Article

1949 letter home from a Perkins student

1949 letter from Perkins' student Janice Charlotte Liscomb to her family in Maine.

An envelope address to home from a Perkins student in 1949.

A gift in the mail

The Archives received an early Christmas present this year in the form of this 1949 letter from Perkins’ student Janice Charlotte Liscomb to her family in Maine. The letter was purchased on eBay and used to spark a classroom discussion on the education of the blind. Heather Pang, a history teacher at the ​Castilleja School in Palo Alto, said the letter led to “great conversations about teen culture, and about how similar the activities at a school for the blind were to activities at that same time at our school”. Pang, who has a great respect and understanding for archives, forwarded the letter to Perkins after the class was finished.

In the letter Charlotte recounts a school dance, her excitement about the menu at Thanksgiving dinner, and scolds a “dizzy dame” for not writing to her sooner. It is a playful and easygoing letter home and makes for a nice read as a little slice of our school history.


Transcript of letter

Mrs. Draper Liscomb
Salisbury Cove, Maine

Dear Mom, Daddy and Leon,

The dance was wonderful. I danced with a nice fellow whose name was is Bill Colby. He’s a good dancer. I danced with my R. E. teacher. He can dance good too. I danced with a couple of other fellows too. Can Lion really dance? K’d like to see him dance. I bet he can’t do the congo. Ha Ha Ha.

Norma is coming out tomorrow to see me. She is going to tell me what she has planned for Thanksgiving. I sure hope her mother can cook. I like food as you very well know. Especially stuffing. And cranberryes. Yum Yum. I can hardly wait. I’m starved now. It’s only rirst period. I can eat any old time. eatily is my hoby.

How an I doing? I have struck a lot of wrong keys. Leon will have to be called Lion now. Ha.

I have from Wednesday 12-30 noon to Sunday night off. I can get a lot of rest. I will be able to listen to my radio lots. I an going to get it back beford the holidays. I miss it.

A couple of our girls are on the radio now. We are listening to them. We have special permission. to listen to it.

I have to go to another class but I’ll finish your letter third period. I’m going to practice second period instead of third so I can write to you.

It is third period now. I just went to see if a certain woman called Verne Isabella Liscomb wrote to me. The dizzy dame didn’t. Tell her I a mad at her. I haven’t gotten a letter from her since the last time. And I forgot when the last time was. Please tell her to write to me. Alst tell Daddy and Lion to write to me or they won’t get a christmas. By the way, what are you getting me for Xmas? A mink coat, a airplane, a Lincoln convertable, a two seater that is; a diamond ring nicklace, bracelet, and a diamond studdid watch. oe course. there are a lot of things I didn’t mention that you are going to geg me for instance, a man. I want that most of all. Ha Ha Ha.

I heard the program I was telling you abouy. it was very good.

Pauline Niedzinski is up here typing with me. What a kid. She’s a good kid. I like her a lot.

I wore my aqu dress to the dance. I had “Evening in Pares” on. I love it. It has a beautiful scent. Kitty let me use it.

I’ll see you soon. All my love to all.

Love to all,
Charlotte

P. S. I will not bring my thumbs when I come for Christmas. I need them for a while longer. Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha.

Part 1 of a letter to home from a Perkins student in 1949.
Part 2 of a letter to home from a Perkins student in 1949.

Suggested citation

Stothert-Maurer, Molly. “1949 letter home from a Perkins student.” Perkins Archives Blog, Perkins School for the Blind, Watertown MA. December 14, 2015.

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