Miss Catherine Hartley’s Division #451 Austin High School, 1942, Miss Hartley, center 2nd Row. Frank Ebner Gartz, top row second from right. Friend, Harvey Duck, top row-3rd from left
Frank’s former science and division teacher at Austin High School, Miss Hartley, was a regular correspondent, not only to Frank Ebner, but to many of his buddies from his high school class. Harvey Duck was in Frank’s same division (see photo), and his name comes up in this letter as Miss Hartley is keeping all the boys apprised of their classmates doings and whereabouts (See 3/3 posted letter from Frank’s Mom.) Miss Hartley also mentions that Cookie, Frank’s girlfriend, took over Duck’s job.
I’m not transcribing this letter. A teacher’s handwriting is pretty easy to read. It’s an example of how everyone on the home front rallied behind the boys in training and kept their spirits up with a regular flow of correspondence. Frank’s teacher adds a few notes of chastisement for some of Frank’s apparently not so “mature” behavior in high school, but, like all good teachers, also leavens her critique with guidance and encouragement.
