Correspondence, 1918-02

The majority of the addition to the Russell D. Burge papers consists of correspondence, newspapers, school related materials, writings, and various other materials belonging to either Burge or to members of his family. Correspondence is extensive and consists of letters, telegrams, and postcards between Burge, family, and friends. This correspondence dates between 1879 and 1936 but falls most heavily into the period when Burge served in the United States Army during World War I. The correspondence, nearly all of it outgoing and addressed to his mother and sister, affords a detailed view of Burge’s military experience, mainly in National Guard training cantonments at Camp Cody in Deming, New Mexico; at Camp Mills, Long Island, New York; and at Camp Hancock, in Augusta, Georgia. The correspondence continues after Burge reached France, a sergeant with an ordnance brigade of the American Expeditionary Forces (AEF). Burge’s letters frequently remark on basic elements of military life and often touch on quotidian affairs such as food, weather, clothing, and living conditions within barracks. His letters posted from France passed before censors and lack operational details of his military service. Other correspondence of note includes the extensive and affectionate letters Burge wrote to Sylvia Swenson, later his bride.

The newspapers come in the form of clippings, articles, and a few newspapers in their entirety. Complete issues of newspapers include two United States military titles from World War I, the Mehun News, published by the ordnance troops stationed at Atelier de Mehun-sur-Yevre, France, and the Gangplank News, published by and for AEF troops embarking from France at the close of the war. Incomplete runs of both of the newspapers found here date from 1919.

School-related materials include Burge’s Faulkner, South Dakota, high school graduation program, an application for the Noyes scholarship at Northwestern University, graded papers and outlines, and correspondence with a student writing organization incorporating edits to Burge’s writings. Among these materials are papers for a music history course and a psychology course.

The writings include both texts by Burge and writings by other authors, known and unknown. Burge’s writings comprises mainly poetry and short stories. Also included is Burge’s notebook from 1924-1925 which contains notes and drafts relating to creative written expression.

Miscellaneous materials include World War I documents relating to training and morale along with newspaper clippings, drawings, invitations, religious booklets and programs, teaching certificates and documents, children’s schoolwork, and other items.

Completing the collection is a scrapbook containing photographs and correspondence mainly assembled to celebrate Burge's retirement from the Northwestern University accounting department. Some personal correspondence, largely greeting and birthday cards, from a later date also are included in the scrapbook.