73 10 3636 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/35ec7113ccf1c2acb6e15dc2a47c1908.jpg 2e6c05bd8e266af8aacbbd2f1b9b9750 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/195c7c8bb9d0e31f3375d955f3855a4c.jpg 9aaacc29e2aabe0c6fef2d52f188f3c1 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 1920-1924, 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 Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, April 16, 1921 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, April 16, 1921 Relation A related resource My dear Mr. Sun: Your very kind letter of February 7 reached me sometime ago and should have been answered earlier. I always find it difficult to write to those to whom I have more than the usual amount to say, and hence I have deferred my answer to your letter in the hope that I could find the time to treat it and the other problems as they deserve. As it is I must make the best of the limited time at my disposal and hope for better luck later. In response to your suggestion I am asking for duplicate reports of the work of the three younger children in the public schools. Unlike the reports of Phillips Academy which are sent direct to parents and guardians for preservation if desired, the reports from the public schools are sent for inspection only and must be returned to the school authorities. These reports have regularly come to me, and after inspection and signing have been returned. I am glad to say that they have been uniformly good and that the record has been confirmed in such conversations as I have had from time to time with the teachers, themselves. Just at present I am corresponding with the authorities of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in regard to Arthur's admission next fall. If the Institute will allow him credit on some of the history and language work he has had in China, his present schedule will shape up in a very satisfactory way. I am hopeful that these concessions will be granted. Let me take this opportunity also to thank you for your most generous but wholly unnecessary thought of me and the other members of the family circle in the remembrances which you advised me are being sent to us through your friend, at present, I believe, in Europe. Your generosity is altogether too great, for I can assure you so far as I am concerned it has been only a pleasure, and an increasing one at that, to have these youngsters in my own family circle. The strain, such as it is, comes entirely upon Miss Clemons who has charge of my house and who watches with care the children, themselves, and provides as best she can for their special needs. The generous and friendly cooperation which they, themselves, regularly give makes the task, while strenuous at times, far from disagreeable. Of course there are still some of our American ways which the children find it hard to accept, but it has been our endeavor to insist only upon those things which we are accustomed to regard as essential in this country for well brought up girls and boys alike. I do hope, therefore, that merely because the children are under my roof you will not feel that you are obligated in any way to me for their care and oversight beyond the definite charges which the actual expense involved seem to make necessary. Very deeply as I appreciate your generous thought of me, I should be distressed to believe that this could in any way prompt you to feel yourself under special obligations. On the whole the children have been in the best of health. Mary is just recovering from a cold which while not at all serious prompted Miss Clemons to hold her in bed for a couple of days as a precaution merely. Charles had a week's setback in the form of pink eye or conjunctivitis which did not seem to yield readily to treatment. To make sure that he was being handles in the best way, I sent him to an excellent oculist in a neighboring city where by the aid of special instruments it was discovered that the trouble had arisen from the presence of a slight piece of foreign matter in the boy's eyeball and directly over the pupil. This was removed and fortunately no ill consequences resulted. The oculist feared a possible infection because of the presence of the conjunctivitis and the consequent inflamed condition of the eye, and it was a great relief to us all when the period of danger passed without serious results. While he was in this condition, Charles remained at the school infirmary, both because of the care he could receive there and also to avoid the possibility of contagion for the rest of the family. Arthur continues to work hard, but finds some of this studies, notably the languages, very difficult. His instructor in Mechanical Drawing, on the other hand, reports that his work in that subject entitles him to rank among the very best boys in the class. I am constantly urging Arthur, as you have requested, to meet all of the school requirements promptly [illegible] no disposition to neglect his school obligations. Again assuring you of my very deep and genuine appreciation of your thoughtfulness and with personal regards, believe me, Very sincerely yours, Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 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 April 16, 1921 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 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/5608a0b5f2719316cf8af989af142d99.jpg 1f4930cbd482816f8770c7b3ffb4e82d https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/1cc0323e96ad24fb5532c7c519c38c8a.jpg 97246d5dbbddb3fca30406bd081e63ab 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 1920-1924, 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 Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, September 14, 1921 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, September 14, 1921 Relation A related resource My dear Mr. Sun: Your welcome letters of July 11 and August 10 were duly received and should have been answered before this. The past few weeks, however, have been unusually busy ones, and at this moment the rush attending the opening of a new school year is at its height. I shall write you more fully later but send this word to thank you most warmly for the kind sentiments you have so generously expressed and to tell you briefly the plans that have been made for the children for this new school year. Let me first, however, acknowledge the receipt of your check for $3000 which, as requested, I have credited as follows: $1000 to Arthur $1000 to Quincy Sheh $400 to Mary $300 to Charles $300 to Thomas During the summer Arthur has been at the Camp Aloha Summer School where he has seemingly done excellent work in his studies and where he has made many and good friends. Quincy Sheh was at the same camp, and I have had from those in charge very warm words of commendation of both the work and spirit of these two boys. Arthur will enter the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston the last of this month. As he will be only about twenty miles from us I hope we shall see a good bit of him during the year. Quincy returns to Andover to complete its college preparation and will room in my house, though boarding in one of the regular school houses. Thomas and Charles are entering the Academy this week. They are a bit nervous, I can easily see, over the new responsibilities, but I feel sure that they will soon gain the confidence they need and will find it possible to meet the new school requirements in a satisfactory way. Owing to their ages which slightly below most of the boys who enter the school, I have not deemed it wise to give them full schedules this year. It is the usual practice here to allow town boys who live at home to enter the school somewhat younger than do the boys who come from a distance. To lighten up their work for the first two years and to permit them to take five instead of four years to complete their course this is the plan I have outlined for these boys and on this basis their schedules will include this year; regular Algebra; French; and a double course in English. In order that they may handle the other work to the best advantage it is very essential that the English foundation be made as strong as possible. If I find that the situation requires it, I shall arrange to give them some special work outside or the regular classrooms. I hope that this will not prove necessary. During the summer Tom and Charles have been at a summer camp up at my own summer place where they won the hearts of all and were among the most popular boys in the camp. I had them do a little work in English up there under a tutor in order to strengthen their knowledge of that subject. It seems best for me to keep these boys for another year in my own house where Miss Clemons, who has mothered them so satisfactorily this past year, will still be able to help and advise them. I had planned to have them board at the School Dining Hall and supposed that they would welcome this change. Just now they seem to prefer to remain with me, and I find that this is a deep-rooted preference, I shall hope to be able to allow them to stay. Mary was at my own summer home throughout the summer months. Unfortunately she does not like the woods and mountains and I am sure had a pretty unhappy time of it, especially as we were without maids during the last month and had to do a good bit of our own work. She did not, however, allow her feelings to mar the fine spirit and instincts that have always been hers and which stamp her as a rare and unusual girl. For this school year she has gone with my own daughter to Northfield Seminary. This is the school established by the late Dwight Moody, the well known Evangelist, and is now in charge of his son who has been a close and intimate friend of mine since boyhood. The Christian influences at this school are pronounced, though the restraints, in some ways, are more exacting than I would naturally prefer. I confess, however, that in America today practically all of the well known boarding schools for girls are so honeycombed with fads and fancies and modern superficialities that I dread the thought of subjecting a high-minded cultured girl to their influence. Northfield is as free form these things as any modern school could well be, and the courses of study there are of the very best. Most of the girls, it is true, come from families of limited means, but I do not feel that this fact can prove anything but helpful to both of the girls concerned. My home, of course, will still be Mary's, and I cannot tell you how much we miss her wonderfully sunshiny spirit from the household. I can see from your letter a trace of anxiety as to Mary's development, your feelings evidently being based upon the report I made to Mr. Liang of her excitement at the time of the Andover victory over her rival school. Please do not think that she has lost any of that inherent modesty and refinement that are so pronounced in her, and which it is my aim to preserve in every possible way. The Chapel is just across the street from my own home, and when she, Marjory, and Miss Clemons, in the enthusiasm of the moment, decided to pull the bell rope there, following an old custom, they were in as much seclusion as if they had been in their own back yard. I think I forgot to refer to the Latin situation in connection with Thomas and Charles. My feeling is that it will be better to limit the language work this year to French and English and to hold the Latin in reserve for next year, in case it seems wise to give them that subject. The larger majority of our Chinese students have not taken Latin, but I realize none the less its value and would be disposed to encourage the boys to include it in their schedule if they can do so without too great a strain. Of course a foreigner who works at a language is really working at two languages at one and the same time, since the medium through which he works, in this case English, is also a foreign language to him. The matter of the German also can be decided later. The main thing now is to give the boys a good and fair start. Let me state to you again in closing what a rare privilege I consider it to be allowed to have these most friendly and responsive children in my home circle. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 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 September 14, 1921 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 C.Y.Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/bab156418b0e9446633a20a514f16048.jpg 65945badf2f5b20ed45a9a4e7e9654be 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 1920-1924, 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 Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, January 18, 1922 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, January 18, 1922 Relation A related resource My dear Mr. Sun: The busy days that have followed the Christmas season have delayed me in sending this long overdue word of deep appreciation of and very sincere gratitude for your most generous and valuable Christmas gift. Everything that comes from China has a special value in my eyes. When it carries with it the evidence of friendly goodwill on the part of the sender, its value proportionately increases; and just because you have always been so kind and considerate in your attitude towards me, I shall value more than I can ever express that beautiful piece of ivory which now adorns my parlor table and calls forth enthusiastic comments from all who view it. I only hope that you will not feel that there is, or can be, the slightest compulsion to express in material ways of this kind such appreciation as you may feel for what little I have tried to do for your children. It has been a pleasure, I can assure you, and the business arrangement, which had of necessity to be made, has been based on the actual income and outgo involved, so far as this can be estimated. I only hope that I have been able to help you carry out your wishes for your children and to realize the high hopes and ambitions you entertain for them. I expect to send you with a few days statements cover the expenses of all four of your children and their friends, Messrs. Sheh and Lin. I have practically completed this up to the first of December, last. The task has been something of a time consumer, and I have not felt like putting it upon my overworked office force, so that it had to be done at such odd moments as I could find for it from time to time. I have also all of the receipts involved in these various transactions. These I shall be glad to send to you if you desire, or if you prefer, I can turn them over to Arthur or the other boys. I shall write you in a few days, giving the latest reports of the children. At present all are in the best of health and seemingly happy in their work; though Arthur writes me that he finds the work at the Institute of Technology increasingly hard, and Thomas is seemingly a bit unprepared for successful progress in the latest class of this school. I expect to give Tom a little outside tutoring through the balance of the year, which will, I hope, enable him to get a better start. With warmest personal regards and renewed thanks for your generous contributions to the various members of my family, and with heartiest New Year's greetings, believe me, Sincerely and gratefully yours, Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 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 January 18, 1922 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 C.Y.Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/003a68efd8674fdd8e34854141a13e7d.jpg 34c746b894e88d5939dda6540c72ac5c https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/71e0bb45b72c607363e5eede71f2f5e4.jpg 0b7969c3c0c14f39a76e01bc36c39566 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 1920-1924, 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 Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, February 22, 1922 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, February 22, 1922 Relation A related resource My dear Mr. Sun: Your letter of January 29th has just reached me, and I note that the $5000. recently transferred to me by cable, and the receipt of which was duly acknowledged, is to be distributed between your four children and Quincy Sheh - $1000. for each account. I am accordingly making the distribution as requested. I mailed you several weeks ago complete statements of receipts and expenditures for each of the boys and Mary up to December last. These, I trust, will have reached you safely by this time and from them you will be able to form a pretty good idea of the amounts necessary to meet the school and other expenses of the children while they are in Americas We are hoping, of course, that prices will drop in the near future. There have been changes in recent months, but unfortunately not all have been in the downward direction, though in the matter of clothes it seems possible to meet the needs of the children at a smaller expense than formerly. Arthur's funds are still in my hands, and he is accustomed to apply to me each month for the amount seemingly necessary to meet his college and living expenses. He furnishes me a detailed statement showing just how the money has been used. So far as I can judge, he is disposed to be very careful in handling this money and has given me no cause for anxiety on this score. He tells me that he has now found a good home. His first room did not prove in every way satisfactory, and I agreed with him that a change was desirable. Of course it is very difficult in a city like Cambridge, with the tremendous demand resulting from the presence of two such large institutions as Harvard and the Institute of Technology, to find the ideal home in which to live during the college course from what Arthur tells me, however, I have reason to think that he is happy in his present quarters. I have encouraged him to come out to Andover whenever he could and pass the week-ends with me and the rest of the family. I am glad to hear that Mr. and Mrs. Chen have safely reached their home country. It was a real delight to meet them here. I only wish we could have seen a bit more of them. We have been experiencing a pretty wide-spread attack of influenza in this part of the country during recent weeks. The epidemic appeared in the school a few weeks ago and for several days we had a pretty strenuous time. Fortunately the cases were extremely light - very different from the disease of 1918; and the boys, after a several days' lay-off, were able to resume their duties in normal health. Quincy just at present is at the infirmary with a sore throat, but the doctor thinks he will be out within the next two days. Thomas also joined the group there for two or three days, but returned to us with his old-time health and vigor and has suffered no ill effects from the experience. The rest of the group have fortunately escaped thus far. With warmest personal regards, believe me Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 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 February 22, 1922 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 C.Y.Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/1a8265747c8ae4ef095edecf7304d7ad.jpg 0bbb76fa9678f19e1b35dac84c067dc7 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/de07687a34a56ee1f0697f3c24509e55.jpg 521adae5ef678b2f695331c1343f9f91 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/3306413eda02d4759616484f437c0d0d.jpg 1522e678c7970744f192ba6bb01a2edd 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 1920-1924, 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 Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, April 19, 1922 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, April 19, 1922 Relation A related resource My dear Mr. Sun: Your last letter, bearing date of January 15th, has long remained unanswered; though I know that most of the information called for by it has been transmitted to you through various channels, including my last, but a bit earlier, letter. By this time I trust that Mr. Liang will have returned to Tientsin and given you this latest direct news from the members of your family in America. I am writing this brief letter, therefore, merely to indicate the present situation, though there is nothing especially new to report. Arthur has been spending the past two or three days with us, as he has had a brief vacation celebrating the Easter season; and I like to have him feel that my house is definitely his American home. I have been very pleasantly impressed with what his life and work at the Institute of Technology are doing for him. He seems more mature than formerly and talks very sensibly about life and its various problems. In scholarship he has gained steadily and, on the whole, I believe is developing very well. I find it much easier than formerly to discuss intimately with him the problems of the other members of the family, and this is a great help. As you know, at the present time Mary is living with me and attending Abbot Academy, a local and excellent boarding school, as a day student, while my own daughter is completing her course in the high school. The change from Northfield was made with regret, but it seemed necessary. In my daughter’s case overwork had seriously impaired the girl’s health; and the doctor recommended special diet and care to restore her vitality. Mary might have remained at Northfield, but the principal of the school assured me that the work, even of their lowest class, was really a bit beyond her and that she needed a further year of preparation if she were to go on there successfully. Under the circumstances and in view of this recommendation I deemed it wise to withdraw Mary from the school at the same time that my own daughter left. What to do for the coming year is still the problem. My feeling is that Mary ought to enter, as a regular student, some good girls' boarding school instead of continuing the present arrangement where she is only a day scholar and hence does not have full opportunity to mix with the other girls and enter into all phases of the school life. The problem is to find, in these strange modern days, a school which still maintains the old high standards of scholarship and Christian character building. I am constantly making inquiries among friends in whose judgment I have confidence, but am still at a loss to know just what to do. The reaction from the war have worked their distressing influence on social and moral standards in America, as they evidently have done in other lands. That the pendulum will swing back again in time is my sincere belief. The days through which we are passing cannot fail to make us all anxious. Charles and Thomas are going steadily on in their school work at Phillips Academy. Charles has gained steadily from the start and will undoubtedly secure his regular promotion at the end of the year. Thomas has found the work very difficult, and, as I was disposed to anticipate, will doubtless have to repeat the work of the lowest class next year. Possibly he would have gone ahead a bit faster, though I am inclined to doubt it, if he had gone to some other and lower grade school for this year. He was so anxious to be with his brother, however, that I finally allowed him to make the attempt here; and as his instructors felt that he was gaining much from the experience, even if he were not likely to secure his promotion, I decided to let him stay. Please let me thank you, l and most heartily, for the copy of our photograph. I feel more than ever now as if I knew you and could count you among my good friends. The photograph stands on my desk in my study and has attracted much favorable comment from many of my friends who have seen it. Trusting that you will always feel free to express very frankly to me questions that may arise in your mind in regard to your children or to offer any suggestions that commend themselves to you by which I may be better able to carry out your wishes for them, believe me, with regards and esteem, Very sincerely yours, Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 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 April 19, 1922 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 C.Y.Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/cbbf77ad5dd9168b6c827d5d5fc94bbe.jpg 0d5f1d6d494d8766ace49344fe35566a https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/cf0ecc422850a330f7d57fb113319c73.jpg 72bbefc77f2f4dd86251f26685572988 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 1920-1924, 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 Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, May 5, 1922 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, May 5, 1922 Relation A related resource My dear Mr. Sun: I have received and read with keen interest your friendly letter of April 7. Your feelings about the importance of teaching these youngsters economy are fully shared by me; but I confess that in these unusual days I find it very hard to know just where to draw the line. In general let me say that the boys personally have shown little disposition to indulge in extravagances; for the past few months they have spent considerably less than they did when they first arrived. This is only natural, for at the outset there were special expenses which had to be met to cover new conditions, expenses which are unlikely to occur again. The largest item, where I feel that a curtailment might have been made, is that relating to the past summer. Unless boys away from home can join regular summer camps it is next to impossible to find suitable conditions or places under which they may safely pass the summer months. The camps referred to vary widely in character and price. The Y.M.C.A., for example, conducts a number of camps, but almost entirely for boys of very limited means and boys who, in the main, have had little cultural background. I felt pretty confident that such an arrangement would not commend itself to you as best for the children during their first summer in America. The camp which I selected for Arthur and Quincey was well known to me and in charge of men with whom I have been associated in the past, and felt sure that the boys would live there under the best of conditions. I knew it was fairly expensive camp but did not realize until the first bills arrived that the charges had been increased considerably above what i had known them to be in the past. Under the circumstances, I shall not make use of this particular camp next summer. I think, however, that I have found another that will answer the purpose and where the charges will be distinctly less; indeed the cost of living has fallen off a bit this year, and I now from my own experience that the charges of the past summer will probably not be justified this year. Even so, the expenses in connection with running a camp of this kind are always pretty heavy, if the boys who are there are to have the proper attention and the bets of conditions. Lin from the start has been very earnest in his desire to keep his expenses low. He has succeeded pretty well too. At his own request I found him a camp last summer where the rates were about as low as any. I think it was just the place for him last year, but he, himself, admits that he needs a different environment this year, and especially older boys. One of the hardest items to meet satisfactorily is that of clothes, as the price of clothing has fallen very little from the excessive prices which came into being during the war. Tom and Charlie have been growing so rapidly They have very much outgrown most of the clothes they brought with them and even some which were purchased soon after their arrival. Miss Clemons has made a special effort to secure good bargains from reliable firms; and such purchases have been made and for which there appeared to be definite need. In justice to the boys I ought to say that they have clung tenaciously to the old clothes, even when it was apparent that these should have been discarded, if the youngsters were not to give among their mates a definite impression of real poverty. As I said before, I have many evidences to indicate that the boys, themselves, were earnest in their desire to keep their expenses as low as possible. You have probably noted that Mary's charges for this year have been five dollars per week. I wish that I could make them less and still cover actual expenses. Of course if I lived in a simple home such as I should prefer to do and would do if it were not for my official position here, the problem would be immensely simple. I can assure you, however, that I shall do everything I can to carry out your expressed and very sensible wishes in this connection. Charlie continues to make particularly good progress in his school work. His teachers tell me that he is gathering momentum very rapidly, far more so than they had supposed possible Tom, as I have already intimated, will have to repeat the current year's work next year, but he ought to be able to handle it well by that time. This will put him only one year behind Charlie where, according to his age, he would naturally belong. From all I can gather, Arthur is working hard and with good success. Mary, I believe, is getting all we can expect from Abbot Academy this year, and certainly in the classroom more than she would have secured at Northfield. My biggest problem is to find the right school for her next year; for in these days the American boarding school for girls, especially, presents a curious phenomenon, and one hesitates to intrust a girl to the influences which seem to predominate in most, at least, of these institutions. Again thanking you for your very frank and helpful letter and with warmest personal regards, believe me Very sincerely yours, Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 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 May 5, 1922 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 C.Y.Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/07dc0c8fd0e18e0126720a869033289b.jpg 30a9b7d05119541f0a8ee6c3319d8bc1 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/b86059d949a73ffbba2780e9ae2d9c41.jpg f6cee337137647d588ee0762506474cf 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 1920-1924, 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 Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, September 9, 1922 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, September 9, 1922 Relation A related resource My dear Dr. Sun: Your letters of June 25, July 16 and 22 have been too long unanswered. They reached me, however, during the summer months up at my camp in the goods where letter writing at best is difficult and where my mail almost invariably gets away from me. I trust, therefore, that you will understand the reasons for and pardon my delay. We are now back in Andover. The boys, including Lin and Sheh, having preceded us by a couple of days. Mary drove down with us in the car. The trip at best is hard for her, as she is apt to be troubled with car-sickness, something which comes to [illegible] her, and to an even greater degree on the train. She stood the journey well, however, and is in the best of spirits now. The boys seem to have had a wonderfully happy and worth-while summer. I have no doubt they will write you about it. The camp was well managed this year and a great satisfaction, especially in view of the poor start which was made last summer. The chief difficulty I find with the boys is duly impressing upon them the importance of being neat and tidy about their rooms and the handling of their clothes and other possessions. During the actual camp session they did splendidly under the somewhat strict supervision of those in control. I allowed them to remain at the camp several days after the formal closing, camping out with themselves and the guide, and I confess that the condition in which I found things at the end of that time utterly discouraged me. They had done so well during the camp session that I was doubly surprised and disappointed. In other respects they had done all, and more, that one could wish, and I hope and trust that we shall be able to eradicate this weakness in their make-up. I thank you sincerely for your report of Mr. Liang and his activities. I value his friendship highly and am delighted to hear of the new honors that have come to him. I hope that even though his children are not to be under my charge and are to be located in another part of the state, they will occasionally find it possible to visit my home and mingle with the other boys. Accept my congratulations on the award of a Tsing Hua Scholarship to Arthur. The boy has earned it fully, in my judgment, and I am sure that the investment will prove a good one. The money will be duly credited to his account, as you have requested, and I shall be glad to advise you on its receipt and to give you any particulars I may learn later that seem likely to prove of interest to you. I assume that the money will be sent to me without any request on my part. I have already acknowledged the receipt of your check for $5000, and I am glad to learn from your letter, following the check, that my original assumption was correct; namely that $1000, each, shall be credited to Arthur, Charles, Thomas, Quincey, and Mary. Just so soon as the opening rush of the school year is over I hope to find time to draw off and send you copies of the individual accounts of the boys and Mary up to date. With warmest personal regards and trusting that you and your family are in the best of health, believe me Very sincerely yours, Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 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 September 9, 1922 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 C.Y.Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/21bdc8a748358662da827a81e68f0724.jpg 223fd261a213e37823c0bc6ccadbbc28 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 1920-1924, 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 Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, November 29, 1922 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, November 29, 1922 Relation A related resource Dear Mr. Sun: I am enclosing herewith the statements of the children and Quincy Sheh for the past year. The receipts for the bills involved will be sent you under separate cover if you desire, or held here for possible future reference. Whichever plan you prefer will be perfectly satisfactory to me. I believe we have been able to cut down expenses a bit, this past year, though even so prevailing prices carry the outlays far higher than would have been the case in the older days, and than I wish might be true today. The children are all exceptionally well and seemingly happy. Arthur writes me encouragingly of his work and progress at the Institute of Technology and it is a real pleasure to be able to welcome him at the house over the weekend from time to time when he finds it possible to get away from his work. I hope to have all the boys at the house over the Christmas holidays. Tom seems to be doing much better this year. His work does not come so easily to him as it does to the other boys, but his spirit has been good and I feel sure that he is really trying hard to give you good returns. Charles has developed wonderfully. That boy ought to go far and be a real factor in the life of his country during the years just ahead of us. He has a fine mind, well balanced judgment, and a most manly and friendly disposition which win the confidence and respect of those whom he touches. Mary is making a good record at Abbot Academy. I have talked recently with her teachers and they all speak in very high terms of her ability and spirit. So far as her studies are concerned I have nothing whatever to complain of. In other matters it is not so easy to get a good response for, as you know, Mary has a stubborn streak in her; of value at times no doubt, but on other occasions a bit distressing. Both Miss Clemons and I have felt that Mary should have a reasonable amount of fresh air and exercise, her tendency being to stick to her books and in her room, from which fresh air is pretty rigorously excluded. Many attempts have been made to induce Mary to see the value of these recommendations, but they have met with little success, until we have almost given up hope of securing co-operation. I am sure you are as anxious as we are that Mary should grow strong physically as well as mentally, and it is with that belief that we have tried our best to induce her to observe a few rules of hygiene, on the wisdom and necessity of which all modern doctors are agreed. As the Christmas season draws near please accept the greetings of your friends across the world, and their expressions of esteem and friendly good will. I wish you might be here to join in the festivities of this holiday season in which, for the past two or three years, our Chinese friends have played the most important part. We expect a generous gathering of them again this year, with representatives from Harvard and Technology, and perhaps even Yale. If you could ever join that group our pleasure would be complete. With warmest personal regards, and every best wish for the days ahead, believe me, Very sincerely yours, Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 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 November 29, 1922 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 C.Y.Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/a51cd8d68965950bdd83473fb539fa24.jpg ed5f81e989d823c4f0c7cb3d67b61e3a https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/10666ad5a6e0eee0fe9e696ae970682e.jpg feea9c2940119c59a89156d9083a1fe5 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/d28b3ae086fdcc3ea1be7298271582f3.jpg 5371275c79802904b0f1ec7b145c7b3a 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 1920-1924, 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 Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, January 19, 1923 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, January 19, 1923 Relation A related resource My dear Mr. Sun: Let me thank you for your very friendly and interesting letter of November 28. I have delayed answering it in the expectation that the gifts mentioned by you might put in an appearance and so provide me the opportunity to express my appreciation after I had actually seen the articles in question. We are still hoping the missing presents will appear in due season, and the children in the meantime have been wonderfully patient in bearing their disappointment. Only yesterday I journeyed to Boston to sign the required papers at the Custom House in connection with the shipment of candies and fruits sent by Mr. Sheh many, many weeks ago. Those have only just arrived in Boston and will probably not reach their destination for another week or two, especially as our freight service is terribly upset just at present because of the excessively heavy snows and the necessity of giving preference to coal shipments over all other forms of freight. Even if the gifts have not appeared, I can assure you how very deeply I appreciate your generous and friendly thought in sending them. They will be welcome indeed and they will always carry a unique value in my eyes in view of the sources from which they come and the spirit back of the gifts which started them on their long journey across half the world. You will hear from me later and more fully when they appear. As to the children: They continue to be very satisfactory in nearly every way. Arthur appears to be mastering his work at the Institute, and the reports which I got are good. Lin is finding his task at the same institution very difficult. I think he pressed his desire for early admission a bit too far and would have done better to take another year in preparation. He is very hopeful, however, that he will get better reports this current term as he becomes more familiar with the work. Thomas has found his Latin just a bit out of his reach. As he seemed to be making little, if any, progress in it and as his other work was suffering in consequence, I deemed it wise to allow him to drop the subject and take on some extra work in English and French. With this schedule I believe he will give us a good return. He has not Charlie’s alertness or ability to concentrate on the work at hand, though he evidently works with good spirit and pretty steadily. Charles is, in my judgment, a rare boy and ought to go far. He has ability, he has poise, and he has a purpose. At the same time he enjoys thoroughly the outside activities of the school life and indulges in them to just the proper extent, fitting them into his general scheme of things and making them aids to, rather than the reverse, his intellectual achievement. Altogether he is most satisfactory and his development has been pleasing to us all. I say this with no disparagement to Tom, who is a year younger and not to be expected yet to have reached quite the point of development attained by Charlie. Mary is still something of a problem. In most ways she is a very delightful member of the household. Her school work, too, has been of a steadily high character. Her teachers all speak well of her, and to me personally she has been as responsive and friendly as one could ask. Miss Clemons who necessarily handles Mary's more intimate problems does not find her task always an easy one, for Mary seems at times to resent the suggestions and advice offered. I suppose this is in part due to the difficulty she finds in adapting herself to American ways and customs. One of the things I have been most concerned about is that she should have a proper amount of fresh air in her room and exercise out of doors. Neither of these requirements is congenial to her and she will always find what seems, to her, at least, a good excuse to offer in order to avoid them. I am more than ever inclined to think that it may seem wise next year to send her away to a boarding school where she would have to accept the definite routine provided for all the school; though I must admit I don't like the idea of changing schools so much and I am not quite sure yet that the chances offered her as a boarding pupil at the present school are the best that can be found for her particular needs. Excuse this somewhat rambling letter, but it is difficult to put on paper just what I have in mind. I only wish that we could talk the whole situation over face to face. With warmest personal regards, believe me Very sincerely yours, Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 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 January 19, 1923 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 C.Y.Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/1d81c597c9c18e77cd2744e3dd345f40.jpg cab8e20e4b828732121020ab109c6788 https://chinesestudents.andover.edu/files/original/e73c403fd5e7b2aebfbf5c59e846aba7.jpg 089596a48b32abc0f5f75642fcf1e741 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 1920-1924, 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 Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, April 14, 1923 Subject The topic of the resource Letter from Alfred Stearns to Chung Ying (C.Y.) Sun, Tientsin, April 14, 1923 Relation A related resource My dear Mr. Sun: I have been a long time acknowledging receipt of your exceptionally interesting and friendly letter of February 20th. The delay has been due to the fact that I have been daily expecting the arrival of the box of Christmas presents referred to in this and earlier letters. Fate seems to have pursued your gifts, for, although due at the Christmas season, they finally put in an appearance at my home about three or four days ago. At the moment I happened to be absent in Chicago, but on my return I joined with the rest of the family in the expressions of the greatest pleasure over the beautiful articles which you have contributed to the furnishings of my study. They are altogether too good for me and, greatly as I shall always value then, and deeply as I shall appreciate the generous and friendly spirit that started them on their long journey, I can only hope that in the future you will not feel under any obligations whatever to send me anything more than the merest trifles, which I am sure will equally well convey your friendly good wishes and good will. I feel so completely unable to make suitable return for a gift of this kind that I can only hope that you will appreciate my feelings and understand my point of view. Mary and Miss Clemons have surely enjoyed the mandarin coats, though I am wondering if there could possibly not have been some mistake in the actual assignment. Mary's coat appears to be much the largest of the three, and the two smaller ones, I am afraid, are a little too small to be used comfortably by Miss Clemons. It occurred to me that perhaps the actual labels might have been changed inadvertently during the inspection at the Custom House. I was not at home when they were unpacked so I cannot be sure that the mistake was not made there. This is a matter of small consequence, however, and will doubtless be straightened out in due season, and to the satisfaction of all. Marjorie is still at school, but will be wildly delighted, I am sure, with your gift to her. If only you could visit us one of these days we should have the longed for opportunity to express, not only to you in person our appreciation and thanks, but to do something, perhaps, to make your visit to us and to America a never to be forgotten one, and in this way to repay you in some small measure for your many generous deeds and thoughts in our behalf. This seems to be about the best that I can hope for, but at least I can dream that the hope may some day be realized. I cannot understand the complications involved in the arrangements for Arthur's Tsing Hua Scholarship. I have kept after Arthur, and so far as I know he has done what the Legation representatives in Washington have asked. I have written to the Educational Mission there and have expressed my regret that no scholarship was awarded last year, and my inability to understand just why this was so. Only this morning I received a letter from Dr. Y.M. Kwai saying that Arthur had not returned the blank which had been sent him for information. I gave this blank to Arthur weeks ago and told him the importance of filling it out and returning it to Washington at once. He assured me that he would do this, and I am inclined to think that he has done so, though perhaps the document was delayed in the mails. This morning I wrote a pretty strong letter to Dr. Kwai; I hope, a perfectly fair one, expressing my inability to comprehend the difficulties which had arisen and which had now, for two years, debarred Arthur from receiving the scholarship, which had apparently been definitely been promised him long ago. Of course, I have written Arthur again today, sent him Dr. Kwai’s letter, and told him that if he has mislaid or for any reason not sent the information asked for to Washington, to do so without another moment's delay. You will be exceedingly pleased, I am sure, to learn that Charles has recently expressed his desire to be baptized and to join the Church. This is no sudden thought on his part, I am sure. Charles is serious minded, and thinks things out for himself. Evidently he has had this on his mind for some time, and has reached his decision only after most careful thought. I can’t begin to tell you, how pleased I am at this decision of his, and in fact, over all of his development since he has been with me. The boy ought to be an increasing source of comfort and delight for you as he is for me. Tom too appears to be developing well. His studies are better this last term. His spirit at the house is fine and I have had little occasion to complain. I do not think, however, that he will ever have quite Charlie’s ability, or that he will match him in many ways. With the boys he is perhaps the more popular of the two, but that is because he has a little keener taste for the fun and student activities of life than for the more serious and lasting things. From this I don’t mean to imply that Charles is not a normal boy when it comes to wholesome activities, or that Tom is over indulgent in these. I am sure you will appreciate what I have in mind. Mary, I must confess, is still something of a problem; doubly so because it becomes increasingly clear that she is not always frank and honest with us. Deeply as I regret to say it, there is a tendency to conceal, and at times actually to deceive, which leaves one with a very uncomfortable feeling, and the belief that efforts invested in her behalf are of questionable value. I shall watch the situation pretty carefully from now on for I do not believe that, in justice to her or to you, it would be wise to consider keeping up indefinitely the American connection for Mary unless there is to be, in the very near future, evidences of a determination and the ability on her part to overcome these weaknesses referred to. You refer in your letter to a remission of $5,000.00 of December last, to be credited to your four children and Quincy Sheh. The money was duly received, credited as requested, and formal acknowledgement of its receipt sent to you at the time. As your last letter bears the date of February 20th, the acknowledgement of the receipt should probably have reached you before the letter was sent. I trust, however, that it has been duly received ere this. Again assuring you of my deep appreciation of your many generous, friendly acts, and, with my kindest personal regards, believe me, Sincerely and gratefully yours, Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource 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 April 14, 1923 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 C.Y. Sun Dr. Alfred E. Stearns