Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles Diller letters

Abstract

The Charles Diller letters (dated 1917-1918; 0.20 cubic feet; 6 folders) comprises letters from Charles Diller to his family that document his experience serving in the army during World War I in Maryland and Georgia.

Descriptive Summary

Title
Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles Diller letters
Date
1917-1918 (inclusive)
Creator
Diller, Charles
Extent
0.20 Cubic Feet
Subjects
Letters.
Correspondence.
Military correspondence.
Family.
Military life.
World War, 1914-1918.
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives, American.
Basic training (Military education)
Maryland
Friendship.
Arrangement
Collection is arranged by subject. The Wade Hall Collection of American Letters has been processed into discrete collections based on provenance.
Finding Aid Author
Sarah Coblentz
Preferred Citation
2009ms132.0880: [identification of item], Wade Hall Collection of American Letters: Charles Diller letters, 1917-1918, University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.
Repository
University of Kentucky

Collection Overview

Biography / History
Charles Diller (1896-1973) was born in New Oxford, Pennsylvania to Isiah Diller (1864-1927) and Amy Diehl (1868-1954). He attended Gettysburg College, graduating in 1917, and was active in their alumni association and a member of the Board of Fellows at the college. During World War I, he served in the army as a bugler, enlisting in February 1918 and being released in November of the same year. In 1924, he married Mary C. Salmon (b. 1903), and together the couple had one child, Lorraine (b. 1927). Following his work in the military, he was employed as a consultant for the State Civil service and a developer of the Diller Avenue area in Conewago Township in Pennsylvania. He served as president of the Adams County Historical Society and was a member of the local Civil War Round Table.
American Letters collector Wade Hall (1934-2015) was a native of Union Springs, Alabama. Starting in 1962, he lived in Louisville, where he taught English and chaired the English and Humanities/Arts programs at Kentucky Southern College and Bellarmine University. He also taught at the University of Illinois and the University of Florida. He held degrees from Troy State University (B.S.), the University of Alabama (M.A.), and the University of Illinois (Ph.D.). He served for two years in the U.S. Army in the mid-fifties. Dr. Hall was the author of books, monographs, articles, plays, and reviews relating to Kentucky, Alabama, and Southern history and literature. His most recent books include A Visit with Harlan Hubbard; High Upon a Hill: A History of Bellarmine College; A Song in Native Pastures: Randy Atcher's Life in Country Music; and Waters of Life from Conecuh Ridge.
Scope and Content
The Charles Diller letters (dated 1917-1918; 0.20 cubic feet; 6 folders) comprises letters from Charles Diller to his family that document his experience serving in the army during World War I in Maryland and Georgia. Charles writes to his parents and grandfather, during 1917, he writes about his work in a movie theater, serving military men and their family and friends, renovations happening to the theater, how much money they are making, advertising efforts, spending time with friends and his brother, and thoughts about the war and the draft. In 1918, he writes about life at Camp Meade, spending time with old friends, becoming a bugler, visiting Washington, D.C., participating in drills, spending time on the firing range, going into the Commissioned Officers Training School at Camp Gordon, his opinion on life in the south, going to the hospital for appendicitis, news of friends and neighbors sent overseas, and his eventual discharge from the army after the armistice is signed. There are a few letters sent to the Diller family, discussing joining the military, attending school, preparations to go overseas, and what life is like in other military camps.
The Charles Diller letters collection is part of the Wade Hall Collection of American Letters, which includes correspondence and diaries from all over North America covering the time period of the Civil to Korean Wars. The materials were collected by Wade Hall and document everyday men and women.

Restrictions on Access and Use

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open to researchers by appointment.
Use Restrictions
The physical rights to the materials in this collection are held by the University of Kentucky Special Collections Research Center.

Contents of the Collection

Charles Diller to family, 1917

  • Box WH-106, folder 8
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Charles Diller to family, 1918

  • Box WH-106, folder 9-11
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Letters to Charles Diller, 1917-1918

  • Box WH-106, folder 12
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Diller family letters, 1917-1918

  • Box WH-106, folder 13
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UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center is open Monday to Friday, 9:00am to 4:00pm. Appointments are encouraged but not required. Schedule an appointment here.

Researchers must have an SCRC Researcher Account to request materials. View account set-up and use instructions here.

Questions? Contact SCRC via our Contact Form.

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You may come across language in UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center collections and online resources that you find harmful or offensive. SCRC collects materials from different cultures and time periods to preserve and make available the historical record. These materials document the time period when they were created and the view of their creator. As a result, some may demonstrate racist and offensive views that do not reflect the values of UK Libraries.

If you find description with problematic language that you think SCRC should review, please contact us at SCRC@uky.edu.