Rockwell Keeney Jr 1934 Handwritten Letters

RI Phillips Academy Andover, Mass Sun, Dec. 4, 1932

Dear Dad & Mother:

I think I forgot to mention in my last letter that I was moved back to the choir so I guess it will be quite a surprise for you to learn that I went to Rogers Hall, a girls' school in Lowell, last night with the combined musical clubs. There were about 55 of us who went and I had a great time. We had to wear evening clothes if possible so I borrowed some and donned a tux for the first time. Everything fit me perfectly. There were four of us on in our entry who went and between us, we finally got all our clothes on. I felt as if I had worn one all my life after I had had it on for a short while. We left here about 4:15, got over there at 4:45, and gave one short concert at 5:00. Afterwards

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we met our girls and releived [relieved] the suspense of wondering who we were going to have to spend the evening with. As Luck was with me for once and I got a peach of a girl. We ate dinner, which incidentally wasn't so hot, with the girls and then had dancing from 8 until 11 o'clock. There was a good bunch there and I had some very nice dances. We left at 11:15, stopped to have little something to eat, and got in at 12:00. We stayed up until almost one o'clock talking about, criticizing, or praising the girls that we met. I didn't get up for breakfast and this morning and cut chapel, although I did get up a little while before chapel began.

Last Tuesday the funeral of Cecil Bancroft, the registrar, was held and, as there were no classes in the after noon,

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almost everybody went skating. It warmed up a bit Wed, and, although the skating wasn't anything extra, I borrowed some skates and skated a while. Those were the only two days of skating that we have had.

We have been having inter-dorm touch football games instead of regular athletics since the P.I. tests ended. We've got too small a team to do much offensively but we have got a pretty good defense. In view of the size and ability of the other teams, I think we have done well in losing two games by one point in overtime periods, and tyin tying one.

I haven't much more to say. My exams end at six o'clock on Wed, the 15 14th, and I think I'll be able to get a ride

home all right on Thursday. The socks you sent are darn good and fit me O.K. I didn't get my laundry until Friday this week so I guess it will be better to send it as you did before. I'll be seeing you on the 15th.

Rocky [underlined]

P.S. - Norm's folks came up to-day and took us out to dinner at the log cabin. Had a good dinner. Walked back through the bird sanctuary for the first time. They sure have a mess of birds there.

Phillips Academy Andover, Mass. Sun, Dec. 11, 1932

Dear Dad & Mother:

Well, I guess winter's here at last. It started snowing last night and it snowed most of today. We got almost two inches of fine, dry snow. It makes everything seem a wole lot different.

We had our last classes for this year, yesterday. Only four eighty minute exams and I'll be through. I don't have any tomorrow so I'll be able to get in a little necesary studying. I hit my last history exam for a 92, and my last English exam, on Hamlet , for a 9 77; not so bad. I get out at six o'clock Wed. I'm not yet sure whether or not I'll be able to get home that night. If I don't, don't worry, you'll see me

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soon enough Thursday. Don't send my laundry box back.

Last night, instead of the movies, the Harvard instrumental clubs, composed of the banjo club, mandolin club, jazz orchestra, and a vocal club, came up and gave put on an entertainment. I guess the remarks of the fellows who saw them last year raised my expectations too much. They were good but not as good as I expected. After the movies entertainment, we had cider and doughnuts at the Heely's.

Now that the snow has come, I guess the board walk fight will start. There in a fairly long board walk that was put in front of our dorm last week, and I understand there are periodic attacks by the other dorms to get the