Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Tsai, March 29, 1927
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Tsai, March 29, 1927
Subject
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Tsai, March 29, 1927
Description
Typed letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. Tsai about his children's current status and finances. Received the $6,000 and sent a wire acknowledging the receipt. Worried about the current situation in China. Believes the political situation won't end until it has spread through all of China. Explains his financial plans and decisions regarding money sent. WIll forward furture letters to Helen so they can be translated to Chinese. Describes some activities planned for Alfred and Helen. Will plan on sending Helen to college until a decision is made otherwise. Questions whether Alfred will be able to enter Andover as his English and Mathematics need improvement.
Transcription
March 29, 1927
My dear Mr.Tsai:
Your letter of February 22 with the accompanying draft for $6,000.00 reached me this morning. As requested, I am cabling you in acknowledgment of the receipt of the draft, Tsai-Ting-kan Peking. Races. I trust that this message may reach you in spite of the unsettled conditions existing in China at this time.
Helen was in my office when your letter arrived, having come up from the Phillips Inn to see if any nail had come for her. She had just received a letter from you and told me something of its contents, supplementing what you hack written in your letter to me. Needless to say I am greatly distressed over the situation and the keen anxiety which it met occasion you sack my other good friends in China. I hope with all my heart that the situation may speedily improve and a stable and satisfactory government assume control.
What you have written of your anxiety for the future of Peking is especially depressing. The reports from China printed in our American newspapers have as late as this morning even intimated that Peking and Northern China would not be seriously disturbed by the present unrest and active fighting which have now extended to Shanghai. My own feeling underneath has always been that this political fire would never run its full course or be properly subsided until it had covered all of China, and your letter seems to indicate that this is your feeling as well. Our great anxiety here at the moment is lest the situation in Shanghai involve foreign nations, deluding the United States, to an extent which all would apparently gladly avoid if they could. We shall continue to hope and pray for the best.
A word as to the disposition of your funds. I have already deposited $6,000.00 in our local Savings Bank which pays 5% interest on such deposits suck have placed the amount in two accounts, made amt in the one case to myself as agent or Helen Tsai and in the other to myself as agent or Alfred Tsai. This will make the money available to the children should anything happen to me. The balance, or most of It, I shall probably place in the savings department of our local Rational Bank, where 4% interest can be counted on. In the meantime I shall keep on hand for the checking account only as such balance as seems wise and will transfer from the savings account from time to time later as exigencies demand sufficient to keep the checking account at the proper level. I hope this arrangement will prove satisfactory to you.
I note what you say in regard to allowing the children to redirect my letters to you in Chinese. Helen who is close by in Merrimac will be glad to do this for me, I am sure. She and Alfred are here in Andover for a few days at the present time but are leaving this noon to pass the balance of the week with Mrs. Nye in South Weymouth. Saturday and Sunday they will visit Dr. Atwood, President of Clark College in Worcester, Massachusetts. Dr. Atwood has extended this invitation to them and has written that one or two of their Chinese friends in this country will be his guests at the same time. Following this visit, they will both return to Andover for a day or two before resuming their school work at the opening of the spring term.
I am still very eager to learn your decision as to Helen’s future education. that I may plan wisely for her school work next year. In the absence of further word from you on the subject I shall assume that you wish her to go to college later and will plan the further preparatory work accordingly. Whether Alfred will be able to enter Phillips Academy next fall or not must still be regarded as an open question. He doesn’t make nearly such rapid progress in his English as his sister and his Mathematics will need some further strengthening as well. For the summer I hope to arrange camp life where a wholesome and vigorous out-of-door life coupled with a reasonable amount of study can be counted on.
With renewed assurances of esteem and good will and of the privilege I deem it to be able to aid you in guiding your children in their American life and education, believe me.
Very sincerely yours.
My dear Mr.Tsai:
Your letter of February 22 with the accompanying draft for $6,000.00 reached me this morning. As requested, I am cabling you in acknowledgment of the receipt of the draft, Tsai-Ting-kan Peking. Races. I trust that this message may reach you in spite of the unsettled conditions existing in China at this time.
Helen was in my office when your letter arrived, having come up from the Phillips Inn to see if any nail had come for her. She had just received a letter from you and told me something of its contents, supplementing what you hack written in your letter to me. Needless to say I am greatly distressed over the situation and the keen anxiety which it met occasion you sack my other good friends in China. I hope with all my heart that the situation may speedily improve and a stable and satisfactory government assume control.
What you have written of your anxiety for the future of Peking is especially depressing. The reports from China printed in our American newspapers have as late as this morning even intimated that Peking and Northern China would not be seriously disturbed by the present unrest and active fighting which have now extended to Shanghai. My own feeling underneath has always been that this political fire would never run its full course or be properly subsided until it had covered all of China, and your letter seems to indicate that this is your feeling as well. Our great anxiety here at the moment is lest the situation in Shanghai involve foreign nations, deluding the United States, to an extent which all would apparently gladly avoid if they could. We shall continue to hope and pray for the best.
A word as to the disposition of your funds. I have already deposited $6,000.00 in our local Savings Bank which pays 5% interest on such deposits suck have placed the amount in two accounts, made amt in the one case to myself as agent or Helen Tsai and in the other to myself as agent or Alfred Tsai. This will make the money available to the children should anything happen to me. The balance, or most of It, I shall probably place in the savings department of our local Rational Bank, where 4% interest can be counted on. In the meantime I shall keep on hand for the checking account only as such balance as seems wise and will transfer from the savings account from time to time later as exigencies demand sufficient to keep the checking account at the proper level. I hope this arrangement will prove satisfactory to you.
I note what you say in regard to allowing the children to redirect my letters to you in Chinese. Helen who is close by in Merrimac will be glad to do this for me, I am sure. She and Alfred are here in Andover for a few days at the present time but are leaving this noon to pass the balance of the week with Mrs. Nye in South Weymouth. Saturday and Sunday they will visit Dr. Atwood, President of Clark College in Worcester, Massachusetts. Dr. Atwood has extended this invitation to them and has written that one or two of their Chinese friends in this country will be his guests at the same time. Following this visit, they will both return to Andover for a day or two before resuming their school work at the opening of the spring term.
I am still very eager to learn your decision as to Helen’s future education. that I may plan wisely for her school work next year. In the absence of further word from you on the subject I shall assume that you wish her to go to college later and will plan the further preparatory work accordingly. Whether Alfred will be able to enter Phillips Academy next fall or not must still be regarded as an open question. He doesn’t make nearly such rapid progress in his English as his sister and his Mathematics will need some further strengthening as well. For the summer I hope to arrange camp life where a wholesome and vigorous out-of-door life coupled with a reasonable amount of study can be counted on.
With renewed assurances of esteem and good will and of the privilege I deem it to be able to aid you in guiding your children in their American life and education, believe me.
Very sincerely yours.
Creator
Dr. Alfred E. Stearns
Publisher
Phillips Academy
Date
March 29, 1927
Rights
All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy
Language
English
Type
Manuscripts. Correspondence.