Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family
Title
Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family
Creator
Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958
Identifier
WWP23094
Date
1920 May 16
Description
Letter from Jon Bouman to his family.
Source
Gift of William C. and Evelina Suhler
Subject
Germany--History--1918-1933
Correspondence
Berlin, Germany
Contributor
Rachel Dark
Denise Montgomery
Language
English
Requires
PROOFREADING
Provenance
Evelina Suhler is the granddaughter of Jon Anthony Bouman and inherited the family collection of his letters from the years of World War I. She and her husband gave the letters to the Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum in 2013.
Text
Sunday, May 16, 1920
Dearest;
Just two months ago since I left London, it seems much longer, although I had quite made up my mind I would be there three months at least, or at any rate until after the German elections, when there may be some rumpus of some sort. I expect they are making up their minds in New York what to do about the Berlin position; I don’t think they would want me there permanently because I have never been given to understand that the London job was “off” and besides, I would not consent to the separation as I could never entertain the idea of having my family over here; the situation is far too uncertain and for a family far from happy. We must just have patience and think of the one advantage: that the office is keeping me here paying all my expenses which I would have to meet out of my salary if I were in London.
Your letter dated the 9th came on the 12th only 3 days, very quick; I am glad you had a nice outing to Kew Gardens but surprised that you have had so much cold and wet weather; here the whole spring has been exceptionally fine and bright hardly a day of rain; so much so that I have not been into any of the museums which are a refuge on wet days but have always been able to take walks in the open. So far the night work agrees with e very well; I walk to the hotel every mornig at 5.30 whn a good many people are already about in the main streets. On Ascension morning it was (as an exception) rather cold and wet, and I saw a sight that one could only see in Germany. Three youths and a girl were setting out for a picnic with rucksacks on their backs, bareheaded with tousled mops of fair hair; the boys with shirts open in front and all wore spectacles and most serious faces. There they were marching along through the rain holding each other by the hand and singing a sentimental ballad about “oh the beautiful sun (which wasn’t there) and oh the beautiful spring time.” It was a most odd looking outfit; they were certainly optimists. Talking about optimists, after I had had my sleep I met in the afternoon Conger and Moyston who wanted me to come along to the races and so we went in a motor car to the Grunewald racetrack. Strange I should make my first acquaintance with the turf – after 20 years in England – in Germany: I have always been sorry I have never seen the Derby or the Boat Race (by the way did Bill go to the Boat Race?) Anyhow, it was an interesting experience; a German dressed up as a sport is almost as comical as a Frenchman and the women looked like prosperous cooks. My two companions were enthusiastic gamblers but I confined myself to one bet on a horse called Optimist – I said to myself: we will put this to a test now and if it wins I shall be converted. I backed the horse to win but it came in third so I lost. You see that comes of following optimism ha ha! This is a bitter, bitter laugh! I shall always have my answer ready now, when you tell me to be an optimist in future.
I enclose a programme of a concert I went to for the office as this was the first performance of an American composition since the war. I had never heard of the composer nor of his oddly-named suite but he was in the American “Who’s Who” so I suppose he is of some account in his country. The music seemed very curious to me – it seemed to me like third-class Grieg – the last bit “dreams” was rather more melodious than the rest. The audience applauded generously but I doubt it was more the conductor than the composer whom they clapped for. The Bluthner rooms are very fine and large, and it was well filled. It was the first concerti have been to so far.
I have also been to my first picture gallery; it is situated almost next door to the hotel. It was a collection of portraits lent by private owners; most of them having played some part in old Prussian history. There were portraits by Begas, Bocklin, Lenbach, & Von Menzel who I suppose are the best known portrait painters in Germany; some of them I liked very much especially some pictures of haughty old eighteenth century dames with lace caps and grim mouths.
Today I have my new suit on for the first time: it is not at all bad; I think it will pass your criticism as it was made after the style of my English one. I paid for it 2500 marks (pound 125 prewar value) and I sold my old one for pound 10!! Only divide those figures by ten and you will get the true values. Even then it is dear, but the cloth is good; people wear awful things here; of course material is so expensive that a new suit is a tragedy to salaried middleclass folk. I really don’t know how many of them live. Even dustmen get 275 marks weekly, which is more than many a civil servant or schoolmaster gets. Of course the dustmen got this after a strike for more pay, and the refuse accumulated so then it became a menace to the public health so the municipal authorities had to give in. Even now the refuse bred such a lot of flies that they are quite a nuisance; better than the mosquitoes in Amsterdam!
I am hoping to hear from the office soon as to my salary, and perhaps how much longer I shall have to remain here. Three months I think is long enough.
How are the Spencers and their baby? I always like to hear from old friends.
With love, dearest, and hugs all around
Thine, Jack.
Note: Regarding the concert program referred to in this letter, see his letter of May 30, 1920, which enclosed that program. The American composer was John Alden Carpenter (1876-1951), who studied with Elgar in London, and composed some of the earliest jazz classical music. The piece heard by Boudon was “Adventures in a Perambulator” (1914), a symphony in six parts, and the last part was “Dreams”. Wikipedia entry for John Alden Carpenter
Dearest;
Just two months ago since I left London, it seems much longer, although I had quite made up my mind I would be there three months at least, or at any rate until after the German elections, when there may be some rumpus of some sort. I expect they are making up their minds in New York what to do about the Berlin position; I don’t think they would want me there permanently because I have never been given to understand that the London job was “off” and besides, I would not consent to the separation as I could never entertain the idea of having my family over here; the situation is far too uncertain and for a family far from happy. We must just have patience and think of the one advantage: that the office is keeping me here paying all my expenses which I would have to meet out of my salary if I were in London.
Your letter dated the 9th came on the 12th only 3 days, very quick; I am glad you had a nice outing to Kew Gardens but surprised that you have had so much cold and wet weather; here the whole spring has been exceptionally fine and bright hardly a day of rain; so much so that I have not been into any of the museums which are a refuge on wet days but have always been able to take walks in the open. So far the night work agrees with e very well; I walk to the hotel every mornig at 5.30 whn a good many people are already about in the main streets. On Ascension morning it was (as an exception) rather cold and wet, and I saw a sight that one could only see in Germany. Three youths and a girl were setting out for a picnic with rucksacks on their backs, bareheaded with tousled mops of fair hair; the boys with shirts open in front and all wore spectacles and most serious faces. There they were marching along through the rain holding each other by the hand and singing a sentimental ballad about “oh the beautiful sun (which wasn’t there) and oh the beautiful spring time.” It was a most odd looking outfit; they were certainly optimists. Talking about optimists, after I had had my sleep I met in the afternoon Conger and Moyston who wanted me to come along to the races and so we went in a motor car to the Grunewald racetrack. Strange I should make my first acquaintance with the turf – after 20 years in England – in Germany: I have always been sorry I have never seen the Derby or the Boat Race (by the way did Bill go to the Boat Race?) Anyhow, it was an interesting experience; a German dressed up as a sport is almost as comical as a Frenchman and the women looked like prosperous cooks. My two companions were enthusiastic gamblers but I confined myself to one bet on a horse called Optimist – I said to myself: we will put this to a test now and if it wins I shall be converted. I backed the horse to win but it came in third so I lost. You see that comes of following optimism ha ha! This is a bitter, bitter laugh! I shall always have my answer ready now, when you tell me to be an optimist in future.
I enclose a programme of a concert I went to for the office as this was the first performance of an American composition since the war. I had never heard of the composer nor of his oddly-named suite but he was in the American “Who’s Who” so I suppose he is of some account in his country. The music seemed very curious to me – it seemed to me like third-class Grieg – the last bit “dreams” was rather more melodious than the rest. The audience applauded generously but I doubt it was more the conductor than the composer whom they clapped for. The Bluthner rooms are very fine and large, and it was well filled. It was the first concerti have been to so far.
I have also been to my first picture gallery; it is situated almost next door to the hotel. It was a collection of portraits lent by private owners; most of them having played some part in old Prussian history. There were portraits by Begas, Bocklin, Lenbach, & Von Menzel who I suppose are the best known portrait painters in Germany; some of them I liked very much especially some pictures of haughty old eighteenth century dames with lace caps and grim mouths.
Today I have my new suit on for the first time: it is not at all bad; I think it will pass your criticism as it was made after the style of my English one. I paid for it 2500 marks (pound 125 prewar value) and I sold my old one for pound 10!! Only divide those figures by ten and you will get the true values. Even then it is dear, but the cloth is good; people wear awful things here; of course material is so expensive that a new suit is a tragedy to salaried middleclass folk. I really don’t know how many of them live. Even dustmen get 275 marks weekly, which is more than many a civil servant or schoolmaster gets. Of course the dustmen got this after a strike for more pay, and the refuse accumulated so then it became a menace to the public health so the municipal authorities had to give in. Even now the refuse bred such a lot of flies that they are quite a nuisance; better than the mosquitoes in Amsterdam!
I am hoping to hear from the office soon as to my salary, and perhaps how much longer I shall have to remain here. Three months I think is long enough.
How are the Spencers and their baby? I always like to hear from old friends.
With love, dearest, and hugs all around
Thine, Jack.
Note: Regarding the concert program referred to in this letter, see his letter of May 30, 1920, which enclosed that program. The American composer was John Alden Carpenter (1876-1951), who studied with Elgar in London, and composed some of the earliest jazz classical music. The piece heard by Boudon was “Adventures in a Perambulator” (1914), a symphony in six parts, and the last part was “Dreams”. Wikipedia entry for John Alden Carpenter
Original Format
Letter
To
Bouman Family
Files
Collection
Citation
Bouman, Jon Anthony, 1873-1958, “Jon Bouman to the Bouman Family,” 1920 May 16, WWP23094, Jon Anthony Bouman Collection, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.