Kenneth Spencer Research Library

In honor of the centennial of World War I, we’re going to follow the experiences of one American soldier: nineteen-year-old Forrest W. Bassett, whose letters are held in Spencer’s Kansas Collection. Each Monday we’ll post a new entry, which will feature selected letters from Forrest to thirteen-year-old Ava Marie Shaw from that following week, one hundred years after he wrote them.

Forrest W. Bassett was born in Beloit, Wisconsin, on December 21, 1897 to Daniel F. and Ida V. Bassett. On July 20, 1917 he was sworn into military service at Jefferson Barracks near St. Louis, Missouri. Soon after, he was transferred to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, for training as a radio operator in Company A of the U. S. Signal Corps’ 6th Field Battalion.

Ava Marie Shaw was born in Chicago, Illinois, on October 12, 1903 to Robert and Esther Shaw. Both of Marie’s parents – and her three older siblings – were born in Wisconsin. By 1910 the family was living in Woodstock, Illinois, northwest of Chicago. By 1917 they were in Beloit.

Frequently mentioned in the letters are Forrest’s older half-sister Blanche Treadway (born 1883), who had married Arthur Poquette in 1904, and Marie’s older sister Ethel (born 1896).

Click images to enlarge.

Friday, Feb. 8, 1918.

Dear Marie,

George Stock left Monday for Urbania, Ill. A young fellow from the Wisconsin University is in his place. He is a A-1 recruit, drafted, I guess, as he came here in his civilian clothes and knows absolutely nothing about military life.

We shipped all our horses to Ft. Riley a few days ago. “Ten” is in the Cavalry as his tag was marked “Cav.” A few of the horses were tagged “Artillery.” We kept most of our pack mules. One mule executed a perfectly good “Halt,” when we led him to the car door, but a rope from his halter around his hind legs, and ten men pushing, just naturally changed his mind.

Yesterday at 4:30 P.M. we had a formal “retreat” with a review of the whole 5th and 6th Battalions. It sure was some fancy.

Today we had our first battalion maneuvers in the field. We had telegraph and radio stations set up in a number of places between Leavenworth and Kickapoo. Our new radio tractor is showing itself to be some machine. I copied a message from it for the first time yesterday afternoon.

Tuesday I passed the semaphore test without an error. We are going to be tested in radio, wig-wag, and acetylene lantern later in the month. Those that fail these tests are not allowed to leave the Cantonments.

I doubt if you would find it worth while to learn either the radio or semaphore code. It is very interesting though.

Well I have hiked quite a bit today and will have to walk home so I guess I’ll quit.

With love,
Forrest.

Meredith Huff
Public Services

Emma Piazza
Public Services Student Assistant

Each week we’ll be posting a photograph from University Archives that shows a scene from KU’s past. We’ve also scanned more than 34,800 images from KU’s University Archives and made them available online; be sure to check them out!

In conducting research for Tuesday’s blog post about large ice jams along the Kansas River near Lawrence in January 1910, my colleague Meredith Huff discovered this fun article that appeared on the front page of the University Daily Kansan (then called The Kansan) on January 25, 1910.

“Hill Climbing Not Healthful” article in The Kansan,
January 25, 1910. University Archives.
Call Number: UA Ser 69/2/1. Click image to enlarge.

Dr. Naismith‘s comments may have been precipitated by news – reported in The Kansan on January 4th – that winter weather had delayed work on the new campus streetcar line. According to the earlier article,

The students who had fond hopes of riding up to the University on the street cars after the holidays, returned to find their dreams faded. And the manager of the Lawrence car line this morning sentenced the whole student body to walk up and down the hill all the rest of the winter.

In addition to coaching basketball, Dr. Naismith’s other roles at KU included Professor of Physical Education, Director of Robinson Gymnasium, and Chapel Director. His hygiene class was required of all freshman; here is how it was described in the 1909-1910 KU Annual Catalogue:

One hour, first semester, men, Monday; women, Thursday. Lectures designed to help the students to maintain health, dealing with food, clothing, exercise, conditions conducive to study, prophylactic treatment, especially in regard to infectious and contagious diseases.

Caitlin Donnelly
Head of Public Services