Letters from Marcy #25: 31 July 1967
This one was written with what I think is either a sharp crayon or a very thick colored pencil.
The casual mention of “the wedding” suggests that Marcy had previously told her parents that she and Peter had gotten married, but unfortunately that was during the gap in surviving correspondence. I don’t know whether she told them that the wedding wasn’t a legal/official one.
I’m not sure what to make of the “kicking” line; Marcy was pregnant with me by this time, but only about a month into the pregnancy; she may not even have known she was pregnant. (More on that topic in the next letter.) And I don’t know what “we have concerts” means. (It’s possible I misread that, but I’m not sure what else it might say.)
This note mentions someone named “Mary.” After I found her full name in another letter, I went and looked her up, and have now gotten in touch with her; I’ll report back if/when I learn more.
This note included some materials about the Six-Day School; I’ll post those when I get them scanned.
Here are two of the wedding photos taken by the professional photographer she mentions.
Hullo—
Truly sorry not to have writ in so long; this isn’t much of a letter either, as I’m unable to find a pencil, but just wanted to let you know I’m still alive & kicking, notably the latter, & Peter is too (we have concerts.)
No news yet on pictures of the wedding—we went to the (ugh!) city last wednesday to pick up some forgotten toys & the one professional photographer who took pictures has been working madly on some deadline stuff; Mary took some pictures, but she’s been living up at the ranch & hasn’t come down to her darkroom yet; we weren’t able to reach Rabbit to see if he developed anything—
The city was a mess, but we did get to go to Sacramento to check on state requirements for private schools; it looks like we can do it. I may have to stay home from the class at Lost this week & do some details, as we are having a conference with the county Supt. of Schools on Wednesday, & we need to have all kinds of official offal under control by then. Hope I don’t miss the class; we are going to learn how to butcher a chicken, which is something I ought to be able to do (collossal nerve to eat something you aren’t able to kill yourself) but am rather squeamish about.
Aha! I have a sacred & holy mission: to ask you to ask Uncle Hyman for a recipe for good sour Jewish rye—no cookbooks have any real recipes that we’ve found—they’re all for Swedish rye or rye-whole wheat, or something, but about 6 of us would love to make good rybread, no matter how much work. So please ask when you get a chance. (How are they, & Deenah’s baby? I never did write to her, alas)
This is getting a little thick for airmail, so I’ll stop now. Regards to Sachses & Rosenbergs & all, you guys could write sometimes, too— love from Peter,
& Love,
Marcia
P.S.
finally found a pencil—enclosed is literature on the 6-day school, with pencil notes & blue underlinings by me—also a book cover that you ought to get and read the book that belongs inside of—someone gave it to us recently—if you want to know more about the school we’re dreaming about, read Summerhill, by A. S. Neill, and How Children Fail, by John Holt—both are in paperback, at the Arcade, at 15th & Chestnut, if you can’t find them elsewhere. They’ll even mail them to you—(or try the library)
Love,
M.
Postmark: Mendocino, Calif, Jul 31, 1967. Return address: Hartman, General Delivery, Mendocino, California. Handwritten: “Rec’d this 8/5/67” and “Ans. this 8/6/67.”