Letters from Marilyn - Update 10

Happy holidays, reader friends! I apologize for my lack of entries these past few weeks - my last Marilyn post was November 6, can you believe it? 

While I'm certain you don't want to hear any excuses about the last month and a half, it has been a very busy time for me. Between teaching, directing musical rehearsals, life, and other activities, I haven't had a lot of spare moments to write. But you can expect two or three posts within the next week, because this teacher is now officially on holiday break. I love my students dearly and my musical kids have been great, but I am so glad to have some time to recharge these next few days. So without further ado, let's recap where we're at with Marilyn's story.

Even though I haven't been posting regularly here on Certainly Candid, I have been reading M's letters as my time allows. I am currently reading her junior year letters at Augsburg, which span September 1952 into May 1953. Today's excerpts are from September and October. I can really relate to M in these passages, because she writes about how busy she's been with life. In addition to reading her letters, I've been continuing to research the people and places she mentions.

The first draft of this novel is slowly but surely taking a form. I've tried several ways of writing her story and haven't decided on an official style yet, but my goal is that by June of 2017 I have several chapters written. I'd like to line up a literary agent by this time and start getting the concept into the hands of publishers if I really want to see this in print someday. Plus, June brings us round-robin to the beginning of this journey. But enough about that - I know many of you have written and inquired when I'm going to do another Marilyn update, so here are your entries for today.

September 18, 1952 regarding being back at school: You know, I've been a little lonesome already. One thing I really miss is the piano. We asked about renting one today and they're going to come and see if we can get one up the stairway. It will cost $4 a month. [I would really struggle not having a piano as well - I actually inherited my grandmother Jennie's (Marilyn's mother) piano. It is a beautiful Baldwin console upright that looks great in my living room.]

September 23, 1952: I like all my classes real well so far. Schools seems so different this year. Much more fun! I feel like an upperclassman now too. Oh, it's really quite the life! [also in this letter:] Carol, Betty, Joan, and I decided it would be fun to go for a walk early last nite. We were having so much fun when all of a sudden it started to pour down. We were down at the river where there was absolutely no shelter. We were pretty soaked!

September 26, 1952: For our educational psychology class we have to go to one of the settlement houses and teach a group of kids for about hour hours a week. Hilde and I are going to go together. I hope to get a class of 8-9 year-olds and preferably a music class. I really think it will be fun and of course, good experience! 

September 29, 1952: There's the most beautiful music on the radio this evening. The apartment is so cozy, I just love it. It really seems like a home.

October 8, 1952: Dear folks - I'm waiting for my coffee to peak so guess I'll scribble a few lines. Each day I have these two hours free before choir so I usually make myself a cup of coffee. Drop in some day and I might do the same for you! [M and I have so much in common - music, piano, teaching, and obviously most importantly, coffee!]

[From the same letter as previous:] "Us kids" have been listening to the World Series quite intently. Sure hope the Dodgers win - or maybe you don't even know they're playing. [I had to look this up - the New York Yankees defeated the Brooklyn Dodgers 4-3 in 1952. It is interesting to think about listening to baseball games on the radio.]

October 23, 1952: B [name omitted for blog] is here tonight. She's down to Minneapolis for a teacher's convention. She's as nice as D and so much fun. She can tell such interesting stories about teaching! [I think all my educator friends can agree we have such unique stories!] 

And that brings September/October of 1952 to a close. I hope you all have a wonderful holiday break, regardless of what holiday you celebrate. A very merry Christmas to you, my faithful readers and friends, and I will write again next week. Love always. 

Downcast, But Never In Despair

I woke up at 5:30 this morning, got ready for the day, and was driving to Caribou coffee at 6:15 with the goal to put the finishing touches on my upcoming lessons for the next few days. I knew I'd have limited prep time with my many meetings and agenda items ahead, and I wanted a quiet hour in the morning to complete them during the time I do my best work. The starry skies blinked their still visible constellations as I traveled my early route.

But I drove across town with a heavy heart, my mind linked, and yet at the same time, detached from the lessons I had to finish for my classes.

We just spent four weeks reading The Diary of Anne Frank. Year after year of teaching this nonfiction work of literature, there is always one student who says, "It isn't fair that Anne had to suffer because she was different. That's not kind." I spend weeks teaching tolerance. I spend weeks teaching my students that while it's okay to disagree, it is not okay to be unkind. We spend time researching how one person influenced millions to believe that some people were not fit to work, fit to live, and ultimately, these people were sent to die. 

Letters from Marilyn - Update 9

It's hard for me to believe it is already November and that it has been two weeks since my last post. My apologies, faithful readers. I had a full-blown cold upon returning from Montana (I even stayed home from work one day, which I rarely do). 

Then to add to this, my theatre season began - and for anyone who has been in showbiz, you know how busy it gets. But while this may explain my lack of writing, it certainly doesn't excuse it! I am going to try to do another post mid-week to make up for the weekly entry I missed.

Today's focus is the conclusion of M's sophomore year (April/May 1952). Her letters these two months are less newsy, fixating more on her spring fever and the soon arrival of summer (which meant her opportunity to return home!). I think we can all relate to that, especially those of us who have had the opportunity to live in the country and great outdoors.

Letters from Marilyn - Update 8

Greetings from Billings, Montana! Since I'm technically on vacation, this post will be a short one. While I do have many more photos of M to share with you now (thanks, Grandma E!), I stupidly forgot to scan a few before road-tripping through the States. Enjoy this photo of Washington Ave. in Downtown Minneapolis (circa 1952) instead. Since Marilyn often writes about downtown shopping with her college friends, I thought I'd include a picture reference.

Today's post spans February and March of 1952. I had originally intended to finish her sophomore year letters for this post, but April/May will have to wait until next weekend. I have a busy week next week, so I doubt I'll have enough time to read more than a couple months worth of letters anyway.

Letters from Marilyn - Update 7

Happy Sunday and cheers to a new week ahead, my friends! I cannot guarantee a post next weekend as I will be road-tripping, but until our next update I hope this is a substantial enough entry. The photo in this post is of Marilyn (right) and a friend of hers at Augsburg.

Today's focus is on November/December 1951 and January of 1952. The majority of Marilyn's letters during this time frame focus on news from home and the people living in Ray (or from Ray). While I know of some of these people, I don't know all and as such, will not be including any of that material at this point in time.

In November/December, M writes frequently about her upcoming holiday plans to come home and all the holiday activities happening at Augsburg. She talks about the pretty snowfalls in Minneapolis and the festivities. Move over, Halloween and Thanksgiving. I'm already ready for Christmas, just from reading these months of letters!

Letters from Marilyn - Update 6

Happy October, reader friends! Autumn is most certainly my favorite season of the year and reading the start of Marilyn's sophomore year letters has reminded me of this. The outdoor football games, the colors of the trees, the warm coats, the coffee (obviously!), and so much more. Marilyn often writes about the nice Indian summer they are having in Minneapolis during Sept-Oct. 1951.

I wanted to share some dormitory pictures, but innocently believed I would be able to find some circa 1951 online. Wrong. After some digging, I have come to the assumption that this building no longer exists (more research to come soon). I did however find this photo circa 1888 in the Augsburg online collection. Interestingly, while researching Morton Hall, I also found out that a current dormitory at Augsburg is none other than Mortensen Hall, which was named after Gerda Mortensen (who M has mentioned in her letters).

Since I don't have other college specific photos, I have included another photo of Marilyn today. My grandmother recently sent me this photo of Marilyn (center) with her friends Joan (left) and Marie (right). This was taken her freshman year during initiation week for freshmen when they had to wear their Augsburg beanies for a week!

Letters from Marilyn - Update 5

Good morning loves! It's hard to believe we are already through M's first year of college at Augsburg and that my next update will be the start of her sophomore year. Today's post focuses on March to May of 1951. I'll be honest - these pages are less newsy than her previous months, so I didn't mark a lot to share with you today. I also didn't include a picture of her letters today. Instead, this photo is Augsburg College's Old Main, circa 1950 (God bless the internet, as M didn't have pictures).

Since my last posted update, I have also made significant progress copying and preserving her junior year letters in electronic format. While those entries here on Certainly Candid won't be for another month or two, I am very excited to share some snapshots of that year with you. She has some fun letters from her time on choir tour (they made it out to New York and she has some very cool postcards!). I will definitely have lots of pictures to share with you as we get to 1952-1953. Marilyn even included some programs from tour - I have one from Town Hall, NYC, and will get an electronic scan to show here.