Mid February 1919

Dear Don,

You no doubt think I've passed "on", for my long silence but work has been pressing and it seems like I don't get a minute when I'm not working. You see I am taking type-writing at night school three nights of the week and there on the Wednesday night there isn't night school, we have a Liberty Chorus and since the only requisition to join that is to be able to carry a tune they asked me and I joined.

Thanks muchly for sending my Xmas presents.

I feel fine now since having the flu - am slightly deaf - but that all goes with a trait of an old maid. I'll probably end up in a mute asylum yet.

I have a class of H.S. girls in making lemon pie. LE. has been out of town to a convention for a week and will be away a week longer, hence the letter writing.

Oh I must tell you about the Teacher's Club Racket. I am no longer the worth stewardess and I am feeling 100% better. Last Nov. or rather the last part of Oct. when we simply didn't have a place to board, the School Board took up the matter and said we could use the school dining room for our dining and they could take the hot lunches at school. I was appointed stewardess and gosh such a mess. I had to hire a cook and second girl & all the supplies etc. etc. and keep them all separate from the noon lunch and school work. Then Nov 4 we moved into the Hotel. Had to get a new cook and second girl. The Flu Hospital opened for three weeks and I had charge of that also. So many girls were gone during the month of Nov that their board bills ranged from 9.00 to twenty dollars. I had to figure up a Board bill for nearly every girl and none were higher than $22.00.

In Dec. their board was $16.50 and for the four weeks in Jan $21.80. A lot of them had rebates for absences, too. I was sick with the flu and I did all the planning and made out the orders when I was in bed. I told them I wished they'd get some one else because this extra responsibility and work has been the ruination of my health this winter.

In Feb. I heard some catty remarks and I had a meeting called and say the way I layed it out to those girls was nothing slow. Miss Fisher spoke up and said "Now I could quot a few things that have been said and I think now is the time for some of you people to speak up and make your complaints in an open matter." Say, they all sat like they were paralyzed. I read the riot act to them right. This was on the 14th of Feb. and I said they could get a new stewardess to start work the following morning and I gave them a report of my work. Their board bill (which includes help, laundry, etc. etc.) was seven dollars and forty cents for half the month and they had fifty dollars in the treasury. Besides this I had bought $17.00 worth of dishes, etc. Butter, up until just this month has been 75 cts a pound, eggs 70 cts a dollar [sic, dozen?] cream $1.00 a quart. Some of these people make me laugh. I sure have been patting myself on the back for giving them such a good start. The Sewing teacher Anna Getschmann and I (do you wonder at it) spar at each other all the time. I simply work separate from her for I can't bear to look at her much less talk with her. She's the kind who wears dirty underwear and apologizes for it if you happen to see it.

Well she tho't she was going to get it and had asked someone if they thot that she could do it, etc. etc. and here she never got it at all. I can't help but smile up my sleeve. Sunday they ordered chicken 19 3/4 lbs and it cost them $7.98. Isn't that rare? Not so rare tho when I think of paying the Board bill at the end of the month. The other day at noon we had macaroni and cheese, scalloped potatoes, backed beans and brown bread, prune sauce (we'd surely need it) and gingerbread. Talk about carbohrydate foods. Tell that menu to Ruth. The only experience the stewardess has had is cooking for thrashers, but I certainly wouldn't criticize for its a lemon job, not to anyone outside the family circle.

Well on Feb. 14 (1/2 the month the boars was $7.43 per person and they had fifty dollars in the Treasury. Don't you think I did pretty good? But they are welcome to run it to suit themselves.

I am going to start putting applications in at other places for I've had enof of this school. Wish I had the money to go into cafeteria or tea room work. You and I could run a grill or something together. I like to teach H.Ec. and I'm crazy about my equipment, but Life is too short to spend all your time here and I hate to teach all my life too.

Gee the weather is sure could out this morning. The pipe in our bathroom froze.

Next Tuesday night there is to be a big banquet given for the returned soldiers. Between a hundred and two hundred soldiers and friends will attend. That means a little piece of work for me.

Wed night of this week the girls of my H.Ec. classes are going to give a St. Patrick's dinner to six teachers for practice in serving.

Last Friday mornig they gave a George Washington Tea and had two teachers from upstairs as guests.

Sat - March 8 - I am going to Aurora to a H.Ec. teachers convention. Ain't it fun?

All the teachers have had the flu. Thrity one have been out since Christmas and there are only 36 of us.

Write the goings and comings.

Much love to all, Leone

Tell Ruth I'll send a check for those things she bot me - next Friday - pay day - if she will write and tell me what they were.