Mom was a Deltiolgist. I don’t think she knew it and I didn’t realize it until she gave me the brown tweed suitcase that housed her treasures. It contained a large collection of postcards from the late 30’s through the mid 40’s. Most were written during the “war years”. After she married my dad in 1945 the postcards slowed. The last one was sent in 1948. The first is dated 1936.
The cards came from all over the United States: Illinois, Virginia, Kentucky, Florida, California, and South Carolina. There are a couple from Canada. Some were sent from locations throughout Michigan, and a few made their way across town in Detroit. Most were written to my mom, but she also saved cards sent to her parents and her brother, Harry, and sisters, Ruth, Eugenia and Mildred. Many were addressed to the home site, 1260 Phillip, Detroit.
Postage was one cent throughout the twelve years unless you were in the military. Guys and gals serving in the armed forces sent their cards for free. Mom received such cards from several different guys, but no gals.
One of my favorites was sent to Mom from Aunt Jean shortly after I was born. It arrived from Florida when Mom, Dad, and I lived in the second story of Grandma and Grandpa Barner’s house on Phillip.
If you never learned how to read cursive, it reads as follows:
7-8-47
Dear Kids –
Wish all of you could be with us. It sure is everything you’ve read about in books. It’s raining today, but it’s a nice rain (ha! ha!) Hoping to get some nice pictures to show you. Take care of Robbie.
Love Don and Jean
I think ha! ha! means the same today as it did in 1947. Aunt Jean was twenty-two and Uncle Don was twenty-four. Rainy days in any state provide an opportunity for young lovers in their twenties. Not everyone writes about it, but Aunt Jean did.
TBC