168 10 3636 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/eebaf0bc3f4d5bd40c493e76eeb1dbef.jpg 378867c14f7145057ef50e7251ac2076 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/5c7c0366bed5b80c3ffc1339040c1ebd.jpg 692e67744d3666bb0bf17020a7fec2c9 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Box 28 Folder 1 Mary Sun, Head of School (Stearns) Records Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Arthur Sun, February 16, 1926 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Arthur Sun, February 16, 1926 Description An account of the resource Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Arthur Sun. Discusses Mary's school transfer. Explains the choices were based on telegrams from their father, C.Y. Sun. States he wrote to C.Y. Sun at Christmas, explaining what it would mean to have Mary attend college. Explains the instructions received were 'Prepare Mary for College' leaving Stearns to decide the details. States he is unsure of what to do for Tom future education. Wishes to discuss these issues with Arthur. Received check and credited to account. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Phillips Academy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 16, 1926 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Correspondence Relation A related resource February 16, 1926. Mr. Arthur Sun, New Tech Dormitory, Cambridge, Mass. Dear Arthur: On my return to Andover this morning I find your letter of February 10th. I am afraid that I have missed your visit if you made one, for I have been away since Thursday of last week. Doubtless you have heard of the recent decision to change Mary's school, a matter that I hope to be able to discuss with you in the early future. Mary, of course, is terribly upset, and naturally so, and I can’t blame her a bit, for I can’t feel altogether that we have done the very best things; at least, I am rather inclined to believe that if your father had been actually on the ground here, and known all of the conditions, he would have been disposed to favor rounding out the course at Abbot for the school degree, and then adding the college preparation later, even though it might mean an extra year. In view of his cablegram, however, there seemed to be nothing for me to do but act promptly and make the change, which I did. After investigating carefully a number of schools, and making all of the inquiries I could of responsible and informed persons, the Wittier School at Merrimac, which has been chosen, combines a home atmosphere and the possibilities of intensive individual work such as Mary must have if she is to enter the college gates. I don’t think a better school could have been found under the circumstances, and I imagine that Mary will be happy there after she once gets over the natural jar which the sudden upset occasioned. I wrote your father very fully just before Christens telling him of the rumors that had come to me through you and Charlie, and Mary herself, that he had recently expressed a wish for Mary to go to college. I explained to him very carefully what this meant, the necessity for a complete change of course, probably an extra year of preparation, and further, the evident necessity of a change of school. I added that this involved such radical and drastic action that I would not feel justified in making it without direct and full authority from him. I told him further that I had supposed that I had been carrying out his wishes in having Mary complete the general course at Abbot, which would mean her degree in June. but that my only wish of course, was to do what he desired me to do. After giving all these details and explanations I asked him to write me fully what his present desires were so that I could be governed accordingly. The receipt of this letter by him prompted a cablegram, which only said, "Prepare Mary for College", so that seemingly there was nothing else I could do but act as I have done. I feel very sorry for Mary because I can readily understand the unhappiness that she must feel at this sudden and abrupt ending of the Abbot connection and the breaking of the contacts with the friends she has made there, but, as you can readily understand, there seemed to be nothing else to do in view of the instructions contained in the cablegram mentioned.  Then there is Tommy’s case to be decided, and here again I am completely at a Loss to know what to do. If Tom can get into college I really think he ought to go to some small college where the standards are not so severe, but where he will be made to work, none the less, rather than to a bigger institution in a large city, like the University of Penn. Further, I question the value of the business course to a boy of Tommy's disposition unless he is seriously in earnest in his desire to get the very most and best out of it he can. So you see I am really anxious to talk things over with you, and I do hope that you will be able to come out here for such an interview pretty soon. Yes, I received the rebate check of $14.00 from your Bursar, and credited it at once to your account, though I do not quite understand yet what it represents. Faithfully yours, Arthur Sun C.Y.Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/8fcb7dbc9b09d9fb6360d626e8e10d83.jpg 6f7cd464eb88f520634c5d51c431e1cd Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Box 28 Folder 1 Mary Sun, Head of School (Stearns) Records Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Arthur Sun, January 29, 1926 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Arthur Sun, January 29, 1926 Description An account of the resource Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Arthur Sun. Enclosed request check for $90.00. Will be in Andover for the week to meet with Arthur. Plans to discuss Mary's future plans. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Phillips Academy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource January 29, 1926 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Correspondence Relation A related resource January 29, 1926 Mr.Arthur Sun 210 Technology Dormitory Cambridge, Massachusetts Dear Arthur: I have just received your letter and am enclosing check for ninety dollars, as requested. Kindly return receipt. So far as I can tell I shall be in Andover for the greater part at least of the coming week, and shall be very glad if you can run out some day for a conferene. I am especially anxious to talk over with you Mary’s future plans and work. Sincerely yours. Arthur Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/a2023ca8cea8d6e67cd35403b9910117.jpg 5e1e760633a038bcbad6724524967ca1 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/23cd6e3adce7977c8397245e1c2bec4d.jpg e506914caaa50e9c7329566bf17dc75c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Box 28 Folder 1 Mary Sun, Head of School (Stearns) Records Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Arthur Sun, March 29, 1926 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Arthur Sun, March 29, 1926 Description An account of the resource Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred Stearns to Arthur Sun. Explains the phone conversation was hard to understand and that is the reason he didn't arrange for Mary to visit. Explains he knew Arthur had an engagement, but wasn't able to leave it and Mary wouldn't be welcome. Had Tommie accompany Mary to Boston. Suggest Charlie visit Mary in Washington due to Arthur's limited time. Explains Charlie declines to go and believes Arthur better suited. Waits for Arthur's reply regarding matter. Discuss issue about Mary. States Mr. Sze agrees with course of action regarding Mary's education. States Mary would have adjusted sooner without interference from members of Abbot Academy. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Alfred Stearns Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Phillips Academy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource March 29, 1926 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Correspondence Relation A related resource March 29, 1926 Mr. Arthur Sun Technology Dormitories Cambridge, Mass. Dear Arthur: This morning’s mail brings me your two letters of recent date, and I am enclosing herewith the check for your allowance and an additional check for the Christian Association, as requested. A word about Mary. I could not get one out of five words that you spoke over the telephone last week, and that is the only reason why I did not arrange to have you and Mary meet in Boston Sunday afternoon. I had definitely counted on that plan in case you were not able to come out to Andover and take Mary in yourself.All I could get from the jumble of the conversation that came to me over the telephone was the definite impression that you had an evening and dinner engagement which I did not for a moment suppose Mary would be welcome and that you could not leave it. That would have meant that Mary would be left alone in Boston or Cambridge during that time, and I did not like the idea. Consequently I had Tommie accompany her into Boston, since I could not well arrange to go myself. If I had dreamed for a minute that your friend from China desired to see Mary and that you yourself would be able to take care of her that afternoon, I should have, of course, sent her in on an early afternoon train. This is really the first time I think that I have not been able to understand you clearly over the telephone, and It is very unfortunate that the poor connection happened to come at this time when there was really a good deal at stake. When I saw Mr. Tse, your minister, in Washington last week, he urgently requested that one of you boys should join Mary at the legation as his guest during the vacation period. As I understood that your vacation would be very limited, at best, I suggested that Charlie go, and I wrote Charlie at once asking him to do so. This morning’s mail brings me a letter from him, in which he expresses his hope that I will not press the matter, as be evidently does not desire to go and would not enjoy the visit. He feels that you are much better able to discuss matters with the minister and asks me to let you go in his place. He said that he was writing you to this effect; and so I want to inquire whether it would be possible for you to go down to Washington before this week is over to be Mr.Sze’s guest for several days, at least. Please let me hear from you promptly about this. As to Mary’s problem, all I can say is that Mr. Sze, to whom I showed all my correspondence with your father, assured me that I had acted exactly in accordance with my instructions and that he did not see how I could have done otherwise. The fact of the matter is that, if a few hot-heads at Abbot Academy and Mss Shapleigh had not interfered in a matter about which they knew comparatively nothing and without even taking the trouble to come to me to ascertain what was at the bottom of the change, I am confident that the matter would have settled itself and that Mary herself would speedily have settled down into a normal and happy state of mind. Indeed when I saw her Sunday and talked with her, she seemed very reasonable and appeared to be ready to do her best to meet her father’s wishes and gain admission to college. Do let me hear from you as soon as you receive this letter, so that I can know what to plan and what to advise Mr.Sze. Very sincerely yours. Arthur Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Mary Sun https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/bc23a0ed324cd712921316b724590f83.jpg bbd78b1feb2a5909606a85aa13e8317d Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Stearns Folder 1624, Head of School (Stearns) Records Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. B. Atwood Robinson, October 25, 1911 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. B. Atwood Robinson, October 25, 1911 Description An account of the resource Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to B. Atwood Robinson. Will reserve two tickets for Exeter-Andover game. States game will be in Exeter. Discusses current events in China. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Phillips Academy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource October 25, 1911 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Correspondence Relation A related resource October 25, 1911 Mr. B. Atwood Robinson, 216 High Street, Boston, Mass. My dear Mr. Robinson: It was good to have a note from you again and I am glad that you are looking forward to the coming Exeter game. As you doubtless know it will be played in Exeter this year, and when the tickets go on sale I will see that two are reserved for you. I suppose you are deeply interested in affairs in China these days. Things certainly seem to be moving fast in the Celestial Empire and 1 trust that when the smoke has cleared away our friends will still carry their heads safely on their shoulders and that a new era of progress and prosperity may dawn for China. With warm personal regards, believe me, as always, Faithfully yours, In my absence from town my Secretary will sign for me. B. Atwood Robinson Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/4b0c6057768434ccec1f305e0c2848de.jpg 83495d5dcbfac13b83a68b867a8a0bea Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Stearns Folder 4053, Head of School (Stearns) Records Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.F. Jacobsen, January 29, 1918 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.F. Jacobsen, January 29, 1918 Description An account of the resource Typed letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.F. Jacobsen, cashier at the National Metropolitan Bank in Washington D.C., alerting him that one of his students, Mr. T. Kai Liang, will be unable to identify himself to the bank in person, and requesting that the present letter be enough to identify him for the purposes of authorizing his account. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Phillips Academy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource January 29, 1918 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Correspondence Relation A related resource 29 January, 1918. Mr. C. F. Jacobsen, Cashier National Metropolitan Bank Washington D. C. My dear Sir: One of our present students, Mr. T. Kai Liang, has handed me your letter of January 21st in which you ask Mr. Liang to call at your bank in order to identify himself so that yon may be able to transact business with him. It is practically impossible for Mr. Liang to comply with your request at this time. I trust therefore that this note will serve to identify him to your satisfaction and may make it possible for you to transact with Mr. Liang the business in question without the necessity of the long trip to Washington and return. If I can be of further assistance in the matter, please do not hesitate to advise me. Very sincerely yours, C.F. Jacobsen Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Ting Kai Liang https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/8af6516b24905ffb4a8242a6c82c94d1.jpg c0e4656f9fa8b4135590004401cd5334 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Stearns Folder 2974, Head of School (Stearns) Records Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.Y. Hsu, July 9, 1912 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.Y. Hsu, July 9, 1912 Description An account of the resource Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to C.Y. Hsu about current week. Believes Hsu could enter middle class. States Hsu can drop Latin and still obtain a diploma. Explains a diploma will assure entrance into Cornell. States Hsu would have to take entrance examinations without a diploma. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Phillips Academy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource July 9, 1912 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Correspondence Relation A related resource July 9, 1912 Mr.C.Y.Hsu Itaca, N.Y. I have your letter of the 7th inst. I judge by the work you have had to date that it will be possible for you to enter the Middle Class, as you desire. We have on several occasions in the past waived our Latin requirement in the cases of foreigners, consequently you ought to be able to secure your diploma within two years without the Latin. I am sorry, however, that you have come to the conclusion that it is wise to drop the subject. If you win your diploma, your certificate for admission to Cornell is assured. Should you decide to try to enter Cornell without fully completing our course, you would have to stand their regular entrance examinations. Trusting that the above information will enable you to arrange your work for the summer in a satisfactory manner, believe me, with kind personal regards, Very sincerely yours, Principal. Chuan Yuan Hsu Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/49054c682006fbb28378fca03c555565.jpg 33ccf8c143c2f1b62bda9ec7c0ef41f0 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Stearns Folder 2974, Head of School (Stearns) Records Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.Y. Hsu, July 8, 1914 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.Y. Hsu, July 8, 1914 Description An account of the resource Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to C.Y. Hsu about securing a diploma. Lists subjects Hsu need to take and subjects Hsu needs to retake. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Phillips Academy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource July 8, 1914 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Correspondence Relation A related resource My dear Hsu: I have your letter inquiring about the possibility of securing our diploma. On looking over your record I find that you lack American History and Senior English. These subjects you have not taken. In addition to these you failed this year your courses in Middle and Junior Middle English, Solid Geometry, German C, and Trigonometry. I am afraid this is a very heavy proposition for you to tackle in an effort to secure the diploma. I am sorry, for I would very much like to see you secure this coveted article. With kindest personal regards and the best of wishes to you, believe me, Very sincerely yours, Chuan Yuan Hsu Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/a42e34fa37e71ee3edb7364621bf66b4.jpg 813ed498c107975fcf0b56ead97e872c Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Stearns Folder 2974, Head of School (Stearns) Records Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.Y. Hsu, June 18, 1912 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.Y. Hsu, June 18, 1912 Description An account of the resource Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to C.Y. Hsu. Received application for admission to Phillips Academy. Will mail room assignment. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Phillips Academy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource June 18, 1912 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Correspondence Relation A related resource My dear Mr. Hsu: Allow me to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 16th inst. inclosing your formal application for admission to Phillips Academy. I note that you wish to secure an average priced room in one of the dormitories, and I hope to be able to accommodate you. Notice of the assignment will be mailed you in the near future. Very sincerely yours, Principal. Chuan Yuan Hsu Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/f98f85ab52ac80c4ea870b2cf0e8831a.jpg 195a15d5b64a3d1960fb1ae201bbaadd https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/604e4b05968cdc019d7a2f3d1c5cd180.jpg befd73f571c0a093f595a8ca3da6dde8 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/38b3e2b53c4d02278831ca1eaf5c18cb.jpg 685ae554b0cd750f914b33452f4b3704 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Box 28 Folder 1 Mary Sun, Head of School (Stearns) Records Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.Y. Sun, April 2, 1926 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.Y. Sun, April 2, 1926 Description An account of the resource Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.Y. Sun detailing the situation surround Mary's education and change in schools. Initiated plans for Mary attending college once he received Sun's cablegram. Explains that since Mary transferred from Abbot Academy to Whittier School, she has improved. States that friends from Abbot Academy, including Miss Shapleigh attempted to force Mary's return to Abbot Academy. Askd Miss Shapleigh to stop and explained the situation. Requested help from Sze. Expressed confusion over cablegram stating to focus less on college. Discussing his guardianship over Mary. Discussed Mary's progress with Mrs. Russell of Whittier school, who believes Mary could perform at middle ranks if taking broad courses. Sent inquiries to Wellesley and Mount Holyoke to see if Mary could attend without taking the full examinations. Explain Mr. Sze plans to contact Elmira College. Hopes Mr. Sun understands why Stearns decided to keep Mary at the Whittier School. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Phillips Academy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource April 2, 1926 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Correspondence Relation A related resource April 2, 1926 Mr. C. Y. Sun 44 Cambridge Road Tientsin China, My dear Mr.Sun, The receipt several days ago of your second cablegram , bearing date of March 19, threw me into something of panic. I confess that t more I thought over its content, the more completely I felt at sea. The transfer of schools had already been made, the expense and responsibility of the new arrangement assumed, and a month of work under the new condition had brought Mary into a far better frame of mind, as indicated not only by her general attitude but by the the good spirit with which she was throwing herself into her studies. Under the condition another change back to the old regime seemed of questionable wisdom at best. Still another factor, however, entered into situation which I could not well ignore. From the moment Mary changed from Abbot Academy to the Whittier School at Merrimac several of her enthusiastic Abbot friends and a well-meaning but impulsive and inconsiderate friend in the town, a Miss Shapleigh, vigorously took up the cudgel to override my judgment and to force Mary’s return to Abbot Academy. Mary herself evidently was kept informed of the activities taken in her behalf and probably approved of them, as would perhaps be natural under the circumstances. When I learned of this, I went at once to Miss Shapleigh, read before her all the correspondence that had passed between you and myself, and ask if she did not feel that under the circumstances and in view of her complete ignorance of what had taken place between us she had not overstepped the bounds of propriety and decency in injecting herself into the situation without having even taken the pains to consult with me in any way. After she had read the copies of the last two letters I had written you, she admitted to me frankly that she thought that not even her most intimate friends at Abbot could have explained the situation to you more carefully and fairly than I had done. I found it difficult to persuade her, however, that she owed it to Mary particularly and to you and me to cease her activities, which could only make matters more difficult and trying for us all. The receipt of your cable message, plus my own disturbed feelings over the whole situation, prompted me to seek advice from other quarters and, since I had to be in New York a few days later, I wired to your minister Mr. Alfred Sze, in Washington and arranged for an interview. Mr.Sze was very kind and gave me several hours of his valuable time. I laid before him all the correspondence and asked him to tell me very frankly if he felt I had done the right thing or had erred in my judgement in transferring Mary to the school In question and starting her preparation for college, as requested in your earlier message. After having read with care our correspondence, Mr. Sze assured me emphatically that he did not see how I could have taken any ether course than that adopted and that he felt that I should cease to worry about things, even if others of limited knowledge of the facts continued to criticize. Mr Sze told me further and this surprised me very much, that Miss Shapleigh, referred to above, had written him a vigorous letter asking him to cable you urging Mary’s prompt return to Abbot Academy and that to this message he had replied that he could not do this as I was Mary’s guardian in this country, in touch with you, and the only one qualified to make decisions in Mary’s case. The news that Mary’s friends had gone so far as this behind my back distressed me greatly for it indicated a spirit and attitude which were anything but pleasant to contemplate and which did not seem to point to smooth sailing for the future. Mr. Sze and I discussed fully the contents of your recent cablegram, in which you stated that you now emphasize college less and a return to Abbot. Both of us agreed that in view of the arbitrary interference of outsiders, it would be most unfortunate to change Mary back again to Abbot at this time, for it is clear to us both that such a step would promptly be regarded by those who had interfered as a justification of their position and action, and complete repudiation by you of my earlier judgement and decision, based though they were only on my understanding of your personal wishes in the matter. In other words, for the future it would have been utterly impossible for me to exercise the slightest control over Mary and her doings, for Mary herself would, of course, share the feelings of her friends that she had been mishandled by me in the past. We agreed further that to take this step would necessarily force me to resign at once my guardianship, something which 1 shall be perfectly willing to do if that is your wish and if others can be found to fill the position more satisfactorily than I. Indeed I should be ready to resign at once if it were not for two factors; (1) my unwillingness to turn Mary’s affairs over to those mho have impulsively and unfairly injected themselves into the situation in a wholly uncalled for way, and (2)because of the difficulty in finding the type of person who could and would assume this responsibility promptly and of whose qualifications to fill the position to your satisfaction and do for Mary what I am sure you wish to have done for her. In view of all that has been said above I have been compelled to feel that the decision which Mr. Sze and I reached is wise and that Mary should finish out the year at the Wittier School, concentrating on college preparatory work. I had a long talk with Mrs. Russell, the head of this school. Just before I started for Washington and was assured by her that from what she had seen of Mary’s work thus far, she felt that, if Mary could possibly gain admission to college this coming fall, she would probably be able to hold the pace there as well as perhaps one-third, at least, of the student body and that with another year of preparation she ought to stand well up in the middle ranks, if not better. She added, however, that this was on the assumption that Mary would take the broader courses in college rather than concentrate on languages or Mathematics. I am writing to the presidents of Wellesley and Mount Holyoke, both of whom I happen to know personally, to see whether some way can be found to allow Mary to enter without meeting the full requirement of entrance examination regularly demanded of candidates. I am not at all sure that I can gain such concession, but if it were possible, it would probably mean the saving of an extra year of preparation, and that at least is worth striving for. Mr. Sze tells me that he has recently sent one of his wards to Elmira College in New York where the requirements for admission are not so stiff and where the tone and standards are known to be good. Curiously, Elmira is one of the colleges I have had under consideration during recent months when it there might be a chance that you would wish to have Mary go on to colleges after completing the general course at Abbot. I was doubly glad, therefore, to get Mr. Sze’s endorsement of the college, of which he evidently has a very high opinion. I shall await with interest Mr.Robinson’s arrival, and in the meantime will continue to do my best to see that Mary secures all that can possibly be provided for her to assure at least a fair test of the college plan. I hope that you will not feel that I have erred in deciding to over ride the suggestion contained in your last cable message and to let Mary finish out the year at Whittier School. I am sure that you will understand after you have read the details given above that I have tried to the best of my ability to solve wisely and well a very complicated and trying problem and that my sole object, as in the past, has always been to carry out the wishes which I believed you to entertain for Mary’s welfare and in ways of which I am prompted to think you yourself would approve were you here on the ground to visualize and understand all of the factors involved. Very sincerely yours, C.Y.Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Mary Sun https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/44469985c672840515b7ebb3c0c42f73.jpg 4ac7cced9a674da115205b1c52b71c82 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/a3dffb5140fe34fc87601d1357d118c2.jpg 19b771945a115327535e9eca97c7daef https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/533371bcd9bdbbe834dbb1d780a1e05e.jpg e06dbb5337b804cfa66a92dc85dbca59 Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Box 28 Folder 1 Mary Sun, Head of School (Stearns) Records Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.Y. Sun, February 22, 1926 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. C.Y. Sun, February 22, 1926 Description An account of the resource Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to C.Y. Sun about Mary's education and school transfer. Made arrangements after receiving Sun's cablegram to prepare Mary for college. Transferred Mary to Whittier School in Merrimac, Massachusetts. States Mary was upset to be transferred from Abbot to Whittier and wrote letters to several people initially. Questions the decision to send Mary to college, as her previous course work didn't prepare her for college. Explains the reasoning behing his decisions regarding Mary and her education. Asks for advice in dealing with Mary and her education in the future. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Publisher An entity responsible for making the resource available Phillips Academy Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource February 22, 1926 Rights Information about rights held in and over the resource All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy Language A language of the resource English Type The nature or genre of the resource Correspondence Relation A related resource 22 February, 1926 Mr. C. Y. Sun 44 Cambridge Road Tientsin, China My dear Mr. Sun: Upon the receipt of your recent cablegram, reading, “Prepare Mary for college”, I promptly started careful inquiries to ascertain the best available school where Mary could receive the special and intensive work which must now be had to enable her to achieve this end. As the result of these inquiries I selected a small home school, highly recommended and already somewhat familiar to me, known as Whittier School, in Merrimac, Massachusetts, a small country town about fifteen miles distant from Andover. When the selection had been made I sent for Mary, told her of your decision, and offered her the choice of going to the school in question or remaining at my home to work for the balance of the year with tutors chosen from our own teaching force, aided by a former teacher residing in the town. She chose the school, and the transfer was made the following day. Mary was badly upset by the news and the sudden change of plan involved. She protested vigorously and tearfully against leaving Abbot Academy, and insisted that I ought not to take the proposed step, which she felt sure you would not sanction if you understood all the conditions involved. Miss Clemons and I did our best to quiet her and make her we that no other course was open in view of your explicit instructions, which had been sent after the receipt of my earlier letter to you in which I had endeavored to explain carefully and in detail all that was involved if the change were to be made. Knowing that the change would be hard at best for Mary, I felt that the more promptly it could be made the less would be her distress in the end, for I knew that her friends at Abbot, including her teachers, would naturally console with her and unconsciously strengthen her own feelings that she was being harshly dealt with. To guard her against that I asked Mrs. Russell, the Principal of the Wittier School, to withhold from Mary for a couple of days the letters of sympathy, etc. which I felt sure would follow her from Abbot Academy and add only to Mary’s excitement. At the end of that period all of the letters, of which there were many, were forwarded to Mary, as I had planned at the outset to have them. I mention these details because 1 know that Mary’s first reaction was one of intense resentment and that she wrote at once to her brothers, to the Legation at Washington, and to others, protesting at what had been done and intimating, apparently, that you would not have sanctioned my action have you fully understood the situation. I kept in touch with Mrs. Russell by telephone and urged her to do everything she could to make Mary comfortable and happy and to bring her to realize that your authority in the matter was final, your decision proper, and my action absolutely necessary in view of your definite instructions by cable to me. From Mrs. Russell, and to-day from Mary herself, I have gathered that the first shock has largely worn off, that Mary is hard at work and evidently much more contented than she was at first. In justice to Mary I feel that it is only fair to say that I consider her first reaction perfectly natural and that it would not be fair to blame her too severely for it. As I intimated in my earlier letter to you, the change was a drastic one and the significance of it could not easily be at once interpreted by the one who was thus forced to sever abruptly all connections and friendships and start again among strangers in another school. I felt sure then, and feel surer now, that this reaction should not be considered permanent, and that in a very short time Mary would adjust herself to the new surroundings, and with increasing content and peace of mind. To-day Arthur came out to see me, at my request, stayed to lunch, and talked over with me very fully and freely the entire situation. While he was there we called Mary on the telephone and Arthur himself talked with her frankly. Arthur apparently agrees fully that what has been done is what you desire, and has assured Mary that it was the proper and only thing to do under the circumstances. I think he feels as strongly as I do that Mary is already in a much better frame of mind, and that she will bend herself to the new tasks and adjust herself to the new conditions rapidly and rightly. Arthur, however, is inclined to share my own feelings, those of Miss Clemons, who has followed Mary pretty closely in her work, and those expressed, too, by Miss Bailey, Principal of Abbot Academy, that it is a serious question whether Mary has the proper qualifications to make a college course for her practicable and wise. In some of the subjects, at least, required for admission to a good college (and I assume, of course, that you would not be willing to consider a second-rate college), Mary finds the greatest difficulty Arthur tells me that when he tried to teach her Algebra a short time ago, it seemed next to impossible to make her understand the first principles of the subject. On the other hand she is extremely domestic and has evident talent along those lines. I think that is one reason why Mary has always intimated that she would like to study nursing, something that to-day many of our best girls in this country are taking up for serious study. I confess that I have been terribly puzzled over the whole problem. The subjects which Mary has been taking to round out the general course at Abbot Academy, and which would have permitted her to take her diploma in that course this coming June, are not in the main those required by the colleges for admission; hence her work from now on must he of a very different character. I have asked Mrs. Russell to watch Mary as closely as she can and tell me frankly within the next few weeks what she herself feels as to Mary’s qualifications to prepare for admission to college and carry later successfully the college course. If Mrs. Russell comes to feel, as some of the rest of us are inclined to do without, perhaps, full and proper data on which to base our somewhat hazy conclusions, that Mary ought not to attempt to go on to college, I shall hardly know what to do next. In talking the situation over with Arthur to-day we were both inclined to feel that if the college proposition should prove to be impracticable and a nursing or home economics course from your point of view undesirable, Mary should perhaps have a year or two in one of the very best of our American schools, chiefly for the contacts and cultural influences that such a school would afford. There are several such schools in this country, but I have not considered them seriously in the past, chiefly because they are excessively expensive, involving an annual outlay of from $2500 to $3000 per year per pupil a sum which it seems to me would be beyond what you would naturally feel ought to be invested. Perhaps my judgment has erred in this respect, but it has at least been formed on the basis of a very careful consideration on my part of all the factors involved and of a further belief that you would have reached the same decision yourself under the same circumstances. Where I may have erred chiefly up to this time has been through my understanding that Mary would return to China this coming year, and that therefore her American education was to have been completed so far as possible before that time. As I wrote in my former letter, the suggestion of a later college course came to me comparatively recently, and hence did not enter into the consideration of the earlier plans decided upon. I am writing you fully at this time because I have reason to fear that Mary in her first reaction to the new situation may have sent you, direct or through the Legation, at Washington, word that would naturally have been very much colored by her feelings at the time, and which I feel sure would have taken on a different color had she sent such a messages to-day , and probably even a brighter hue were she to send it a bit later. Her statement on the telephone to-day to both me and Arthur was to the effect that the new school was all right, that she liked her schoolmates, etc. but that she still wanted to return to China, I hope, therefore, that if you have received a message from her previous to the receipt of this letter, you will consider it in the light of what I have just written, and will not do unduly disturbed by its character. Unless Mary misled both Arthur and myself, she would not, I feel sure, send a message of quite the same character to-day, and I am very hopeful that we can within a reasonable time report her as contented and happy under the new regime. I hope that in your next letter to me you will feel perfectly free to tell me very frankly exactly what courses I should adopt with Susy from now on. Please take into consideration the possibility that those who are now undertaking to prepare Mary for colleges may agree with Miss Bailey and others that Mary is not adapted to college work and ought not, therefore, to be forced to attempt it. If this is the final and combined judgement of us all, we must then plan carefully for the next and wisest east step, and we shall certainly need definite advice and instructions from you. I have tried to outline the possibilities so that we may so far as possible work in complete sympathy and harmony in the matter and adopt a plan which has been decided upon only after all the conditions and ramifications that enter into the problem have been fully considered and estimated at their relative values. My sole desire is to carry out your wishes and to do only what I should feel you would desire to do yourself were you actually on the ground here and able to view the situation from the same angle. I might add that the Wittier School has been thoroughly endorsed by a number of responsible educators whom I have consulted, who know of its work and its product, and who tell me that it does exceptionally effective work in the preparation of its pupils for college. It is a home school, rather old-fashioned in its type, and to my mind all the better for that, with a distinctly cultural and Christian atmosphere. Mrs. Bussell is a motherly woman of high ideals and refinement, and strongly opposed to the modern and superficial tendencies and social excesses so strongly prevalent in the majority of our American girls’ schools to-day. Mary will therefore some under closer and in my judgment wholesome supervision than she has had heretofore, while at the same time she will be guided in her studies by those who are thoroughly familiar with the requirements for admission set by our best colleges, and who are in the habit of preparing their girls to meet the same. Please excuse this extremely long letter, but I cannot help feeling that the situation in such that you are entitled to know all of the circumstances and details which have been taken into consideration by me in handling this somewhat difficult and in a way very perplexing problem. I can only hope that I have not in any way, and unintentionally, abused the confidence which have so generously reposed in me, though I must admit in dealing with the case of a girl I feel my limitations more strongly than I do in dealing with boys, whose problems are a little more familiar, though even then not always easily solved. Believe me, with warm regard and esteem. Very sincerely yours, C.Y.Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns