Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Hon. Sao-Ke Alfred Sze, March 10, 1926

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Title

Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Hon. Sao-Ke Alfred Sze, March 10, 1926

Subject

Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Hon. Sao-Ke Alfred Sze, March 10, 1926

Description

Typed letter sent from Alfred E. Stearns to Sao-Ke Alfred Sze. Worries about Mary's present depression. States Mary says she happy and adjusting to the new school. Believes the Szes will get a better understanding during Mary's visit. Questions whether the chose course of action in regards to Mary's education was the best. States there has been pressure from Abbot Academy and Mary's friends for her to return.

Transcription

March 10, 1926

My dear Mr.Sze:

Thank you for your letter of March 8 received this morning.

I am heartily in sympathy with the proposed visit of Mary Sun with you is Washington during the coming spring recess. Just so soon as I learn when the date of the recess is to be. I shall be glad to advise you.

What you tell of Mary’s present depression because of her surroundings is distressing, especially as 1 have been given by Mary herself to understand that she has come to feel much happier about things and is ready to make the most of conditions. 1 confess, however, that I have never been able to feel sure of Mary’s deepest feelings, which she has a faculty of holding to herself so that I may be completely wrong in this instance. Anyway, I am sure that you can get a fairer picture than I of just what is going on inside of Mary’s mind and will be able, therefore, to advise intelligently as to what should be done, if anything, to better the situation for all concerned.

Frankly, the seeming necessity for this last move in Mary’s case has distressed me greatly. I have worried over it constantly because there seemed to be so much at stake and no clear way of deciding conclusively the wisest course to pursue. In view of my earlier and detailed letter to Mr. Sun, which prompted his cablegram to me and the definite instructions which that cable brought, I could not see how I could act otherwise them I did, even though my own personal judgement as to what was wisest did not wholly concur. I know that there has been tremendous pressure from those connected with Abbot Academy and Mary’s friends there to find a way to get Mary back to that school and to enable her to complete her year there, This, naturally, has tended to intensify Mary’s feelings of distress over the change and has made the path increasingly difficult for us all. I admit that the whole thing has furnished me one of the most perplexing problems I hare ever encountered with the scores of Chinese students with whom 1 have been privileged to deal during the last twenty-five years.

With kindest personal regards, believe me

Very sincerely yours

Creator

Dr. Alfred E. Stearns

Publisher

Phillips Academy

Date

March 10, 1926

Rights

All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy

Language

English

Type

Correspondence

Collection

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