January 16, 1944 Sunday

Dearest Marjorie,

Well, Wig is leaving today at 4:50. Have seen him only occasionally lately, but today he sets out for Fort Buckner, N.C., as a corporal in the 78th Infantry. Really hate to see Big Wig go, and can see that he hates to leave, too. It's not because he's missing a chance at O.C.S. at all, but I just feel sorry that he won't be with us anymore. Probably he's getting a break, as far as breaks go in the army. If a fellow was a born army man and wanted to make a career out of it, it is possible that O.C.S. is an opportunity that you should feel bad to miss. But Wig isn't like that. He is naturally a little sorry to leave, but only because society in general counts it as uncreditable to leave O.C.S. for any reason. Hope he can get a furlough where he's going, and get into something that he enjoys and has some time to himself in.

This morning I worked over at the mess hall for a while and when it threatened to develop into something resembling K.P., I signed out for church. Happened that only a Catholic service was on when I signed out, so I saw the light as a Catholic very quickly and went to mass.

Had a good time at church because it gave me my first chance to think for quite a while. I'm getting way behind on my philosophizing these days, Bun. Consequently feel as tho the world was going by without my soaking it in or understanding it. This afternoon I have been reading my Pi Gamma Mu Social Science magazine, which is very solid and heavy. Good to see they're still turning out such a tolerant and intelligent periodical. Most people go to sleep over such stuff, but I'm afraid it's just the type I'll read and write “when I have my way.”

I decided that the army and the Catholic church are alike in that both are elaborate systems that teach one way of doing things – not the reason but the method of doing things. The fact that they teach a method makes it so that the only reasoning members of the systems are those at the very top. The others simply do things because they are told that is the best way. It requires you to do things without knowing the reason – arbitrariness. And prohibits a man from doing the thing as he thinks it should be done – discourages initiative and self-adjustment and it inhibits the man. The systems have the advantage of standardization – with everyone doing things the same way, the parts within a system can only get so bad. The heads know just what will come from each unit and that it will not get below the group standard. When reasons for doing rather than methods are taught, you don't get standard results. One part may be much worse than the worst unit of a method-teaching system. On the other hand, the best may be far better, and anyway, the individual is in a better psychological position. The big point, tho, is that in the army and Catholic systems, their particular method is soon and inevitably confused as the only method. Then they become artificial, unadaptable to new situations, and keep individuals from ever seeing the real world. They mistake their system for reality. That is why I am against teaching any method or doctrine. That is training, not education.

In order to teach children to think, you haven't got to preach socialism or present any bombshell opinions. The main things would be to present the facts and the problem and guide them, not to a particular decision, but to one that is at least balanced and intelligent. To un-indoctrinate them so they can do this is a big problem, too.

There, never mind reading the fore-going if you don't want to. Got a nice letter from you today, with the two news flashes on the Boston Tea Party. Glad your children are as enthusiastic about you as I am. Shows they have good sense. Also the state trooper reveals taste in figures. You'll have to watch yourself now that they have your fingerprints, tho.

Your watch I like more every day. Am astonished every night at how bright it is in the pitch dark. Very fascinating.

Damn, this is a long war, isn't it? I get so tired of it that it seems it can't last much longer; but when I think of how nice it will be when it's over, it seems unreal and very distant. Guess we'll just have to relax and wait it thru. 'Bye now.

I love you,
Wallace