From the Ellard-Murphree-Pilgreen-Smith Family Papers Collection. Letter from Jack Foster Ellard to Pauline Smith; February 23, 1942. Foss tells Pauline about his military life, updating her on his work and sharing that he has been recommended to be a Commander, as well as a deacon at his church. He has a new renter at his house who he is trying to set up with Christine, and expresses his worry about John Allen Jr., who is still a prisoner of war.https://athenacommons.muw.edu/smithpapers/1183/thumbnail.jp

Ellard, Jack Foster

English

Athena Commons - Digital Repository of Mississippi University for Women

Mississippi University for Women ATHENA COMMONS Ellard-Murphree-Pilgreen-Smith Family Papers Collection Beulah Culbertson Archives and Special Collections 2-23-1942 Letter from Jack Foster Ellard to Pauline Smith; February 23, 1942 Jack Foster Ellard Follow this and additional works at: https://athenacommons.muw.edu/smithpapers Recommended Citation Ellard, Jack Foster, "Letter from Jack Foster Ellard to Pauline Smith; February 23, 1942" (1942). Ellard-Murphree-Pilgreen-Smith Family Papers Collection. 184. https://athenacommons.muw.edu/smithpapers/184 This Letter is brought to you for free and open access by the Beulah Culbertson Archives and Special Collections at ATHENA COMMONS. It has been accepted for inclusion in Ellard-Murphree-Pilgreen-Smith Family Papers Collection by an authorized administrator of ATHENA COMMONS. For more information, please contact acpowers@muw.edu. U .  S .  D E P A R T M E N T  O F  A G R I C U L T U R E  'rnffirSfV' 1413 Third Ave Lsturel, kiss O F F I C I A L  B U S I N E S S  A A t & & / x X N \ Mrs Pauline Ells.rd Smith P. 0. Box 3 Pittsboro* Miss, J T ̂  '/r s } r o 6 ? UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE Sunday Afternoon Bear ^aulinej Wrote you a few days ago when your letter came and never did get it mailed so will try again* It is such a pretty day today, and I am on duty at the camp this week end> just have to sit here • 1 hope that Sam is going to he benefitted by his triip to Brookhaven and I am not going to discourage you, but so often these guys are about like Horace Nix that we hear of* I wish if he does not feel benefitted there he would try Paul and Hugh Gamble in Greenville* think they are the best we have down this way* Dont let Sam go back to work until he id better, if it takes six months and they want to fire him. What he has to eat on the road is is much wrong with him as anything else or perhaps more, and if ho never works any more be kill be alright anyway, Know you did hate to lose Mrs Hardin from your school, and you won't ever be able to replace her* How is prof Vobbs getting along ? Hope he has not been behing the Doby Walls lately* We thought ten days ago that perhaps we would be living in Meredian by this time, as orders came down the line for our Supt to go there and take over at the camp to be at the Air Basej he went and in a day or two the Memdenhall company got notice to pack up and move to Meredian, and we thought we are the Brookhaven company would move that week also, but another order was issued for our Supt to come back here and that for the Vicksburg Company to go to Meredian Air base and Also the McConib Company to go to Meredian. Vicksburg and McCoaib Companies are both Veteran camps. According to the grape Vine we will be transferred to the Jackaon Air Base alng with the Brooldiaven company, but "I don't know how it will be". I preferred to go to Meredian for the reason that the cost of living wfculd be less there, or to Vicksburg*n The Supt from Meredian was down yesterday and told me that he needed a lerk mighty badj but that he had a man that he thought would be alright when he learned; his name was Shannon* I presume it is Dock, I told him I knew him and thought he would to, when he had had an oppor tunity to learn some* I could not help but think tho, what Ralph Sheffield said the Veterans Bureau was told about Bock when he was taking a course in watch making, but mabe he w 11 do better this time and the work vi 11 not be as had on his Melt as Vick would say, and he will draw more money too* ^t certainly wis dirty the way the Board treated Dock's wife, but I am gald that Etyole has been wised up to the Suprs tricks. The War Dept offered me a job again at Columbut for three weeks and then to be transferred to Ozark Alabama but I decided to stay on here for a while at least. They are making some changes in the Company commanders at some of the Companys, and I have been recommended by the Company commander of this company for one of the places. Those jobs pay twenty six hundred to start with and really was what I wanted when I applied UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE for this job, but at that time one had to be a reserve officer to be eligible for appointement. I also have application pending with the Adjutant Generals office at Washington for a commissdon in the army, dont even " Know how that will be" but, "Yet and Still" I am convinced that they are overlooking a chance to have the services of an awful good officer, just because they have not offered to take me in. The kids are doing fine work in school here. Teeny and Alfred each advanced a grade the beginning of this quarter, and Baby Sister always makes the honor roll, I have been asked to serve as a deacon in the Church and all o f  that, but again I say "Yet and still" I want to make some contribution to the Big fight, and if I cant get in any other way I am going to try to go in as a Chaplain. You know with a negro preacher the best asset is a large personal body. I at least,have that quaIfiication. I have a roomer. Pays fifteen a month, is a nice young fellow from Texas, and is crazy for a girl. We are going to call Chris up this week and tell her to come over, that is if he is going to be in town over the week end. Dont tell Chris but he is about a half preacher, or at least he pretends to me that he is. it may be that he is doing that for the reason that he sees that I am pretty devout, but the girls dont like a guy that is too religious and I have told him that Chris was coming real soon. I think he is looking forward to seeing her. He dated a girl last night down at the District S C S office, but she is real old and one of those kind that goes out into the bull Hushes every Sunday and teaches BTU and so on to the under priveldeged, and I dont think he was so favorably impressed. We would have had Chris this week but Deloris was in bed sick with flu all last week, and too I was going to be on duty here. Sorry Murff fell off the wagon. Guess: he thought they were going to get hehind ti th the consumption of it and for that reason he had better try to put scane of it out of the channels of trade. I had a very pleasant visit from Cush a few days ago. Sams boss( Old Baily) drove him up to the house late one afternnnn and he spent the night with me. Tell Sam if his force does not buy old Baily some clothes he is going to be taken up as a vagrant. ne is positively disreputable looking, with his elbows sticking thru his coat sleeves. It is really pitiful as sonny Goar would say. I am sure hoping that they get the boys in the army that you mentioned, as important as each of them are, £ feel that they can surely boost the morale of the army if nothing more. I called alien up this morning. He does not appear to be getting al ong so well and I wi. 11 be glad when the law Makers leave. I know he is nervious and upset all the time and with the worry about Alien Jr I guess it is most too much for him. It is not going to be long now before McArthus forces are taken prisoners are all killed. I dont know whaich would be preferable* The war looks so discouraging and we are in it for %. long time to come. Of course we will finally win, but oh what a price we are going to have to pay. I am sometimes afraid to loo k at the casualty list for fear I will see John Aliens name among them. UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE SOIL CONSERVATION SERVICE Charleyne has not been hame for some time, but we kinda look for her this next week, Deloris wants her and Chris to come the same time. She got a ten dollar raise last month and that hope her. Tell Murff to let me hear from him. I dont know what is the matter with him that 1 cant get a line off him once in a while. Did his girl ever get hack on 1 Be sure to it me know for one of those Feckerwoods promised me faithfully that kh he would and I want to write and cuss him out if he has not. Tfhat about coming down when Sam is feeling a little better and we will go to Mobile to see the Aze-lias • Write us *g?in real soon. Lov© to all of you. Foss 

Letter from Jack Foster Ellard to Pauline Smith; February 23, 1942

https://athenacommons.muw.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1183&context=smithpapers

Letter from Jack Foster Ellard to Pauline Smith; February 23, 1942

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

Athena Commons - Digital Repository of Mississippi University for Women