Warren Behrend’s Last Correspondence and Memorial

Letter from Warren Behrend to Mary and Ernst Behrend, 1929-12-17

1 It is raining hard and freezing on
2 the trees; very beautiful indeed, but not
3 so practical for people who would drive
4 thier cars on a night like this. I
5 hope you had nice weather so
6 that you could enjoy driving South
7 in the Duesenburg

8 Ned Richardson and I have
9 both promised each other to drive care-
10 fully. and arenothing our parents
11 such a promise. You already have
12 mine anyway buthere it is again.
13 Don't worry.

14 I am going to drop in and see
15 Harriettomorrow night.Miss Black-
16 stone said that brothermight get
17 through the portals to see their sisters.

18 I have a "blind date" for to-
19 morrow night in New York. If
20 you know what a blind date is
21 you will realize that I awaite it
22 with fear trembling. The only thing
23 the girl who made the date knows
24 about me is that I am 5'8" tall.

25 Tomorrow we have 20 minute
26 periods and are all through at
27 11.30. As I have no classesthe
28 sixth and seventh periods I shall
29 be all through at 10.50. This works
30 out very well, because Mr.Oatley
31 is leaving at eleven o'clock for
32 Springfield in his car. He is going
33 to take us unknown along and so that
34 gives us plenty of time to get the one
35 o'clock out of Springfield. That
36 gives Ned a chance to stay off in
37 New Haven and gives me a chance
38 to see Harriet.

39 I'm looking forward to seeing you
40 in Charleston soon and it will
41 be mighty nice to have the whole family
42 together again. I'm telephoning Betty
43 Brattontonight find out whether
44 she can come and if so when. If she 45 can come you will have received
46 a telegram from me before you get
47 this better. I think she is bring another
48 boy and another girl with her. Do
49 you think we can find room for all?

50 I received the map and tickets
51 O.K. Someone may thoughtfully mark-
52 ed the rest wrote in red pencil. Wish
53 I knew who it was so that I could thank
54 them.

55 Don't get me anyn more things
56 for X mas. Give it to the Red Cross
57 or the Near East Relief or something.
58 You do too much for me.

Letter from Mary and Ernst Behrend to Warren Behrend, 1929-12-17

1 ????????????? beautifully -so far!
2 First day nice weather; very cold
3 yesterday. You may need your coon
4 coat, heavy hat or fur cap!!
5 Look forward to ??? ??????????.

Letter from Warren Behrend to Mary and Ernst Behrend, 1929-12-19

1 It won't be very long now
2 before we will all be together
3 again on the Amida. I am be-
4 ginning to feel more like I was
5 going home when we all live
6 on board her than when in the
7 house in Erie.

8 Please dust me a line some
9 time and tell me what arrange-
10 ments you made about
11 daring the La Salle meet
12 me in Washington. If
13 you haven't done this just say so
14 and I'll write Miss Fraters. I
15 shall probably write to her anyway as
16 I want to be sure the boot for
17 the toy is in the car and have
18 the wings put back on again.

19 I haven't been able to get in
20 touch with Betty Bratton yet
21 but I shall probably phone her
22 tonight if I can find out where
23 she lives. There is small informal
24 dance here next Saturday and
25 if she has no definite * for
26 next december Christmas and might
27 be able to go I'll ask her if for
28 that no that we can talk over that
29 matter. I think Harriet would like
30 it better if I could get someone to
31 * * keep her company. I'll write
32 you to New York the * * the
33 phone call.

34 I'm not at all sure I'll have
35 I'll have time to make the enlargements you
36 want, but if I do I'll be glad to
37 make them. Enlargements take a lot
38 of time and messing around.

39 There is not as much snow
40 here as there was in Erie, but
41 it very cold. The water question
42 is getting quite serious here now
43 and they are planning to drill a
44 number of wells next week. The
45 spring at the Eaglehook dried out
46 yesterday and so that is the jist
47 throws all the more drain on the
48 town system.

49 Hope you have a nice trip
50 south.

Speech prepared by P. J. Long for a memorial service for Warren Behrend, after 1930

1 On December 19th, 1929 Warren Behrend on his way to join his family
2 for the christmas holiday met a school bus at this place. The bus Made a left
3 turn in front of his car without giving the proper signal. Instantly this
4 man decided to run his car off the road bed, though it was slippery, to save these
5 children. his car overturned in this effort, killing him instantly

6 in my experience, I have never known a finer example of self forget-
7 fulness, esteeming the safety of others before oneself. Had he hesitated but
8 an instant the tragedy of that fatal day would have been written in deeper lines
9 some who are here today in possession of youthful health would almost certainly
10 have suffered with him.

11 it is appropriate to this occasion that young people of this
12 community pause today to consider his wonderful example of heroic sacrifice.
13 Warren's deed is a compelling challenge to every one present, most definitely to
14 every boy and girl in this community to dedicate ourselves to the call of duty
15 andof unselfish service. This deed should, and i confidently trust, will be
16 an inspiration to succeeding generations to respond instantly to the call to
17 duty even though it may mean to sacrifice.

18 As you young people look out into the world today the call to
19 unselfish service was never so compelling. Many of the finer things of life are
20 in peril. It is confused, almost hysterical. There is no remedy on earth for
21 these disorders so effectual as deeds not words of kindess, of self forgetfulness,
22 and unselfish sacrifice. May we not treasure Warren's heroic deed enacted in our
23 midst as a reminder to all future generations that the highest duty is always to
24 others rather than to ourselves.

25 This community, the two schools in this immediate neighborhood and
26 more particularly the children whose lives were saved by warren Behrend's heroism,
27 with their parents and friends come today to pay respectful tribute to his wonderful
28 life crowded as it was with all the rich promise of a most useful and happy
29 career, then suddenly ccrowned by sacrificing all to the safety of children,
30 though the children themselves were unkown to him.

31 If inspired by the sacrifice of this splendid young man, you
32 boys and girls will dedicate your lives to the great tasks of life, not
33 sparing yourselves but givingg youselves instantly and cheerfully when duty
34 calls, then the beautiful example of this splendid young man will not have
35 been in vein.

36 From what we learn of his exalted character we think that we
37 would wish nothing better tan that these children spared by his heroic
38 decision should contribute something worth while to make the world better.