The Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 12, 1946 Page: 4 of 4
four pages : ill. ; page 21 x 15 in.View a full description of this newspaper.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Four
Til TIII81IK
npi
■'k
■
|p i [! |.
I
K
I
By ROBERT FLAGG
LETTER WRITING i8 un art that is fading slowly into ex-
tinction. As a rule modern letters are nothing but dull, trite
prose. Gone are the days when letters of modern contempo-
raries will appear in future history books or in English text-
books as examples of deathless prose.
We would like to launch a small
campaign to restore the modern
letter to a more interesting form. A
I e t t e r, we feel,
Ishnuhl lie frank*
[witty anil Minior-
lous. It should use
I more i J i o m a t it
[expressions, and it
[■dioiild sound more
[like eonvelsation-
|al speech,
S peaki m g of
leonve i s a t ionul
grammar, I h e r e
are two rules that
we t'eel could lie abolished. We
would, like to make ii good form to
actually split an infinitive and to
u.-c a |Veposit;irin («i end a sentence
with,
of our pet peeves, Can you imagine
something like—
Dear Sir:
In reply to yours of the 12th
inst shipment of 200 cans of
wienerschniiel shipped this date
from Gopher Prairie.
Sincerely,
Hans T. Putetiesel.
ever appearing in Minis T. Putene-
sel's "Memoirs."
As examples we would like to
demonstrate how a number of types
of letters should ho written.
* ♦
J^ETTER TO an editor-
Dear Sir-.
To lie perfectly frank about it,
the only reason I'm writing this
letter is because 1 like to see my
excuse I Marc had the tat eopy of
your paper tor four hour* trying
to find error*.
Th* typesetting appears to be
pretty good, bat in the writings of
your columnist, fUoul Phlek, there
is a perfectly glaring error!
Of course the error wasn't really
glaring, but it always sounds bet-
ter to say "a glaring error."
Anyway what Mr. Phlek said was
that Bachokowski's "Tocatta ai
Flub" had its premiere performance
on Dec. 31, 1831. Well, I went down
to the public library and read
through 4 books on Bachokowski
until I found out that the initial
playing of the thing was completed
on Jan. 1, 1832. It seems that the
conductor started the music on Dec.
•11, all right, but it was the next
year before the playing of the com-
position was completed.
Therefore, since a thing can't have
its premiere performance until it's
completed, Mr. Phlek is wrong! He
had better watch out for himself!
Yours very truly,
Water C. Friar.
0
R HERE is how a secretary
might answer a business letter
I"he modern business letlei is one; name in print. And to have some
XMAS FOUNTAIN PEN SALE
Prices Slashed
KVEHSHARP
2(1', OFF
PARKER PENS
10'. OFF
was
now
EAGLE
82.11
$1.98
SKRVALL
2.22
1.89
PENMAN
1,35
1.09
WEAREVER
1.00
.89
•SKRVALL
■' .91
.79
RICE INSTITUTE CO-OP
GOVERNMENT SURPLUS BRIEF CASES
15.00 12.50 8.95 4.95
Quinby Employment
Service
OFFERS YOU A TESTED SERVICE
FOR EMPLOYEE and EMPLOYER
EXECUTIVE. OFFICE, SALES
and TECHNICAL PERSONNEL
409 HANKERS MORTGAGE BLDG
WHERE
DISCRIMINATING MEN
CHOOSE THEIR
SPORTSWEAR
INorton-Ditto Co.
£
jJtyi'tm
i* tur
r/rfu/C N cull UN©
Dear Throckmartin,
You don't mind if I call you
Throckmartin, do you, Throckmar-
tin? I've been writing to you so
long that 1 feel that I just really
know all about you.
But anyway I'm awfully sorry
that we didn't get around to ship-
ping those 200 cans of wienersclmit-
7.el earlier. If you won't breathe a
word of this, I'll tell you the real
reason why we didn't get around to
shipping the stuff.
You see, Putzi's wife (that's my
boss Mr. Putzenescl) was out of
town for three days so the old boy
and I were really painting the
town. In fact we didn't even come
to the office while she was gone!
You don't mind too much, do you,
'cause we really had a time!
Anyhow, those cans of wiener-
schnitzel are on the way; they were
shipped this very day. I shouldn't
say this, I know, but I really don't
see why anyone eats the stuff.
As I said, don't breathe a word
of this to anybody; I wouldn't want
it to get out for the world.
Well, Throckmartin, that's about
all for now—let us hear from you.
Lovingly,
Frieda Krankhaus.
THEN there's the love letter. All
we have to say about that is—
the first thing any man should do
after writing a love letter is to
strike a match to it!
Do You Have a Broken Pipe
All Smoking Pipes Repaired
THE PIPE CLINIC
4402 Stanford
Contact G. E. Cook,
Rice Representative
For Quick Service
Complete Line of New Pipes
Give Your Man a Pipe for
Christmas
Official Orange Bowl Special
8 Fun Packed Days of Travel
4 Days in Miami at Best Hotels
0 MIAMI Our Moonlight Cruise—9:00 P. M.
This trin is the most comprehensive, well-planned and logical cruise if its kind in this
area. Leaving the Koney Plaza Yacht Basin, Indian Creek, Biscayne Bay, Venetian
Islands through the General Douglas MacArthur Causeway, the Naval Docks Bayfront
I'ark. Government Channel by the Coast Guard Station and back through the islands
of Miami Reach
Sighting id' Miami including comprehensive tour, taking in all points of interest in
the Magic City, including liayfront Park, Jingle Trail, Villa Sesnu, Coconut Grove, Vene-
tian Pools and Casino (Coral Gables), Hialeah Park (in season), etc.
• NEW ORLEANS (Optional)
I'he 25 miles of the trip are rich in historic lore. The Vieu* Carre, or French, Spanish
and Creole Quarter, is thoroughly covered and explained. After you have explored this
fascinating old port of New Orleans, which dates back almost to the beginning of
\merican History, you are taken on a long tour of the river section, Plantation Homes
and Chalniette—all of prime Historic importance.
Vou see every interesting point in the hundred odd squares that complete th? Vfeux
Carre, Cabildo, St. Louis Cathedral, Pontalba Buildings, Quadroon Ballroom, Ursu-
Jine Convent, among the oldest and most famed structures in America; Jackson Square,
Pirates Alley, Napoleon House, site of Old Slave Market, Old French adobe cottages.
Haunted House, Little Theatre, The Crescent-shaped bend of the Mississippi River
and the long river front drive to Chalmette, Levees, Banana Docks, Ships; the first
Skyscraper; the Versailles Oaks; site where Pokenham died. Plantation Homes, Field
You see modern New Orleans in detail. Public Buildings, Monuments, the Business and
many other points of interest.
You see modern New Orleans in detail, Public Bildingy, Monuments, the Business and
Shopping Area, Canal Street; Average residential sections; Ursuline Avenue with its
tall, graceful Palm Trees; City Park; Peristyle, Duelling Oaks, Delgado Art Museum,
Beauregard Monument; the picturesque Old Bayou; Delgado Trade School, Metaire
Cemetery; Suburban Development; Country Clubs; Notre Dame Seminary.
A "FRIENDSHIP TOUR" Make reservations NOW at Stoddard's, Lamar Hotel,
lly ROUT. BIJRBRIDGE & CO. Mezzanine Floor, PHONE Charter 4-6475, Houston.
«st
MM
?>! iii ■'
jffilif _
■Ii
M
„\\/t i
THAT DARN BIOLOGY PROF 15 ALWAY5
TRYING TO MAKE A MONKEY OUTA' Nit!
LICATIO «
WU441
,C"l{lOK!L
Leslie's Fried Chicken
"THE CHICKEN SHACK"
Eat it here—or take it with you
Private Dining Room Reserved
for Rice Students —12 to 1 p.m.
ROEBUCK AND CO.
4201 MAIN ST.
HouHton, Texas
TYPEWRITERS
ADDING MACHINES
SUPPLIES, SERVICE
RENTS
HOUSTON
TYPEWRITER
EXCHANGE
PHONE P-9129
1405 CAROLINE
J. B. BLEIKE, Mgr.
I
COOLER S
I
CAROL LYNNE
Peiclnatino Premlfere Ballerina
of the Silver Blades
¥'
a
THEY SATISFY
eiritt*in«cf r«
AMERICA-
/">
topyrijh IW6, boom * Mvtti ToiMCO Co
U
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Newspaper.
The Thresher (Houston, Tex.), Vol. 34, No. 10, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 12, 1946, newspaper, December 12, 1946; Houston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth230707/m1/4/: accessed July 17, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Rice University Woodson Research Center.