To Mrs. G.R. Turner, From Arnie, Fred (?). 1941
Dear Grandma T.
We are having a fine trip. Visited Purdue yesterday and Indiana University. Saw Dick for a few minutes. These gardens are very beautiful. This is just 1 part.
With love,
Arnie, Fred(?)
I didn’t mean to choose two postcards in a row that corresponded with the escalation of World War II, but here we are. By September of 1941, the United States was months away from entering the war. We were embroiled in the Battle of the Atlantic, and FDR had essentially declared a naval war against Germany and Italy.
With war building, I often wonder if the world felt off kilter, and time together was shadowed with the prospect of destruction. Or, did everyday life continue with the hopes that Americans would remain unscathed? I’m sure it must have been a little of both, but with war coming, Arnie and Fred*, and their family, maintained a sense of normalcy by visiting colleges.
I find many things about this postcard appealing. The curving letters and even script, the thicker parts of letters where the ink bled a little longer. However, what’s precious about this postcard is the deep bond between grandma and grandchildren. Not only did Grandma T’s grandchildren think to drop her a line, they likely took time picking out a postcard to send her. It meant enough to Grandma T that it’s managed to survive the last 83 years. This is one reason postcards feel so amazing to me. They are often relics of love.
As an aside, Purdue and Indiana University are not close to the Missouri Botanical Gardens, nor are they very close to each other. The family must have been on a road trip through the midwest, perhaps with the intention of visiting various colleges and landmarks along the way. It makes me wonder if the grandchildren sent Grandma T more postcards, and if any of those survived.
*very unclear on the names. Checked with four different people and each person had a different response to the names. Feel free to chime in.
Front of Postcard: Missouri Botanical Gardens
Hipstory 