Arnold's Story: May 2, 1949

I wonder about the Andrews family. It might have been them that I heard about second hand from Arnold's time in Boston: some distant cousins were keen to get their son admitted to Harvard University (it might have been Harvard Medical School) and were looking for contacts to boost his chances of gaining admission. Arnold explained that as a student he had no sway with the faculty committee that oversees admission, but not believing him or understanding how it works, they would always press their case, to the point that Arnold would turn off the lights and pretend to not be at home. It might instead have been other distant relatives in Massachusetts than the Andrews.

next post  May 12, 1949

previous post  April 26, 1949

first post in Arnold's Story  July 1943

first post in blog  Leonard's Story: May 29, 1943

Arnold's Story: November 24, 1947 MHN

Hazel writes about their unexpected trip to California's Central Valley, specifically to Hanford, the Nevis familial home. Bill's brother-in-law (Arnold's uncle) Manuel Mello passed away. Manuel's widow Laura took it badly.

The anticommunist incident she describes in the letter was an invasion of the Crescenda-Cañada Democratic club in a private home by twenty men, who wore American Legion hats, threatening the host and his guests. The police were summoned by the Legionnaires said that the Democrats were communists and no charges were filed. The host was Hugh Hardiman, a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union, was incensed and made a big noise in the media the next day. Because some Legionnaires wore their hats they could be identified as belonging to Glendale Post 127. It grabbed national attention, and eventually went to trial. Even Nobel Prize winner Linus Pauling heard the radio broadcasts and saved the transcripts of the radio interviews and newspaper clips in his archive. Nine of the accused were reporters and photographers and had the charges dropped, but twelve Legionnaires were convicted of disturbing the peace and subsequently got fined.

next post  November 25, 1947

previous post  November 22 & 24, 1947

first post in Arnold's Story  July 1943

first post in blog  Leonard's Story: May 29, 1943

Arnold's Story: February 9, 1945

Dolly chastises her brother for not writing except when he needs a favor. Ouch! 

Bob Mello is Wilfred Mello, brother of Edwin "Ed" Mello.

next post  February 17, 1945

previous post  February 8, 1945

first post in Arnold's Story  July 1943

first post in blog  Leonard's Story: May 29, 1943

Arnold's Story: January 23, 1945

ROAL is the Reserve Officers Association League. 

next post  February 2, 1945 

previous post  January 15, 1945

first post in Arnold's Story  July 1943

first post in blog  Leonard's Story: May 29, 1943

Arnold's Story: January 10, 1945

Apparently Arnold sent them Paul Bunyan's humorous pictorial map of the United States Depicting Some of his Deeds and Exploits by R. D. Handy. Laura's Land of Make Believe may be the 1930 map by Jaro Hess. Sholem Asch's The Apostle, 1943, was a novel based on the life of Saint Paul.

next post  January 13, 1945

previous post  January 4, 1945

first post in Arnold's Story  July 1943

first post in blog  Leonard's Story: May 29, 1943

Arnold's Story: October 27, 1944

A letter with news from the Nevis clan in the Central Valley of California:

I believe the relatives cited here are Edwin Mello, Hazel Mello, Helen Mello, Katherine (Catherine) Mello, Edwin and sister's father Manuel Mello, and Bill Nevis's sisters Mary Madruga and Mary Ann Silva. Hanford is where Bill grew up on the various family farms: first in his parents' household, then in two of his sisters' homes, and also on a neighbor's farm (after he ran away from his brothers-in-law).

next post  November 2, 1944

previous post  October 24, 1944

first post in Arnold's Story  July 1943

first post in blog  Leonard's Story: May 29, 1943

Arnold's Story: May 6, 1944

Carl Cummings may be the close friend that Arnie lost in the war. He stayed in touch with his friend's mother and she gave him a Limoges china plate. It stood in a place of honor in our home in Gainesville for over fifty years. 

next post  May 8, 1944

previous post  April 30, 1944

first post in Arnold's Story  July 1943

first post in blog  Leonard's Story: May 29, 1943