April 12, 1943

[A letter typed in all caps, probably because the typewriter had no lower case letters.]

Monday Evening

April 12

Dear Mother, 

I imagine that you are feeling neglected, since Peep and I did not get the letters we had meant to write together written. It always seems as if the time on Sunday afternoon goes so quickly as train time approaches.

There is not much excitement to write about. Since the last class graduated we are now the advanced midshipmen and we are beginning to count the days until May 4 in anticipation of the day when we finally learn what will become of us. Some of the girls with whom we started received their comissions [sic] on Tuesday - about 150 were sent to Radcliffe - in which case they go as ensigns for a three month training period which we hear is very difficult. The captain spoke at the ceremony very cleverly - an imitation of orders being given to a group of ships being sent out. He is a large man, retired from the regular navy. When we all rise when he comes on the platform he says "Carry on" and gives us a fatherly smile.

Dorothy and I did go to a USO show which came last week, since we did not have quite so much to prepare for our exams as usual. It was mostly vaudeville - harmonica players, dancers, and slapstick comedians. I think we would have liked a little more variety but I suppose that that type of show is more successful on the camp circuit.

On Friday I was a mate on the second deck - and I thought that I would have an opportunity to write letters to everyone that had been neglected. I wrote exactly one letter - to Betty - and then found myself so busy that I gave up the idea of writing any more. The new midshipmen had been moved in on that floor and they had many questions to ask, and several lists of information to be made out. I was glad when the day was over, but thankful that I had escaped a test and the possibility of being on duty on Saturday so that I could not get away for the weekend.

I think, too, that I forgot to tell you that Jean and I had our rooms changed again to make room for the incoming midshipmen. We are now on the fifth floor in a very small room which we share with the smallest girl in the platoon. We were not too sorry to move, however, since we we had grown rather tired of one of our roomates [sic] who had become rather demanding. We think we can stand our small room, which does have very pretty flowered wallpaper, until May. Dorothy is not far off and drops in for cheese and crackers, so we do not feel isolated from our old friends.

Photos from Caroline's WAVES album show Peep with her heart-shaped hat and new "playshoes" with rope soles.

Peep met me at the station on Saturday and I hardly knew her. Billy had cut her hair and it is quite short. As soon as she manages it a little better it promises to be very becoming. We poked about Boston for a time, going to the small museum of modern art on Beacon Street. We could not resist going into a Schwarz toy shop and saw the ideal present for Sammy - a small Indian tomahawk. We also saw a WAVE doll, complete with the stripes for a lieutenant (J.G.) competing with a WAAC officer.

We hurried about the apartment after we got back since we were all late getting there and Billy was having some friends in later. After the dishes were done Peep, Ellen, and I toured the square in a shopping expedition. It is queer to shop at night for the stores are dark from the outside and only a small sign saying "Open" shows that you can enter.

Peep bought a pair of inexpensive unrationed playshoes, green with rope soles. They match the heartshaped hat she made for herself and look very nice with my beige dress. We found a surprised looking little glass rabbit for Mary Cranker's birthday, and a bag of queer looking "pebble" candy for Dorothy as a gentle hint that she should get out of Northampton some weekend. I tried to persuade her to come to Cambridge with me as I would like to have her meet Peep and see the apartment, but she thought that she was catching a cold and stayed behind.

On Sunday morning, I put on my Sabbath finery which now means rayon stockings, a white blouse and scarf, and we set out for church. (Ellen got up early and made muffins so we enjoyed a liesurely [sic] breakfast before leaving.) We went to Christ Church in Cambridge, seeing many men in uniform and some WAVES on our way. Christ Church is a gray wooden building with square pews, plain windows, and the wooden pillars and panelling painted gray and white. To our dismay, we were ushered to the front pew beneath the pulpit - which had a little plaque reading "General and Mrs. Washington are said to have sat in this pew when they attended church at Christ Church." Since the service was Episcopalian we felt even more conspicuous. We did enjoy seeing the choir boys come in in their stiff colors and white robes - there were two little Negro boys, too. 

It is almost seven-thirty now and that means that I must stop typing and start to study. I am afraid that I was lazy last week and I shall have to make up for it this week.

The package for Marian was just for a spring surprise, and I hope that she enjoyed it. The flower print came from the antique shop here in the hotel and is a reproduction of an old one. The other things were the product of a Saturday night's shopping tour of Northampton 0 very much like Bowling Green [Ohio] since there are no large stores. 

[Here Caroline continues in pencil. There is a sketch of a hand with a pointing finger and the words:] Mind you don't get too tired these spring days.

Love,
Caroline

On rereading this I see I have said everything backwards with many repetitions.

--

Note:

In 1943, the word "Negro" was considered a respectful way to refer to African-American people; there was little racial integration at that time, so Caroline found it noteworthy that there were African-American children in a predominantly European-American congregation.

Found via Google images

1934 photo 

Photo by Daderot 2007