Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. H.K. Tu, December 29, 1925
Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to H.K. Tu. Acknowledged letter from November 23 and check. Explains son K.Y. Tu isn't indulging in undue extravagances except for vacation expenses. Explains Stearns has no objections as long as money is sent to cover but since no money is sent for vacation, Stearns advises K.Y. Tu to live cheaply during vacations. Asks H.K. Tu for advice. Enclosed copy of account up to December 1.
December 29, 1925 Connaught Road Shanghai, China My dear Mr.Tu: I write to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of November 23, enclosing check for $600.00, which, as requested, has been deposited to the account of your son. As the boy had already overdrawn his account by several hundred dollars, the receipt of your cheek was doubly welcome. I have constantly urged upon your boy the necessity of keeping his expenses within proper limits, but apparently without the greatest success. I cannot find that he is indulging in any undue extravagances in themselves, but his vacation expenses, for example, are bound to be high if he travels to New York or Chicago to visit his friends, as he appears to feel that it is necessary for him to do. In my last letter to him, I told him that I had no objection whatever to such trips, provided you showed your approval of then by remitting sufficient funds to cover them, but that, in view of the fact that you had not done so, I felt equally clear that it was my duty to urge him to give up the trips in question and live gristly and cheaply during the vacation period. I do not quite know what to do in the matter and shall, therefore, welcome your frank advice. In order that you may understand my position, fully, I am enclosing a copy of the letter referred to. If my position is not in every way sound, please be perfectly frank to tell me so for I am serious only to carry out your own wishes and to help you realise your personal ambitions for the boy. I am also enclosing a copy of his expense account up to December 1st, so that you may see just how the situation stands and the extent and character of expenditures to date. Wishing you a truly happy and prosperous new year and with kindest personal regards, believe me Very sincerely yours.
Telegram from K.Y. Tu to Dr. A.E. Stearns, December 25, 1925
Telegram sent from K.Y. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns about additional money to return to school after winter vacation.
NEW YORK NY DEC 25 1925 DR.A.E.STEARNS Phillips Academy Andover AM LIVING WITH A FRIEND HAVE RECEIVED $75 BUT NOT ENOUGH DECIDED TO GO BACK BY 3RD OF JANUARY PLEASE SEND ANOTHER $35 TO COVER ALL THE EXPENSES HERE WISHING YOU A MERRY XMAS KY TU CARE TUI H T TSUNG FURNALD HALL COLUMBIA UNIV NEWYORKCITY
Letter from H.K. Tu to Alfred E. Stearns, November 23, 1925
Typed letter sent from H.K. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns. Enclosed remittance of $600. Asks about son's progress.
My dear Mr. Stearns, It is now over three months since my last remittance, and to have you the trouble of having my son's accounts being overdrawn, I enclose herewith a cheque for $600 through the usual channel, trusting it will roach you in season. I would like to know, how he is progressing, and no doubt he is, there is no end of gratitude in my heart* for the kind careful attention and internet you have in him but that only he would take the opportunities now offer him to obtain a profession. With kindest regards, I remain Yours very truly
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to K.Y. Tu, December 22, 1925
Typed letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to K.Y. Tu about the state of Tu's finances. Explains Tu's account is overdrawn between $300 and $400. Has not received remittance from father. Advanced $500 to cover overdraft. States Tu must curb expenses and live within means. Does not want to limit Tu, but Stearns cannot send more money without approval from Tu's father. States he cannot keep borrowing with the hope Tu's father will pay. Advises Tu to contact his father and explain the cost of Tu's expenses.
December 22, 1925 Genesee Wesleyan Seminary Lima, New York My dear Tu: Our exchange of messages during days has caused me a good bit of trouble but much more anxiety than trouble; I don’t mind the former, but the latter is serious. Frankly, it is not easy to handle your affairs at this distance for I don’t feel at all sure of my ground. After sending you several small checks called for by your several requests I finally received your telegram asking for the much larger amount to cover vacation expenses. To comply with this request request seemed a bit difficult and unwise under the circumstances, for you had already overdrawn your account between $300 and $400, and this could have made a deficit of over $500. I finally sent you by telegraph $75 which it seems to me ought to be made to cover vacation expenses. Of course, a trip to either New York or Chicago would probably involve much more than this; but I am perfectly sure that if your father meant you to make trips of this kind and to such distances, he would have provided you the necessary funds for these trips cannot be made without heavy expenses. The very fact that I have received no remittance from him for a long time and that I voluntarily advanced approximately $500 on your account has already convinced me that you have simply got to curb these expenses and live within your means. Please understand that I have no desire to restrict your proper activities and that once I have the full approval from your father to advance you necessary funds to enable you to travel and visit and indulge in other expanses, I shall be ready and willing to pass them on to you. I am confident, however, that your father is eager to have you keep your expenses down and certainly I cannot fairly be expected to borrow way in advance on your behalf just because I feel that your father is an honorable man and will meet the obligation in due season.when becomes known to him. That is not playing fair with him at all and I am already very fearful that he will be naturally distressed and perhaps annoyed then he finds how far I have allowed you to overdraw your account and run up additional bills. Of course, I can simply refuse to advance more money and I am afraid that I may be forced to take that step if things keep on in this way. In the mean time, I would suggest that you make your father realise, if you can, just what your legitimate expenses are bound to come to and ask him to see that some funds are placed in. my hands in advance to enable me to meet them for you. Of course, if he prefers to send the money direct to you, I haven’t a word to say for I am assuming this responsibility only on your father’s request and in the belief that by doing it, I might be doing a real favor to him and to you. Very sincerely yours,
Letter from K.Y. Tu to Dr. Stearns, December 13, 1925
Handwritten letter sent from K.Y. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns. Explains price of doctor's bill. States he has a teacher who spends 45 minutes teaching him English. Asks for $10 for Christmas presents. Wants to visit New York City to visit friends. Asks for $130 for trip. Mentions visiting cousin in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Enclosed bill and receipt.
Letter from Frank MacDaniel to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns, December 14, 1925
Typed letter sent from Frank MacDaniel, president of Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns. Told Tu not to purchase clothing until discussed with MacDaniel. States Stearns to write to Tu and state what Tu can and cannot do. Told Tu to get funds for winter vacation from Stearns.
December 14, 1925 Dr. Alfred E. Stearns, Phillips Academy, Andover, Mass. Dear Dr. Stearns: I have yours of December 12th calling my attention to the tendency of Mr. Tu to incurr large bills. I do not know that he has incurred any large bill other than this one with Dr. Kober. I told him very flatly not to purchase clothing etc. until he first stated the situation to me. You, as his guardian should write to him explicitly and tell him what he can do and what he can not do. It is my wish to act in harmony with your policy with Mr. Tu He has stated to me that he is planning to go to New York for the holidays and he must get your consent and I told him he must get the fluids from you for the two weeks Christmas vacation. This I trust he will do. Very truly yours,
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to President Frank MacDaniel, December 23, 1925
Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Frank MacDaniel, president of Genesee Wesleyan Seminary. Discussed cutting expenses with Tu. Explains Tu's current method is to send word by wire, sometimes suddenly, insisting money is needed at once. Advanced $500 beyond Tu's account.
December 22, 1925 President Frank MacDaniel Lima, New York My dear Dr. MacDaniel: Thank you for your last letter of December 14. I have written to Mr. Tu a stiff letter telling him that he must either cut down his expenses rigidly or secure in advance from his father sufficient funds to meet them and full authorization to use the funds for this purpose. The boy’s present method seems to be to send the word suddenly, sometimes by wire, of numerous needs and insist that the money to cover them be sent at once. I have already advanced approximately $500 beyond the funds which his father has placed in my hands and I am not willing to go any further without additional funds and the necessary instruction from home for their disposition. Very sincerely yours.
Draft of telegram sent from K.Y. Tu to Dr. Stearns, December 18, 1925
Draft of telegram sent from K.Y. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns about wiring money to Lima Bank so Tu can leave for winter vacation.
Dr. Stearns: WIRE MONEY CARE LIMA BANK. Want to leave this afternoon. Signed. K.Y.TU 12/1825 11.15AM E.J.
Telegram sent from K.Y. Tu to Dr. Stearns, December 18, 1925
Telegram sent from K.Y. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns about wiring money to Lima Bank so Tu can leave for winter vacation.
Lima NY 950AM DEC 18 1925 DR.STEARNS ANDOVER MASS WIRE MONEY CARE LIMA BANK WANT TO LEAVE THIS AFTERNOON K Y TU 1112 AM
Note from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to President Frank MacDaniel, December 12, 1925
Typed note from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Frank MacDaniel, president of Genesee Wesleyan Seminary. Thanks MacDaniel for December 10th letters. Explains Tu's financial status. Believes tendency to overspend is a new development.
December 12, 1925 President Frank MacDaniel Lima, N.Y. My dear Dr. MacDaniels: Thank you for your letter of the 10th instant with the further information about Mr. Tu. and hie bills. I am mailing a check to Dr. Kober and am writing Tu himself urging him to keep expenses of this kind down to the minimum. The boy has at present overdrawn his account several hundred dollars, but he writes me gayly of future plans with as much assurance as if his bank account ran into four or five figures. Apparently he is developing this tendency lately, for whom he was in Andover he was, on the whole, very reasonable in the matter of his expenditures. Faithfully yours,