In late June 1954 I had taken a bus to South Dakota to become a digger on an archeological project (excavating the Mandan earth mounds in a town of 3,000 burned down as the Sioux took the tribe's land which they now claim as theirs in the pipeline disputes). My mother wrote all the news from Sea Cliff that summer. Here is her letter:

SEA CLIFF, N.Y.

July 9, 1955

Dear Buster,

Pop just left for a haircut and Art and Bill are at work.

Guess you shaved if you went to a dance. What is wrong with Tommy, is he bashful? guess you will have to give him some private lessons.

Mrs. Duck and I call one another when we receive mail. She has had the Sea Cliff News sent to him so there is no need for me to send another.

I have your camera and will try and send it with the artifacts today. You ought to' have your other camera by now,

It would be quite a job to make pan dowdy for 20 as it is an open dish, but here is the recipe that feeds about six generously.  Separate paper.

Sounds as tho you are enjoying yourself.  Would like to see a copy of your handbook. [The crew, as a joke, was making a satirical handbook of digging techniques.]

From what we hear Richie and Duffy received a suspended sentence.  The cops are dispersing the boys on the corner again.  It sure is a shame as they don’t know where to spend these hot evenings.

We had a terrific thunder and lightning storm, one of the worst ever. It hit the diving platform at Stevenson’s causing $3,000 damage, plus putting out a lot of lights and striking many trees.  You have had tornadoes to the south and north of you I see.  Better batten down the latrine!

Mr. Lambert [Episcopal minister at St. Luke’s] will be pleased to hear you visited his church.  How about the shrubs?  Remember to look up Bob Lucent, minister at Cheyenne Agency if you are over there.

Tuesday morning they are to line the parking lot [recently paved on a vacant lot between our house on 12th Ave. and Sea Cliff Ave]. Many cars have been unable to get out as they park in back and front of the middle line. Butlers [next door neighbors] have offered us their garage which we use if necessary.

We are trying our best to break up that Marietta combination. [My brother Art was dating a girl named Mary Etta Belch, a Southern girl whose father was caretaker on the Post Estate.] After talking with the teachers, we feel it quite necessary. All the boys refuse to take him to Brookville and Ellie [Millwater, my cousin], Clancy [Ferguson] and Paul [Millwater] were quite mad at her Sunday. SO why don't your brother get wise to himself. Maybe he would like the job as cook next summer. (Really don't think he would although he might like the chance to get out there.) Don't mention this to him as both Dad and I have been talking to him very seriously, more Dad than I as you know I get very upset.

Yanks and Brooklyn are still leading.

Well, Hon, the town is very quiet. No fireworks this year even.

Howie [Butler] gets home nearly every weekend.  He says they are keeping them on the go and very much on the alert the past few weeks.

We saw Ed [Patterson, amateur archeologist and later curator of Nassau County Museum of Natural History]] last week. Apparently he hasn't been digging as the materials are still in the hall. He said he hadn't heard from you and I think he is anxious to.

[Howard ‘56] Goldick is at the pavillion again, and Twink [Leckie, ‘56] is going to summer' school, Edith [Gildersleeve], Pete Lawlor and Jack Whearty are work­ing in the new Cosy, Jimmie Whearty is working at Rogers. The Conlins [owners of Royal Scarlet deli, corner of 12^th and Roslyn Avenues] were asking for you.

Drop Paul Weber a card and thank him for returning your camera to safe keeping. It was nice of him. You had us puzzled as we couldn't imagine how your camera got in the village safe.  What an absent minded professor you are! Better snap out of it or they will be digging up your bones one morning instead of the Indians. You'll forget to go home.

So long, Hon, and have fun.

Later that summer:

[Letter from my mother on Sea Cliff Village stationery]

July 15, 1955

Dear Bus,

you must look a site. Need any hair ribbons yet? How about Tom? And how about your chest? Are your glasses still in one piece?

Don’t forget you have hospitalization if you need x-ray or anything. . . . Take care of yourself cause I love you! Don’t hesitate if you need medical care. I was a bit worried about your chest because of the ribs.

Sounds as though you like the farm work as well as digging.

Pinkard asked Pa Bill and I to go to Ala. and Louisiana with him in Aug. but I don’t think we will go. He sure is a character. He and dad went to Bayville Sunday afternoon. Linda was asking for you and the other girls were all anxious to know how all the fellows were that visited. Guy brought a southern boy up here for a while and he and Edith Gildersleeve were so-so I guess.

You can drop Marietta a card if you like but please don’t go out of your way to do so as she is not the best influence in town. Johnny’s address is c/o Anderson Estate, Brookville. Johnny is going to Maine tomorrow for a week. Bill is going to be pretty lonesome.

Part went to fire island by himself yesterday and really liked it. You will too? It’s about an hours drive from here. Lots of fishing off of captree either from shore or a boat. Maybe you and Mr. Grandin can get together and go deep-sea fishing.

We had a wonderful day here with marriage and family and Johnny and Andy. Andy was picked up with a wave and deposited on the beach receiving a scrape And after that he found out how to cope with the waves and undertow. Midge [Bathie?] has Merry from the farm here and she just loved it, she hardly goes in down here at the beach. Jimmy is spending a few weeks at the farm in Merry’s place.

I met Mrs. Duck in Levine’s last night and she is pretty lump sum without Tom around but she is glad he is having a good time.

That is no letter writer. Enclosed are clippings which I hope will enlighten you.

. . . They tell me “horse” [Dave van Viorst] is out of work and expecting in addition to the family.

Mr. Feingold started hauling the fence [Francis ?] boys around the other night as he was in shorts and he says the boys passed a remark. The boys said “take your hands off” and he did but continued to talk I guess. Art says the boys did not pass a remark but only whistled. Knowing Mr. F. I suppose there will be trouble.

Ed Bolitho is trying his best to keep our Seacliff youth contended and not have the cops push them from pillar to post and thus make them discontented. They have a program at the Pavilion beginning in the evening with water polo and refreshments and later the girls are going to have in acquacade. If it is successful they will have more of that. Jim Whearety is helping with the program.

Art [Kaufman], Twink [Devon Leckie], Bill [Kaufman], Kevin [Costello], Earle [Kreuger], Howie [Goldick], and more went on a bag beach party the other night. It was a party to welcome Earle home and send Kevin off to Mexico. He is going to spend a month with Mike Fry.

Both cameras have been sent and I hope you received them as they are insured.

. . . .

Lots of love and please do stop falling out of trucks. I am thankful you are not hurt, perhaps because I asked God to watch over you and make you mindful of his love.

Love,

Ma x x x