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Charles E. Johnson Letter

 Collection
Identifier: Ms-2017-042

Scope and Content

The collection contains a single letter from Charles Johnson, a cadet at VPI to Miss Martha Clark, written around March 26, 1933. Johnson's letter details an incident in which a cadet started up a steamroller on the Drillfield and drove it to the upper quadrangle (site of the current cadet dorms and Lane Hall). The steamroller became trapped in the entrace to the guard rooms and the whistle drew the attention of the Blacksburg and campus communities. The steamroller remained stuck in the doorway, keeping the cadets from being able to march anywhere, since the only through was to climb over the machinery, and resulting in them using the fire escapes to enter and exit the barracks. Johnson writes that this held up work on the planned road (at the time of his letter, the steamroller was still stuck and there was no plan for removal yet) and that, rather than seek out the culprit, the Corps of Cadets agreed to pay for any damage. He finishes his letter suggesting it may have been a planned prank, as is took place over a holiday when the guard room was empty and someone had a chance to measure the spaces, as he notes "[a] fit as close as that one isn't guess work." The letter includes an illustration and the original envelope.

Dates

  • 1933

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research.

Use Restrictions

Permission to publish material from Charles E. Johnson Letter must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.

Biographical Information

The letterhead indicates that Charles Johnson was a member of Company B in the VPI Corps of Cadets in 1933.

Extent

0.1 Cubic Feet (1 folder)

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

The collection contains a single letter from Charles Johnson, a cadet at VPI to Miss Martha Clark, written around March 26, 1933.

Acquisition Information

The Charles E. Johnson Letter was donated to Special Collections in 2004.

Processing Information

The processing, arrangement, and description of the Charles E. Johnson Letter was completed in October 2017.

Title
Charles E. Johnson Letter, 1933
Status
Completed
Author
Kira A. Dietz, Archivist
Date
2017 (CC0 1.0)
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository

Contact:
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308