Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mary Sun, March 8, 1926
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mary Sun, March 8, 1926
Subject
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mary Sun, March 8, 1926
Description
Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mary Sun about her correspondence. Explains he wanted the letters withheld to help the adjustment to the new school. Believes the wave of sympathy would prevent her from adjusting and moving on. States in the beginning she was sending so many letters it interfered with schoolwork. States it was not his intention to deprive her of friendship.
Transcription
March 8, 1926
Miss Mary Sun
The Whittier School
Merrimac, Mass.
My dear Mary:
Thank you for your good frank letter which I find on my desk this morning on my return from New York.
Please understand that the last thing in the world that I want to do is to deprive you of any of your normal friendships and normal wholesome activities. I have only sought to make this change of course and location for you as free as possible from the pain which, at best, I know it must bring you. That is why I felt that it would be vise to curtail, so far as practicable, the Abbot Academy contacts just at the start, at least, so that you might be spared from the wave of sympathy and condolences which I knew would be ready to overwhelm you from that source until you could have become a bit acclimated to the new surroundings and a bit steadier on your own feet. If you are writing no more letters than you say, I haven't a word of criticism to make, but I judged from the first reports that dozens of letters were going from and coming to you and I knew that this meant that it would be impossible for you to give your full attention to your studies or quiet the natural pangs of regret you would experience under the changed conditions. Just so soon as I can get over there we can talk the whole thing over, and I am sure you will fully understand my position and not believe that I have been unduly or unfairly hard on you.
Of course I can't tell very much as yet how Miss Russell feels about your work. She has told me over the phone and has written that you were taking hold finely and had shown excellent spirit. Naturally that made me very happy. I want you to be equally frank, too, in telling me just how good you consider the instruction you are getting there.
With all good wishes, believe me
Faithfully yours
Miss Mary Sun
The Whittier School
Merrimac, Mass.
My dear Mary:
Thank you for your good frank letter which I find on my desk this morning on my return from New York.
Please understand that the last thing in the world that I want to do is to deprive you of any of your normal friendships and normal wholesome activities. I have only sought to make this change of course and location for you as free as possible from the pain which, at best, I know it must bring you. That is why I felt that it would be vise to curtail, so far as practicable, the Abbot Academy contacts just at the start, at least, so that you might be spared from the wave of sympathy and condolences which I knew would be ready to overwhelm you from that source until you could have become a bit acclimated to the new surroundings and a bit steadier on your own feet. If you are writing no more letters than you say, I haven't a word of criticism to make, but I judged from the first reports that dozens of letters were going from and coming to you and I knew that this meant that it would be impossible for you to give your full attention to your studies or quiet the natural pangs of regret you would experience under the changed conditions. Just so soon as I can get over there we can talk the whole thing over, and I am sure you will fully understand my position and not believe that I have been unduly or unfairly hard on you.
Of course I can't tell very much as yet how Miss Russell feels about your work. She has told me over the phone and has written that you were taking hold finely and had shown excellent spirit. Naturally that made me very happy. I want you to be equally frank, too, in telling me just how good you consider the instruction you are getting there.
With all good wishes, believe me
Faithfully yours
Creator
Dr. Alfred E. Stearns
Publisher
Phillips Academy
Date
March 8, 1926
Rights
All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy
Language
English
Type
Correspondence