From Janet Cairns Dickey Jr. to her mother Janet Cairns Dickey (September 13, 1934)

[Envelope addressed:  Mrs J.B. Dickey, Langbank, Sask. Postmarked Sep 15 1934 Saskatoon Saskatchewan. A note about names: Mrs. J.B. Dickey has been tagged on this site as Janet Cairns Dickey because her maiden name was Cairns. Her daughter Janet’s given name was Janet Cairns Dickey, hence Jr. has been added to her tag. The job that Janet Cairns Dickey Jr. writes about in this letter was seasonal employment at the University of Saskatchewan, Department of Veterinary Pathology. She was 22 years old at the time of writing. “Aunt Alice” was not an actual aunt. Her last name was Fraser, and in a 1957 photo she appears to be a similar age as Janet Cairns Dickey (the elder), but that is all that is known definitively. However, from 1925 to 1937 a William Pollock Fraser was a professor at the University of Saskatchewan. He was married to Alice, nee McRae, who was born in 1881, location currently not known. He, however, was born and raised in Pictou County, N.S. Thus it seems probable that William Pollock Fraser’s wife was “Aunt Alice” and that she and Janet Cairns Dickey (the elder) had been friends for years.]

1021 College Street, Saskatoon

Sept. 13, 1934  9:00 pm

Dear Folks:

I got your letters this morning.  I was beginning to think they must have gone astray.  Also the books came.  Will you keep that money, Mummy, & buy yourself a birthday present, preferably a dress.  And I will expect to see it when I come home.  So there!  There is fifty cents in an envelope marked “Church” in the washstand drawer in my room.  When they are collecting Mr. Lawton’s salary will you give them that, please.

Ella & I went to the weiner roast, had a lovely time.  It was on a shelf on the river bank & there were 17 there.  It was a blind date for both of us & we both considered that our escorts were the pick of the crowd. Both were University students, Bob Anderson & Bob Leddingham.

Tony told me yesterday that she thought I was doing very well, better than most new girls & today Dr. Fulton told me my tests were pretty good, that if I didn’t do any worse than that I would be all right.  Also, today I was labelling & Tony told Ruth to label with me & see if I would learn any quicker way of doing it.  We each started on a new box at the same time & I kept ahead of her!  She worked there last year half-time for two months without pay, just to learn how. There was a new girl, Audrey Black, there today learning how. Two half-time girls are to start on the 15^th.

Tomorrow night Ella & I are invited up to Brydons.  Mr. Brydon is the foreman of the University Farm & Shirley is a great friend of Ella’s.  The weiner roast started from there.  Mrs Brydon made the coffee & Mr. Brydon took the stuff & six of us over in the car.  Hugh Cowan took Shirley.  The Brydons live on the campus. 

Saturday 2:30 p.m. Now my work is over for this week.  We work till one o’clock on Saturdays & sometimes I guess they have to work Sat. afternoons too.

It snowed hard here all Thursday morning & the ground was white at noon.  It has been very cold since but it is warmer now.  My coat feels thin in the cold weather but I’ll only have to wear it three weeks more.  I often get a ride to or from work.  Mr. Fraser sometimes takes me up & I get rides home with Dr. Fulton & Dr. Wright & once with Olive.

Mr. & Mrs. Jack Fraser were here to dinner yesterday.  They are going to Chicago for a year.  He is from Pictou & remembered knowing of you, Mummy, but did not remember ever seeing you.

Yes, Aunt Alice is still on a diet.  She cannot eat any fats.  She is fairly well though & goes out quite a bit & plays tennis.  I am afraid I will make too much extra work for her & that help would mean more to her than board money & that she would not like to say so.  I help all I can, however, & I do not have to work evenings, so I could iron then, or sew for her.

We went to Brydon’s last night & had a nice time.  Althea was there also.  I am getting to know quite a few people, nice people too.  I have met a number of University people.

Aunt Alice is going to two teas this p.m.  I want to go downtown, as Saturday afternoon is my only chance.  I don’t know whether Ella will want to go with me or if I’ll go alone.  I think I could find my way all right now.

I haven’t been past the San [probably refers to the Saskatoon Sanitorium for tuberculosis] yet but if I get a chance I will certainly go to see Sandy.  I had forgotten he was in Saskatoon.    

I am going to get three rolls of films this afternoon so I hope you sent the camera.  There are lots of pictures I want to take.

I am glad you got to Moosomin, Mummie. Perhaps if Mrs. Reid would like I might go to her after I leave Saskatoon (if I leave) & it isn’t likely I could get any job but housework here & that would probably be pleasanter in Moosomin.  I might go there till the end of June then come home, go to the camp at Round Lake & come back here in the fall if possible.  That is my ambition now – to do so well I will get on again next year.

Ella is having three friends in this evening, one of whom I have already met.

Please be sure to tell me all about the dance, girls, & name the various persons, if any, who enquired after me.

Aunt Alice wishes you could come up, Mummy.  She wanted to know if you could come up with the Cowans.

I must close now & get ready to go downtown or I’ll be late getting back.  Oh yes, about the cheese – Aunt Alice uses Kraft and just gets a quarter pound at a time.  Don’t be surprised if my letters dwindle to one a week as I won’t have very much time for writing.  Did you get your films developed yet, Sadie?

Love from Janet

I am going to look for birthday presents this p.m.