St Ignatius College - Ignatian Yearbook (San Francisco, CA)

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ROVINGS OF .el f,elCKIE Z5 plying myself to the books, as I deem myself very fortunate to be among the number. My initial trip to New York City was an immense suc- cess. I stood on llrooklyn llridgeg perched myself on the top of the XYoolworth Building: patronized the buses on Fifth Avenue and Riverside Drive: paid my respects to the subways and the elevated, casting longing glances in the direction of the l'olo grounds, and compared Central l'ark with our own Golden Gate QI assure you to the advantage of the latterl. It is now 0:15, Sunday morning, and at 10 o'clock a crowd of us are going to Mass, which will be cele- brated on the grounds. The Knights of Columbus are very active here and have a building in the course of construc- tion. Their various chapters in New York City have issued standing invitations to us to accept their hospitality. Now having heard Mass, I shall continue. There must have been about three hundred fellows present at the cele- bration of Mass, and it was all very impressive. The priest who celebrated the Mass is permanently stationed at camp and is surely a splendid selection for the position he holds. I-Ie gave us a very appropriate talk and announced that the K. of C. will have another building in the course of cone struction in a week or two. I just met Yin Meherin at Hass: he is looking more like an old salt than ever before. You will sure have some hard nuts to crack if we ever have the pleasure of meeting again within the four walls of a classroom. I will put a round turn and a couple of half hitches about you and make you rig in your booms. I fully realize that this terminology is a bit over your head, but my vocabulary contains quite an admixture of salt water stuff these days, so don't be offended. I have not heard any word from Lee Jacobson or Vin Brown since I left California. I forgot to mention that I experienced my hrst snowstorm last week. Being my Hrst, I was naturally quite childish about it and persisted in running about in the snow. making the most of it. How are all at the Law School, boys and teach-

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24 THE zcivarfi-iiy sunshine, fruit and flowers: nor shall I burden you with a lengthy description of my transcontinental trip, filled though it was with wonders that my fertile imagination never con- jured as existing. Wfe traveled via the Santa Ire, passing through Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, I'ennsvlvania, and Finally along the Hudson River to the Empire State. Your own experience as an American trav- eler will enable you to recall the glories of each of these places far better than I can portray them. In my own case. however, I doubt if I shall ever again have the good fortune to enjoy as much the trip over the American continent, for we traveled 450 strong, and every habitation along the way manifested its patriotism and showed the proper spirit by tendering us the municipal keys and allowing us the full possession and use, free of cost, of street cars, hre engines and sundry municipal instrumentalities. As you know, I bear you no ill will whatever, but I did wish that you were one of us on the night we arriveclin New York, One of the natives informed us that the temperature was IO degrees above zero. At the time I was too cold to argue with him, but I insist to this day that it must have been ISSIG degrees below zero. Since the day of our arrival the brand of weather has been such that it might fairly be compared with that of our own California, and we have received informa- tion from sources that are fairly reliable that the winter sea- son is now spent, for which we are all quite thankful. There are about six thousand men quartered here, living in barracks, about sixty men to each barrack, and every regiment having its own mess hall. lVith my wonted hu- mility I hasten to apprise you of the statements that we have heard on all sides that our California unit forms the finest body of men that has entered the camp up to this time. The nrst day we were here men holding college degrees were taken from the unit and placed in another regiment. and are now taking a special course of instruction. In all about one hundred men were chosen, and am diligently ap-

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26 THE IGNATIAN ers? I anxiously await word, for I am a long, long Way from Hayes and Shrader streets. I must complete my let- ter, for the bugle has just announced mess, and you know from past experience the eagerness with which I have always responded to that call. VVhat about the fortunes of the Soclality baseball team? I suppose the boys are still bending them over and lining them out on Sunday mornings. I sure wish that I was there to help you out by an occasional crashing drive to the bleachers as of yore. KI-Ia, ha, he, he.j Give my kind regards and best wishes to all of our mutual friends, and as for yourself, be sure to stay under cover when the big wind blows. Faithfully yours, Charlie IVise11za1z.. S. S. W'ierlingen, N. Y. Harbor, March 21, 1918. Thursday Night, 8:15. My Dearest Dad and Mother: Did you observe the title of'this letter? It is all very true, and here I am. This morning at 9 o'clock our crew was mustered, along with forty-live others, and were sent aboard the different boats that were tied up to Ellis Island, to be sent to our new homes. Every crew had a junior and a senior officer attached to it, and it looked like a big naval review. The occasion of it all was the seizure of the Dutch boats, the details of which, I suppose, you are familiar with by this time. There were several other crews aboard our boat, which necessitated quite a lengthy trip around New York harbor. Consequently, I was given an opportunity to see New York harbor from the beginning to end. Mother, I never thought there were so many boats in the world, as I saw anchored about hereg boats from every country, of every size and description: and you ought to see the way some of the boats are camouflagecl. From a mile away you would be unable