Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to C.Y. Sun, Tientsin October 3, 1927
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to C.Y. Sun, Tientsin October 3, 1927
Subject
Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to C.Y. Sun, Tientsin October 3, 1927
Transcription
Mr. C. Y. Sun
44 Cambridge Road Tientsin China
My dear Mr. Sun:
I have read with great interest your letter of August 31 received only a day or two ago. The same mail brought me a most interesting letter from Quincy, and I am hoping to hear from Arthur erelong. Quincy evidently feels a good bit discouraged over the conditions which he finds in China on his return after his long absence, in foreign lands. This is natural enough, I suppose, but I have tried to impress upon all these boys that they are to have a wonderful chance to help set right the things which they are disposed to criticize and that that should be one of the great objects of their lives. Please remember me most warmly to both of the boys when you see them.
Yes, I received duly and acknowledged at the time your remittance of July 1st to the amount of $5.000.00 and have credited the same, one-third each, to the accounts of Charles, Thomas, and Mary. I hope to send you the statements of the five accounts, including those of Arthur and Quincey, within the next few days. I shall transfer, as authorized by you in an earlier letter, to the accounts of the three children still in this country whatever balances remain on the accounts of Arthur and Quincey. To date I have not done this, as one or two late bill a contracted by the boys just before they sailed have come in only recently and I feared that there might possibly be others, that doesn’t seem likely now to be a probability.
Charlie writes me enthusiastically of his life and work: at Amherst this fall. I have not heard from Tom since the college year opened though I did have a little from him shortly before the opening and after he had returned to the college town. He made a much better record at Middlebury last year than I dared hope for and feel very much encouraged. Mary writes me that she finds the work at Elmira much more interesting this year than last, and I am glad of that.
Since my last letter to you, in which I encouraged Mary’s desire to take a course at the Yale University Nursing School, Mary has written me of receiving a letter from you urging her to perfect herself in stenography and typewriting. Apparently she accepted the suggestion and plans to do as you requested. Curiously, Mr. Tsai, Ting-kan, whose two children are also under my care at present, wrote me that long ago urging very strongly that his daughter Helen take special work of this same kind. He seems to feel that there is an increasing in China for girls who have had this training to secure worth-while positions and be able to render a real service.
What you write me of the weather in Shanghai and Tientsin certainly inspires sympathy to those who are forced to endure it. One summer here was unusually cold and rainy, as was the early fall. Just now we are passing through what we call an Indian summer, the temperature for the last few days having been up between the 80’s and 90’s, a range which you would doubtless call cool but which is unusual for us this season.
I have no doubt that you will talk over freely and fully with Arthur and perhaps Quincey the life and work of your three children who are still here. If, as the result of these in their situations which I ought to know and by knowing which I would be better able to direct them as you would wish, please feel perfectly free to tell me, even if the telling must assume the form of criticism. I am clearly sensible of my own limitations in doing for these children all that I would like to do and that which will prove in the end wholly for their best interests. My chief wish, however, is and has always been to carry out to the best of my ability your wishes and to help you realize in these children those high ideals and worthy ambitions which you have always cherished for them. To accomplish this, complete frankness is essential, and I shall always welcome such from you.
With sincere good wishes and kindest personal regards, believe me
Faithfully yours,
44 Cambridge Road Tientsin China
My dear Mr. Sun:
I have read with great interest your letter of August 31 received only a day or two ago. The same mail brought me a most interesting letter from Quincy, and I am hoping to hear from Arthur erelong. Quincy evidently feels a good bit discouraged over the conditions which he finds in China on his return after his long absence, in foreign lands. This is natural enough, I suppose, but I have tried to impress upon all these boys that they are to have a wonderful chance to help set right the things which they are disposed to criticize and that that should be one of the great objects of their lives. Please remember me most warmly to both of the boys when you see them.
Yes, I received duly and acknowledged at the time your remittance of July 1st to the amount of $5.000.00 and have credited the same, one-third each, to the accounts of Charles, Thomas, and Mary. I hope to send you the statements of the five accounts, including those of Arthur and Quincey, within the next few days. I shall transfer, as authorized by you in an earlier letter, to the accounts of the three children still in this country whatever balances remain on the accounts of Arthur and Quincey. To date I have not done this, as one or two late bill a contracted by the boys just before they sailed have come in only recently and I feared that there might possibly be others, that doesn’t seem likely now to be a probability.
Charlie writes me enthusiastically of his life and work: at Amherst this fall. I have not heard from Tom since the college year opened though I did have a little from him shortly before the opening and after he had returned to the college town. He made a much better record at Middlebury last year than I dared hope for and feel very much encouraged. Mary writes me that she finds the work at Elmira much more interesting this year than last, and I am glad of that.
Since my last letter to you, in which I encouraged Mary’s desire to take a course at the Yale University Nursing School, Mary has written me of receiving a letter from you urging her to perfect herself in stenography and typewriting. Apparently she accepted the suggestion and plans to do as you requested. Curiously, Mr. Tsai, Ting-kan, whose two children are also under my care at present, wrote me that long ago urging very strongly that his daughter Helen take special work of this same kind. He seems to feel that there is an increasing in China for girls who have had this training to secure worth-while positions and be able to render a real service.
What you write me of the weather in Shanghai and Tientsin certainly inspires sympathy to those who are forced to endure it. One summer here was unusually cold and rainy, as was the early fall. Just now we are passing through what we call an Indian summer, the temperature for the last few days having been up between the 80’s and 90’s, a range which you would doubtless call cool but which is unusual for us this season.
I have no doubt that you will talk over freely and fully with Arthur and perhaps Quincey the life and work of your three children who are still here. If, as the result of these in their situations which I ought to know and by knowing which I would be better able to direct them as you would wish, please feel perfectly free to tell me, even if the telling must assume the form of criticism. I am clearly sensible of my own limitations in doing for these children all that I would like to do and that which will prove in the end wholly for their best interests. My chief wish, however, is and has always been to carry out to the best of my ability your wishes and to help you realize in these children those high ideals and worthy ambitions which you have always cherished for them. To accomplish this, complete frankness is essential, and I shall always welcome such from you.
With sincere good wishes and kindest personal regards, believe me
Faithfully yours,
Creator
Alfred E. Stearns
Publisher
Phillips Academy
Date
October 3, 1927
Rights
All Rights Reserved by Phillips Academy
Language
English
Type
Correspondence