Letter from Wilson Ashby McElveen, Jr. to his father, postmarked May 2, 1946

[Page 1]

[Typed letter on yellow paper]

Postmarked May 2, 1946

Dear Pop,

Your letter arrived two days ago and I certainly do appreciat [sic] you writing me a letter of the kind that you [inkblot]id.. [illegible deletion] I enjoyed all of the news of the success of Raymonds trip. Hope that he definietely [sic] gets you the dealership of White’s and lawn mowers next trip.

The Col. had us to pitch tents last Sat. instead of having inspection. After we were through he made a little talk which as all the talks by army officers are interesting but when it is all over they have said little. We had to move off of the top gallery onto the quadrangle last Monday. Now we don’t have to go up any steps but I don’t like it as well in my new room even though it is a lot more comfortable than my old one. I have a new style press in my room and the bed stays down all of the time. Now when they blow a bugle I just step out of my room into my place in ranks.

Pop, as in your letter this part of mine is on the serious side too. I think that you and I ought to have more of that sort of thing in our letters -- that is have more mam [sic] to man talks.

I certainly do appreciate you advising me in your letter. If there is anything that I want to do that is to graduate from college. I realize that the time had come when a man must have a college education to get ahead in this world. I plan to be one of those men that is going to get ahead. It is also the highest of my ambitions to graduate from the Citadel of some other institution where a diploma really means something. However, even though I know that any thing that you know doesyou [sic] worlds of good, I don’t want to make the mistake that you did  in studying to be something and then finding out that you don’t like the field of work that you studied for. That is why I want so badly to spend this summer at home working for you. I have heard you talk about the business and seen it operate but have never had any actual experience in the auto business myself. I think that if I were to spend the summer working for you that I could really find out wheather [sic] I desire to be int he business of my ambition. If I worked with you for the summer I could also see the nessecity [sic] of some of my studies and probaly [sic] study harder and I could also learn a lot of first hand information from you. I plan to enter the auto business but would like first to know what I am getting into. Even if I have to enter the army this [illegible deletion] summer I would like to work for you when I get out and then come back to college and get a sheepskin. By 1949 I hope to be a college graduate and if nt working towards a degree. After I get my degree I plan to go into business and after about two years what Ray just did even though the prospects now aren’t good because I haven’t even got a girl.

I have thought things over carefully and think that getting a taste of the business is the best thig [sic] that I can do for myself besides working towards getting a degree. It is true that I am not a little bored with school but things are beginning to look a little better since my last furlough.

Pop, the things that I have said here are feelings at heart so please write me just what you think of what I have planned.

Your devoted son,
W. A. McElveen Jr.