Scope and Contents

Letters to John Switzer. Inheritance of land, land sales, hired labor for farm, harvests, family news, bank arrangements for the construction of a house. Most letters sent to John while living in Jacksonville, Florida, by his father.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

The bulk of the Switzer family correspondence are letters written to John S. Switzer, Mary's father, by relatives and business contacts concerning land transactions, real estate, the construction of a house, farm matters, and financial matters.

Scope and Contents

Letters to Mr. and Mrs. Switzer. A July 1930 letter to Mrs. Switzer regarding membership dues to the Annie Perdue Sebring chapter in Jacksonville, FL; and a December 1940 letter for "Ma and Pa Switzer" from "your son Charles,: living in Georgia, giving news of his health and romantic life.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series: This sub-series comprises letters sent by Mary to her parents during her training as a nurse in England and her wartime service in France, Belgium, and Germany. Mary requests items to be sent to her, especially food, and describes her travels, her difficult work shifts in field hospitals, the social life and entertainment provided in army camps, and rest periods. Most letters are several pages long, but the correspondence also includes V-Mail (Victory Mail, messages transferred on film and...

Scope and Contents

Went to Bath, describes the social life in training camps.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents Expresses her frustration at "doing nothing" and waiting in England; tries to locate a man named Paul through the Red Cross. Includes a clipping from a newspaper gossip column "Tea Table Chatter" about an encounter in London between Mary and Captain Jack Jourdan, also from FL.

Scope and Contents

Retells details of her trip to England to France and says she works hard.

Scope and Contents

Works on night duty with German prisoners; hopes to go to a Fred Astaire show for soldiers (see Photographs series, box 3 folder 5, for visuals of the event).

Scope and Contents

Rest period. Has travelled to Paris and is now in Belgium.

Scope and Contents

Describes transferring to Germany, getting 45 new patients in her ward, and being close to battles

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Living in Michigan, Allen Galer, born 1918, was Mary's longtime suitor and fiance, though Mary broke the engagement. Allen's numerous letters over the years follow their courtship and the difficulties their long-distance relationship faced. As both corresponded while students, the sub-series also documents college social life in the late 1930s. Allen's letters later tell of his experience training as an army pilot during the war.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Living in Michigan, Allen Galer, born 1918, was Mary's longtime suitor and fiance, though Mary broke the engagement. Allen's numerous letters over the years follow their courtship and the difficulties their long-distance relationship faced. As both corresponded while students, the sub-series also documents college social life in the late 1930s. Allen's letters later tell of his experience training as an army pilot during the war.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Living in Michigan, Allen Galer, born 1918, was Mary's longtime suitor and fiance, though Mary broke the engagement. Allen's numerous letters over the years follow their courtship and the difficulties their long-distance relationship faced. As both corresponded while students, the sub-series also documents college social life in the late 1930s. Allen's letters later tell of his experience training as an army pilot during the war.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Living in Michigan, Allen Galer, born 1918, was Mary's longtime suitor and fiance, though Mary broke the engagement. Allen's numerous letters over the years follow their courtship and the difficulties their long-distance relationship faced. As both corresponded while students, the sub-series also documents college social life in the late 1930s. Allen's letters later tell of his experience training as an army pilot during the war.

Scope and Contents

Sends a humorous fake marriage license along with one letter, and discusses his new job and personal finances.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Living in Michigan, Allen Galer, born 1918, was Mary's longtime suitor and fiance, though Mary broke the engagement. Allen's numerous letters over the years follow their courtship and the difficulties their long-distance relationship faced. As both corresponded while students, the sub-series also documents college social life in the late 1930s. Allen's letters later tell of his experience training as an army pilot during the war.

Scope and Contents

Hopes Mary can visit him in Michigan for the summer; reacts to Mary's announcement that she wants to study nursing for three years in New Orleans before getting married by stating his impatience to marry her.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Living in Michigan, Allen Galer, born 1918, was Mary's longtime suitor and fiance, though Mary broke the engagement. Allen's numerous letters over the years follow their courtship and the difficulties their long-distance relationship faced. As both corresponded while students, the sub-series also documents college social life in the late 1930s. Allen's letters later tell of his experience training as an army pilot during the war.

Scope and Contents

Considers breaking the engagement if she does not write to him more often.

Scope and Contents From the Sub-Series:

Living in Michigan, Allen Galer, born 1918, was Mary's longtime suitor and fiance, though Mary broke the engagement. Allen's numerous letters over the years follow their courtship and the difficulties their long-distance relationship faced. As both corresponded while students, the sub-series also documents college social life in the late 1930s. Allen's letters later tell of his experience training as an army pilot during the war.

Scope and Contents

After Mary stops writing to him and breaks the engagement, Allen requests his class ring back.

Scope and Contents

Demands explanations for their break up.

Scope and Contents

Now in military training in North Carolina (Camp Davis for artillery forces), Allen announces he will leave for California to be dispatched overseas in the Philippines as of January 1942.

Scope and Contents

Good-bye letters before leaving for overseas. Later writes about his training in airforce, and news of his friends, mentioning he is not proud of one who is still a civilian. Expects war to last several more years. His June 9, 1943 letter announces he is back to the United States after one year overseas. Hopes to start flight training.

Scope and Contents

Expresses his happiness that they were able to meet again, and his persistent love, and talks about marriage again. Reflects over his feelings and how he has changed over the years.