A Grandmother's Legacy

July 1904 - Insight Into Grandma

This week our "Insight Into John & Constance takes us back to July, 1904 with the letter postmarked July 5, 1904, 10am, Quincy, Ill

John C. McClure's letter to Miss Constance Warwick in Alva, Oklahoma Territory was received two days later, July 7, 1904.

This week's letter is not handwritten, but is a two-paged, typed and dated July 2, 1904, Quincy, Ill., Miss Constance Warwick, Alva, Okla.

This week we find out that the Nellie John has been talking about in his letters is his cousin. It is the coming of the fourth of July with prize-fights and picnics.

Dear Friend,

I will endeaver to answer your most welcome letter I received a few days ago. It has been nice and cool for the past week; nice weather to go to school.

Well the big forth is nearly here, but I don't believe that I will do any very big celebrating. There are to be several big prize fights here, several picnics and I guess that is about all.

I believe if I were you I would quit teaching school and take shorthand some where; you will find it much nicer work and your patience will not be tried half so much.

The Gem City Business College never closes. The attendance of course is not nearly so large as in the fall and winter but I think the attendance, now, must be at least 300. This school does not guarantee positions, but on the other hand they are always placing their graduates in positions.

If you are writing to them you might make some kind of a proposition to them, as to guaranteeing you a position, but if you have not written to them yet, let me know and I can perhaps give you a bit of advice. I think myself, it is a bad policy for any school to guarantee positions, for you know what kind of kids some times drift in a business college, some are good for nothing.

I don't expect to finish before Sep. 1st. Spelling is really the main thing in shorthand, and I am sure your knowledge of grammar would help you out grandly.

You talk about those ikey looking boys down there; well you can nearly see anything you want to here. I must tell you what I saw least night. I was down in the park, and there was sort of a crazy man down there. He was an Irish man and appeared to be a hard working man. Well, he went running around jumping over the seat, then he would stop and jump up in the air and whirl around just like a soldier. It was the funniest thing I had seen in a long time.

I suppose Alva will have a big time the forth (sic). I wish I could be there, for I expect Nellie will be there, and all of the others.

My cousin Nellie and her husband are visiting at our home. I don't know whether they are coming through Quincy to see me or not.

That Mrs. Adams who is from Alva and attending school here went to Ohio the other day. She is coming back in Sep. to finish the shorthand course.

Well I guess I had better close for this time for I am making all sorts of mistakes, writing words twice spotting over letters and every thing else. I am not used to writing with out notes. Write soon.

Yours ylgnivol (lovingly backwards),
John C. McClure.

July 25, 1904, is the postmark of John's letter to Constance this week.

It sounds like John's coaxing of getting Constance to come to Quincy's business college was beginning to sink in with Constance Estella Warwick.

We also find out that Constance would be going to the Worlds Fair in St. Louis the Summer of 1904 (around July or August) -- meeting friends on "The Pike" at the World's Fair and encouraging John C. McClure to join them on "The Pike."

Doing some research online, I found that "The Pike" was a street a mile long, solidly lined with amusements, more varied, more elaborate and more costly than any previous exposition had ever contained.

Besides meeting friends in St. Louis on "The Pike," Constance was also thinking about going to Gem City Business College, in Quincy, Illinois, to take some courses, especially Short-Hand.

I am beginning to wonder how serious was this letter writing between "true friends?" Were they only "True Friends?" Was there something more going on here? Who was infatuated with whom?

This week's letter begins:
"Quincy, Ill, Sun. Afternoon,
Miss Constance Warwick, Alva, Okla.,
Dear Estella ...

"I received your ever welcome letter a few days ago. We have been having some scorching weather but today is quite comfortable. Well, I am glad you are coming to the Worlds fair. I am sure you will have a good time.

"You said, there would be some friends on the Pike who would be glad to see me. Of course I think the friends will be there, but I don't know about the other part. I would be delighted to come to St. Louis on the 18th but I don't know if it will be possible for me to do so ... and of course I am a little scart of Bert. What course do you intend to take if you come to Quincy?

"I would advise you to take just the S.Hand course. The College of course will advise different. Of course if you are going to be an old maid, as I know you are not, then the Bookkeep course would be nice to have.

"About quaranteeing positions, they do not make a practice of it, but I believe with the qualifications you possess, you could persuade them to guarantee you a position. Be sure to put them up a speal.

"Ask them if they will not take half tuition down and the other half when you get your position. Or take out a three months scholarship $35, and before they will leave you go they will let you graduate pay the balance when you have your position. Of course this last is just speculation, but I know two cases like the latter in school now.

"But don't come to take Short-Hand, or even take in any place until you have carefully studied over the matter. Remember you perhaps can not get a position just exactly where you want it.

"Remember the influence of a person in a large city. Girls who come to take Short Hand here, generally do not go away as good as good as they come. I have seen several cases here during the summer.

"You know why I wanted you to come to Quincy as well as I do. Now, Connie, you will not find this in the G.C.B.C. Catalogue. This is my Speal. Take it for what it is worth. If you have made up your mind to take Short-Hand, take it in G.C.B.C. before I leave town which will be in 5 weeks time.

"I went to the Big tent meeting tonight. There were about 5000 people there. Tomorrow night is the last evening of the meetings. He is going to tell about his trip to Jerusalem also all over Europe.

"Barnum and Baily's Circus was here this last week. I, of course, had to go. Missed 1/2 day of school. Say, Really, I can't pronounce that word. I don't see why anybody should use such big words for. Your the 1st person that ever called me Prof.

"Are you sure you are right. Well, I will close for this time. Answer soon. Best of the last. Thanks for the photo.

J. C. Mc.
Your True Friend,
John McClure."