Tough Courses

Ben is at the University of Connecticut.  We wonder if he had any science courses in high school.  In a prior letter he says some draftees with him at A.S.T.P. had already had some college courses.    Soon we learn that the A.S.T.P. program will be discontinued throughout the country. 

October 16, 1943
Storrs, Connecticut
Friday night
7:15 p.m.

Hi Folks,
There’s not as much to write about up here as there was at Camp Croft.  It’s just the same old grind day in and day out.  All we do is go to classes and study, just what I’m going to do when I finish this letter. 

I don’t mind telling you that most of the stuff is over my head.  It wasn’t too bad for the first couple of days, but now it’s completely over my head.  If they would give a little explanation before they started in, it wouldn’t be so bad.  But they don’t do it that way.  And for the fellows who have never had that particular subject, it’s just too bad.  And the books aren’t too easy either.

The teachers as a whole aren’t too bad, especially the Math and Chemistry, but our Physics teacher doesn’t know any more than some of the kids.  He’s a botany professor who gets all mixed up when doing problems on the board and as a result doesn’t do us any good.  Our English teacher piles on homework when she knows the other subjects are more important.  And in Military Science, we spent a couple of days rolling packs and pitching tents.  Seems silly.  We have about an hour to an hour & half of free time a day, which makes it kinda monotonous.

I don’t know what to tell you about the camera.  All I can say is that they don’t allow them in regular Army Camps.  Marion sent me an Eversharp pen today.  A gold-top one.  She really shouldn’t have done it cause it must be pretty expensive.  Well, I’ve got to get to my studies.

Love,
Ben