College Letters from my Father
My Father (Herbert Baer) attended Michigan State College for the 1941-42 school year. He sent
a series of leters home. His mom passed them on to my mom who in turn passed them on to me.
I attended college here at Michigan State University 39 years later
and continue to work at the university so these
letters are an interesting look at MSU's history and my dad as young man.
- 1941-09-23 -- Acrobat File
- Settled into new Mason-Abbot dormitory; figuring out schedule and finding way around campus; electric razor.
- 1941-10-06 -- Acrobat File
- laundry has not yet arrived (guess clothes are washed in Buffalo and mailed to college); rainy weather; article about potless frosh.
- 1941-10-13 -- Acrobat File
- Saturday morning German class; tennis; does not like Military Science; archery; "ultra modern" Jenison Field House; Lansing described in less than flattering terms.
- 1941-10-20 -- Acrobat File
- Vitya Vronsky and Victor Babin play pianos at the "huge" MSC Auditorium; squirrels are acquired; new Fords.
- 1941-10-27 -- Acrobat File
- Squirrels are eaten; saw play "Man Power"; canoeing.
- 1941-11-03 -- Acrobat File
- Sopth-Frosh Brawl, tear gas is used.
- 1941-11-10 -- Acrobat File
- Attended two movies ("Underground" and "That uncertain Feeling") and a dog show; Thanksgiving travel plans.
- 1941-11-13 -- Acrobat File
- Bad grades; travel plans; MSC football game with drunken fan.
- 1941-12-01 -- Acrobat File
- Return from Buffalo, runs out of gas on the Ambassador Bridge; attends the ballet; coffee hour with the professors.
- 1941-12-08 -- Acrobat File
- "Minor Riot" article; went to see the poet Alfred Noyes.
- 1942-01-12 -- Acrobat File
- Cold but no snow; lecture and movie by adventurer John Graig; "Babes on Broadway"; handball and blisters; bloody film in Military class; boxing; send skates.
- 1942-01-19 -- Acrobat File
- Nice weather; handball; becomes precinct Freshman representative; defense meeting; not much interest in air-raids -- being so far inland; dance; judge at a beauty contest.
- 1942-02-09 -- Acrobat File
- Attended movie/lecture on the war in China; Farmers Week.
- 1942-02-15 -- Acrobat File
- Missing skiing.
- 1942-02-16 -- Acrobat File
- Letter to his dad (who seemed to be unemployed at the time); play where the guys dress up as girls.
- 1942-02-17 -- Acrobat File
- Letter to his grandmother -- thanks for the nut bread; midterms.
- 1942-03-02 -- Acrobat File
- Starting taxes.
- 1942-04-11 -- Acrobat File
- Tennis; flat feet.
- 1942-04-12 -- Acrobat File
- "The Male Animal" on tour in Lansing; more work on taxes;
- 1942-04-19 -- Acrobat File
- Letter to his mother; new dormitory letterhead; started working at the Mason-Abbot kitchen; tennis; Y.W. dance with young women working in Lansing; Non-traditional student in Speech class;
- 1942-04-27 -- Acrobat File
- Letter to his sister; Canoeing; ducks; turtles.
- 1942-05-03 -- Acrobat File
- Descriptions how pans are washed; canoeing date rained out; the new Air Corp.
- 1942-05-10 -- Acrobat File
- East coast gas rationing; sugar rationing; looking for summer job in Detroit.
- 1942-05-11 -- Acrobat File
- Frosh Frolic; a "jernt" (no idea what that means -- internet not helpful) called the Clear Head; a "Chicken in the rough" place (what?); shoes are mailed; "Beer Bust"; amusement park.
- 1942-05-19 -- Acrobat File
- Just after 20th birthday; good grades; tea.
- 1942-05-26 -- Acrobat File
- Blind date to Spring Term Party; King's Row show.
- 1942-06-01 -- Acrobat File
- Endurance swim class to prepare for sinking ship; Midwest gas rationing; hot weather.
- 1942-06-15 -- Acrobat File
- Pajama clad students block traffic on East Lansing's main drag; Water Carnival; sighting of MSC's legendary president John Hannah.