298 10 3636 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/ff71f800022290a99e8bc37ad32e69e1.jpg fa7f744832b01d51b4b11b173dfd855d https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/0ffc2a1a10fe1d192617a6fb4c5ee13b.jpg faf071acf0249526f3139df82598e3f0 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/598d292879059d17a37ee39b409d6029.jpg 2a266f7bb9b331eb941a694117d93e07 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 29 Sun Siblings 1931, 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 Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns January 3, 1931 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns January 3, 1931 Relation A related resource My Dear Dr. Stearns, I received a letter from home yesterday and the contents therein gave vent to rather sad feelings. It occurred in the family three deaths consisting two aunts, who had been living with us ever since we were born, and our third sister, Dorothy. The news took me by surprise, but I managed to keep rather composed. I guess the ten or more years in the States hardened me to face such circumstances. However, I do feel deeply affected by it, but, at the same time, I did not go into hysterics. What is worrying me is breaking the news to Mary. She, being a woman, naturally will take it more to heart. Originally I planned to have a face to face talk with her, but she is, at the present moment, sick in bed, so I told her over the phone about the deaths of the two aunts and refrained to disclose the news concerning Dorothy. I did not expect that she will go into tears to receive the news which I did give her. I thought that, being a nurse, she will look upon death because of old age is a natural thing, but she did not apparently think so. But, I am sure that in a day or so, she will feel much better and will be cheerful again. But to tell her about the death of Dorothy will be real difficult, because she is so young when she passed away, and also because they are such good pals. I shall use my discretion in doing so. But on the other hand, since Dorothy passed away last April, I see no reason to tell her about it right away. I went to the New Haven Hospital this morning and had an occasion to talk with the Director and Superintendent of nurses and they were very kind to me. I arranged matters with them so that Mary can have a few days off if she wishes. But if she insists upon staying on duty, I have also arranged to have her put on call duty thus leaving her little time to mourn, in which case, she will be fully occupied for the better part of the twenty-four hours of the day. I did all this all within my own responsibility, because I think it is best for her. Being her brother, I feel that it my duty to look after her although she is older than I. I think, under such circumstances, my judgements will be better than hers because of her softer heart. However, I think a cheerful letter from you with no mention of the deaths will also add much to her disposition. In the mean time, I shall do all I can to cheer her up. I plan to take her to a concert given by Roland Hayes, the famous Negro tenor. I am sure it will be a good thing for her. I shall also see her to-morrow after she comes off duty. I am getting along nicely, although the work here is very difficult and volumnous [sic]. At the present rate I am goin [sic], I see little chance to finish so as to receive my degree ahead of time as I originally planned. But with a little work during the two summer vacations to come, I hope to achieve some toward that end. I have had several talks with Mary concerning her future after graduation from the hospital. I am of the opinion that she wants to go home in June. Personally, I think it is the best thing for her. Because of the acute unemployment situation in the nursing profession, it is rather difficult to find the position she wants. If she means to remain in this country, I strongly believe she will have to take a position at the New Haven Hospital under contract for at least one year, which she has no intention of doing. It is almost next to impossible for her to secure a position at some other hospital either in New York or elsewhere, because of the fact they all have their own trained nurses on their registry. Furthermore, she will be able to secure a better position in China where nurses are in great demand, and her value there will be of greater opportunity for her. As for myself, I am ready to do what Father says. I have been in this country so long now that it is of little importance whether or not I stay another year. However, I am looking ahead anxiously---to the day when I shall embark for homeland. After all, I have a home there where Mother is waiting, and she is getting old, and also Father. That is my field of my future work, and I can never neglect it too long. I am moving either to-day or to-morrow to my new quarters in the new Law School dormitory which has just been finished. I am sure I will like the room there, because I shall be right in the midst of intellectual surroundings which undoubtedly will give my greater incentive to work. The house where I am staying is rather distanced from the library or the classrooms where I spent all my time, but my new quarters is only next door to the new library and it will be immensely more convenient. I had an occasion to go to New York for a two-day vacation during the Christmas holidays and found out to my surprise that I can speak Chinese much better than I expected of myself. However, I am still painfully ignorant as to reading and writing. I hope, in time, that will also come back to me with some practice. I hope you will have a very successful 1931. Please give my regards to Miss Clemens and Marjory. I am Very sincerely yours Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thomas Sun 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 3, 1931 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 Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Thomas Sun https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/1e95f719736ca6257a017a4cb902a9c2.jpg 43317184da23a91fb95fb8d529bb9f7d https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/d91fb9028e00ab5eadf28aefebd1f722.jpg a53e21e8ac653dca251121c03a9ecf72 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 29 Sun Siblings 1930, 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 Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, April 16, 1930 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, April 16, 1930 Relation A related resource My dear Dr. Stearns, I just had a conference with Dr. Furniss, the associate dean of the graduate school. To make the story short, I was admitted. One significant feature of Yale is that they will not confer a master's degree until the student has completed two years residence. Requirement for doctor's degree is like other colleges, three years. Therefore, all the course requirements for PhD can be completed in the first two years, and the third year will be spent to write the thesis, which must be acceptable to be published in book form. I saw Mary last night and am having lunch with her this noon. I am going back to Middlebury this afternoon arriving there to-night. If you wish to write me, please write me there. Sincerely yours Thomas Sun Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thomas Sun 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 16, 1930 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 Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Tommie [Tom] Sun https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/67279d62d03cc2947bac98707a93d965.jpg 8d406ff25860600bb56cafce48239a9e 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 29 Sun Siblings 1931, 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 Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, April 23, 1931 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, April 23, 1931 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thomas Sun 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 23, 1931 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 1294 Yale Station Office of the Headmaster Phillips Academy Andover, Mass. My dear Dr. Stearns, New Haven, Conn. April 23, 1931 To make a rather long story short, I received a letter from home yesterday containing the crisp statement:--"Since you have been away for such a long time. But you have already entered Yale University. It will be a great pity to stop your work at this time------why can’t you spend another------? I hope you will be patient for another year time flies like an arrow------- ." It is unnecessary for me to fill out the blank spaces, for their meanings are apparent. Thus ends another story brought about by almost a whole year’s planning and hoping. Like other Oriental sons, I shall obey the Fatherly orders without complaint, but regret in some form can not be helped but creep in the outcome in some way or another. As I remained awake in bed during the small hours of the morning, thoughts of all nature and sorts came into my mind. Among the most prominent is "Who am I?" Born a Chinese and brought up an American! Indeed, a sad state of affairs. I still owe my allegiance to my country, but what, where, and how is my country? From that, the thought of re-adjustment comes into the mind in the most logical and potent way. To describe my feelings would require a ten-volume masterpiece. Since I am not capable of such interpretation, I shall leave it to your free imagination. No meditation is complete without the sentamental [sic] side. I have been away from "home" for eleven years. These eleven years are those which I should spend with my "people" in order to learn to be one of them. But--that was not so. In all the letters which I receive from home, I notice the strained attempt of happiness. One can not be so brainless so as not to realize that Mother is unhappy without seeing one of her OWN CREATION with her own blood. I am not so selfish or narrow sighted so that I do not realize such things. One can not be so ignorant and heartless. In plain words, I am homesick. Then there is another aspect which must come into consideration, and that is my nature. You probably know that I am not exactly the studying kind so as to enjoy to sit in the room and read Rouseau [sic], Karl Marx, or the like. If I do have to admit it, I am the hustling kind, never satisfied with doing the same thing all the time. I like to get out and work--that, at least, is something different from what I have been doing for the past eleven years. I appreciate the value of a scholarly education, but I think I prefer the kind of education which one receives by living and trying to get the next meal, -- adventure, romance, and the thrill of responsibility. That is what I want. I want to look after something. Now the only thing I have to look after are the books. Do not think for a moment that I am defying Father’s orders. On the contrary, I think his advice is sound and well-planned for most people, myself included. I am just lamenting the fact that my vagabond life is being prolonged—vagabonding alone with only the illusion that I may arrive at the desired pedestal, and then face it with a possible empty heart. Ah, what a situation for a poet. I am making plans accordingly and will go ahead without a murmur of complaint of dissatisfaction. Very sincerely yours, Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Thomas Sun https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/ca98f6e02e24f8d32d0057380bf7677f.jpg 18ea5310483138418f5c2df7546cdbbf https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/4c0efb37abfb8c4ced7eb26f2ca230d6.jpg 31c36e27db6361749eede03e8b0b7088 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 29 Sun Siblings 1931, 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 Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, February 2, 1931 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, February 2, 1931 Relation A related resource My dear Dr. Stearns, I am sending to you with this letter a statement of all my expenses since I received the last check from you in the early part of November. I started to use this present system on November 8th, and have kept it up ever since, and I hope it will be satisfactory to you also. It shows just exactly how I spend every cent, when I spent it, and for what purpose I spent it. The graph shows the general trend of my expenses. I have as yet over fifty dollars to my credit at the bank, which I expect to last me two or three weeks, but with the earning of the bills for Tuition, Room, and other college facilities, I shall need some more money from you. I calculated the other night just how much more I will need from now till the end of the year, and the amount ran up to seven hundred and fifty dollars including everything. On the average, I run about twenty dollars a week counting everything. Board is my heaviest expense averaging about twelve to fourteen dollars a week. Books and other school supplies also take a large amount, and will take an even larger amount this second term, because I have to buy several Law books. The items on my sheets need no explanation, I am sure, because they are all plain. Just one item, however, needs a little elaboration. Under the heading of Amusements, and later Recreation, I included everything such as Concerts, lectures, debates, movies, skating at the Arena, etc. Under the item Unclassified, I put tuition. The other items mean just what the term implies. I shall leave the amount which I will need to you. If you wish to give me enough to last me till the end of the College year in June, I think I shall need about seven hundred and fifty dollars ($750.00). If you want to give me just enough till Easter vacation, I shall need about four hundred and fifty dollars ($450.00) including tuition and room. I don’t know when they are going to send me the bills for college expenses such as tuition, but I suspect that it will be rather soon. Therefour [sic], if you will send me the money sometimes within the next ten days, I shall appreciate your effort. However, if you wish to send it earlier, I shall welcome it. Mary told me the other night that she has already wrote home to Father about the prospects of my going home this summer with her. I shall not be surprised if she succeeds in changing Father’s attitude. Hence I rather expect the summons to go home from him within the next three months. Sincerely Yours Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thomas Sun 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 2, 1931 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 Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Thomas Sun https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/771d116ea886a6884e3f682eb8f72b6c.jpg b44defbee577e31e8a3c2718877d23f2 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 29 Sun Siblings 1931, 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 Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, February 3, 1931 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, February 3, 1931 Relation A related resource My dear Dr. Stearns, I am sorry that Mary kept you uncertain as to the trip to Europe. I shall apologize for the little oversight on her part. I am sure that she did not understand the difficulties connected with such tasks as arrangement of steamship passages and passports. She received your letter shortly after the news of the three deaths at home reached her, and consequently she did not feel very much disposed to answer her correspondance [sic]. She told me about it some time ago, and I took it for granted that she had already answered you until I received word from you to the contrary. She was very despondent at the time and had nothing else in mind but going home. I am sure she did not mean to cause you all the anxiety. She said to me definitely that she does not wish to make the trip to Europe. It is not that she does not appreciate what Father intended for her, but she just couldn’t wait till she can go home. As I wrote you in my last letter to you, Mary had written home making overtures to father about my going home with her this summer. In case if she succeeds, she plans to leave sometimes in the latter part of July or the first part of August, otherwise I think she will leave at the earliest possible moment. However, I shall ask her to write to you definitely concerning her plans. Again, permit me to apologize for her. Very sincerely yours Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thomas Sun 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 3, 1931 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 Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Thomas Sun https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/0f4e799ee8aaf26683035843e17bf059.jpg 20c6e6c7ebdbc506d5b9c1286bd8f89e https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/93c27478e16225a65ca0beb02c7d1ebf.jpg 6827e8e17ccf492f4e7bc32722cc3cd1 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 29 Sun Siblings 1931, 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 Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, January 16, 1931 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, January 16, 1931 Relation A related resource My dear Dr. Stearns, There is one thing which has been on my mind, and which I have been cherishing for the last three or four years, and this thing has never before "gotten” me as strongly as this year. To speak frankly and boldly I want to go home. I have written to you several times previously concerning it, and I venture to bring up the matter before you again for any possible decision. I will have to admit that, for a man, I am a little sentimental, and the home always appeal more to me than it does to most men. For the past ten and a half years in the United States, I stayed in no one place long enough to enable me to call that place home—even Middlebury. I have now reached a certain stage and age when I need a home--a permanent home where I can be with my parents. I may be a little bit too young to speak thus, but one can not deny his most treasured desires. As you know, Father and Mother are getting old. They have gone through uncountable sacrifices for my being here. I like to tell you everything, but that will be impossible--it is something very personal and private which I can not divulge. Therefore, I hope you will take my decision and think that it is the best thing for me to do, I have thought this over for the past three or four years, and after such a lengthy deliberation, I am bound to think that my decision is correct—inequivocably [sic] so. You may think that since Charlie does not take the same attitude as I do, and there is no reason why I should want to go home any more than he does. To tell you frankly and most confidentially, my position is different. Why, I can not tell you. Beyond that I can not tell you, but I hope you will trust in my judgement in something in which I am vitally concerned. I am not at all ashamed to say that I have cried some this year from sheer homesickness for Mother and Dad. I wish my English is good enough to tell you how much I want to go home, and what it means to me. To me, nothing matters except my home. I have lost interest in everything, and the work here is becoming to be a grudge, contrary to what I said to you in my last letter to you. It is a grudge from which I learn little, because I have not my heart in it. I can not help but think that Mother has not seen me for over ten years, and it will be, at least, eleven years before she can set her eyes on me again. I am the one for whom she has been living for--this I know--waiting anxiously, patiently, hopefully, and courageously to see her son come home a man of whom she can be proud. I left her when I was a child of ten. I have never been with my Mother at an age when I can appreciate her. Now I am old enough to understand and know what she means to me, and I do not want to be deprived of the most beautiful love in existance [sic]. The picture comes before me often--a picture which I have always remembered. When I was boarding a boat, which took me from Tientsin to Shanghai, I saw Mother crying in some darkened place so that she would not be seen. I did not even know enough then to go to say good-bye to her. Curse me! I did not even know enough then to cry. I did not even know enough then to realize that I was going away for eleven or more years. I did not even know enough then that I was not going to see her for a long time. After all, I have a heart. And that heart beats for my Mother. Am I to be denied of the person to whom I owe my very existance[sic]—Mother? Since I received the news of the three deaths from home, I can not help but realize that my association with Mother was cut short by eleven years and may be more. Eleven years of the best part of my life--when I ought to be with her—when she ought to have me. Suppose the inevitable happens, and the last time I saw her was eleven years ago! Then, indeed, then, there will be little for which to live. I dread the thought of it, and yet I can not escape from it. God, give me strength. I will lose nothing by going home. Home means more to me than any degree in existance[sic]—more than all the degrees put together. I can go home for a year or so and then come back again to finish my studies. If that is the condition under which I go home, I will keep it if Mother will come with me. Can’t you do something? Something? Something so I can go home? Please try. I can not tell you what it means to me. I wish I can tell you everything, but it is impossible. Please do something, I beg of you. Most sincerely, Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thomas Sun 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 16, 1931 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 Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Thomas Sun https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/d4b477de337728c224d347dc5c5f6bca.jpg a73d80426c07c038fb95f7799625da13 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/e9efa0013d64b9193aa404fb945933b8.jpg fe90672661c54278562d0398866ef337 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 29 Sun Siblings 1931, 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 Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, January 22, 1931 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, January 22, 1931 Description An account of the resource My dear Dr. Stearns, I received your good letter this morning, and I want to thank you for your kind efforts and sympathy. I admit, after several days of deep thinking, that the last letter to you written by me was accomplished in a heat of emotionalism. Now, since I have calmed, I may be able to talk with you about the matter more diplomatically from my father’s view-point. There is not a doubt in my mind that I want to go home. Nothing will please me more than to be able to do so. I realize that I will be quitting my work before it is finished, and that is why I am writing to you this letter. Father sent me here to study and to Yale for me to get a Doctor’s degree, and I know pretty definitely that he will be rather disappointed if I failed at the attempt. He had made some very noble sacrifices for me--if I am to be considered,--and it is not right for me to ”go back on him” no matter how badly I want to go home. I am ready to do what he says and sacrifice myself for him in return. As for mother, I do not know what to say. I want to see her, there is no doubt about that. What I said in the last letter is true to the last letter concerning her, and I do not have any intentions of changing my stand. If it makes her happier for me to stay here and go home a Doctor Sun, I shall do so. I presume, the longer the delay, the sweeter the reunion. What I am worrying about is what is liable to happen in the meantime. It might suffice to say that nothing will happen, but if anything should happen, then everything will be too late. I do not know what to advice you to tell my father when you write him. However, I think it is best to leave out whatever I said about mother entirely. Just tell him the circumstances as you have done in the past. Constant reminding of the matter to him is liable to bring about a change of mind on his part. Mary is going home this summer, and she will make Father understand, I am sure. I think she understands my point as well as anyone. Then she can have a heart to heart talk with him which is liable to bring about another point in his way of looking of things. I do not dare to write father exactly what I have in mind, and so far no one knows the real significance of my wanting to go home, and chances are that no one will. I am ready to stay here another two or three years rather than let my thoughts be known. But when it happens, everyone shall know about it. Personally--"just between you and me"--I am sick of studying, especially under regulations and routine. I think I will enjoy it if I am allowed to study whenever and wherever and whatever I please. But one can never get a degree that way. There are a lot of things which I will like to do but can’t just because I am tied down here with classes six times a week and staggering amount of work. Next semester I plan to take twelve classes and if they won’t allow me, I like to take ten. Anyway, I like to get in as much as I can in as short a period as I can. I realize that is not exactly the way to look at things, but I want to get through sometimes. However, I hope you will not tell father that I am sick of studying. I hate to change my mind again. As you said that you were glad that I have decided that I want to go home. I have decided that long ago, but I never dared to make myself clear because I am afraid it might cause father to be uneasy. That was the reason why I wrote you confidentially last time as I am doing this time. I hope you have not divulged anything I said to anyone. There are so many things that I want to talk over with you, and it is impossible to tell them all to you through one letter. I hope you will have a chance to come down to New Haven some time when you happen to be down this way on business. I am in the Law School Dormitory (Sterling Law Dormitory) room 2641. In the meantime, I hope you will write to Father and tell him just what you have told him in the past except with a little more emphasis. Tell him that you think I ought to have a little interval at home. He may refuse, but then the next time you or I write to him, he is just so much more converted to our idea. It will have to be a slow painful process, and by the time we succeed, it will be time for me to go home anyway, I think you will be rather angry at this letter, because of its uncertainty of tone. I can’t help that, I want to go home, and yet I do not want to offend father. If he has his heart set on a Ph.D,, he is just as firm in his convictions as we are in ours—hence the uncertainty. The last letter was father written purely from my standpoint and I did not take into consideration at all. I don’t know what to think, and do not know what to do. I think you will have to do the thinking and doing for me. I am determined on my stand of going home, and I am just as determined to give father whatever he wants, and still I am just as determined to know for sure that mother is well and is not suffering too much--nay, none at all. What is the result, I do not know. Such is the condition, and I am afraid to say that I can’t solve it to the satisfaction of all. At any rate, I hope you will write father sometimes in the immediate future and ask him. But please don’t bring in anything I said about Mother in the last letter, I don’t think father will like that. Undoubtedly it is a good argument, but I refuse to use it in urging father to let me go home, because, then, he is liable to decide against his own view. And I do not want that to happen. If father wants me to go home, he should decide in his own way. I hope you will understand. I am afraid I will have some bad news for you soon. I will be needing some money in a few weeks. I have kept a graphic account of my expenses to the cent. Sincerely yours Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thomas Sun 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 22, 1931 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 Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Thomas Sun https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/2dccb248f97fb83be7d902eb597e4318.jpg ecd1467f7d6b8afb377dccb6c892568e 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 29 Sun Siblings 1931, 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 Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, January 29, 1931 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, January 29, 1931 Relation A related resource My dear Dr. Stearns, I have received your good letter of the 24th of this month, and want to take this opportunity to express my appreciation for your kind efforts and sympathy toward me. I have telephoned to Mary concerning her trip to Europe and arrangement of her passage by you. She said rather definitely that she does not wish to make the trip. The reasons she gave for it are, in the first place, she will be very sea-sick, and in the second place, the trip involves time and expense which she could use very well by going home. As far as the passage goes, you can be pretty sure that it will be all right for you to drop all negotiations for them. I have just taken my last examination, and I think I have fared pretty well. However, the marks won’t be out for some time. I am expecting to do pretty well in all the courses, unless I am sorely disappointed and disillusioned. Sincerely yours Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thomas Sun 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, 1931 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 Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Thomas Sun https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/4076e989e97bcd019e700c8ccb1eae71.jpg 5e82963c064b6b8986d945fc6ab4300c https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/5c8d2029a1f03132dc733d174e8580ed.jpg 5da7776277fee415d81612d1dce83937 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/3e2d337fbc28c1eca8f6dad88656bdce.jpg 4a9976ca21376d5aef1502bd9cde5986 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/abc9cef617e3e418344e90150a038f4a.jpg 74b99e8b2a9f66653b52f4cfb60d7c6a https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/e6e4f3c705bf9d0fe8560c94e0584246.jpg fa85bb3cad16408f8d5c84425d5689c2 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/2843690488ff6d8508d807b39c9a7b88.jpg 0ba0ee04e1a3b3f70cba3b7ced870349 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/aa76050d5a386d8c986c95cd47d7bc13.jpg 5903e82c527403e478137f0234d4ebd1 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/43ebea668717dd7f116ae9a620808c63.jpg 22ecf52de3193700bc32b1283f904c85 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/d5282152a6c7e772b7a9c6eb639d7954.jpg c0c27adfa15a9cf2020444d5addd3025 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/e70e3fd3ac0b568dd2c2ff1eaa9578d3.jpg c834cf90a12d96113c7e930b98bb6ca2 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/dc51df42f5a92a87aec5bf9d141feb07.jpg 3c3d0158cf7d75a04b599b2f2c5c0bd8 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 29 Sun Siblings 1931, 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 Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, March 25, 1931 (includes detailed financial account November 8, 1930 to March 24, 1931) Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, March 25, 1931 (includes detailed financial account November 8, 1930 to March 24, 1931) Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thomas Sun 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 25, 1931 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 Dr. Stearns, By the contents of the enclosed papers, I am sure, you immediately came to the conclusion that I am again asking you for some more money. In truth, I am. College bills took most of the last amount you sent to me last time, and everyday expenses took the rest, I still have some left in the bank, but not a very substantial amount--about fifty dollars. With the approach of Easter vacation, I hope to go away for a few days, and my present finances will not permit me to do that, I am also having my pictures taken for the first time for a long time, I shall leave it all to you as regards to the amount you will send to me, but I hope it shall not fall below three hundred dollars. With that I hope to last through the year. I have heard several times from home during the past month, but I failed to find anything concerning the prospects of my going home this summer. I looked into my diary the other day and calculated that you wrote to Father about the first of February and Mary wrote about a week later. If that is true, no answer will probably be received till the middle or the end of next month. Furthermore, I think Father will delay answering such a request for some time allowing him time to think the matter over. Mary is rather expectant and practically sure that I will be going home with her. In fact, I am hoping secretly that I may go myself. However, I am making preparations for further study, because in case I can not go, it will not be too much of a disaapointment [sic] with me, and on the other hand, I will be able to embark with more enthusiasm. Mary is still uncertain as to the time she is going to leave. She is waiting to hear from home about my prospects, and in case I can go with her, she will probably decide a time sometimes during the latter part of July or the first part of August. I could get nothing definite from her, and she is constantly changing her plans concerning when to quit her position, and when to sail. I think, though, she has decided that she will not want to go home by way of Europe. I hope to see her to-morrow night, and if I can, I shall try to get her to decide definitely regardless of me. In the meantime, if you hear anything from Father, I shall be most anxious to learn of it. Weighing the situation from all angles, I am afraid that Father is not very keen on my going home this summer. And if he should decide in my favor, I think he will ask me to come back after a year’s stay. Looking at the facts away from the sentimentalities of homesickness, Father is rather insistent on my getting a Doctor’s degree. He wrote to me several times that his desire is to see me come home a most "learned scholar". The meaning of his intention is apparent, and if he is stubborn, I see no way out of staying here for two more years and may be three. Frankly, I am rather fed-up on studying. I want to get out and work. Although, my age is tender, I think I have seen enough of life to make me to want to SETTLE DOWN. During the course of my college days I have become rather frank and willing to look at things in a rather counter- conventional standpoint, as against the customary run of things. However, I am not in anyway radical--not even socialistic. But just modern. With that in view, I hope my viewpoint of things may be better understood. With that, I think I prefer to leave that particular remark more or less in-the- air. With kind regards to Miss Clemens and Marjory. Sincerely yours P. S. I am sending to you my complete account, an itemized graph from day to day, so that you can see just where my money is going, and also you will be able to understand my expenses by looking at the continuity and average of expenditures. I hope the "tables" will help you to “connect up" from one day to another my expenses. Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Thomas Sun https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/d3f48a5fc26c6fd917e009a2895fa0fa.jpg 17414e4091734034c5fa4da1c678d32f https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/d3198bdcfd26f1c013b37b97058e02d7.jpg 6ed3874ce5b2a55d89baf1ba257a684d https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/2b911d76cbcce36a9d50886141dd3aca.jpg a804a68cdc6443580b82210537e2a28a 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 29 Sun Siblings 1931, 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 Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, March 28, 1931 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Thomas Sun, New Haven, Conn., to Alfred E. Stearns, March 28, 1931 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Thomas Sun 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 28, 1931 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 Dr. Stearns, Soon after I mailed my last letter to you, I received a letter from home dated March 2, 1931. In the letter Father did not say anything about the prospects of my going home at all till I finish the work down here at Yale. However, the date of the letter made me think. If he mailed the letter on March 2, he must have received either your letter or even Mary’s asking him to let me to go home. And yet, he said nothing about it to me. Mary received a letter from him the same day, and he said nothing about in that either. Now I am asking you, whether or not you have heard. Any information will be greatly appreciated. One thing which I did definitely is that I wrote to Father myself asking him to let me go home. I did that right after I received the letter. In the letter, Father said that due to the exchange of silver, he has to furnish five dollars to every dollar I spend here. On that ground, I asked him to let me go, because the whole family can almost live, in Chinese money, on what he has to send to me every year in American money, I wrote rather lengthily, and I hope that he will be taken over by my sincere arguments. Maybe, a personal appeal from myself will tell him that I myself want to go home. At any rate, I hope he will consider my proposal seriously. I saw Mary last night, and failed to get her to come to a definite plan. One thing she is certain on, and that is she wants me to go with her. The situation is this: —She refuses to make any definite plans till she hears from Father about my prospects of going home with her. If I can go with her, she will probably want to go by way of Pacific if Dad will not Down to insist on her going to Europe. But if Father does insist, she will go that way and take me along with her. In case if I am not allowed to go home with her, she does not know exactly what to do. She does not want to travel alone across the Pacific, and yet she is rather uncertain about going by way of Europe. Some girl friends of hers are going to leave New York around the middle of June and go to Europe and thence to China by way of India. One of the girls asked her to go along, but the invitation was merely a casual one and Mary hates to receive any invitations of that nature. Miss Sze, the daughter of Minister Sze in London invited her to come to London and visit them for a while. Miss Sze is a student in Wellesley and plans to leave New York some times soon after her graduation from there. To Mary the invitation was a very good one, because she will have a chance to see Charlie and at the same time see Europe according to Father’s wishes. But she will not go the rest of way alone from London to Tientsin. It is not exactly safe to travel all by herself for half-way around the world, and I do not blame her for hestitating [sic]. The ride from Berlin to Pekin on the Trans-Siberian Railroad is not a very comfortable one, and Mary has to have some one to look after her. The boat trip from Genoa to Shanghai through the Suez Canal, India, Signapore [sic], and other Strait Settlement is not of the best, and I personally will hate to see Mary travel all that distance all alone. Therefore I see her point in waiting before making a decision. She wants me to go with her, because in that way she can choose to travel any one of the three ways, across the Pacific, by Trans-Siberian Railroad, or by way of India. I think I will be able to take care of her. But as for going all along, I doubt she will venture it, and I can see her reasons for refusing to do so. She is hoping, I dare say, against hope that I can go with her. Although I am hoping that I may go with her, I hold little chance of being able to do so. There is the situation, and I am at a loss as to know what to do with her. The girls who asked her to go with them casually sails far too soon for Mary's convenience. I think they plan to sail for Europe and then by way of India to China sometimes early in June even before Mary receives her diploma. That, of course, will make it impossible for Mary to go with them. Even if Mary could go, she will feel that she would be imposing upon them, because the invitation was so casual so as to be a mere formality. They asked her, because it looks nice, and I do not exactly blame Mary for refusing to go with them. It may seem that I am confusing matters up for you. But at the same time, I think Mary should not travel alone. I did not exactly see her point before, but after last night’s talk, she more or less "took me over" by her arguments. I hope you can make a valuable suggestion. Sincerely yours Dr. Alfred E. Stearns Thomas Sun