Letter: Gladys

Middleville, NY
March 21, 1918

My dear Calla,
I have been going to write you all winter but here it is the first day of spring and no letter written yet. It is not because I have not thought of you, tho, that I have done, as I have, because I do often wonder how things are going with you.

In the Record we read of your brother-in-laws death. How sad it was and to leave such a nice family too. It seems that you people do have your share of grief. Please accept our sincerest sympathy.

I have thought all winter that I would write you and Adelia to spend your Easter vacation in M'ville, but as conditions are now I believe I could give you a more enjoyable time during the summer vacation.

Five weeks ago our Grammar Dep't teacher resigned for a better position in Cape May, so of course they came for me to teach for I have been substitute ever since I gave up my school. They asked me to take the work for the remainder of the year but I refused to do that tho promising to teach until they found a regular teacher. Tomorrow night I shall have completed my fifth week and no teacher is in sight yet. I didn't expect to teach more than a week or two. Teachers are very scarce they say, tho I don't believe they are looking "very hard." But I wouldn't mind teaching until the warm weather commences and that is when they are to have spring vacation. You probably will have yours about Easter time. So you see how it is about my entertaining you then, but I do want you to be sure to come this summer.



We are all quite well, tho we have all had attacks of an epidemic that has been going the rounds this Spring. They call it intestinal grippe. Through out the winter though we were all real well, not even having severe colds.

This has been a very hard winter for many people though we have not suffered at all, having had plenty of fuel, food and good health.

Did you know that Elizabeth has a daughter, born two weeks ago today? I have not seen her yet or know what name they have given the babe.

I have not seen Nell since before Christmas though I have been in the store and talked with Alf occasionally. We take a bundle of Sidney Records down to him when we go.

Our train service has been extremely poor this winter the evening train up being very late almost every night. So when we have had errands in Herkimer we have usually gone down in the morning and back at noon. Consequently have not had time to make calls while down there. Fred and I have been to Utica twice so this has been the extent of our travels this winter.

We may go to Utica Saturday if the weather is still pleasant. Our neighbor next door, a widow, has a new Studebacher which none of the family can drive yet. She wants Fred to drive it to the city for her, so of course I am invited to go as a passenger. She has a son sixteen years old who will soon drive for her and she expects to learn to manage it herself. Last year they had a Ford. She has five children the oldest seventeen years old, but she has plenty of money, so they have everything going. The widow is only about thirty six or seven herself.

Have you been doing Red Cross work? Probably not much, for now that I am back in the school room I see how little time teachers have for anything else. Of course of have quite a bit of house work to do for mamma is not strong enough to do much more than get dinner and wash the dishes. We wash with the motor Monday evenings which is very easy, Fred doing the main part, then we hire the ironing done so we get along very nicely with the rest. But it is too hard on me when the weather becomes warm to try to do both, so that is one reason why I don't care to stay in school then.

Do you remember my cousin Sara Davis, who used to visit us in Sidney? She teaches in Pennsylvania in a small village and her school is out in April. I have written asking her to finish for me in case they do not have someone by that time.

We expect her to visit us any way so thought it would be a good chance for her to visit and earn a little besides for girls never have enough money. They are paying $60 now but I'm afraid they will have to pay more another year. I only have twenty in my room so the work is very easy.

Ethel Whiting has a splendid position in Mt. Vernon. This is her second year there. Her brother Wilbur is at Camp Devens and is already a commissioned officer.

How is crocheting coming these days? I learned to knit in the Fall and have not crocheted since. I knitted seven sweaters and two helmets and am making myself a sleeveless sweater now.

Fred attended the auto show in Utica when we were over two weeks ago.

He had quite a talk with Mr. Griffin who represented the Hatfield Car and they are trying to get him to take the agency for the car in this territory. He had a letter from Mr. Hatfield last week requesting me to come to Sidney to go thru the factory. So you may see us down there before summer tho I hardly believe he will take the agency. He doesn't have time to devote to much extra work but he thinks he would like one of the cars himself.

It is now time I get ready for school so will have to close hoping to hear from you soon. Remember us all to your father and mother.

With love,
Gladys

P.S. Tell us all the Sidney "gossip" when you write. Ha! Ha!

Notes: I am not sure if Gladys is a friend or relative, there is no last name on the letter and the envelope was not inside the diary. She sounds like a former Sidney teacher. I do not see a Gladys with a brother or husband named Fred in Middleville in the census. If she was teaching however she was most likely still single, as I've been told that married women were not allowed to reach in this era. So Fred is most likely her brother.

Intestinal grippe: A possibly viral epidemic disease which is occurs during winter and involves a range of gastrointestinal symptoms