Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to Ernestine French, Elmira College May 29, 1926
May 29, 1926 Miss Ernestine Trench Executive Secretary, Elmira College Elmira. N. Y. My dear Miss French: This morning’s mail brings me a letter from Mr.Sze of Washington, in which he has been good enough to enclose your letter of May 25 to him. I am sorry that I have not fully appreciated, apparently, just what was expected of me in planning for the summer of my ward, Mary Sun. I had gathered the impression that Mr. Sze, who is familiar with conditions at Elmira was looking after the matter and would notify me when he was finally ready to make a recommendation. Evidently I have been remiss and should have followed the matter up myself. As I have just written Mr. Sze, the Kenniston House arrangement, with Miss Farnham as a chaperone, seems likely to meet the needs of the case. If I read your letter aright, a Miss Millan Fitzpatrick will act as tutor and I am, of course, glad to accept your judgment as to the character and ability of those whom you recommend. If you will kindly advise me what the expense will probably be, I shall be ready and glad to pat.my endorsement on the whole proposition. May I also ask you at how early a date Miss Sun can plan to take up her residence with Ithaca. I find that Miss Sun’s present school closes early in June, and I hope there will not be too long a period intervening between that late and the beginning of the new life and work at Ithaca, for this is, as you know, an extremely busy time for those connected with educational institutions, and I shall find it a bit difficult to provide temporary accommodations and interests for Miss Sun during that time. Naturally I should like to have Miss Sun start at Ithaca as soon as practicable, and she, herself, has expressed this wish. As to the amount of tutoring, I can’t speak with any great definiteness. My impression is that Miss Fitzpatrick will have to feel her way a little and decide, after personal observation, the nature and extent of the work required. I shall be ready, however, to meet any reasonable charge. Mary’s tutor will find, I think, that the girl can be depended upon to do a good deal of conscientious work by herself, once direction and guidance have been given her. Thanking you most heartily for the generous interest you are taking in this case and assuring you of my desire to cooperate in every possible way, believe me Very sincerely yours,
Letter from Ernestine French, Elmira College, to Alfred E. Stearns June 1, 1926
June 1, 1926 Dr. Alfred E. Stearns, Principal Phillips Academy Andover, Massachusetts My dear Dr. Stearns: Your letter of May 29 has just been received. I am forwarding it today to Miss Lillian Fitzpatrick, asking her to communicate with you directly as to the probable expense for Miss Sun and stating the date upon which Miss Sun can be received at Kenniston House. I imagine that Miss Sun could not be accommodated there until after the close of the regular university term, which will be I suppose, about the middle of June. I well understand the pressure of events and the lack of time for attention to outside matters in educational institutions at this season of the year, and feel sure that Miss Fitzpatrick will understand too and will do her best to make the most satisfactory arrangements possible for Miss Sun. Miss Farnham, of whom I spoke in my previous letter, is my friend through whom Miss Fitzpatrick's services have been secured. Miss Farnham herself will be in Europe during the summer, but Miss Fitzpatrick is the official chaperone engaged by Cornell University for Kenniston House, and has been acting in that capacity during the past winter. It seems safe, therefore, to assume that she is properly qualified for this position. I do not know personally of her teaching ability, but have confidence in Miss Farnham and feel sure that she would not recommend one who was not capable in every way. As Dr. and Mrs. Sze are to be in Ithaca themselves this summer, Dr. Sze will be available in case any questions needing advice in regard to Miss Sun should arise. Trusting that the arrangements may work out satisfactorily and happily for all concerned, I am Very sincerely yours, Ernestine French
Letter from Alfred E. Stearns to Ernestine French, Elmira College June 3, 1926
June 3, 1926 Miss Ernestine French Secretary, Elmira College Elmira, N. Y. My dear Miss French: Thank you for your good letter of June 1. I do appreciate more than I can tell you the careful thought you have given to Mary Sun’s problem, and I am very grateful. Mary’s present school closes today, and I have been able to make temporary provision for her at the Sea Pines School at Brewster, Mass. It is just possible that, if this arrangement works out well and Mary is happy there, it may seem wise to allow her to stay through the summer session and give up the Cornell University plan. I have written Mr. Sze fully about this and shall await further word from him before deciding. In the meantime, I am none the less grateful for all your generous efforts in my behalf. Very sincerely yours.
Copy of letter (for Stearns) from Ernestine H. French, Elmira College, to Sao-Ke Alfred Sze, Chinese Legation, Washington, D.C., January 11, 1927
Dear Dr. Sze: After receiving your letter yesterday asking for a frank report on the status and prospects of Mary Sun, I looked up her record in the Dean's office and found that Mary had received only one "warning" (which means unsatisfactory work) and that was in French last month. I found in talking with the Dean that Mary was allowed and advised by her to drop French because of the natural linguistic difficulties which, combined with an otherwise hard schedule, made the continuance of French this first semester too difficult for her. It will only mean the making up of two hours which can be done much more easily at some future time when college work and everything connected with it are not so new and strange. Even without the French Mary is carrying fourteen hours a week, including the laboratories. I have talked with each of the professors in the departments in which Mary is working -- Biology, Chemistry, English and Bible and find that they all agree that Mary is an average student doing passing work. Miss Whittaker, head of the biological department said that some time ago she had asked one of the young instructors to give some special attention to Mary and Tsao Ching to familiarize them with terms and to go over some of the points that the other students had previously had in High School. This seems to have helped them very much and their work has been quite satisfactory. Miss Eastom reports that Mary does very good work in Chemistry, in fact much better than that done by some of the American students. Professor Mould reports that Mary's work in Bible is like that of the average American student -- it is passing but not particularly good. In English, also, the report is that there is no question of Mary's not passing -- she is doing satisfactory though not excellent work. Her English teacher told me that she had felt that Mary might do better in English and that she wanted her to improve and so had been a little severe with her. She feels that Mary is, perhaps, a little "spoiled" and apt to become discouraged if she is not praised and made a great deal of. Her idea in telling Mary that she must do better work and show more improvement in her English work was that a little wholesome criticism would be good for the girl. Nearly every girl has a period of discouragement during her first year at College. There are so many new adjustments even for the native students to make, that it is quite natural that the difficulties should at times seem insurmountable to the girls and Page two that they should be tempted to want to give the whole thing up. Added to this very natural situation which must be faced by almost everyone, is Mary's present physical condition which makes everything look dark to her. She came back from the Christmas vacation with a very bad cold. Our resident physician is looking after her and makes Mary lie down and rest for one hour every afternoon. This rest is in place, I believe of the regular gymnasium work, and is a very excellent thing in every way for a girl who is temporarily run down. We all feel that it would be a very great mistake for Mary to leave college now. She has really passed through the most difficult part -- and successfully, although not with such distinction as she evidently would have liked. Examinations being this week and that is another thing which makes her anxious. Her professors have assured me that she is likely to pass although she herself seems to think that her marks are so poor that she is ashamed of them. I believe that she rates her accomplishments too low and the possibilities of achievement under the circumstances, too high. Mary is well liked by the students and made a great deal of by them. She has been invited several times to spend the week-end in Corning at the beautiful home of Mrs. Samuel Hawkes whose daughter was at Sea Pines Camp with Mary, but Mary has never accepted the invitations, thinking that she was too busy with her work. Professor Mould of the department of Bible and Mrs. Mould plan to entertain Mary with some of the other students in their home very soon. Of course, I have had Mary at my house and have asked her to come whenever she can, but she has not accepted without a special invitation. Personally, I feel, very strongly that Mary's feeling of discouragement, while perhaps natural under the circumstances, should not be taken seriously. She is doing as good work as the average student and all conditions surrounding her college life, so far as I can see, are pleasant, wholesome and beneficial. I believe that it would be a very grave mistake for her to be allowed to "give up." I trust that this report will be of assistance. You and Dr. Stearns may rest assured that a very personal interest is taken in Mary as in all of "our girls" at Elmira. We want each and everyone of them not only to develop into the best possible women but to be happy in doing so. President Lent as you know takes a very special interest in each student. He has asked to have a talk with Mary tomorrow. With very cordial good wishes for the New Year to you and Madame Sze, I am Sincerely yours,
Letter from Ernestine French to Dr. Sao Ke Alfred Sze, April 13, 1926
Typed note sent from Ernestine French to Dr. Sao-Ke Alfred Sze. States Elmira College will accept Mary Sun and help with her education. Sent Dr. Stearns a catalogue and book of views.
Dr. Sao Ke Alfred Sze, Chinese Legation, Washington, D. C. My dear Dr. Sze: Your letter of April 12 in regard to Mary Sun, the daughter of your personal friend, has just been received. I can assure you that we shall be glad to do everything we can for Miss Sun, and I trust that she will enter Elmira and that her contact here will be as mutually happy and helpful as that of our little friends Rhoda and Alice. I am sending Dr. Stearns one of our latest catalogues and a book of views. With cordial good wishes, I am Sincerely Yours Ernestine French