Sumner T. Bernstein Correspondence

Sumner Thurman Bernstein (1924 - 2002) grew up in Portland, Maine, the son of lawyer parents. He served in the South Pacific in the U.S. Army during World War II (achieving the rank of Captain) and attended Harvard University for his undergraduate education and for law school. He returned to Portland after marrying Rosalyne Spindel in 1949, to join his father and uncle’s law practice, which he helped to grow into Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer and Nelson in 1964. He was very engaged with the community, participating in the following organizations, among others, often serving as president or chair of these groups for a portion of his tenure: Portland City Council (1955-1961); Portland School Committee (1955-58); Portland Housing Authority; Downtown Portland Corporation; Maine State Bar Association; Maine Bar Foundation; Jewish Federation of Southern Maine; Temple Beth El; Maine Jewish Council; Jewish Community Center; National Council of the American-Israel Public Affairs Committee; Pine Tree Council of the Boy Scouts of America; Portland YMCA; Maine Medical Center; Portland Public Library; and World Affairs Council of Maine. He also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Maine School of Law from 1993-98 and was a member of their Board of Visitors, and he was an instructor at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute of the University of Southern Maine. The Papers document his civic work and personal life. They include correspondence, newspaper clippings, and text of his speeches and talks. Of particular value are 25 folders of family correspondence dating from 1940 to 1945, which include letters covering Bernstein’s military training and World War II service. Other records and reminiscences of his army service and Harvard education are present, as well. The Papers also include materials related to his final illness and death, including letters of sympathy and condolence, information about contributions made in his honor, obituaries, eulogies, and other tributes, and videos/cassettes of memorial services and other celebrations of his life. The Papers also include two albums – one documenting the 85-year history of Bernstein, Shur, Sawyer, and Nelson and the other a collection of notes and photos compiled for The Jewish Community Alliance of Southern Maine’s Evening to Honor Sumner and Rosalyne Bernstein (May 15, 2000).

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06/25/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein.
06/24/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding exhaustion, tests on various subjects at officer training, anniversary wishes for parents.
06/23/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding officer training, feelings of gloom.
06/22/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding appreciation for letters from family, officer training.
06/21/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding experience in officer training and drills.
06/19/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to Uncle Lou from Sumner Bernstein regarding experiences at officer training, request for advice about uniform, news of family at home.
06/19/1943 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding tests at officer training, uniform costs, upcoming visit with Uncle Harold, Father's Day, excitement for the challenges of being an officer, news from home.
06/16/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to father from Sumner Bernstein.
06/16/1943 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to father Israel from Sumner Bernstein regarding Father's Day wishes, sense of humor.
06/15/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding weekend with Uncle Harold, weekend plans, experience at officer training, importance of family, wishes for parents' anniversary.
06/15/1943 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Brief postcard to family from Sumner Bernstein.
06/10/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding correspondence with family and friends, duties as barracks leader at officer training, congratulations to sister Helen-Barbara on her high school graduation, thoughts on pessimism.
06/09/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding progress at officer training, review of news that he gave to fellow soldiers, fates of soldiers from his cohort who "washed out" of officer training.
06/08/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding men "washing out" from officer training, upcoming tests, correspondence with family.
06/04/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding weekend plans, plans to meet up with Uncle Harold, updates from home, planning donations to the Harvard Fund.
06/04/1943 B

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein.
05/30/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding speech given at officer training, testing process before boards at officer training, description of barber and weekly haircuts at the base.
05/28/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding officer training exams, nervousness about upcoming speech and other tests.
05/26/1943

Israel Bernstein

Note to Sumner Bernstein from father Israel with request to endorse check in order to buy bonds.
05/24/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein regarding officer training, weather at Aberdeen, reflections on men who make up officer training class.
05/22/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein.
05/21/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Postcard to family from Sumner Bernstein.
05/19/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein.
05/17/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein.
05/16/1943

Sumner T. Bernstein

Letter to family from Sumner Bernstein.