Introducing My Pen pal, Anna Glynn
Anna Glynn, my pen pal from the Boston Home, is friendly and a great writer. We have written to each other since the beginning of the winter term in 1998. As I read on her web page in the Boston Home, she was 20 years old when she enlisted to the army to be one of the many woman who volunteered to help men with necessary jobs during World War II. Before she was old enough to 'fight', she went to a school run by the National Youth Administration. At twenty years old, living in Roxbury, she enlisted in Boston to be in the United States Coast Guard, the Spars, and WomenÕs Reserve. She was able to travel all over the United States during her time served in the Army. Her story was particularly interesting to me because I had read so many books about the holocaust in Europe but I never knew that so many women in America were helping their country win the war. Her true story has given me greater insight about World War II from a much different perspective than I ever imagined.
Introducing Myself, Sarah Laputz
I am a seventh-grader at Noble & Greenough School, and my name is Sarah Laputz. My favorite subjects in school are pre-algebra and Latin. School is great because I have wonderful friends and I enjoy learning about new topics in class. Although my homework takes about three hours each day, I still have enough time during and after afternoon sports to have fun with my friends. The sports I have participated in at Nobles are soccer and basketball. I plan to do crew in the spring. I also enjoy drama because it is fun and interesting to step into someone elseÕs shoes and assume their personality. I performed in numerous productions at my prior school. In two of these, I played the lead. I have a long commute to and from school, because I live on the South Shore. The commute is not a blast, but I like living in my hometown, Duxbury. It is a scenic town filled with rich pilgrim history. It was also a major ship building meca in the 18th century. Some of my favorite pastimes are boating, exploring marine life, and beaching. For someone like me, who has saltwater running through their veins, Duxbury is the ultimate seaside community.
My First Letter
Although I am only twelve and Anna in her seventies, she and I have had a worthwhile relationship. We have written back to each other a few times and have enjoyed being each others' pen pal. This is the first letter I wrote to Anna to introduce myself:
Dear Ms. Glynn,
Hi! My name is Sarah Laputz. My computer teacher at Noble & Greenough School, Mr. Steve Bergen says that you are my pen pal. I read your article in the Boston Home and found that you have many interesting stories to tell about World War II.
I really enjoy being in the seventh grade at Nobles and try to do well in all of my subjects. I live on the South Shore and take an hour drive to school with my dad. My favorite sport is basketball. I hope to write back to you soon and will try to write interesting letters to you.
Sincerely,
Sarah Laputz
Opinion
My favorite part about having a pen pal was that we had to describe ourselves to each other. It was interesting yet odd to describe ourselves via the computer rather than verbally. My computer teacher, Mr. Bergen, has visited the Boston Home on different occasions and has used a video recorder to briefly interview each person there. After seeing Anna on the video, I felt that I knew her a little better, because at first it seemed like I was not writing to a specific person. Now, I enjoy sending letters to her, knowing that she will write back to me with interesting stories about her life. Although I never met Anna face to face, I still feel close to her as if she were truly a new friend.