Nov 19, 1942 Dear Mother & Dad--
I'm glad you enjoyed your trip so much. I only wish I could have spent more time with you -- and I really appreciated being with you, just as much as you did being with me.
As you know, I've always been pretty proud of my Mother & Dad, and the past week-end only made me more so. One of the boys paid you quite a compliment. He remarked that you make a very good- looking couple. Of course, I've always thought so too -- but it nice to know it's not just prejudice that makes me think so.
I suppose you arrived home pretty much tired out after your train ride. It's just like you, Mother, to find a traveling companion. It never fails to happen.
I'm so glad you got the crossed- cannon. It will make me proud to know you are wearing them, Mother. Sort of like the knight in days of old -- with the fair lady wearing his colors. I'm glad you gave one to Alice too.
So Dave and Franklin are in California. I wonder what branch of service. They certainly got to see the country anyway. If you get Dave's address, send it to me, please!
We just had a blackout. Why they always choose moonlight nights for them, I don't know. It was like daylight outside. I was over at the school study hall when it came off. If I had been in the barracks, I would have had to march off to a "safe" area.
Center School is proving much harder then expected. The difficulty is in the amount we are expected to learn in such a limited time.
At Penn I took approximately an hour & a half to two hours to prepare for a class hour. Here it takes about an hour for the hardest and less for the easier ones -- but we have twice as many classes to prepare for -- so I'm working harder and longer with less time to do it in than at Penn or Bucknell.
I'm beginning to catch on better and by the end of next week, I shall know fairly well whether I'll be able to make it the 1st time or not. I'm quite sure I shall, for all the tests so far have been favorable. There are many repeaters in my class. If you flunk the 1st time, you start over again.
My recreation time is practically nil. I take time off only to eat & read mail. Tomorrow's schedule is comparitively light and I’ve finished studying at 10.00.
But now I must get this in the mail and get to bed. When you're up at 6:00, in class from 8:00 to 12:00 and 1:00 to 5:00, and then studying til 11:00 every day - you don't feel too peppy by bed time. That bugle in the morning is most annoying.
Love,John