A subject I enjoyed finding and reading about was Christmastide correspondence during World War II. I found the articles in a compilation of newspaper articles in the Miss Recordia. I like the title “Miss Recordia” because it has a double meaning for an all-girl’s college. The articles had many different subjects about the College Misericordia’s involvement in World War II.
One of the most interesting clippings was labelled A Letter to Camp written in 1942 at the start of the war by Sadie Morris. Although it was not a personal letter, it was sent to a soldier to give hope and encouragement. It reminded me of a George M. Cohan song, “Over There.” Miss Morris encouraged the soldier by writing a supportive, patriotic letter. It was very short, but she expressed her pride in the United States’ war effort.
In another clipping, there was a poem titled A Soldier’s Dream by Kay Matterson written in December 1944. The poem was far more somber than A Letter to Camp because it described an exhausted American soldier wistfully thinking of his loved ones back home during Christmas. The soldier reflects on his family and fiancée. There was a sorrowful, haunting feeling to the poem that conveyed the message that perhaps this soldier was one of the many that did not return home.
There also were several articles written by Misericordia graduates called Alumnae Musings. They were general articles about the various activities that women did for the war effort. The interesting one was the war bond drive that Misericordia held because it raised forty thousand dollars in 1942. In 1942, a medium income for a year was two thousand dollars. Even today, raising forty thousand dollars is impressive. Because I was reading about Misericordia’s past, I felt connected to World War II sentiments and struggles. Personal accounts make history come to life.
Morris, Sadie, “A Letter to Camp,” Miss Recordia (November 1934 – May 1949), 1-15. University Newspaper Collections RG 830, Misericordia University Special Collections, Dallas, PA.
Matterson, Kay, “A Soldier’s Dream,” Miss Recordia (November 1934 – May 1949), 1-15. University Newspaper Collections RG 830, Misericordia University Special Collections, Dallas, PA.
“Alumnae Musings,” Miss Recordia (November 1934 – May 1949), 1-15. University Newspaper Collections RG 830, Misericordia University Special Collections, Dallas, PA.
