Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to Charles Sun, Amherst, Mass. June 2, 1926
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Title
Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to Charles Sun, Amherst, Mass. June 2, 1926
Subject
Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to Charles Sun, Amherst, Mass. June 2, 1926
Transcription
June 2, 1926
Mr. Charles Sun
35 Woodside Ave.
Amherst. Mass.
Dear Charlie:
Thank you for your good letter received this morning. I am returning the list of studies, etc., as requested, and am prepared to endorse generally your selection of studies for the coming college year.
If I were to raise any question, it would be in the matter of the Greek, for, while I am a keen believer in the value of Greek to the average student. I am not so sure that the investment of time and effort required of a foreigner, who must necessarily work with two foreign languages instead of one. is worth the struggle. Of course if you like the Greek and find it not too difficult, I am sure you will profit by it. I don't quite understand what you mean by your note "required of me". If you have to take it, that is another matter, but unless there are some very unusual conditions involved. I can't for the life of me understand why Amherst College should make Greek a requirement for a foreigner. Frankly, I am inclined to raise a row at the College Office if this is a fact.
I also agree with you in your preference for Philosophy over the other two subjects mentioned under No. 3; but the value of a course in Philosophy depends more than anything else upon the character and point of flow of the instructor. With some instructors you would be far better off to leave the subject ahbieoly alone; with others, if they are men of high ideals and spiritual as well as intellectual power, Philosophy becomes perhaps the most stimulating subject in the whole list. It was a certainly that and more in my day in Amherst College under Professor Garman.
The above are only suggestions, of course, add shall be ready to accept your final judgment, for I know that your judgment is regularly sound. If I can help you further, however, do not hesitate to let me know.
I am still a bit upset about Mary’s surfer plans. Mr. Sze suggests that she go to Ithaca, N.Y., and live in a woman’s dormitory there while tutoring. At first this seemed to be the best thing in sight, but I must frankly admit that I do not quite like the idea of It, especially in view of the floating population and somewhat easy-going ways that are regularly associated with college summer schools. For the moment I have arranged for her to go to the Sea Pines School at Brewster, Mass, down on Cape Cod. This is an unusually nice place, and the women in charge are exceptionally high grade people. Very possibly, if things work out well for the rest of the month, it may best to have Mary stay right there for the summer. I can’t help feeling that it would be a much more stimulating place for her, physically. Intellectually, and spiritually. I have written Mr. Sze this morning and shall await further suggestions from him before settling things definitely.
Arthur is coming up to see me to-morrow, and I shall talk with him along the lives you mentioned. If Mary were at Sea Pines, there would very probably be some good place down on the Cape where you and Arthur could stay and yet not be too far away. Do run out and see me when you can.
Ever sincerely yours
Mr. Charles Sun
35 Woodside Ave.
Amherst. Mass.
Dear Charlie:
Thank you for your good letter received this morning. I am returning the list of studies, etc., as requested, and am prepared to endorse generally your selection of studies for the coming college year.
If I were to raise any question, it would be in the matter of the Greek, for, while I am a keen believer in the value of Greek to the average student. I am not so sure that the investment of time and effort required of a foreigner, who must necessarily work with two foreign languages instead of one. is worth the struggle. Of course if you like the Greek and find it not too difficult, I am sure you will profit by it. I don't quite understand what you mean by your note "required of me". If you have to take it, that is another matter, but unless there are some very unusual conditions involved. I can't for the life of me understand why Amherst College should make Greek a requirement for a foreigner. Frankly, I am inclined to raise a row at the College Office if this is a fact.
I also agree with you in your preference for Philosophy over the other two subjects mentioned under No. 3; but the value of a course in Philosophy depends more than anything else upon the character and point of flow of the instructor. With some instructors you would be far better off to leave the subject ahbieoly alone; with others, if they are men of high ideals and spiritual as well as intellectual power, Philosophy becomes perhaps the most stimulating subject in the whole list. It was a certainly that and more in my day in Amherst College under Professor Garman.
The above are only suggestions, of course, add shall be ready to accept your final judgment, for I know that your judgment is regularly sound. If I can help you further, however, do not hesitate to let me know.
I am still a bit upset about Mary’s surfer plans. Mr. Sze suggests that she go to Ithaca, N.Y., and live in a woman’s dormitory there while tutoring. At first this seemed to be the best thing in sight, but I must frankly admit that I do not quite like the idea of It, especially in view of the floating population and somewhat easy-going ways that are regularly associated with college summer schools. For the moment I have arranged for her to go to the Sea Pines School at Brewster, Mass, down on Cape Cod. This is an unusually nice place, and the women in charge are exceptionally high grade people. Very possibly, if things work out well for the rest of the month, it may best to have Mary stay right there for the summer. I can’t help feeling that it would be a much more stimulating place for her, physically. Intellectually, and spiritually. I have written Mr. Sze this morning and shall await further suggestions from him before settling things definitely.
Arthur is coming up to see me to-morrow, and I shall talk with him along the lives you mentioned. If Mary were at Sea Pines, there would very probably be some good place down on the Cape where you and Arthur could stay and yet not be too far away. Do run out and see me when you can.
Ever sincerely yours
Creator
Alfred E. Stearns
Publisher
Phillips Academy
Date
June 2, 1926
Rights
All Rights Reserved by Phillips Academy
Language
English
Type
Correspondence