2270 South Vine

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December 18th, 1952 — Joyce writes late at night from Kankakee, Illinois, balancing exhaustion, work, and homesickness as Christmas approaches. She’s working long shifts at the post office, sorting letters by state, city, street, and block — monotonous, finger-numbing labor she calls “a great big pain in the neck.” The money is helpful, but she misses practicing piano, visiting friends, and simply enjoying being home.

Her mother is ill with a bad cold, her stepfather as difficult as ever, and her sister Ina still finding trouble with men. Amid the chaos, Joyce finds solace in...

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This episode was one of the harder letters to read and place into the world.  There is an example of Hate ( Blue Square) in this episode, due to that fact the publish date was pushed past the holiday season and into the New Year.  We're not hiding from the hate we expose, but I'm sure not publishing it during the holy season.  December 15th, 1952 — Joyce writes from Kankakee, Illinois, still home for Christmas break and sending her airmail letters back west to Denver. She’s surrounded by family, gossip, and domestic dramas — her sister In...

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December 13–14, 1952 — Joyce’s letter home spans two days and two states, written partly from a jerky train bound for Illinois and partly from her family home in Kankakee. Traveling by airmail for the first time — double the postage at six cents — she’s headed home to her mother, stepfather, and sister Cleone, knitting a sock for Earl as the train rocks along. She jokes about taking off her stockings to be comfortable, washing off her makeup, and trying to nap between stations.

By the next day, she’s home and writing in green ink w...

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December 8th, 1952 — Joyce writes from her Education and Sociology class, balancing her notebook on her lap while Dr. Shiri looms nearby, close enough to notice she’s writing. She sketches the seating chart in her letter, amused and cautious — everyone around her seems to read over her shoulder. She’s wearing her new skirt and belt, feeling “very grad looking,” and musing about how unpredictable Shiri’s tests are — too general in class, too specific on exams.

She apologizes for the short, penciled note, but even this hurried letter feels rich with her humor a...

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Show Notes:
December 2nd, 1952 — Joyce is relieved to find a letter from Earl waiting for her at home and dives into another busy day of rewrites and responsibilities. She’s nearly finished redoing her composition, booked an appointment with Piernaut for Monday, and cleaned the apartment herself (minus one room Sandy swept). This week is stacked: finish her composition, complete a dramatics project, see a play at Phipps Auditorium, and play for a Pops course program on Sunday.

Despite the workload, there are bright spots: her Ed Soche repo...

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Show Notes:
December 1st, 1952 — On Earl’s birthday, Joyce opens with “I love you very much” and a cheery wish, but the letter soon turns into a portrait of an exhausted young woman juggling school, work, and life’s uncertainties. The apartment is hungover and cranky from the weekend, she’s lost her composition notes and manuscript paper, and she faces redoing her final project from scratch.

Dr. Hulk gives the class an easy morning; the first day of Ed Soche reports goes smoothly; but Joyce must start off tomorrow...

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Show Notes:
November 25th, 1952 — Joyce is once again writing from Dr. Shiri’s class, distracted by a student’s clumsy report on sex education, Puritan beliefs, and the meaning of love. Her pencil scrawls between reflections on the racy discussion and her daily life: slow hours at work, May threatening to sell her business and leave Denver, Johnny still waiting for his wife, and Joyce herself preparing for the Thanksgiving rush.

She dreams about a farm with Earl, gets lost in the sparkle of her cleaned ring between paragr...

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Show Notes:
November 24th, 1952 — Joyce beams with pride over an A+ on her genetics exam and looks ahead to Thanksgiving week as a welcome break from the grind. She compares spring vacation dates with Boulder, notes Easter falling on April 5th, and jokes about nearly freezing despite scarves and mittens.

She’s juggling the values project, piano lessons, work shifts, and a roll of film that’s been sitting undeveloped for almost a year. There’s talk of a Thanksgiving night dance at the Union and of returning Pop and...

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November 19th, 1952 — Joyce writes to Earl relieved that her genetics test felt “too easy for comfort” and proud of a composition song whose melody came together in under an hour. She worries it might be something she’s heard before but is still excited to share it.

Campus life churns in the background: Winnie fuming over Bob’s lack of letters, Peg secretly rescuing (and withholding) Winnie’s mail, and the values report still looming but perhaps postponed until after Thanksgiving. Joyce manages her knitting, plotting how to get t...

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Show Notes:
November 18th, 1952 — Joyce writes with an inky, leaky pen, alternating between work at the café and outlining chapters for her upcoming genetics test. She muses about headscarves versus earmuffs for the cold, the beauty of snow on pine branches, and memories of last Easter morning in the mountains.

Dorm politics swirl again as she fills out her apartment preference slip, wondering if Connie might move out and if Winnie might go with her. Joyce debates the freedom of an off-campus room, grumbles about Bob Bishop’s persi...

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November 17th, 1952 — Joyce writes this letter from inside Dr. Shuri’s class, half listening to a heated discussion about replacing algebra, languages, and history with a new “core curriculum” of mental hygiene, family training, citizenship, and consumer education. Her thoughts jump between the debate, her own looming values report, and the cozy chaos of dorm life.

She’s delighted with the duck puppet her teacher gave her but confesses she has no idea how to manipulate it — so she “steals” a potato from work to use for the head of...

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Show Notes:
November 11th, 1952 — Joyce writes in pencil after her bath, determined to avoid another inky mess. It’s been an “ordinary day” full of work rushes, sore feet, and a compliment from Johnny on how she handles the pressure. She reflects on how she hasn’t done anything for herself since school started — no recitals, no swims, no symphonies — but feels grateful to at least keep up with her studies, laundry, and letters.

She’s happy to see her old friend Ray Powell on campus and recounts his fin...

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November 11th, 1952 — Joyce writes Earl on another Monday, her longing so intense she says she’d walk the turnpike just to be in his arms. Her day has been a whirl of productivity: reading assignments, practicing McDowell’s Sonata from memory, doing laundry, and handling dorm life gossip — including Winnie’s likely March wedding and a tangled triangle involving Anita.

She learns she’s not eligible for associate membership in Mu Phi Epsilon, but is still invited to all the fun parts. Safety concerns at night make her hesitant to attend a meeting, e...

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November 4th, 1952 — As the nation listens to the election returns, Joyce writes to Earl with one ear on the radio, expecting Eisenhower to win but watching closely for Stevenson’s showing in Illinois. The day feels oddly out of step, a mix of classes, knitting, cookbook organizing, and quiet shifts at work. Dorm TV nights, gossip about Johnny’s poker loss, and musings about whether to move out of the dorm next quarter punctuate her routine.

Joyce’s thoughts drift between practical matters — next quarter’s expenses, finding a job, and knitting gif...

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November 3rd, 1952 — Joyce writes from work in pencil, determined that Earl will have a Wednesday letter even though they’ll see each other that night. Between serving customers, she shares the latest gossip: Johnny’s $300 poker loss, Winnie’s growing frustration over Bob’s silence, and Maddie skipping class to bake a pie “for a man.” The mountains glisten with fresh snow, and Joyce can’t help but marvel at their beauty.

She celebrates another A in genetics but worries about grading quirks, discusses her savings goals, and debates reducing her work hours. In s...

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October 28th, 1952 — Joyce writes from Denver on the eve of a big genetics and evolution quiz, armed with her study outline but fretting over memorization. Campus life hums in the background: fraternity shakeups, pledge drama, and a visit to the Chuck Wagon café where an older man seeks an odd job for coffee. Friends squabble over shared desks, and Winnie’s birthday looms with broomstick jokes attached.

Amid lighthearted gossip and day-to-day routines, Joyce’s thoughts turn inward — remembering milestones in her relationship with Earl, from the jasmine he gave her to the Su...

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October 27th, 1952 — Joyce writes to Earl from Denver on a Monday afternoon that started slow and academic. She skips class, contemplates the mountain of assignments ahead — from evolution tests to children’s play evaluations — and trades bathroom facilities after a silverfish invasion. Between coffee dates with friends and light dorm gossip, Joyce’s mind drifts constantly to Earl in Boulder.

She shares a rediscovered list of 18 heartfelt reasons she loves him, reflecting on how she once believed such love wasn’t possible until she met him. The letter blends the practical (studying, do...

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In this thought-provoking letter, Joyce reflects on a heated classroom debate with Dr. Shirley , whose provocative statements on religion, Christ, and education spark frustration—and intellectual awakening. As she forms a research group and digs into sociological and spiritual questions, Joyce shares her own heartfelt convictions about faith, God, and human understanding. She balances these deeper musings with lighter news: roommate gossip, genetics test results, a scrapbook project, and gratitude for Earl’s impact on her happiness. A letter of contrast—heady, heartfelt, and anchored in love.

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In this letter—misdated "1959" but likely written October 20th, 1952—Joyce writes from the eye of a college storm. Between roommate drama, academic overload, and an ink-leaking pen, she still manages to beam love and longing toward Earl. She reflects on marriage talk among her peers, frustrations with professors, Red Cross controversies, and the chaotic environment of young women jockeying for sorority recognition. But as always, Joyce grounds the letter in deep emotion, heartfelt gratitude, and a fierce desire to simply be by Earl’s side.

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In this letter from October 14, 1952, Joyce offers a vibrant blend of daily college chaos and soul-deep vulnerability. She shares casual updates—class confusion, dance plans, roommate drama, and midnight cravings for pancakes—with the same ease she later shifts into a raw and beautifully written expression of love and longing for Earl. From hiding borrowed items to polishing her engagement ring, Joyce juggles the silly and the sacred in equal measure.

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In this October 13th, 1952 letter, Joyce shares another vivid snapshot of her college life—from skipping classes and planning the homecoming dance to musing about corsages, psychiatric interviews, and Monday blues. Amid playful teasing and heartfelt longing, she reflects on her finances, piano practice, dorm life, and the weekly emotional rhythm of missing her sweetheart. Packed with charm, dry humor, and a tender close, this letter blends small college details with big feelings.

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 In this intimate, handwritten letter from October 8, 1952, Joyce shares her unfiltered thoughts and daily moments from college life—academic procrastination, social drama, a leaky pen, and a longing for connection with her sweetheart. Set against the backdrop of campus routines and small apartment life, her reflections are equal parts charming, chaotic, and poignant. From swim sessions and Mu Phi Epsilon to spilled coffee and sock diamonds, this entry is a slice of mid-century emotional life at its most tender and honest.

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Description: In this letter from October 7th, 1952, Joyce reflects on her college experiences and the dynamics within her dorm. She shares her thoughts on her classes, work, and the social interactions with her friends.

Highlights:

College experiences and academic pursuits. Work challenges and balancing responsibilities. Social interactions and friendships in the dorm. Reflections on personal growth and learning.

Hashtags: #CollegeLife #AcademicPursuits #1950sLoveLetters #SocialDynamics

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Description: In this letter dated October 6th, 1952, Joyce writes about her experiences with her classes and the challenges of balancing work and academics. She shares her thoughts on her professors and the dynamics within her dorm.

Highlights:

Academic challenges and class experiences. Balancing work and college life. Reflections on professors and teaching styles. Social dynamics and friendships in the dorm.

Hashtags: #CollegeChallenges #WorkLifeBalance #1950sLoveLetters #AcademicReflections

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Description: In this letter from September 30th, 1952, Joyce shares her daily routine and the small joys and challenges of college life. She reflects on her academic pursuits and the social interactions with her friends and classmates.

Highlights:

Daily routine and college life experiences. Academic pursuits and class challenges. Social interactions and friendships. Reflections on personal growth and learning.

Hashtags: #CollegeRoutine #AcademicPursuits #1950sLoveLetters #PersonalGrowth

Dad has a beard

Faye had to leave school suddenly

Pen is still leaking

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A bonus surprise upside down on the back of one of the pieces of paper says, I love you, sweetheart. In fact, I love you more each minute I sit here and think about you and think about how good it would feel if I could hug you now. I think that was like, so when he first opened it up, that's the first thing he saw.

Hashtags: #AcademicLife #EmotionalReflections #1950sLoveLetters #DormSocialLife

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Description: In this letter dated September 29th, 1952, Joyce reflects on her academic schedule and the emotional challenges of being away from her sweetheart. She shares her experiences with her classes and the social dynamics within her dorm.

Highlights:

Joyce's academic schedule and class experiences. Emotional reflections on being apart from her partner. Social dynamics and friendships in the dorm. Plans for upcoming visits and events.

Hashtags: #AcademicLife #EmotionalReflections #1950sLoveLetters #DormSocialLife

Delta Omicron Stationary 

Dad is free from tuberculosis

Mom saved some $, b...

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In the first letter of this series, dated September 22, 1952, Joyce gives a lively and unfiltered account of her early days settling into college life. From chaotic dorm curfews and cafeteria politics to leaking pens and awkward blind dates, her letter paints a picture of dorm dynamics, part-time jobs, and emotional undercurrents. Despite the stress, homesickness, and a failed attempt to cry, she finds time to write eight letters—including this one, reserved for someone extra special.

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Description: In this letter from September 24th, 1952, Joyce discusses her experiences with her roommates and the dynamics within the dorm. She shares her thoughts on her classes and her plans to approach her boss for a raise.

Highlights:

Roommate dynamics and dorm life. Joyce's academic pursuits and class experiences. Plans to negotiate a raise at work. Reflections on family and friendships.

Hashtags: #DormLife #RoommateDynamics #1950sLoveLetters #CollegeChallenges

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