It is time for another Marilyn post, dear world. January was crazy busy for me and as it came to an end, I came down with a full-blown sinus infection. While I'm still recovering, I have had some time to draft my next Marilyn update. I am planning to keep today's update brief, as I have several things to prepare for the week ahead.
I am still on Marilyn's junior year of college. Today's entries span November and December of 1952. Marilyn did not write many pages home during these two months due to the strain of her college exams and singing for many events. But, I will include a few things that stood out to me while reading these months.
In related news, I have typed a few chapters of the first draft of the actual novel. I am very excited to share it with you, but that won't be for a while yet! I'm also in the process of researching Augsburg College and am hoping to schedule a trip there if I can contact the appropriate people about their university archives. I feel that visiting the college and its surroundings would also help me better visualize the setting of the novel. More about that in a future post, as I also need time in my schedule to go (and that may have to wait until summer).
November 5, 1952 regarding the election results: Well, old "Ike" won out. Frankly, I think everyone really is surprised. It was a regular landslide. The Congress went Republican too, I guess. Three of the kids here stayed up all nite at another apartment to watch all the proceedings on TV. Joan, Dorothy, and I valued our sleep too much though. [I did a little research on this election - very interesting reading to say the least!]
November 19, 1952 regarding the upcoming spring choir tour: We'll maybe be spending four days in New York City on tour. I sure hope they take us on some tours so we can see something. I get so excited every time I think about that tour!
December 3, 1952: Today they took Glen Carlsen's, Betty Monger's, Don Lundeen's, and my picture for the newspapers all along the way for tour. We had our heads real close together and were blowing pitch-pipes. I'm certain it will be very lovely. Well, even if it isn't so good it will be fun to have! [As luck would have it, we actually have this picture but there's no notation on it. I included it at the top of this post. My grandma didn't know the names of the others in the photo - so here we go with names and a date. Neat, huh?]
In the same letter as above (Dec. 3): On Monday nite the 15th of December the Drama Club at school is putting on a play and they've asked various groups to sing. Our madrigal group is singing two numbers and I'm singing "Lost In The Night."
That will be all for tonight, loves. My next update will be a new year for Marilyn: 1953. But this year is going to be hard for me to read, because it was also M's last. She died in September of 1953. There are only 6 more months of letters from Marilyn, readers. Thank you for continuing to read her story. By doing so, you help ensure her memory and that she still lives through her written word. Love always.
