know he will take some of the students but I’m going to try to be real nice to him and see if he won’t let me “tag along.” Wouldn’t that be “lovely fun.” [Page 2] At last that long dreaded recital is over and I am happy again. I am sending one of the programs. We had a large audience and they seemed so appreciative that I didn’t mind as badly as I thought I would. “Sissie” and Mike sent some very pretty flowers – I’m sure I can’t imagine why she is getting so kind. I told her to go ahead and ask the favor and not keep me in suspense. A revival meeting was begun at the Methodist Church last Sun. The Baptist meeting starts the last Sun. in this month. See how good I’ll have to be for a while?! [Page 3] Did you read in the Gazette last week about our boys playing football in O.R.? It must have been some game. The boys gave a report of their trip in Chapel yesterday morning and I laughed till my sides were sore. It’s the first game they had ever played but Coach said he took them to O.R. first in order to advertise the school. “Methinks” he did that all right. The boys declared, however, that they were not beaten in spirit. They are to play West Plains next Sat. and they will surely have some chance of winning as West Plains hasn’t had football before either. You know Gladys lives at West Plains and she is going home. [Page 4] Friday. Then Mr. King and Mr. Powell are going to take us other girls (teachers) over for the game Sat. I am so thrilled over the prospects of getting to go somewhere that I can hardly wait. If it keeps on raining like it is right now tho, I’m afraid it will be too muddy to go. Don’t you know it was such a good rainy morning for sleep that Gladys and I didn’t hear a single bell. We were missed at breakfast of course and the girls fixed a lovely breakfast and brought it to our room. Acts like that certainly encourage laziness but I’m going to see that they all get good grades in music this quarter!!! [Page 5] You have recently had what I would call a great honor bestowed upon you but I don’t know whether you will see it in that way or not. Frances Morton has named one of her cats for you! I think Gladys was the cause of it because she seems to enjoy teasing me. Shall I kill the cat?! Please don’t tell me to do so. Hope everything is all right at the mine now and that there will be not a single cloud to mar your happiness this month. Love, “Doodle”

[Additional Pencil Note – verso] “Don’t let the black hound worry you. Gladys did it.”

This letter reflects the lived experience of a young educated woman—likely a student or early-career teacher—within a Southern Protestant community in the 1920s. Several key cultural indicators emerge: Gender roles: The writer navigates a socially acceptable courtship dynamic—playful, affectionate, but restrained within polite boundaries. Education: References to recitals, chapel, grades, and teaching suggest she is part of a female academic or teacher-training environment. Religion: Strong presence of Methodist and Baptist revival culture, central to social life and moral expectations. Mobility & supervision: Travel (to Fort Smith, West Plains) is structured and often chaperoned by male authority figures (Mr. King, Mr. Powell). Social humor: Light teasing (naming a cat after Jesse) reflects intimate familiarity and emotional closeness within acceptable norms.

Historical Note

Time Period: Mid-1920s (post-WWI, pre-Depression America) Setting: Rural/small-town Arkansas and surrounding region Education Trends: Growth of teacher training programs and women’s participation in higher education Religious Culture: Revival meetings and denominational gatherings were major social events in Southern communities Early Football Culture: The mention of inexperienced teams reflects the expansion of organized school athletics during this period Postal Context: 2¢ Washington stamp consistent with standard first-class postage Multi-day delivery between Arkansas towns typical