From Former Sons and Daughters of

January 23, 1919

Editor Press:

I receive the press today and was reminded that I had not written for the Pink Edition so I am taking time to write before it is too late. We are enjoying our home and work in Eldorado area much, and have the pleasure of living in the new $5500 parsonage that these good people built for us last year, it is modern throughout having hot and cold water bath and heat, so that Mrs. Goodman does not have to go out of doors for anything that pertains to her housework. My study is in the church building, just across the street, and is connected with the house by phone. Our people here are progressive and appreciative; they increased our salary again this year, making it $1700 and house. This is fine for both them and us, as one can do better if the people manifest an interest in them and the fact that this is now a $2000 charge places them in the list of the best charges of the conference so far as salary is concerned.

We have almost 500 members and a splendid Sunday school there being 345 present last Sunday. One remarkable thing about this church is the large percentage of men in the congregation. Eldorado is a live town of 8000 in the great coal belt of Saline County. We have five public school buildings and a splendid Township High School building. The city is growing very fast and the large deposit of coal in this County makes its prosperity sure for many years to come.

Mrs. Goodman and myself are enjoying good health and find all the work we can do in this busy place. Our oldest son, Gerald, is now in Columbus, Georgia employed by the Texas oil company. He served almost a year in the service of his country and regretted most of all that he was not permitted to go to France, but willingly did his bit where Uncle Sam called him. He was a lieutenant and a training officer at Camp Sherman, Ohio, when the war closed, receiving his discharge from that post December 7, 1918. Herald, our second son, is a senior in the local high school and is getting on nicely with his work. He is also the leader in the Eldorado basketball team that has not met defeat this year. Mildred is in the eighth grade in the public school and Pauline is in the third, Junior is past five years old and will soon go to school, leaving us to experience what it means to be alone after these years of care and happiness with them.

I have confined my letter to the things that concern our family for the reason that I am most interested in the personal things we gather from the many letters in the press and it is this feature that makes the "Special Edition" worthwhile.

With hearty greetings and best wishes for the press and the press family, I am,

Sincerely yours,

George R. Goodman

Hunter, Arkansas

January 1, 1919

L.M. Wood:

Mr. and Mrs. Charlie J. Heath were both born in Crawford County, Illinois, but while children, their parents moved to Lawrence County, where they were married in 1888. For 20 years they lived and toiled in Lawrence County, near Westport and Sumner until February 1918, when they moved to Hunter, Arkansas, where they worked for M. Mushrush and Robert Diebold for five months, then got a job on a farm three miles from Hunter, where Elmer Amerman gave Mr. Heath half the crop and all the corn he could use and work by the day out of the crop.

I want to say to friends and neighbors in Illinois that this is the place for poor farmers who try to raise their living. I also have 20 acres fine oats. Expect to put out 20 acres of corn on another place. This is a good place for stock, as they can run out all winter. The grass is as green as in springtime. Not much fruit around here.

Mr. and Mrs. Charlie J. Heath

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Petersburg, Illinois

January 25, 1919

Editor, Friends and Readers of the Press:

Again the wheels of time have turned another notch and brought us to the end of another year, when we are asked to send in words of greeting to our old time friends, with whom we have spent many happy days. We are so grateful for this opportunity and we look forward with great pleasure to the perusal of the many friendly words from our friends and neighbors. We are living in Petersburg this year, and it has fallen our lot to labor with the M. E. people of this city. The people received us with much cordially and things are looking good for a prosperous year in the Lord’s work. Our oldest son, Otis, is a senior in high school this year. Hubert, our second boy, is staying with my father (Henry Wright) this winter, going to school at Old White Oak, a place that has a very warm spot in my heart and memory. Walter, our third boy is in the third grade. Paul, our little boy, had the misfortune of losing his hearing to such an extent that it became necessary to put him in school at Jacksonville. While it is a great trial for us to have him away from home while so young we are glad to say he is doing extra well in his school work.

Sometimes we are called upon to go through some very trying times, but I am so glad we have one that we can lean on and he will sustain and uphold us with His hand. God's perfect plan I cannot see but some day I'll understand. Someday he'll make it plain to me. I am praying to the Father that I may be submissive to His will and grow stronger in His love and power. May the Lord bless all the dear readers of the press and bring us all closer to Him, as the dawn of a new era is here. My parents, Mr. and Mrs. Henry Wright, live on the farm in Lukin known as the Hull Brown place near White Oak. I am anxious to hear, through the columns of the Pink Press, From many old time friends.

Yours,

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Trenton, North Dakota

February 16, 1919

L.M. Woods and Sons:

Please excuse me for not writing any sooner. Last year I wrote early and forgot to mail it, this time I almost forgot it. We are all in good health after entertaining the flu during the holidays.

Since I made my last report nothing unusual had happened. We have had a fine winter. I noticed in the Press every once and a while someone complementing the weatherman for the nice weather, as though it was something unusual. If we would pat him on the back every nice day we have he would be like the good old clergy, he would only have half a shirt on his back, the other half on his front.

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