A Letter to Elsie

Bathing in Far Rockaway, L. I. - A color postcard copyright 1907. This type of postal is referred to as "a generic" postcard. The scene depicted on the face of the card could be applied to almost any shore front area. This particular card was purchased and mailed in 1911 by a young woman who had found summer employment in the town of Far Rockaway. Interesting reading — it provides a bit of insight into the simplicity of everyday life at the turn of the century.

June 2, 1911

Dear Elsie,

Just a message to let you know where I am and what I am doing my time away from our classroom this wonderful summer.

I was fortunate enough to locate employment in Far Rockaway for the next three months. I am staying with the Andrews - have a flat over a store on Mott Avenue in the center of town. There are five of us sharing and because they moved Issey and Andy into the same bed room I have my own bedroom which is a lot better than I could have ever hoped for.

I work at a five and dime and am called a counter girl which means that I stand inside a cluster of showcases and show merchandise to interested women and then if they decide to purchase I take the money and put it into a National (note: cash register). I am not allowed to stand around when there are no shoppers in my area so I have to clean the counter tops and dust merchandise and just keep myself busy when I am not selling.

I really wanted to be selling perfumes and scented waters of other kinds but the only position they had open was in stationery so I am over my head in envelopes and clips and pencils and inks of every color. Most of the women who buy from me are picking up things for their offices and I have actually had two job offers from several of the shopping women. One woman offered me a position in a law office over a hardware store on our Central Avenue and the other told me about an opening in a small restaurant nearby here.

So far my largest sale has been to the Plaza Hotel over on Clark Street and they bought so much stuff one afternoon we had to get assistance in packing up and sending over the order. I wanted to go to visit but I was told I could not go that they needed me in the store.

We are open from 8:30 till 7 on Monday through Wednesday and then we are open until 9:30 on Thursday and Friday but we close early on Saturday we close at 6. The store is not open on Sunday and I attend services with the Andrews at a small church (St. Johns) on Mott Avenue. After lunch we take the train down to the shore and we sometimes spend the day and come home after it gets dark. I have grown fond of the Andrews children. Issey is ten and Andy is 14 and they are both nice boys.

Andy has learned how to swim and sometimes when we visit the shore he swims out and about but Issey and me just stand around and watch. Mrs. Andrews has some sort of skin problem so she does not sit in the sun but Mr. Andrews does love to burn.

The other night there was a big surprise outside when about lunchtime some mister got hit by one of the town trains. I don't think he really got hurt too much but it didn't look so good for awhile and there was a lot of hubbub all around and Mr.

Evans actually considered closing up the store until the activity died down. Most of us were interested in watching so there was no customers and no one to help them either.

There is a train station near here and they are planning to give a concert sometime within the next few weeks. They have set up some sort of a wooden platform with a canope on top and sometimes on Saturdays we can hear some of the music men practicing up on their musical instruments. Mr. Andrews has a piano and sometimes he will sit and play it for us to listen to and the other night when the men were playing outside he played along and we all had a good laugh about that. Goetz Piano shop is planning some sort of an event and during lunch we often stand out side and listen to what they are doing. You know how much I love to hear music.

My only wish is that I would find better food to eat. Mrs. Andrews is very good but she feeds the family too many foods that would make me puff up like a balloon. I have to be very careful I don't eat everything placed in front of me and I have decided to start doing without a morning meal. I really don't need to eat that much food. Not that I am seeing anyone special but I don't want to do something I will regret later on.

I found a cute color picture I plan to send to you. When you get the card remember I would love for you to write back to me.

Tell me how you are spending your June/July/August and what you are doing and whom you are seeing.

Give my love to your mother and father and to sister Barbara. Please do enjoy the remainder of the summer.

Natalie