Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to Sao-Ke Alfred Sze, Chinese Legation, Washington, D.C. June 2, 1926
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to Sao-Ke Alfred Sze, Chinese Legation, Washington, D.C. June 2, 1926
Subject
Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to Sao-Ke Alfred Sze, Chinese Legation, Washington, D.C. June 2, 1926
Transcription
June 2 1926
Hon. Sao-Ke Alfred Sze
Chinese Legation Washington D. C.
My dear Dr. Sze:
Since my last letter to you, I have been giving further and some anxious thought to Mary Sun’s plans for the summer, my chief concern being to make satisfactory arrangements for the period between the close of her work at her present school and the beginning of the earner work at Ithaca or elsewhere.
Some one with whom I happened to be discussing the matter recommended strongly the Sea fines School at Brewster, Mass., down on Cape Cod and of a somewhat unusual and distinctly good atmosphere. I have known of the school for years and have always heard it very highly spoken of, and at one time I had even considered it seriously as perhaps the proper school for Mary. When this last suggestion was made. it occurred to me that I might be able to persuade the Principal, Miss Bickford, to take Mary for a limited time, and I at once got in touch with her by telephone. To my great satisfaction Miss Bickford expressed her willingness to take Mary in at once, although her regular school, session is shortly to close. Miss Bickford happens to be in Boston at present and has agreed to take Mary back with her to school on Thursday of this week. She will keep her there as long as authorized and at a very reasonably rate, $25.00 per week.
The more I have thought over the problem, the more I am inclined to hesitate to approve of a summer for Mary in the surrounding which she would naturally encounter at Cornell. I know that these college summer schools invite all kinds and classes and that the problem of supervision and guidance for the individual student may often became a very complicated and difficult one. As the Sea Pines School has a regular summer session, is attractively located on the Cape Cod 8 Shore, and is in charge of a woman of exceptionally fine character and high ideals. I am wondering if, after all, this might not prove the best plan to continue through the summer, assuming, of course, that we find after the first two or three weeks’ test that the place is all I how believe it to be.
Since you have been so kind and have gone to so much trouble already in this matter. I do not feel like abandoning at once and altogether the plan you have already proposed, and I should welcome your full approval of the one suggested above before taking any further steps to make it permanently operative. If I had thought of it earlier, I would unquestionably have expressed my preference for it over the Ithaca proposition, which, with all of its attractions, has its distinct drawbacks as well. I really can’t get very enthusiastic over the thought of leaving Mary in a large college dormitory for the summer, regardless of the person who is in charge of it. for I know from experience that college summer schools are generally pretty free and easy affairs and the supervision at best rather casual.
Please write me frankly how the suggestions I have made above strike you, and don’t hesitate to criticize them if you have any grounds whatever for doing so.
Very sincerely yours.
Hon. Sao-Ke Alfred Sze
Chinese Legation Washington D. C.
My dear Dr. Sze:
Since my last letter to you, I have been giving further and some anxious thought to Mary Sun’s plans for the summer, my chief concern being to make satisfactory arrangements for the period between the close of her work at her present school and the beginning of the earner work at Ithaca or elsewhere.
Some one with whom I happened to be discussing the matter recommended strongly the Sea fines School at Brewster, Mass., down on Cape Cod and of a somewhat unusual and distinctly good atmosphere. I have known of the school for years and have always heard it very highly spoken of, and at one time I had even considered it seriously as perhaps the proper school for Mary. When this last suggestion was made. it occurred to me that I might be able to persuade the Principal, Miss Bickford, to take Mary for a limited time, and I at once got in touch with her by telephone. To my great satisfaction Miss Bickford expressed her willingness to take Mary in at once, although her regular school, session is shortly to close. Miss Bickford happens to be in Boston at present and has agreed to take Mary back with her to school on Thursday of this week. She will keep her there as long as authorized and at a very reasonably rate, $25.00 per week.
The more I have thought over the problem, the more I am inclined to hesitate to approve of a summer for Mary in the surrounding which she would naturally encounter at Cornell. I know that these college summer schools invite all kinds and classes and that the problem of supervision and guidance for the individual student may often became a very complicated and difficult one. As the Sea Pines School has a regular summer session, is attractively located on the Cape Cod 8 Shore, and is in charge of a woman of exceptionally fine character and high ideals. I am wondering if, after all, this might not prove the best plan to continue through the summer, assuming, of course, that we find after the first two or three weeks’ test that the place is all I how believe it to be.
Since you have been so kind and have gone to so much trouble already in this matter. I do not feel like abandoning at once and altogether the plan you have already proposed, and I should welcome your full approval of the one suggested above before taking any further steps to make it permanently operative. If I had thought of it earlier, I would unquestionably have expressed my preference for it over the Ithaca proposition, which, with all of its attractions, has its distinct drawbacks as well. I really can’t get very enthusiastic over the thought of leaving Mary in a large college dormitory for the summer, regardless of the person who is in charge of it. for I know from experience that college summer schools are generally pretty free and easy affairs and the supervision at best rather casual.
Please write me frankly how the suggestions I have made above strike you, and don’t hesitate to criticize them if you have any grounds whatever for doing so.
Very sincerely yours.
Creator
Alfred E. Stearns
Publisher
Phillips Academy
Date
June 2, 1926
Rights
All Rights Reserved by Phillips Academy
Language
English
Type
Correspondence