While Jack was working at
Hamilton Field, Alice took a job at The Paris Cleaners, a half mile from
home.[1]
Comments about her fellow employees reveal attitudes about people whose life
stories were different from hers.
 |
| Mrs. Holt, Mrs. Moore, and Alice |
I
like my job, it really isn’t very hard. I
mark all the cloth[e]s that come in and mend different things. I sew on the
stripes on army shirts, blouces & coats etc. Can I sew on
your first stripe? I’ve never seen so many army cloth[e]s in all my life.[2]
Honey
guess what, I told you I was going to get $16 for four days work, and I did. They said I did my
work very good. Today is their anniversary, so they are giveing a party tonight for
the employes so I’m going over for a hour or so, as they have been swell to me.
There will be Mr. Holt & his wife & Mr. Miller & wife & another old man Mr. Miller, an Ok[i]e & his wife Annabella, Mrs. Moore who is a widow, & the janitor & Mary who has a little girl but has divorsed her
husband.[3]
 |
| Presser, The Paris Cleaners, 1942 |
Last
night I went to that party, but was a bit lost without you honey. They were all
very nice to me, but they are different, there was a lot of liquor and everyone
smoked except one old lady and I. I had two glasses of orange, but no liquor.
They played a few games then I played w[h]ist for awhile. I left at 10:30 before
they had half way started hepping it up and I smelt like a ball of smoke.[4]
 |
| Co-workers: the janitor, the presser, Mr. Miller, Mr. & Mrs. Holt, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Moore |
Alice was hoping to get
pregnant and was seeing an osteopath for treatments and advice.
Tuesday
after work I went to Dr. Weber and she said my blood pressure was very low,
and my stomach and organs were sag[g]ed so now every night I have a crazy
position I have to get into for five minutes. She said I was very high strung
and that I keep to much back. When I get mad she said I should make some jesture to get rid of the poison that comes into your system when you are mad.
She does not have any one in the service and feels she should make some sort of
sacrifice so she is giving all army wives treatments for nothing. Isn’t that
wonderful, we won’t have to pay a cent and when you get home I will be all
ready to have a baby, how a bout that honey.[5]
Alice’s daily activities filled
her letters. During Jack's absence she took on more responsibility for the business of
running their household, always checking with him for approval.
 |
| Alice's cookie jar |
Last
night after I finished your letter I cleaned out the trash burner and cleaned
the cooler good, took out all the old stuff there was in there and then clorexed
[Cloroxed] the sink & sink board (now it sure is white). I also cleaned
that corner out and all that’s there now is the cookie jar—next to the cooler.
Then I moped the floor, took a bath and hopped in bed at 10:10. When I finish
this letter I want to finish in the Kitchen. I’m going to clean the cubberts
& below the sink.[6]
Jack
I was just figureing. I can pay your insurance today & I have enough for the car
insurance, as soon as you cash that
check, and by the 13th of Nov. I will have the rent money
[mortgage] and maybe enough for Dr. Dunlevy.[7] Do we have to pay city tax & county tax? Don’t worry about the money
problem ‘cause I think it will all work out just right. Then we will have $50
(army). next month too.[8]
 |
| The first year's tax bills came in the name of the former owner. Receipts, regardless of who paid, were in Jack's name. |
With rubber in short supply due
to Japanese control of rubber-producing countries, citizens were required to
reduce wear on tires already in use. Excess tires were to be sold or donated to
the government, and tire registration was a key to obtaining gas rations.[9]
 |
| The Press Democrat (Santa Rosa) 14 October 1942, p. 1, col. 6 |
I
called the Railway Express but they don’t have the special government forms yet
so he said to hang on to the tires till he gets them, which will be in a few
days. (I hope.)
[The next day she wrote,] I accompolished something
today. I waited in line for 35 minutes to get rid of the tires. When I was 4th in
line the fellow said count 9 back & the rest go home as they had only 9
forms left. Boy was I lucky. They sure were nasty about people waiting for the
last minute, they asked if I wanted to give them or sell them & I said
sell. Then they say, “do you want a check or defense stamps so I said defense
stamps is that O.K.
After
work I went to get the gas ration things, and got them for both cars. Boy
what a load off my mind. They gave me a sticker to put on the windshield with
an A on it.[10]
I
am going to make a pie I hope you will be home to eat it tomorrow night . . . I
did enjoy having you home last night, it meant a lot to me to have you here.[11]
 |
| Jack and Alice with her parents, Julia and Ben Streeter At the Streeter ranch, El Verano, California |
The day Jack left for school in
Texas, Alice wrote, not knowing when they would see each other again.
My darling, I am wondering where you are this
minute. I miss you so much, and know you miss me too. It will be so lonesome
with out you, I hardly know what I will do.
Darling
I hope you will forgive me. I picked up 4 Soldier boys at the Gate on my way home [from taking
Jack to Hamilton Field]. Three went to Petaluma & the other came clear to Santa Rosa. My eyes were red and my
voice a bit quivering, but it was my duty.
I won't ever pick them up at night again but I am glad for today. I told
them you were leaving today and they were very very nice. One boy was from
Johnstown Penn. I came streight home and as soon as I entered
the house, alone, I could hardly bear it.
Forgive
me again for going to the show on Sunday [against Kellar family religious
practices], but I had to have something to forget for a little while. It was a
wonderful picture. I went in at 2:30 and saw it twice, but it did not make me
forget you at all, it only reminded me, when they had to part tears came to my
eyes. & I had no one to cling to. They loved so deeply so everlasting, like
our love, like our love will always be. Jack, did God plan our life this way so
we would realize how deep love can be, or have we been bad and are being
punished?
I
love you so much darling, more than anyone will ever know. Your mine, I don't
want anything else except you & ours.
M[a]y
God watch over you on your journey & deliver you saftely.
Bless
you tonight and forever.
Your
ever loving
wife Alice.[12]
[1]
Paris Cleaners and Dyers, 228 South A Street, Santa Rosa, California. At the time it was owned and operated by Mr.
James C. Holt. Employees included Holt and his wife Flora E., William Y. Miller and wife Alice M., an older Mr. Miller, Mrs. Moore, another man and his wife Annabella, and divorcee Mary. For the Holts, see 1940 U.S. Census, Sonoma County, California, population
schedule, Santa Rosa, Enumeration District (E.D.) 49-53, sheet 19A, visitation 537, James C. Holt
household; NARA microfilm T627, roll 350. For the Millers, see 1
[2]
Alice Streeter Kellar (Santa Rosa, California), letter to “Dearest Jack”
(Hamilton Field, California), 29 October 1942. The excerpts included in this
post are in Alice’s spelling and have been edited only lightly.
[3]
Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” 30 October 1942.
[4]
Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” Saturday [31 October 1942].
[5]
Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to "Dearest Jack," 29 October 1942. For Caroline Weber, osteopath, see 1940 U.S. Census, Sonoma Co., Calif., pop. sch., Santa Rosa, E.D. 49-40, sheet 14B, visit. 375, Caroline Weber; NARA microfilm T627, roll 350.
[6]
Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” 10 November 1942.
[7]
Dr. Dunlavy was Jack’s mother’s medical doctor. It seems that Alice and/or Jack
saw him, too. Personal recollection of the author. See
[8]
Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” Saturday [31 October 1942].
[9]
“Rationing in the United States,” Wikipedia
(https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationing_in_the_United_States
: accessed 25 January 2018), World War II. Also, Sarah Sundin, “Make It Do –
Tire Rationing in World War II,” Sarah’s
Blog, 27 December 2016 (http://www.sarahsundin.com/make-it-do-tire-rationing-in-world-war-ii/
: accessed 25 January 2018).
[10]
Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” 16 December 1942. Also, “Registering
for Gas Rationing Set Nov. 9,” The Press
Democrat (Santa Rosa, California), 14 October 1942), p. 1, col. 2. “The
Office of Price Administration formally announced today that motorists would be
limited to five tires per car beginning next month, and at the same time
disclosed that registration for gasoline ration books would start November 9 in
the 31 states where gasoline is now unrationed [including California]. Every
car owner in these states will be entitled . . . to at least enough gas to
drive 2,880 miles per year—slightly less than four gallons per week . . .
Nationwide gasoline rationing was recommended by the Baruch rubber committee to
save the rubber on existing tires . . . Issuance of ration books would be
contingent on these two provisions: 1—The car owner must swear he has no more
than five tires. 2—He must agree to periodic inspection of his tires.”
[11]
Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “Dearest Jack,” letter, undated [mention of
Christmas dates it to December 1942].
[12]
Alice Streeter Kellar, letter to “My darling,” Sunday [mention of the day Jack left for Texas dates it to 24 January 1943].
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