To:
Members of the Bryant Service Club,

I received your generous gift of assorted candies several days ago with great pleasure. As you would probably guess they didn’t last long. To make them last over two days would be a miracle. Buddies are buddies but there’s some communistic features to the unwritten laws we live by. “What’s yours is yours, and what’s mine is yours.” All in all they’re a mighty swell bunch of fellows here. Like having 75 to 100 brothers, so I’m including their thanks with mine and they are sincere and full of appreciation. There’s a double pleasure in receiving a gift such as yours. First is the enjoyment received through the gift and second and perhaps even more appreciated and lasting is the thought of being remembered by your fellow college men and women.

I hope in the future it may be our pleasure to meet you who have thought of us in the service at a future alumni gathering.

The effort, fine work, and success of your club is realized by those of us who have received your pleasent [sic] gifts. I, as one of many, am grateful to you members for your thoughtfulness. To each one of you my sincere thanks.

Sincerely,
Cpl. Jim Dow
[Transcription ends]

CORPORAL JAMES DOW
U. S. ARMY

29 March 1945

Btry “C” 242d CA Bn (HD)
Ft. H.G. Wright, New York
Via New London, Conn.

Members of THE BRYANT SERVICE CLUB,

Thanks sincerely for the very attractive and specially delicious box of sugared candy. With my appreciation are included those of my buddies as we all had a hand it its rapid disappearance. As Prof “Vinal” use to point out – It was DEMAND versus SUPPLY in a Seller’s market. The bidders were hungry and numerous with the resultant increased trend in consumption – while it lasted. All of us enjoyed its tasty contents. My thanks are really double for somehow or other I received tow boxes within the week, much to the pleasure of my buddies and I will confess, to myself. To return it would have made me a social outcast among these bunch of wolves – truly all swell fellows. I hope our greed does not deprive another fellow alumnus from receiving a package.

Thanks too, for you interesting letter. It was swell to read of the many things you are doing and also the news and whereabouts of other fellow alumnus (Correction – alumni) PS I looked it up. “Chet” Desormeaux was in my class. I’m glad to hear he’s well on the road to recovery. The other news of Leo Ringuette struck very close to home. I read about it first in the local paper I receive and then from my folks while home on my last pass. He was one swell fellow and will be missed by all who knew him.

We in the service do not lack for want of cigarettes, especially the more popular brands. On the post here we are limited in our purchases to two packs a day which should be sufficient for even a “chain smoker”. We may purchase 1 of Camels or Chesterfields, and 1 of another brand such as Lucky Strike or Old Gold. Speaking of the shortage of yarn, our outfit has already received a sweater per person. We were issued them two weeks ago. Long sleeve in style and tops in quality, so many of us are appreciating, these cool nights, the yarn you folks now miss. I might add that this island post is the coldest post in the United States according to Believe It or Not “Ripley”, in the winter-time. The past few weeks the weather here has been really grand – Summer must be almost here.

You may be interested to know of the USAFI (United States Armed Forces Institute) Courses that are in languages, trades, sciences, technician jobs, and business courses that include law, money & banking, bookkeeping, accounting, auditing, C.P.A., public finance, cost accounting, advertising, merchandising, business management and many others. They also offer College Extension Courses where credits may be obtained for further college education. I have enrolled in their correspondent course taking “Essentials of Accounting” for a refresher or review of my past studies. I was honestly surprised in the completeness of the course as it was far above what I expected it to be. The textbook, while not so detailed or completer as the four volumes by “Finney” I used in school, is very well written and quite comprehensive/ It’s a large text book written by W. A. Paton, Ph.D., C.P.A. and is titled, “Essentials of Accounting”. Each month you have to submit at least one lesson to be graded and returned. Your progress depends entirely upon your own initiative. The enrollment fee was $2.00 which entitles you to the course you select and to take any other course or courses you desire to go on with upon completion of your present course. This enrollment fee covers your membership and the complete cost of your course and other additional courses you latter take up. It is a great opportunity for any enlisted man who desires to further his education or study and learn some special subject.

For the past two years and more my job in the Army has been that of a personnel clerk. Their job is to prepare the payrolls, keep the service records of the men in the battery they are assigned to, make out applications for bonds, insurance, family allowances, allotments, (also Furloughs), and to take care of any other financial problems or difficulties a soldier may have. Most all of the work is turned out by a typewriter. Speed is necessary though not easily acquired if not already possessed as most all work is done on form paper. We also have a goodly share of correspondence to carry on. Added to this are the applications for OCS, Infantry, Paratroops, Discharges, and etc, which manage to keep us fairly busy. The Army – red tape – is not mere fiction.

That’s all for now. Thanks again for you swell letter and most delicious candy. The thoughtful way you keep us in mind is warmly and heartily felt by us. Your club is rendering a great service in a very fine way. I know all of us who happen to be on the receiving end sincerely appreciate your gifts, your time and your efforts.

Sincerely yours,
“Jim” [Transcription ends]

Fort H. G. Wright, N.Y.
April 5, 1943.

Dear Bryant Friends,

Thanks so much for the delicious box of candyed [sic] peanuts. They were swell and need I add how immensely the boys + myself enjoyed them. Something like that is a real treat and when a bunch of ravenous buddies get wind of such a prize gift in your possession there is no such thing as hoading [sic].

Many things have happened here since my last letter to you. Many of my friends left last week for a long trip to Texas the good old State of Texas Bill Shaws whom is now I understand in the service too with a commissioned officer’s rating. I recall in his tax classes those vivid descriptions of the grand state of Texas which he punctually plugged every so often, as it was in this great vastness his home town was located and perhaps lost. From my own home town I can boast of Prof. Gulski and also Congressman Joe Martin. Perhaps we better not bring politics at this moment. At present I am the personnel clerk of the battery where wage and hour laws and forty eight hour weeks are unknown. Our motto is Expedite, or “Get it Out”. In our section we handle or prepare all applications for bonds, government insurance, family dependency applications, all allotments, the battery payroll and keep each Service Record up to date plus most other financial + administrative duties. I should like to tell you more but my time for writing correspondence is rather limited.

Thanks again for your swell gift and your thoughtfullness [sic].

Cpl. Jim Dow
Your Fellow Alumnus [Transcription ends]

Bryant College Service Club
Bryant College,
Providence, R. I.

Dear Miss Blaney,

With sincere apology to you and members of the Bryant Service Club for this late acknowledgement in receiving your splendid gifts, I express my deepest thanks and appreciation.

I was pleased and very surprised upon receiving your wonderful gifts. Most significant for the pleasure one has of receiving such gifts is the gratitude and appreciation of being remembered. The gratitude and appreciation are mine, my thanks to every one of you.

Congratulations to you and all club members whose work made possible your generous thought of those in the service.

The club is not only a credit to Bryant College but a successful and worthy organization rendering a great service to both the present student body and the alumni.

My best wishes to you for a New Year of success and service.

Sincerely,
Corp. James R. Dow
[Transcription ends]