Letter from Chow Shou Son to Dr. Stearns, November 2, 1924
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Chow Shou Son to Dr. Stearns, November 2, 1924
Subject
Letter from Chow Shou Son to Dr. Stearns, November 2, 1924
Description
Typed letter from Chow Shou Son to Dr. Stearns expressing regret that he missed Dr. Stearns on his recent trip to Andover. Expresses satisfaction in seeing the progress and development made at Phillips Academy in the 43 years since his previous visit.
Transcription
Hongkong, 2nd November, 1924
My dear Stearns:
I have much pleasure in acknowledging receipt of your letters of the 9th August from Pittsburg N.H. and of the 29th September from Andover.
I should have replied to you earlier, but since my return from abroad, I had to get my backworks up to date, hence the delay.
I was indeed sorry to have missed seeing you, it was a bad time of the year, during summer vacation, to visit anybody or anywhere, but I had no choice. When one has a large travelling programme on hand and has a limited time to carry it cut. It was impossible to have everything fit in nicely.
It was a pleasure but more of disappointment to me in my recent visit to Andover, because you were not there, I saw only two old friends, Mrs. Curdy and Prof. Eaton, but fortunately, I met Prof. Graham who did his best to make my short visit as pleasant as possible. He has kindly sent me his book. “It happened at Andover”, I am writing a short not to thank him.
What a wonderful change has taken place in the old town: but many of the old land marks are still there which I had no difficulty in recognising, I would have enjoyed the visit ever so much if I had the opportunity to see the boys in their recitations and in a game of football or baseball. I went to see my old boarding house which was kept by Mrs. Hammond and was told that the family had moved away or they were all dead. I could not locate the exact spot and asked a lady at that neighborhood if she knew the Hammond family. She informed me that her family has been living there for 35 years, but they have never heard of the Hammonds.
After 43 years of absence from a place one must expect many many changes. Having visited the places of interests and reviewed many pleasant old memories. I felt very lonely and depressed so I left Andover by the midnight train for Boston where I stopped over one day and then started my homeward journey via Montreal and Vancouver.
As you have rightly said “Let us hope that some further chance will yet be given us to meet again and renew the old friendship”
I had a very enjoyable trip to England, and Europe. As I was one of the commissioners representing the Hongkong Section of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley and was travelling together with an ex-Chinese Prime Minister from Peking, I had the opportunity to meet many high class people and to see lots of interesting things.
My boy Yih Chang is now in Tientsin and is doing very well in business, but he has not yet succeeded in getting rid of his old compliant Asthma. I have told him that he ought to write to you.
In closing this letter I should like to add that it was a great satisfaction to me to note the progress and development of the old school in recent years.
With kind regards
Yours Sincerely
My dear Stearns:
I have much pleasure in acknowledging receipt of your letters of the 9th August from Pittsburg N.H. and of the 29th September from Andover.
I should have replied to you earlier, but since my return from abroad, I had to get my backworks up to date, hence the delay.
I was indeed sorry to have missed seeing you, it was a bad time of the year, during summer vacation, to visit anybody or anywhere, but I had no choice. When one has a large travelling programme on hand and has a limited time to carry it cut. It was impossible to have everything fit in nicely.
It was a pleasure but more of disappointment to me in my recent visit to Andover, because you were not there, I saw only two old friends, Mrs. Curdy and Prof. Eaton, but fortunately, I met Prof. Graham who did his best to make my short visit as pleasant as possible. He has kindly sent me his book. “It happened at Andover”, I am writing a short not to thank him.
What a wonderful change has taken place in the old town: but many of the old land marks are still there which I had no difficulty in recognising, I would have enjoyed the visit ever so much if I had the opportunity to see the boys in their recitations and in a game of football or baseball. I went to see my old boarding house which was kept by Mrs. Hammond and was told that the family had moved away or they were all dead. I could not locate the exact spot and asked a lady at that neighborhood if she knew the Hammond family. She informed me that her family has been living there for 35 years, but they have never heard of the Hammonds.
After 43 years of absence from a place one must expect many many changes. Having visited the places of interests and reviewed many pleasant old memories. I felt very lonely and depressed so I left Andover by the midnight train for Boston where I stopped over one day and then started my homeward journey via Montreal and Vancouver.
As you have rightly said “Let us hope that some further chance will yet be given us to meet again and renew the old friendship”
I had a very enjoyable trip to England, and Europe. As I was one of the commissioners representing the Hongkong Section of the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley and was travelling together with an ex-Chinese Prime Minister from Peking, I had the opportunity to meet many high class people and to see lots of interesting things.
My boy Yih Chang is now in Tientsin and is doing very well in business, but he has not yet succeeded in getting rid of his old compliant Asthma. I have told him that he ought to write to you.
In closing this letter I should like to add that it was a great satisfaction to me to note the progress and development of the old school in recent years.
With kind regards
Yours Sincerely
Creator
Chow Shou Son
Publisher
Phillips Academy
Date
November 2, 1924
Rights
All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy
Language
English
Type
Correspondence