Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to M.T. Liang, June 21, 1920
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to M.T. Liang, June 21, 1920
Subject
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to M.T. Liang, June 21, 1920
Description
Typed letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to M.T. Liang discussing Chang Shao-Liang and Stearns assurances that he will have a place at Phillips Academy and may stay with Stearns at his own home. Also discusses recent political developments in America.
Transcription
21 June 1920
Mr. M. C. Liang
3 Gordon Road
Tientsin, China
My dear Mr.Liang:
Your good letter of May 4th has just reached me. I am glad indeed to know that you are safely home again and in the best of health; though I confess that it would be nice to know that you were a little closer at hand where your friends over here might get a glimpse of you now and then. We shall always recall, and with the deepest pleasure, your brief visit to Andover.
It will give me the greatest pleasure to do anything I can for your friend, Chang Shiao Ling; and I am glad to know that he has selected Phillips Academy as his school. I honestly believe that the school has profited greatly lay having these Chinese boys here in recent years; that they have given much to our American boys that our American boys sadly need; and that they themselves here been benefited by the contact. At the present moment we have several hundred more boys enrolled than we can possibly accept this coming fall and we are turning them away by dozens and scores. On the other hand, I must, of course, find a place for this traveller from your part of the world; and nothing would give me greater pleasure than to take him into my own house if you so wish, where I have been taking care of two of our boys this year and hope to continue the connection next year as well. In view of Mr. Liang’s age it seems to me that this might perhaps be a desirable arrangement for at least the first year of his Andover course.
Tsai seems to come through the year pretty well. So far as I can judge, he has not been inclinded to spend money a bit more freely than his older brothers, though, as you know, the cost of everything has risen so tremendously in the l ast year or two that it would be absolutely impossible for him to get through the year on anything like the same amount which his brothers spent when they were here. I have found him always courteous and responsive, anxious to cooperate and friendly and in every way a most satisfactory ward. He is planning to pass the summer at the same tutoring camp where he was last year and where he was extremely popular. His teachers tell me that he works with excellent spirit and that on the whole he is making good progress, though one or two of his studies come hard to him. He ought be even better next year.
We have certainly been passing through disturbed and somewhat distressing times during recent months. Frankly, I hardly know what to think of my own country. There are so many cross currents at work amongst us that to an outsider at least, it would appear that e we had lost all ideals and idealism, and were once more immersed, and even more deeply than ever beyer, in the process of purely selfish money-grabbing and material accomplishment. That we are suffering from this disease there can be no doubt. At the same time, I know that underneath there is still a strong current of high purpose and unselfish aims which some day must make itself felt. Whether this can be done without suffering and sacrifice I cannot say. I have always felt, and still believe more strongly than ever, that our sacrifice and suffering in the great war were not nearly sufficient to bring us to our full senses and make us realize as a people the higher and enduring value of life. It is mighty easy to become a rank pessimist as one looks about on the country today, and yet I myself am still enough of an optimist to believe that things will right themselves in time, and that eventually we shall return a little nearer at least to the high ideals of our fathers.
Please remember me most warmly to any of my Chinese friends whom you may happen to see from time to time and believe me with warm personal regards and sincerest good wishes.
Every faithfully yours,
Mr. M. C. Liang
3 Gordon Road
Tientsin, China
My dear Mr.Liang:
Your good letter of May 4th has just reached me. I am glad indeed to know that you are safely home again and in the best of health; though I confess that it would be nice to know that you were a little closer at hand where your friends over here might get a glimpse of you now and then. We shall always recall, and with the deepest pleasure, your brief visit to Andover.
It will give me the greatest pleasure to do anything I can for your friend, Chang Shiao Ling; and I am glad to know that he has selected Phillips Academy as his school. I honestly believe that the school has profited greatly lay having these Chinese boys here in recent years; that they have given much to our American boys that our American boys sadly need; and that they themselves here been benefited by the contact. At the present moment we have several hundred more boys enrolled than we can possibly accept this coming fall and we are turning them away by dozens and scores. On the other hand, I must, of course, find a place for this traveller from your part of the world; and nothing would give me greater pleasure than to take him into my own house if you so wish, where I have been taking care of two of our boys this year and hope to continue the connection next year as well. In view of Mr. Liang’s age it seems to me that this might perhaps be a desirable arrangement for at least the first year of his Andover course.
Tsai seems to come through the year pretty well. So far as I can judge, he has not been inclinded to spend money a bit more freely than his older brothers, though, as you know, the cost of everything has risen so tremendously in the l ast year or two that it would be absolutely impossible for him to get through the year on anything like the same amount which his brothers spent when they were here. I have found him always courteous and responsive, anxious to cooperate and friendly and in every way a most satisfactory ward. He is planning to pass the summer at the same tutoring camp where he was last year and where he was extremely popular. His teachers tell me that he works with excellent spirit and that on the whole he is making good progress, though one or two of his studies come hard to him. He ought be even better next year.
We have certainly been passing through disturbed and somewhat distressing times during recent months. Frankly, I hardly know what to think of my own country. There are so many cross currents at work amongst us that to an outsider at least, it would appear that e we had lost all ideals and idealism, and were once more immersed, and even more deeply than ever beyer, in the process of purely selfish money-grabbing and material accomplishment. That we are suffering from this disease there can be no doubt. At the same time, I know that underneath there is still a strong current of high purpose and unselfish aims which some day must make itself felt. Whether this can be done without suffering and sacrifice I cannot say. I have always felt, and still believe more strongly than ever, that our sacrifice and suffering in the great war were not nearly sufficient to bring us to our full senses and make us realize as a people the higher and enduring value of life. It is mighty easy to become a rank pessimist as one looks about on the country today, and yet I myself am still enough of an optimist to believe that things will right themselves in time, and that eventually we shall return a little nearer at least to the high ideals of our fathers.
Please remember me most warmly to any of my Chinese friends whom you may happen to see from time to time and believe me with warm personal regards and sincerest good wishes.
Every faithfully yours,
Creator
Dr. Alfred E. Stearns
Publisher
Phillips Academy
Date
June 21, 1920
Rights
All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy
Language
English
Type
Correspondence