Letters home to his parents; paper on religion; and two photographs : Beckwith with friends and Branner Hall

Stanford University

June 2,1923

Dear Father,

I am sorry to see that you believe socialists advocate a revolution in our government rather than evolution.While there are radicals in the socialistic ranks just as there are narrow-minded reactionaries in the anti-socialists I believe that the majority of the socialists realize that their changes will take a least a hundred years to revolutionize the governmnent.

If all the admittedly beneficial laws proposed by the socialists were adopted at once avery great step forward would have been taken.As it is it will probably take 25 to 50 years to pass laws which most people cosider just today.

I have hashed in the Union twice lately and like it very much.What would you think of Web and I hashing at some hotel in Yellowstone or Yosemite next summer? I hear a good many Stanford men do that.

I am sending you my first article to appear in the Joke column of the Dippy.I believe it is better than any thing I have done this year. I have jumped up in rank on the staff recently, being now about two thirds of the way to the top.

Webster,Stanley Weigel,and myself are going to spend tomorrow hiking in the hills back of the campus tomorrow( Sunday ). We are going to set out about 8 oclock and will get back about 6.We hope to have a good time among the big trees.

You need not worry about Sterling's room as he will have no trouble in getting one.I think he will receive a letter some time this summer asking him for his room reservation.I have expressed my desire to room with Web next year and told where I want d to room but have not paid any fee.

What would you tjink of my working on the Star News this summer? Frederick Buck wrote to them and they told him to come in and see them personally when he arrives in Pasadena.

I have not met J,P.Leggit.

Web says his father will not come up after all.You forgot to answer my question as to whether you cared if I came straight thru in an auto.I could do that with Larry if I wanted to but I get a round trip ticket on the train about as cheaply as a one way ticket and I have my truck and baggage to consider.

I was lucky enough to see Harold Lloyd in Safety Last this week and certainly enjoyed it.

Are mother and grandfather going east or not?

I shall be with u in ten days so you will have to anwer this letter muy pronto if I am to hear from you again. I seem to have about sixty dollars on hand so will need n0 more funds.

Your obedient son,

Burnham

Burnham P. Beckwith

656 Lytton Ave. (C430)

Palo Alto, CA 94301

10/15

Stanford University

Oct. 5, 1923

Dear Mother and Father,

Our trip up here was very enjoyable and not the least tiresome. It is Father's fault that we left a few hours before you arrived as I would just as soon have driven through the night. We slept out beside the road anyway and got quite a kick out of it. We were on the road 13 1/2 hours..

I just received mother's letter and check. Sterling brought them up to the room a minute ago and then went over to see if he passed the English "Ex".She also owes me ten dollars which I loaned her before she left,one dollar for interest on my liberty loan, and two dollars a pound for a five pound gain in weight. I weighed 142 pounds this afternoon on the same scales Iused all last year.

I have avery interesting course lined up for the coming quarter. I have a three unit course in American History from 1607-1780,another three unit course in third year Spanish composition,a third three unit course in General Psychology,a five until course in Logic, and a two unit laboratory course in Psychic Research. Stanley Weigel and I are going to conduct an extensive experiment in or on Mental Telepathy as the first thing in the last mentioned course.

I have reserved four seats for the "Topsy and Eva" tomorrow night and expect to have a great time. It is playing at the Alcazar in Frisco and is said to be exceptionally good.

We had our one class fight yesterday but I guess Sterling will give you full particulars about it. There will be hardly any hazing here this year so you need not worry about him.

I have had two good tennis matches this week and already have one scheduled for the next two days. Henry Roberts of Harvard Military is my new roommate and he is a very good player.

Otis has set up a bigger wireless set than ever so we should have lots of entertainment this year. The rugs and pennants help our room a lot and when Heinie gets his stuff up it will look pretty good.

Your loving son,

Burnham

P.S. - Please send me one of my photographs as soon as they are ready.

Stanford Un.

Oct. 13, 1923

Dear Mother,

Weedie tells me you have been somewhat disturbed by my forgetfulness so I am writing you a long letter on my very best stationary. He gave me a letter from you yesterday but you had used such a hard pencil that I can't read much of it. I was certainly sorry to hear that something had happened to your thumb.

I have some more good (financially bad) news for you. I weighed 144 pounds

yesterday.

Yesterday Webster & I both bought season tickets to a series of concerts to be given in our own assembly hall. As you will see from the enclosed announcement Zimbalist is to appear the first evening.

I forgot to say that the reason my letter was so late is that I carried it around with me for over four days before I remembered to mail it. I also wrote to Harriet & Maggie-Wills at the same time.

"Topsy and Eva" proved to be a very good Musical Comedy just the kind that you being a [?] would appreciate. We had the best box in the house.

Horace Camondson, president of our class last quarter & who rooms next door to me, is queening a woman from Mills to the Sophomore Cotillion so I wrote to Marcia Bailey last night & asked her to go with me. If she can we will go up for them together.

I had quite a visit with Dorothy Cook one day this week on the [?] & threatened to take her to a dance soon.

The Tryouts for the big

debates with California & U.S.C. are to be held next Friday & I intend to try out. Some year I will make it & get a trip to U.S.C. possibly.

I attended the first meeting of [Eushronics?] in my secretarial capacity last Wednesday & have been writing minutes ever since.

Kindly forgive me for my negligence in posting that last letter.

Your loving son,

Burnham