Receipts, notes, and letter from B. A. Clark

[image: black and white seal, image of a bridge, CITY OF SPOKANE WASHINGTON]

[preprinted] BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS CITY OF SPOKANE [/preprinted]

Dec. 3, 1929.

My dear Tex:

Thanks for the pictures and short letter. Way back in 1898 I knew the Stanford Campus personal. That was before the outer Quad was built. Considerable different from now.

I was soldiering with the 51st Iowa at that time in San Francisco Presidio. I spent the month of October in Santa Clara. Some of the young people of the folks I was staying with were going to Stanford and I use to go up there with them often. One of the things this Fall's football brought vividly to my mind those "98" days was Stamford's game with Santa Clara. In 1898 the Stamford freshmen tromped all over Santa Clara, with myself as a spectator.

That Fall the 51st Iowa had a fottball team of Iowa College and High School men and played Stanford and California (We called California, Berkeley, in those days) and we had the fortune to defeat each team six to nothing. Of course all the good Stamford and California football men were in the army, the same as the Iowa men; that, is how we happened to win.

Another thing about Stanford. Pop Warner coached an Iowa State College team that I played with during the season of 1897. Iowa State was a very poor college financially in those days. They did not even furnish football togs. They were an agriculture college and the Fall Term was from July 16 to Nov. something. Pop Warner came to Ames from about Aug. 1st and stayed a month or so then went to Cornell U. in New York. That is how we could have a coach like "Pop". I did not even turn out for football while Pop was there. After he had departed I got the "bug" and went out and made the team. So while I played on a team Pop coached, I did not play under his personal coaching. I remember the old man very well though. The football team dressed in a room where I use to dress for track work and I use to get there early and so did Pop and this way I got to talk with him quite a little, for a non-football-player. He was very friendly in those days and would visit very readily with a freshman.

Well good luck and hoping you make the tennis team and come back and wipe-up on Oswald.

Sincerely yours, Benji A. Clark.

[modern? notation] (January 15, 1930)[TA? LA?] [/modern? notation]

Wednesday - 10 P. M.

Dearest folks,

Well, at last I've gotten around to it. Boy I've sure been busy! But by next Monday I think I'll be caught up. I feel like I've been walking around in a dream; I've been so rushed. Got your letter yesterday, Jane. Am not at all interested in the clipping you sent. (Ha - Ha). Do I look foolish?

Sorry to hear it's so cold up there. It's surely wonderful here. Rained quite a bit last week, but it's sun-shiny now. Lots of green grass and flowers and tennis.

Took workout in Gym with Shaw this afternoon. He's teaching Economics now you know. I was up to see Robert Hume this afternoon but he wasn't in. I talked to his roommate though, and he said that Robert's folks had written for him to look me up.

(Time out.)

I knew it - just as sure as shootin'. [Haneke] and bunch of guys came over and here I am continuing my letter & its 10:30 - Thursday morning.

Glad to hear that you wrote for [locker?] job, Jane. Really, you'd enjoy it. I expect to hear from B. A. C. myself in a month or so.

Glad all you folks are well. I most certainly am feeling great. I weighed 140 stripped yesterday. That's the best yet. Sorry that Grandpa & Jack don't get

along very well. I suppose Jack is sort of nervous - not knowing what to do.

Thank you a lot for the Chronicle, Jane. I sure enjoyed it and I enjoy your letters very much, too.

(Time out for Analyt. Geom. class.)

Well it's now 5:30, Thursday P. M. I got two letters again today - Jane's & Mothers. I sure do like to get mail - especially from home. Jane's letter had the rest of the clipping in it. You'll notice that at the first of this letter, I said the clipping didn't interest me. Well, when I first got it, I was somewhat surprised, but you could hardly say that I believed it. In the first place I've known Betty too long, in the second place the clipping had ads on the back of it and the front page or the top of the society page have no ads on the back, and I also knew that Betty hardly knew Chuck Mason or the bridesmaid. But nevertheless it was sure a good joke - the fellows were all razzing me about my "girl" getting married. I told you that it didn't interest me just so that I could imagine the look on your face when you read it; just like you probably imagined the look on my face when I got the clipping. Thank you a lot for the other clippings also, Jane. Robb was glad to hear that M. Green won, of course.

3.

Glad Dad likes his samples. Hope he does well with them. He at least won't have to get up so early.

Yes Jane, I discovered my mistake about calling my shoe-shines a hanky. What a faux pas! Say, by the way - are you working for the Paris Garter people or what? The U. S. army couldn't get me into a pair of garters. They may be fashionable, but Stanford men are not slaves to fashion, and furthermore we are opposed to short skirts for women. Anyway the garters make a keen sling-shot to use out of our window on poor, innocent passers-by. Now ---------- since we have that matter settled.

For goodness sakes - so Miss Wynne is now a red-head. Maybe she's considering matrimony. Have you broken down and confessed to her that I'm your brother yet. If so give her my regards, etc., and if not give her my regards, anyway.

Kennedy has gone to S. F. with the Glee Club tonite. They're singing at the Bohemian Club. (Time out for supper)

Well I hashed tonite. I didn't hash much last week or the week before, but I've got about $5 earned this month, anyway. I had $10 in checks waiting for me when I came back after Xmas vacation. Hashing & serving punch on nite last quarter. I'm almost certain to get a job by next quarter - hashing at Encina. And I've

got some more good news. I just found that I can get what is called deferred tuition. I must pay my tuition the first quarter of each year, but the second & third quarters I can defer it for 7 years with no interest to pay. I guess that's what I'll do all right. Then I won't have to quit school at all. I'll be earning $255 a year, [hoshing?]; and saving $170 a year (for the present) by this defined tuition. And in the summer time I'll be earning $500 (without swimming pool job.) And figuring it costs me $1000 a year here - that only leaves $75 unaccounted for. Of course I'll have some expenses in the summer time but not many. I've seen enough of Stanford to know that I'm going [thru?] here - if it takes 6 years or forever. Enough of finances.

Poor Robb. He's been having a lot of tough luck with his knee. First it went dry on him (lost his water on the knees) then he had a blood-clot cut out from it and now they operated on it today for ulcers. They wanted him to go to the hospital, but he insists he won't and I have an awful time keeping him in bed. He wants to walk around, and it is bad for his knee.

Say, guess what? You know I told