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WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION OF FLORIDA

EXCHANGE BUILDING
JACKSONVILLE

1220 Duval Street
Key West. Florida
April 6, 1939

Dr. Carita Dogget Corse
State Director
Federal Writers' Project
Jacksonville, Florida

Dear Dr. Corse:

Material for the enclosed life history, "Mister Homer," was
collected off-time before I left Jacksonville; I thought it
best to complete this before compiling my Cuban and Conch
notes.

In Mr. Couch's memorandum of types of histories needed, he
particularly requested insurance collectors, furniture col-
lectors; "Mister Homer" is both.

The technique employed in writing the story is decidedly
different from that so far used in Florida life histories,
and in the samples we have seen. However, I adopted the
technique after a consideration of the following from the
life history instruction manual:

"It is not desired that each life history follow this out-
line in a rigid manner. The stories will not be usable if
they are constructed on a rigid patter. The writer may limit
himself to a part of the outline in any particular story.
Writers should not limit themselves to the types of stories
shown in the samples. It is hoped that original modes of
presenting the material will be developed. A story may be
written about any one of the items in this outline."

In submitting "Mister Homer" to Mr. Couch for criticism, it
might be advisable to forward the above explanation, and to
point out that the technique is intentionally experimental.

Sincerely,

Stetson Kennedy

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