Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Charles Sun, March 26, 1926
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Charles Sun, March 26, 1926
Subject
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Charles Sun, March 26, 1926
Description
Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Charles Sun. Discussed current situation with Mr. Sze. Showed all the correspondence between Stearns and C.Y. Sun. States Mr. Sze believes Stearns took the correct course of action. Believes if well-meaning but uninformed people had interferred, Mary would adjust better to her new school. Explains Mary will visit Mr. Sze in Washington and believes Charles should accompany her. States Mr. Sze believes Mary shouldn't return to Abbot Academy. Asks Charles to respond about Washington visit.
Transcription
Dear Charlie:
I am bit distressed by the contents of your letter of March 25 which I find on my desk this morning on my return from Washington, where yesterday I had a long and very satisfactory conference with your minister, Mr.Sze, about Mary and her problems. I showed Mr.Sze all the correspondence letters and cablegram alike, that has passed between your father and me in connection this latest development in Mary’s case was very greatly relieved to find that Mr.Sze felt that I had done exactly that I should have done under the circumstances and that I could not well have done done without seemingly taking steps that were directly at variance with your father’s pressed wishes and instructions. If some well meaning but impulsive and uninformed people in the town here had not joined with some of Mary’s Abbot Acadamy friends in trying to stir up trouble, I am very sure that Mary herself would have accepted the situation with the best of spirit within a few days after the change had been made. As it is, she seems to be settling down nicely and Mrs. Russell, her new teacher, tells me that she is taking hold of her work with good spirit and good results.
Mary, as you probably know, is to accept Mr. Sze’s invitation to pass the spring vacation with him and his wife in Washington. She will leave on the Federal Express from Boston this coming Sunday evening, reaching Washington Monday morning. Mr.Sze thinks it is very important that one of you boys should join her in this Washington visit, and in talking over the situation we were both agreed that the one who would be most helpful asked me, therefore, if I would convey his urgent invitation to you and arrange for you to go to Washington as soon as you could get away from Amherst at the close of this term. I, myself, think that it is very important that you should do this, and I am sure that you can explain the situation to your friends at Amherst who will doubtless understand the reason for your decision and the importance attaching to the Washington visit.
Mr.Sze feels that under the circumstances Mary should not return to Abbot this year but go ahead with the preparation for college where she is. He is anxious to make Mary see this the right light and feels that your presence and influence will be a very great help. I feel very strongly, therefore, that you should plan at once to accept Mr. Sze’s invitation though I am disappointed that your work at Amherst does not finish sooner, so that you could make the trip on the same train with Mary herself. In this hope I had almost decided to make a reservation for you in advance but evidently it is just as well that I did not do so.
Please let me know just when you can start for Washington so that I advise Mr.Sze promptly as I promised him that I would do. Further, I know that the trip will do you a lot of good, that you will find Washington at this time of year immensely interesting, and that you will get a real letdown and refreshment after your strenuous year’s work at Amherst.
Ever sincerely yours.
I am bit distressed by the contents of your letter of March 25 which I find on my desk this morning on my return from Washington, where yesterday I had a long and very satisfactory conference with your minister, Mr.Sze, about Mary and her problems. I showed Mr.Sze all the correspondence letters and cablegram alike, that has passed between your father and me in connection this latest development in Mary’s case was very greatly relieved to find that Mr.Sze felt that I had done exactly that I should have done under the circumstances and that I could not well have done done without seemingly taking steps that were directly at variance with your father’s pressed wishes and instructions. If some well meaning but impulsive and uninformed people in the town here had not joined with some of Mary’s Abbot Acadamy friends in trying to stir up trouble, I am very sure that Mary herself would have accepted the situation with the best of spirit within a few days after the change had been made. As it is, she seems to be settling down nicely and Mrs. Russell, her new teacher, tells me that she is taking hold of her work with good spirit and good results.
Mary, as you probably know, is to accept Mr. Sze’s invitation to pass the spring vacation with him and his wife in Washington. She will leave on the Federal Express from Boston this coming Sunday evening, reaching Washington Monday morning. Mr.Sze thinks it is very important that one of you boys should join her in this Washington visit, and in talking over the situation we were both agreed that the one who would be most helpful asked me, therefore, if I would convey his urgent invitation to you and arrange for you to go to Washington as soon as you could get away from Amherst at the close of this term. I, myself, think that it is very important that you should do this, and I am sure that you can explain the situation to your friends at Amherst who will doubtless understand the reason for your decision and the importance attaching to the Washington visit.
Mr.Sze feels that under the circumstances Mary should not return to Abbot this year but go ahead with the preparation for college where she is. He is anxious to make Mary see this the right light and feels that your presence and influence will be a very great help. I feel very strongly, therefore, that you should plan at once to accept Mr. Sze’s invitation though I am disappointed that your work at Amherst does not finish sooner, so that you could make the trip on the same train with Mary herself. In this hope I had almost decided to make a reservation for you in advance but evidently it is just as well that I did not do so.
Please let me know just when you can start for Washington so that I advise Mr.Sze promptly as I promised him that I would do. Further, I know that the trip will do you a lot of good, that you will find Washington at this time of year immensely interesting, and that you will get a real letdown and refreshment after your strenuous year’s work at Amherst.
Ever sincerely yours.
Creator
Dr. Alfred E. Stearns
Publisher
Phillips Academy
Date
March 26, 1926
Rights
All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy
Language
English
Type
Correspondence