THE SECOND HALF OF THE 30S

In trying to be brief about my second half of the 30s decade I am running into difficulty because there are so many anecdotes that I wish to relate.

I did not like this format:

1. 1936: off to college, had picture taken with Lady Aster. 
2. Second year; Randall Hall, spring project involved town girls.
3. Next four years lived in same room on East Range, dated student nurses, met Helen, my fourth year was start of Medical School. 
4. Graduation Speaker from college was FDR who gave a now famous policy speech the day after Italy declared war on France.

Suffice to say, in 1936 I became a “self-reliant individual”  for the first time in my life away from home, at the University of Virginia.

I have many stories of my first two years, the first one spent in one of the mandatory First Year Student Dorms; the second year in Randall Hall a very heterogeneous group embracing all schools including graduate as well as under graduate, and the followingt four plus in the same room on the East Range.

It was at the end of my third year that I decided I was wasting my parent’s money and applied for Medical School. Much to the chagrin of my 4th year college friends who had also applied and had not heard from the Dean, I was accepted immediately after my interview.

It was also at the end of that third year that I met Helen who later became my wife for 68 years; but that too deserves a few words.

I will note that Charlottesville was rather isolated and only disable (usually as a result of polio) First Year Students could have a car. Much of our social life revolved around the Saturday night Dances at the Frye Springs Studio, a “road house” frequented by local girls and those from the nearby countryside. Not too much fun for one with three left feet.

Over the next few days with time out for Council and other stuff, I am going to anecdote and amplify about these happy years. That may take more space and time then I originally intended.