The Round Robin

Family letters

written in the 1940's and 1950's

For many years the Davis family has enjoyed a tradition of a "Round Robin Letter."  It was started several generations ago - I'm still trying to find out exactly when - and allowed family members who had moved to a variety of places to stay in touch with each other. 

This is how it works:  The first person writes a letter and mails it to the next person on the list -the mailing list is included in the envelope.  That person reads the letter in the envelope, adds his/her own and sends both on to the third person on the list. That process continues with each person reading the letters, adding her own letter, and then mailing the whole packet on.  When the letter goes full circle and returns to the first person on the list, he/she will read all the other letters, pull out her old one, write a new one, and send it on.

In the last round of letters, Nyda Dell Marx - daughter of Florence Davis Calloway wrote: "Our family is still growing, and I think I can understand how Grandma Davis felt with all of her family and why she wanted to try to see them. It was much harder to get information [then], so how important the round robin was in her life. I am grateful for the teaching she gave us and the love she shared with each of us. How blessed we were to have such a great lady for a grandmother.  A great example to follow."

The Davis Round Robin contributors are all children or grandchildren of the original letter writers, and they often include memories of Grandpa and Grandma Davis.  This one came from Alice Bell Higgs, youngest daughter of Birdie Davis Harriman:  "After Grandpa passed away and Grandma moved to the house on Main Street & we lived in town too, Virgil was driving a truck so I’d put Virginia in an old wicker buggy (we never heard of strollers) & we’d go downtown & take Grandma to the picture show. (Show was $.50 and popcorn was $.10) One big problem [was that] she wanted to talk about the picture. It’s a wonder we didn’t get kicked out, but we didn’t. We went to a show every week-end. She really enjoyed it. She didn’t go very much in Haswell. She was too busy with her big family – Sure did miss her. She was a very special lady." 

In our era of email, cell phones with unlimited minutes, blogs, and inexpensive long distance this method of communication is definitely a tool of generations gone by.  However, after all these years, the Davis Round Robin is still flying today, covering a route from Washington to Florida and stopping along the way in Oregon, Missouri, Colorado and Nevada.

Grandpa and Grandma Davis had a life that was different in so many ways from what we experience currently, and I find it interesting to read about the events of their time and place.  However, it seems that the family values they embraced and taught their children and grandchildren are those that we still hope for and work toward - great love and appreciation for each other.  As I read some of the letters in December, I was impressed with the family love and concern for each other that has continued through the generations.

In March 1998 Lou wrote in the Round Robin:  "The longer I receive and write in the Round Robin, the closer I feel to you all.  It is good to be able to think about the family with all of its tradition and good times each time the Robin flies in.  Without it I would probably grow farther from the family and my roots."

Let's keep in touch