Letter from Lillian (Poltrack) Janis to her Brother Edward Poltrack when he attending flight training at Chanute Field in Illinois – sent 22 April 1941

Dear Ed,

Congratulations on your mark as well as your admission into school.
Boy does time fly! I can’t get around to writing letters. If I do it when Marcia is awake she wants to write and that is a nuisance. If I wait until evening I’m too sleepy or else I’m going out. We is been stepping out an awful lot lately and right I feel as now though I’d like to stay in bed for a week.

I’m sorry I joined the badminton club. Most of them are champions since the last tournament and consider themselves too good to play with the poorer players. I’m not good. I started out well and I but their seriousness. gets me down and I don’t get around fast enough. (Old age, maybe.) when they first played the idea was to have a lot of fun and play to play. Now it’s play to win and that means business.

Last Friday we attended the Starlight Concert Benefit for Community Orchestra. Ed ushered – Don Hersam[?] got me a press ticket. After the Concert ( very good but too long) we went to Hersam’s for sandwiches, dessert etc. About 10 PM the phone rang and Carol (the girl who stays with children), said Mom, Pop and a brother were over. I immediately suspected Fran being there as Mom-Pop never visit me and especially at that hour so we rushed home and sure enough Fran was home. It was swell to see him. He looks thinner though he weighs more.

Sat early A. M. Helen called me and we packed the Children and went off to Stamford. Sat. night five couples went to Blue Gardens, formerly Rhineland Gardens. The place was packed and service was terrible but we enjoyed it very much. Talk about “Dancing On a Dime”. That place was so crowded you couldn’t even do that.

Ideas come & go. Ad has a vacation next week. We got an idea of coming & visit you with Fran for a day or so but your schedule is full- Ed won’t let me go – Money is scarce – trip hardly worth so idea the short visit so idea flew out as fast as in.

Good luck in your studies, Love as always, Lillian