Letter from Sinley K.Y. Chang
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Sinley K.Y. Chang
Subject
Letter from Sinley K.Y. Chang
Description
Typed letter from Sinley K.Y. Chang to Dr. Stearns about contacting the family of a recently deceased Andover student, An John. Located the student's family during a visit home to China. Explained to Mr. Kung, the father the circumstances after the accident. States Mr. Kung had written Stearns recently. Asks Stearns to look for An Tung, Kung's other son and express disappointment in An Tung's lack of communication. Explains Mr. Kung has accepted An John's death and for Stearns not to get discouraged. Explains that Mr. Kung hopes Stearns remains devoted to the care and education of Chinese boys in America, he will be grateful.
Transcription
665 Yale Station
New Haven Conn.
October 5, 1922
My dear Dr. Stearns:
I am very glad to inform you that I have returned to New Haven since two nights ago after spending a good summer at home in Peking. I must apologize for not writing to you from China, as most of my time was engaged in visiting my relatives and answering the calls of friends who were both glad and interested to see me after a departure of three years from home country. I presume, however, that you have receive! a letter from my father not a long time ago.
My return home was indeed a happy event, especially when my father learned the work I had done in school and in college here. I like very much to give you a detailed account of my visit when I meet you next time either in Andover or in New Haven, which I hope will not be distant. Just now, I like to let you know that I am in very good health.
At Shanghai I called on Mr. Kung, An John’s father, at his home. To my great pleasure I was able to tell him personally the happenings after the tragic accident to the best of my knowledge and your feeling and sympathy toward An John’s untimely death as I understood it. I further added that I, being a good friend of An John and under the same guardianship of Mr. Stearns, could not help expressing my deepest sympathy. I then told him that you had not received any letter from him since Antung returned to China with An John’s body, and, since I was to return to America in a short time, I should be glad to take a message from him to Mr. Stearns and explain the best I could to avoid any misunderstanding that might rise. Mr. Kung,a very approachable, kind old gentleman, spoke to me frankly that He had written you two letters thru Antung, and again he wrote you a letter(registered) on July 7th, 1922 enclosed a draft, which was, of course, after I had left America. He was glad that I came to see him and later he asked me to bring you the letter which I enclose here and asked me to explain to you when I see you.
Mr. Kung did not attempt to conceal from me his disappointment for Antung, now his only son, who has never written home for months and whose location his family never knew. In fact, he asked me if I would look for him and let him know his father’s disappointment.
He said further that he was ever grateful for your guardianship over An John and what you had done for him after the accident; and since you had impressed him with your tireless devotion to the education of Chinese boys, he would ask you not to get discouraged simply because of one accident. The words which impressed me most were, as Mr. Kung said, as long as Mr. Stearns was so Enthusiastic and so devoted to the bringing-up of Chinese boys in America as he had done for my son, it made no difference whether An John was dead or living, and I should be just as grateful". My visit was thus ended.
I am sure Mr. Kung has mentioned all the thing? you wish to know in his letter. I shall be glad to tell you more in detail when I see you.
With best wishes,
Enclosed a letter from Mr. Kung
New Haven Conn.
October 5, 1922
My dear Dr. Stearns:
I am very glad to inform you that I have returned to New Haven since two nights ago after spending a good summer at home in Peking. I must apologize for not writing to you from China, as most of my time was engaged in visiting my relatives and answering the calls of friends who were both glad and interested to see me after a departure of three years from home country. I presume, however, that you have receive! a letter from my father not a long time ago.
My return home was indeed a happy event, especially when my father learned the work I had done in school and in college here. I like very much to give you a detailed account of my visit when I meet you next time either in Andover or in New Haven, which I hope will not be distant. Just now, I like to let you know that I am in very good health.
At Shanghai I called on Mr. Kung, An John’s father, at his home. To my great pleasure I was able to tell him personally the happenings after the tragic accident to the best of my knowledge and your feeling and sympathy toward An John’s untimely death as I understood it. I further added that I, being a good friend of An John and under the same guardianship of Mr. Stearns, could not help expressing my deepest sympathy. I then told him that you had not received any letter from him since Antung returned to China with An John’s body, and, since I was to return to America in a short time, I should be glad to take a message from him to Mr. Stearns and explain the best I could to avoid any misunderstanding that might rise. Mr. Kung,a very approachable, kind old gentleman, spoke to me frankly that He had written you two letters thru Antung, and again he wrote you a letter(registered) on July 7th, 1922 enclosed a draft, which was, of course, after I had left America. He was glad that I came to see him and later he asked me to bring you the letter which I enclose here and asked me to explain to you when I see you.
Mr. Kung did not attempt to conceal from me his disappointment for Antung, now his only son, who has never written home for months and whose location his family never knew. In fact, he asked me if I would look for him and let him know his father’s disappointment.
He said further that he was ever grateful for your guardianship over An John and what you had done for him after the accident; and since you had impressed him with your tireless devotion to the education of Chinese boys, he would ask you not to get discouraged simply because of one accident. The words which impressed me most were, as Mr. Kung said, as long as Mr. Stearns was so Enthusiastic and so devoted to the bringing-up of Chinese boys in America as he had done for my son, it made no difference whether An John was dead or living, and I should be just as grateful". My visit was thus ended.
I am sure Mr. Kung has mentioned all the thing? you wish to know in his letter. I shall be glad to tell you more in detail when I see you.
With best wishes,
Enclosed a letter from Mr. Kung
Creator
Sinley K.Y. Chang
Publisher
Phillips Academy
Date
October 5, 1922
Rights
All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy
Language
English
Type
Manuscripts. Correspondence.