January 28, 1958
Dear Dick and Dad;
Such excitement around the Shepard household as we haven’t had
in a long time. I was going to write you and send this small clip-
ing from last Saturday’s morning paper but now I shall wait and in-
clude what comes out in the paper tonight. Yesterday morning- right
after Kenny and Sue left for school, he received a telegram that he
is one of 40 winners in the Westinghouse Science Search and will get
a trip to Washington D. C. from the 27th of Feb. to March 3rd. There
he will be interviewed and has a chance to be one of the top 5 in the
Nation for awards from $3000 to $7500. The 35 other winners will
divide $8700 between them. We are so proud we could bust. He will
be on the 6 o’clock news tonight on television, They took his picture
at school this morning for the paper, he has been asked to speak at
the Civic Club here in town. Needless to say he is still in the clouds
and I might add, his mother was all day yesterday. This is from that
report he did while you were here before Xmas. It is the first time
Alabama has had a winner in the 17 years of the Science Search. Last
year Westerville had a winner. It took a Northerner to bring the honor
to Alabama. Florida is the only other Southern State to have a winner
We are all fine. Sue and Alan received their birthday cards and
money all right. We’ve had enough chocolate cake this month to last
the rest of the year. In fact there is still a piece of Sue’s cake
left so you know something is wrong. We gave her a blouse and some
money so she bought a book on Art with some of the money. Alan wants
to go over to the shopping center tonight and spend some of his birth-
day money. He got Cowboy boots and hat from us.
[page 2]
This week I am going to the base hospital every morning for Physical Therapy for my bursitis,. They give me hot packs and then Ultra-sonic treatment. I think it is helping some. The Dr. says my back has a
slipped disk that now is almost completely shattered and that in about
two years time should be replaced by scar tissue and so join the vert-
abrae and then won’t give me any more trouble. Sure hope he’s right
about not giving me more trouble. Alan is to start his eye exercises
in about six weeks – they were full up and couldn’t take him any sooner.
Hope Dad is getting along all right. Suppose you are busy but let
us hear from you.
Love
Lois
jen's ancestors 