Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to Frederick Lent, Elmira College May 18, 1926
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to Frederick Lent, Elmira College May 18, 1926
Subject
Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to Frederick Lent, Elmira College May 18, 1926
Transcription
May 18, 1926
President Frederick Lent
Elmira College
Elmira, N.Y.
My dear Dr. Lent:
I believe that our mutual friend, Mr. Sze, the Chinese Minister at Washington, has told you of my desire to enter at Elmira College this coming fall my Chinese ward, Mary Sun, now studying at the Whittier School in Merrimac Mass., in preparation for college. The case is an unusual one, and I need your help and generosity, perhaps, in handling it properly.
Mary Sun and her three brothers have been my wards for the past five years, living for a good part of that time under my own roof. Two of the boys are now in college and the third will probably enter next fall. My understanding at the outset was that Mary was to be in this country only five years and was to take a general preparatory school course. She had a year in our local grammar school, part of a year at Northfield and since that time up to the middle of the past term she has been a student at Abbot Academy in Andover. She would have secured her diploma in the general course at Abbot this June, had she continued there.
Several months ago I learned to my surprise that her father had decided to have his daughter go on to college. This decision left me with a hard problem on my hands, for I don’t believe that Mr. Sun understood at all the difference between the general and college preparatory course or what would naturally be involved in the change. However, I had no alternative and immediately arranged for the girl to do special college preparatory work in another school where she could have the individual attention and intensive work necessary. In the meantime I made a special trip to Washington to consult with the Chinese minister who was a personal friend of Mary’s father. As a result of this conference we both agreed that a large college, like Wellesley or Smith, would probably be less desirable than a smaller one, although Miss Pendleton of Wellesley has written offering to make any reasonable concessions in the girl’s behalf.
The decision in favor of Elmira was prompted also by the fact that Mr. Sze was familiar with the conditions there through the presence of a relative or ward in the college and entertained a very high regard for the standards and atmosphere of the place. After my talk with him, I felt sure that Elmira was the college that Mary Sun should select, and I am writing now to inquire how far you will be able to make concessions to her as a foreigner and also because of her somewhat broken preparation, for which she, of course, cannot properly be held responsible. I know that some colleges are accustomed to deal pretty generously with foreigners who are earnest and dependable, and I am hoping very much that this can be said of Elmira.
Mary Sun comes from a rather unusual family, her father, a retired banker being a man of exceptionally high ideals and fine character. He was head of the Chinese Red Cross during the war and has served as chairman of many flood, famine, and other relief organizations for his country. All who have met him speak in the highest terms of his character and worth. Naturally I feel under unusual obligations to be the best I can for his children who have Leon entrusted to me during their American sojourn. Mary, herself, is an earnest student, though not brilliant, very likable, and always ready to give her best to her studies. She has also been popular with her classmates and teachers alike, and I am sure she would prove a helpful addition to your student body. Her present teacher assures me that, in her judgment, Mary would be perfectly capable of maintaining college standing if concessions could be made to enable her to enter college this fall. As the girl is already over twenty, I can’t bring myself to believe that another year of preparation should be permitted if it could possibly be avoided.
Please pardon this somewhat lengthy outline of the case, but it is an unusual one, as you will see, and I shall greatly appreciate, therefore, any help or advice you can give me. Mr. Sze, I believe, has recently discussed the case with some of your officers, and, if the proposed arrangement is carried out, it is our intention to provide, if possible, a home for Mary this coming summer in Elmira under the supervision of one of your teaching force, where she will not only be properly cured for but in addition gain special instruction to complete her preparation for the college work.
Very sincerely yours,
President Frederick Lent
Elmira College
Elmira, N.Y.
My dear Dr. Lent:
I believe that our mutual friend, Mr. Sze, the Chinese Minister at Washington, has told you of my desire to enter at Elmira College this coming fall my Chinese ward, Mary Sun, now studying at the Whittier School in Merrimac Mass., in preparation for college. The case is an unusual one, and I need your help and generosity, perhaps, in handling it properly.
Mary Sun and her three brothers have been my wards for the past five years, living for a good part of that time under my own roof. Two of the boys are now in college and the third will probably enter next fall. My understanding at the outset was that Mary was to be in this country only five years and was to take a general preparatory school course. She had a year in our local grammar school, part of a year at Northfield and since that time up to the middle of the past term she has been a student at Abbot Academy in Andover. She would have secured her diploma in the general course at Abbot this June, had she continued there.
Several months ago I learned to my surprise that her father had decided to have his daughter go on to college. This decision left me with a hard problem on my hands, for I don’t believe that Mr. Sun understood at all the difference between the general and college preparatory course or what would naturally be involved in the change. However, I had no alternative and immediately arranged for the girl to do special college preparatory work in another school where she could have the individual attention and intensive work necessary. In the meantime I made a special trip to Washington to consult with the Chinese minister who was a personal friend of Mary’s father. As a result of this conference we both agreed that a large college, like Wellesley or Smith, would probably be less desirable than a smaller one, although Miss Pendleton of Wellesley has written offering to make any reasonable concessions in the girl’s behalf.
The decision in favor of Elmira was prompted also by the fact that Mr. Sze was familiar with the conditions there through the presence of a relative or ward in the college and entertained a very high regard for the standards and atmosphere of the place. After my talk with him, I felt sure that Elmira was the college that Mary Sun should select, and I am writing now to inquire how far you will be able to make concessions to her as a foreigner and also because of her somewhat broken preparation, for which she, of course, cannot properly be held responsible. I know that some colleges are accustomed to deal pretty generously with foreigners who are earnest and dependable, and I am hoping very much that this can be said of Elmira.
Mary Sun comes from a rather unusual family, her father, a retired banker being a man of exceptionally high ideals and fine character. He was head of the Chinese Red Cross during the war and has served as chairman of many flood, famine, and other relief organizations for his country. All who have met him speak in the highest terms of his character and worth. Naturally I feel under unusual obligations to be the best I can for his children who have Leon entrusted to me during their American sojourn. Mary, herself, is an earnest student, though not brilliant, very likable, and always ready to give her best to her studies. She has also been popular with her classmates and teachers alike, and I am sure she would prove a helpful addition to your student body. Her present teacher assures me that, in her judgment, Mary would be perfectly capable of maintaining college standing if concessions could be made to enable her to enter college this fall. As the girl is already over twenty, I can’t bring myself to believe that another year of preparation should be permitted if it could possibly be avoided.
Please pardon this somewhat lengthy outline of the case, but it is an unusual one, as you will see, and I shall greatly appreciate, therefore, any help or advice you can give me. Mr. Sze, I believe, has recently discussed the case with some of your officers, and, if the proposed arrangement is carried out, it is our intention to provide, if possible, a home for Mary this coming summer in Elmira under the supervision of one of your teaching force, where she will not only be properly cured for but in addition gain special instruction to complete her preparation for the college work.
Very sincerely yours,
Creator
Alfred E. Stearns
Publisher
Phillips Academy
Date
May 18, 1926
Rights
All Rights Reserved by Phillips Academy
Language
English
Type
Correspondence