I am going to have to write 4000 words and chose O’Neill when we study him in a week or two. Would it be too much to ask for you to send my copies up? I would appreciate it.
There is one book I need—Masters of the Drama—Gassner — for this course and would have helped in the exam but couldn’t get it at that @!?// Coop — they could ‘order’ it for me — a week later — but Gardiner hasn’t had a check recently! — and I owe him $5 anyhow — oh I got the shoes—$3 but handsome—practically new.
Also thanks for the ration books — and Mrs. Trask and I both send thanks for the sheets!
Love
Bill
Theodore Spenser: Spencer (1902–49) taught at Harvard from 1927 until his death. He also published fiction, poetry, and edited James Joyce’s Stephen Hero (1944).
O’Neill […] my copies: WG mentions buying O’Neill’s sea plays in his letter of 8 August 1942.
Masters of the Drama: a historical overview by John Gassner (1940).
To Edith Gaddis
[First mention of the Harvard Lampoon, the well-known undergraduate humor magazine founded in 1876. WG’s first contribution appeared in the 1 October 1943 issue; he became its president in spring 1944, and published over 60 items (poems, stories, reviews, essays, cartoons, jokes) there by the time he left Harvard in January 1945.]
Cambridge, Massachusetts
[18 April 1943]
Dear Mother.
[…] George just left today — came up and stayed on Friday and Thursday night and we had a fine time — went to see Cry Havoc in Boston, which was all right but nothing special.
And speaking of ‘drama’—guess who is property man for Harvard Dramatic Club—?! They are putting a play on in about 3 weeks, and I got the job — no great position but contacts and experience!
And Kibby Home — a fellow I know on the Lampoon—has told me to come on down and try it — that I stand a good chance! — things really developing! […]
Well must get back to work — a 4000 word paper in attempt at psychoanalysis of some of Eugene O’Neill’s more serious plays—! and not much time with play rehearsals every night (I have been reading the part of a spinster for the last week — I hope one shows up!)—
Love
Bill
Cry Havoc: a 1943 film with an all-woman cast about nurses during warfare.
To Edith Gaddis
Cambridge, Massachusetts
[22 July 1943]
Dear Mom—
Sorry I haven’t written. John Snow has been up here for a week and just left about an hour ago. I haven’t got too much work done (have kept up, reading plays for Spencer and learning lines from Shakespeare) etc. — but I have plenty of psychology to do for tomorrow.
Thru John I got to know Mac Osburne — president of Lampoon (and of A — D—Club) — he’s a fine fellow as I had heard — urges me to come down and try out so I must think up something witty to write. Looks like I do have a chance! […]
Love
Bill
A — D—Club: an all-male club founded in 1836 (an offshoot of Alpha Delta Phi fraternity).
To Edith Gaddis
Cambridge, Massachusetts
[12 August 1943]
Dear Mother—
Thanks for the lost check — debts etc cleared up and my clothes cleaned — so now am prepared to appear in public! Say I just realized about Labour Day weekend — I’ll have 4 or 5 days off! What do you think?
We were up last night writing Charley’s radio script — his ‘Man About Boston’ programme — he and Gardiner write the script, panning everything in town, having seen about ⅛ of it — but it’s a lot of fun.—
I am beginning to get scared — hour exam in psyc. next week — what a horrible course! But the others are coming along well. I don’t suppose you know W. H. Auden — a modern poet — Hazel probably knows him. I met him a few days ago — Mr. Spencer introduced me. Boy I was quite thrilled. And then we saw Rex Ingram do the Emperor Jones up here too. — and see him in the street occasionally.
If you haven’t sent Johnson Smith don’t bother because Mac was in a hurry for this thing I was writing — wanted it for the forthcoming issue — so I wrote it on what I could remember — it came out all right tho I don’t know yet whether he’s going to permit it or not.
There is little else doing — somehow we don’t feel the heat up here — and all your subtle cajolling can’t get me to Revere Beach! Just a jump in the pool downstairs when things get warm, or to wake up in the mornings is enough — and if things get too hot I just settle down with Vanity Fair which I am about halfway through. But I may start to row once in a while soon. Don’t know yet. — am going down today for a physical exam — and if they make me take conditioning—@!?*%!
Love
Bill
W. H. Auden: the British poet (1907–73) was teaching at Swarthmore at the time.
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Rex Ingram do the Emperor Jones: the protagonist of Eugene O’Neill’s 1920 play would have been a plum role for African-American actors like Ingram (1895–1969).
Johnson Smith: a mail-order company specializing in novelty items. The “thing” WG was writing apparently remained unpublished.
To Ida Williams Way
[WG’s maternal grandmother (d. 1951), daughter of music educator Samuel E. Williams (1855–1937) and a pianist and bass violinist in his family orchestra. She was a supervisor of music in public schools until 1920, after which she became a businesswoman.]
Adams House B 34
Cambridge, Massachusetts
[16 November 1943]
Dear Gram
Thanks so much for the idea and the invitation — and financial backing! — but this is the one weekend we expect to turn out up here.
First off the first big dinner at the Poon this year, and after dinner we have our pictures (Poon staff) made for the ’45 yearbook — I won’t get in any other way — as a member of the class that is — so I’d at least like to get in as a member of the Lampoon!
Then Saturday is our one big football game — I don’t expect to go, but anyhow it will probably turn out to be a pretty big weekend. I would love to come down of course, but now see how it is — and then too, I have reason to believe that I can work the Thanksgiving weekend so I can get down — not sure of course, and something’s liable to crop up — probably will — but there’s a chance.
Everything up here is coming along wonderfully — including my work(!). A new issue ought to be out within a week and a half — I’ll send a couple of copies down when it does. And I’m glad (and somewhat surprised) that Aunt Emma liked it!
Thanks again — and I hope I’ll see you around Thanksgiving
Love
Bill
new issue: dated 19 November, it contains four items by WG.
Aunt Emma: Emma Bond, Mrs. Way’s cousin.
To Edith Gaddis
Cambridge, Massachusetts
[10 December 1943]
dear Mother
terribly sorry i haven’t written, and this time i can really say that i have been pretty busy well right through until tonight — haven’t had time to get a haircut and so you can imagine what i look like by this time!