I found these letters and article folded together in Charles J. McIntyre's belongings. I find them interesting from both a family history and a sociological 'America in wartime' point of view.
My Grandfather, Charles J. McIntyre never served with the armed forces during WWII or Korea for a couple of reasons.
Early in the war, his father was an elderly widower, in poor health who had no other children to care for him. Charles was trained as an accountant by trade but took a temporary position as a patrolman for The Boston Police Department to replace a man who went to fight over seas. In time the position became permanant and later in the war, it was deemed that he should not be drafted due to the nature of his job.
(I have a letter regarding that somewhere that I will find and post later)
I was surprised to learn that legitimately getting married would have been an excuse to avoid getting drafted but got some insight as to why after reading the letters that were saved with the article.
My Grandfather had to write a letter attesting to the fact that my Grandmother was "performing her household duties to the very best of her ability"and if she was working, why was she doing it and how much money was she bringing home.
I kind of get the whole, 'if she's working, maybe we can eventually draft him because he doesn't really have to support her' thing but I don't get the kind of vague threat that Uncle Sam might come knocking and if Claire McIntyre didn't perpare and perform just the right "duties" as a housewife then off to the war her husband would go. I really do wonder just what was meant by that question, if Grandpa Charley had sent a signed affidavit attesting to the fact that his wife kept a clean house but was a lousy cook (both true*) what then?
The letters are pretty easy to read but the most interesting part, the article, is not so i will transcribe it here:
NEWLYWEDS TO TELL DATE OF ENGAGEMENT
When a Roslindale boy meets a girl from now on, falls in love with her and marries her, he must have witnesses who will furnish him with a sworn affidavit concerning the legnth of time of the courtship, and the date of the engagement.
The newly married registrants of local board 36 yesterday were astonished to recieve the following form with thier questionaires:
"Dear Sir:
"In order that this board may properly classify you, and insamuch as you have married subsequent to the 16th of October, 1940, it will be necessary that you file with us a sworn affidavit covering the following facts:
"1- The legnth of time of your courtship and the date of your engagement.
"2- The fact that you have established your own home: that your wife is dependent upon you for support; that she is, or is not, working, and following the duties of a housewife.
MUST SWEAR TO THE FACTS
"It will be necessary that you obtain from some person who has known you for some time a letter in the form of a sworn affidavit substaining the facts of your courtship.
"Your prompt attention to this matter is requested."
The draft prospects asserted last night that romance becomes a matter of affidavit hereafter in West Roxbury and Roslindale. No longer may sweet nothings be whispered in the canoes on the Charles River or under the grape arbors of suburban homes. For when "Jane" says "Yes," John must stop to jot down the date and rush to get a couple of friends to make an affidavit that it is an engagement.
Some of the prospective draftees may have had long courtships. Others may have had short ones. But, according to the rules, if they were married since Oct. 16, 1940, which was nearly 14 months before Pearl Harbor, they must file the statements of the legnth of thier love-making before they popped the question.
It may have been a cleverly devised question box to determine if there were young men in West Roxbury and Roslindale who became married-since Oct. 16, 1940 - just to escape the draft. Perhaps, under government regulation similar questionaires are being sent to draftees in other local draft board areas. But it certainly put a crimp on the activities of Cupid and there were rumors last night that (unreadable) the district were even going (unreadable) draftees asserted last night was just like living in a goldfish bowl, as far as West Roxbury and Roslindale are concerned.
In case, for instance, a young man registered in the district should meet a young woman, he must perforce write down her name, address, and the date of thier aquaintenship. When aquaintenceship blossoms into something more serious, it appears, witnesses are needed. When the engagement is clinched, then more witnesses are needed according to the board."
* My Mother has told me several times that her Mother (as great as she was in other aspects) was a lousy cook of almost epic perportions. One story stands out particularly in my Mother's mind because she got in trouble and was sent to her room in the middle of dinner through no fault of her own.
It was an evening when there were some tensions at the table and the food served apparently did not help the situation any. My Mother tried to do the right thing and just eat the meal but when she attempted to put her fork into the burger patty on her plate, it was so tough and over cooked that her fork would not pierce it and the patty slipped out from under her fork, bounced off the glass doors seperating the dining room from the living room and landed on the floor.
My Mother was then sent to her room and still seethes about the injustice of her punishment to this day...
When I first found these snap shots I was unsure if the woman in the snow was Catherine or Cecelia (Claire/Celia) Cummings-McIntyre. (Cecelia's name shows up on various documents as 3 (so far) different variations) After some converse with my Mother (Kathleen, "Claire's" Daughter) we believe the woman pictured in the snow to be Catherine "Kay" Cummings, Claire's sister. The Child is most likely Thomas (mother Claire Cummings) McIntyre and these were most likely taken (judging by his approx age) sometime between 1947 and 1949. The location is a definate as the houses can still be spotted on Walter Street in Roslindale today. These were taken right across the street from 117 Walter Street where perhaps lighting conditons were better than on Cotton Street (the same corner). Tho why anyone whould have chosen that major thru way as a good photo spot to pose a child in is anyone's guess. As my Mother said, "What the heck is she doing out there in the middle of the road?!?" We have to kind of remind ourselves that photography in the 1940's - 1950's is not what it is now. These were more than likely taken on a camera that took 120 cartridge film, (the predecessor to the 110 cartridge) and after these were shot they probably had to wait a week or two to get the paper pictures back and see what actually came out. My guess is that they chose the spot because it was the "sunny side of the street". The house at 117 Walter Street was built on a corner and the Cotton Street side is tree lined and decidedly darker than where Catherine and little Tommy are standing. I still wonder tho, what kind of fun were the two of them having, he dressed for play and she dressed for dinner out in the snow? I have a very vivid memory of my Uncle Danny dressed as Santa riding a sled (that I still have) own the hill to the side of the same house at 117 in the mid 1970's , I suppose there is a reason that uncle's always seem so much more fun than aunties and this reason must be somewhat clothing related. Tho that can be debated, the woman in the background of this (below) snapshot is for sure my maternal Grandmother (Catherine's sister) "Claire", and she seems to be having a fine old time. But then that is what the summer in New England is all about, tho it's April 1st and actively snowing here (Randolph, MA) right now. I really can't wait for the summer, when even washing cars seems like fun.... 
