Letter from H.K. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns, May 28, 1931
Letter from H.K. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns, May 28, 1931
Typed letter sent from Admiral H.K. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns. Decided Kong should return to China after the end of the school year. States the high exchange makes it too expensive to continue education in America. Thinks Kong may have difficulty adjusting back to life in China. Will assist Kong with career back in China. Enclosed $600 to cost of traveling back. Asks Stearns to purchase railway and steamership rather than giving the money to Kong.
H.K. Tu
Phillips Academy
May 28, 1931
All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy
148 Fok Sul Li, Route Joseph Frelupt, Shanghai, May 28th, 1931
Dr. Alfred L. Stearns, Philips Academy, Andover, Massachusetts, U. S. A.
My dear Dr. Stearns:
I wish to thank you sincerely for your letter of April 20th enclosing an account of the expenses of my son from September 1929 to April 1931, and for the continual interest you have been taking in Kong.
A careful study of your letter and the report of the Business College about the work of Kong has compelled me to decide that it is the best for Kong to return to China after the closing of the present school term and start work. In view of the high exchange, the cost of educating him in the United States of America is really too much for me to bear. Secondly, Kong has already stayed too long in America that upon his return to China he may not be able to adjust himself to the Chinese environment and Chinese circumstances. Thirdly, while I am still able to help him to obtain a suitable position, he should not miss the opportunity.
I hope that what Kong has learned in the Business College will be of use to him when he earns his own living. When he returns to China I will give him all assistance he needs in his launching into a business career.
According to the account of Kong’s expenses there is still a balance of about $200, and I think he will need perhaps $600 more for the buying of a passage back to China and defraying other expenses prior to his departure for Shanghai. I shall request you further to be good enough to buy the railway and steamership tickets for Kong instead of giving him the lump sum. I am herewith enclosing a draft for $600.
I wish to thank you again for what you have been doing to me in connection with the looking after of the welfare of my son for so long a period of time.
With my best regards.
Yours most sincerely.
English
Correspondence
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Admiral H.K. Tu, June 23, 1931
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Admiral H.K. Tu, June 23, 1931
Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Admiral H.K. Tu. Received letter of May 28 with check of $600. Asked K.Y. Tu to meet in Andover to discuss future plans. Met Mrs. Pettingill, whose husband had been stationed in Peking. Hopes to continue hearing form H.K. Tu.
Dr. Alfred E. Stearns
Phillips Academy
June 23, 1931
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June 23, 1931
Admiral H.K.Tu
148 Fok Sui Li
Route Joseph Frelupt
Shanghai, China
My dear Admiral Tu:
I have your interesting letter of May 28, with the accompanying draft for six hundred dollars for the credit your boy. Needless to say, I will see that your instructions are carried out to the best of my ability, and I am writing Kong today asking him to come out to Andover as soon as he can to discuss with me his plans. I can only hope that the boy’s stay and training in this country, however much he may have failed to achieve high results scholastically, may prove in the end to have been well worth while and enable him to render as a result a larger and more helpful service to his country and the world. My good will and best wishes will follow him back to the homeland, and I shall hope most earnestly to hear of his later progress and successes there. In the meantime, xxfriendly ad sympathetic cooperation which you have always contributed to wards every effort put forth in your boy’s behalf has been more deeply appreciated by me than I can never express.
I chanced to meet at a dinner in a nearby city recently a warm friend of yours – Mrs. Pettingill, whose husband was formerly stationed, I believe, at the United States Legation at Peiping. We had a most interesting and enjoyable discussion of China and some of our mutual friends there, I am sure your ears would have burned, as we say in America, if you could have heard the good things that were said about you. Mrs. Pettingill, if I have the name correctly, is certainly a warm admirer of yours.
May I express the hope that even if Kong no longer furnishes the immediate occasion for your so doing, you will give me the great pleasure of letting me hear from you now and then, for I should hate to feel that I had lost complete touch with one for whom I have come to entertain so high a regard and whom I hope always to consider a friend.
Very sincerely yours,
English
Correspondence
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. H.K. Tu, April 17, 1928
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Mr. H.K. Tu, April 17, 1928
Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to H.K. Tu. Advised K.Y. Tu to give up outside work in order to focus on school especially since this is K.Y. Tu's last chance at finishing high school education. Believes K.Y. Tu hasn't associated with bad influences.
Dr. Alfred E. Stearns
Phillips Academy
April 17, 1928
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April 17, 1938
Mr. H. K. Tu
C/o H. K. Tong
Chihli River Commission
Tientsin, China
My dear Mr. Tu
I have your interesting letter of March 17 with the accompanying copy of your letter of the same date to your boy. Both have been read with keen and deep interest.
I have tried to keep in as close touch as possible with Kong, even though he is not home in school, and he has been very responsive in telling me of his work and plans and hopes. When I found how much time he was devoting to outside work by which to earn his expenses, I felt that it would be utterly impossible for the boy, to whom studies come hard at best, to take all this time from his school work and hope to make any progress at all. Under the circumstances, and in view of the suggestions in your earlier letter, I advised Kong to give up this outside work at once, to devote all of his time to his studies, and to count on me to supply from the funds which you have furnished sufficient money to meet his actual needs. It was my idea that, if the boy were to have this last chance to go ahead with his American education, he should have it free from all handicaps in order that we should be in a proper position to determine as a result of the year's work what to plan for the future.
I hope you will approve of this decision of mine and the action prompted by it. In the meantime I am, of course, urging Kong to give himself heart and soul to his studies and to do his best to prove to us that he is going to be able to make real progress and eventually attain the goal you have set him and on the basis of which his school courses are now arranged. I do hope that we may be able to report real progress.
So far as I can judge, Kong has not been disposed to make friends with boys who are not actuated by high purposes. I have constantly warned him of this very point, and, from what he tells me of the friends with whom he is most intimately thrown in contact, I am led to believe that they are boys of good character and serious purpose.
With kindest personal regards and the earnest hope that I may be able to do of some real and further assistance to you and to your boy, believe me
Very sincerely yours
English
Correspondence
Letter from H.K. Tu to K.Y. Tu, March 17, 1928
Letter from H.K. Tu to K.Y. Tu, March 17, 1928
Typed letter sent from H.K. Tu to K.Y. Tu. Is glad K.Y. Tu is working to complete high school. Hopes K.Y. works hard and progresses in studies. Hopes K.Y. Tu stays away from bad influences. States China needs men of character during current times. Glad K.Y. Tu is working to be dentist. Advises Tu to focus subjects needed to graduate high school. Explains if working and studying is too much, Tu can request money from Stearns. Traveling to Shanghai in the future.
H.K. Tu
Phillips Academy
March 17, 1928
All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy
Tientsin, March 17th, 1928
My dear boy,
I have received your letter of February 14th, and from this I learn that you have left Andover and are now working in Boston a few hours a day and studying at the same time. I am very glad that you are so determined to complete your high school course. Dr. Stearns has written to me to the same effect.
Your appreciation of my efforts to give you a high education highly pleases me. As long as you study hard and make steady progress, you would not constitute a burden to me, for in that case there is always a hope that some day you will complete your school education and become a respectable citizen of the Republic of China, of whom both myself and our relatives would feel proud. Should you fail to make progress in your studies, it is natural that I should worry about your present and especially about your future, for I cannot continue helping you throughout your whole life much as I desire.
In your letter you promised that you would be a worthy son. I am very glad to hear of it. I hope you will live up to my high expectation of you. To my mind there is nothing more worthy for a Chinese boy in America to do than to conduct himself properly and as a gentleman, to refrain from doing anything which will be a disgrace to his parents and his own country, and above all, to study really hard. While being away from Dr. Stearns, I hope you will not associate yourself with persons of questionable character. If the progress in your studies is slow, it may be due to your dullness and you are excusable to certain extent, but in addition, if you should be known not only as a poor student but also a bad student, then a great wrong would be wrought by you upon your family and your country.
Today China needs able young men, but the men with character are even in greater demand. I hope that while studying as hard as you can you will try to develop your character and become an honest, upright and patriotic man so that upon your return to China you will be able to render full measure of service to the country. So far as the service of a national character is concerned, a dentist can do just as much as a soldier or a high official man. I am very glad that you have taken my idea of having you to be a dentist thoroughly into your head and wish you every success. Before you can learn the profession which I wish you to learn and for which I believe you are suitable, you will however have to finish high school at least. So, in the meantime, confine your attention to the diligent study of all subjects required for graduation from the high school. If you find It difficult to make speedy progress while working and studying at the same time or that your health lo being impaired, then you can apply to Dr.Stearns for financial assistance.
I am going to Shanghai in the near future for a short visit. Should I find it cheaper to live there, I would remove my family from Tientsin to Shanghai. With the coming of the Spring, I hope you will take good care of your health. A good health is an essential factor in the success of any person.
With love.
Your loving father,
English
Correspondence
Letter from H.K. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns, May 17, 1928
Letter from H.K. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns, May 17, 1928
Typed letter sent from H.K. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns. Will comply with son's wish to pursue studies on his own. States son appears more willing to work towards education. States if work interferes with Kong's education, Stearns is free to give money as necessary. Sent letter to K.Y. Tu. Fears Tu's association with bad influences. Thanks Stearns for what's been done.
H.K. Tu
Phillips Academy
May 17, 1928
All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy
Tientsin, March 17th , 1928
Dr. Alfred E. Stearns,
Philips Academy,
Andover, Massachusetts,
U. S. A.
My dear Dr. Stearns,
I have received your letters of February 14th and 20th respectively for which please accept my hearty thanks. I have also received from Kong a letter dated February 14th
Both your letters and his indicate that it would require a strict order from me to get Kong back to China. Since he is determined to earn an education by his own efforts rather than at my expense and since you have advised me to allow him another chance, I consider it wise to comply with his wish and let him pursue his studies in his own way for a time. It appears that he is more in earnest than before about the preparation for his life work and he would study harder from now on. If I view the matter in this light, I am somewhat encouraged. But I hope that you will continue taking an interest in the boy.
If he can get along without my assistance, well and good. It is just as well for Kong to learn some hard realities of life while he is still under the care of his father and of your good self as his guardian. But if you think that his earning the way through high school would retard his educational progress or would injure his health, you may give him whatever amount of money you deem necessary. I leave the welfare of the boy entirely in your hands, for I have the greatest confidence in your sound judgement.
Upon your advice I am writing to the boy today by the same mail and giving him a few words of encouragement. I herewith enclose copy of my letter to him for your information. Although Kong was brought up under Chinese roof and accustomed to discipline and obedience, I believe that his stay in the United States of America where there is more freedom for boys of his age than in China, has somewhat modified his views, and believing it, am trying to adapt myself to the new situation, I hope that my letter to him written in a new spirit may move him to exert even greater efforts for learning.
I want to thank you for what you have done for the boy in the past and for what you may do for him in the future. As he is now away from Andover and staying at Boston, he will need more vigilance or watchfulness from you. What I am afraid most is the possibility of his associating with bad people and such fear did not exist in my mind when he was near you, I hope that I shall still have the honor to hear from you from time to time as to the progress of his studies and as to the kind of friends he makes.
Thanking you again for all you have been doing for us.
Yours very truly.
English
Correspondence
Letter from H.K. Tu to Dr. A.E. Stearns, October 18, 1926
Letter from H.K. Tu to Dr. A.E. Stearns, October 18, 1926
Typed letter sent from H.K. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns. Apologizes for K.Y. Tu's performance. States this is K.Y. Tu's last chance and any money is to be used for tuition and up-keep. Asked for more details regarding delinquencies. Relinquished duty as acting premiership. States Yang-Tze valley trouble remains unsolved.
H.K. Tu
Phillips Academy
October 18, 1926
All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy
Dr. A. L. Stearns,
Phillips Academy,
Andover, Mass.,U.S.A.
My dear Dr. Stearns;
Your kind letter dated September 13th has just reached me and I am very grateful to your frank statement regarding my son who is evidently not behaving as a good student nor is he fulfilling the duty that he is expected to perform. I am sorry that his ill and sometimes stubborn behaviour has troubled you more than the other boys, and regret very much to learn that your painstaking advice to him has not produced the desired result. I appreciate ever so much the special effort you have made to bring him to reason and in urging him to realize his own responsibilities about his future.
In view of his prolonged negligence please kindly inform my son that this is absolutely the last trial that I am giving him to make good. Unless he changes all his undesirable behaviours and devotes himself to conscientious study he will certainly be recalled. Please also tell my son that because of his misbehaviour I have not remitted any money and that you can advance to him on my account only the necessary expenses for his tuition, up-keep and no more. Perhaps that is the only way to compel1 him to live within limits. At the same time I am writing to him a severe letter in the same sense.
You have mentioned about his delinquencies. I shall be much obliged if you will be frank enough to let me have some of the details or copies of such reports which must have reached you. I hope, however that you will still continue your good effort to convince him the necessity of obeying all the regulations, keeping up the required standard of study and lastly of living within limits of his allowance.
Not long ago I have given up,the duty of acting premiership. I feel more at ease in devoting my time to the Navy. The trouble in the Yang-Tze valley remains unsolved and it may take some time before it could be properly cleared up as new complications are setting in from time to time. By the time when I write to you again I hope there will be better news about the general conditions of my country.
Thanking you again for all the trouble you are taking on account of my boy. With the best wishes of the Season.
Yours very sincerely,
English
Correspondence
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Hon. H.K. Tu, November 15, 1926
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Hon. H.K. Tu, November 15, 1926
Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to H.K. Tu. States K.Y. Tu is doing better with expenses and living frugally. Will send reports when received. Provides report from director of Camp Otter in regards to K.Y. Tu. Believes the situation has improved since the summer.
Dr. Alfred E. Stearns
Phillips Academy
November 15, 1926
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November 15, 1926
Hon. H.K.Tu
Ministry of Navy M
Peking, China
My dear Mr. Tu
I have your friendly letter of October 18.
So far as I can tell, your son is doing much better this year along the lines mentioned in my last letter. The head of his school has promised full cooperation in the efforts to make the boy realise the value of money, especially, and the importance of making the most in every way of the opportunities now offered him for study and general development. He has certainly done more careful in the matter of his expenditures, and I am consequently hopeful that the tide has turned. Of course I am only desirous of carrying out your expressed wishes for the boy, though I am inclined to think that he, himself, regards me as something of an autocrat in the matter and hence is not disposed to feel so friendly as might otherwise be the case. In years to come, however, I am sure that he will appreciate that I had in mind only his best interests and that the realization of this will result in a friendly feeling.
I have no special reports to pass on to you except those which I have come to me verbally and those which I have already told you. Whatever reports I do get, you shall have them, as requested. At the close of this past summer camp session the director of Camp Otter told me, as I believe I have already told you, that your boy was the most difficult fellow to deal with in the whole group and that in consequence he would not be willing to have him return another season. He complained that he was not amenable to discipline and that he was not willing to observe the regulations of all the boys in camp; and he also felt as strongly as I that the boy had no sense whatever of the value of money but spent it freely whenever the opportunity offered and whenever the whim moved him to do so.
I am sorry to send a report like this but am doing so only because you have requested it. All this happened last summer, and, as I said earlier is my letter, I have reason to feel this fall that the situation has definitely improved - at least I have not been called on as frequently as formerly for money, and I have been assured by the boy himself that he has been working harder than ever before.
With kind personal regards and trusting that the unsettled affairs in your land may speedily be straightened out to the ultimate advantage and strength of the nation, believe me
English
Correspondence
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Hon. H.K. Tu, September 13, 1926
Letter from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to Hon. H.K. Tu, September 13, 1926
Typed letter sent from Dr. Alfred E. Stearns to H.K. Tu. Discussed finances with K.Y. Tu over the summer. Worried over K.Y. Tu's inability to assume responsibility and treat finances in business like way. Explains K.Y. Tu was difficult while staying at the summer camp; refusing to meeting regulations. Relayed H.K. Tu's message that K.Y. Tu will return to China if progress isn't made. Explained circumstances of H.K. Tu's position. Hopes the new school year will bring progress.
Dr. Alfred E. Stearns
Phillips Academy
September 13, 1926
All Rights Reserved By Phillips Academy
September 13, 1936
Hon. H. K. Ta
The Ministry of Navy
Peking, China
My dear Mr.Tu:
Thank you for your letter of July 19 which reached me during the summer holiday.
I have had several long talks with your boy during the summer and am very much disturbed over his seeming inability to assume responsibilities and to treat his finances in a business-like and careful way. The director of the camp where he has been this past summer told me at the end of their session that your son was the most trying boy they had in their group, because he was constantly seeking to avoid meeting the customary regulations and offering all kinds of excuses for his delinquencies. He is careless and impulsive and a bit stubborn when an effort is made to bring him to reason, and I find It next to impossible to get him to keep his expenses within reasonable limits. I have assured him, however, that, unless he could give a better account of himself in matters of this kind, I should strongly advise you to call him back to China and give up the attempt to secure the American education which you so much desire for him. I told him further of your new appointment and of the statements made in your last letter to me to the effect that it would be more necessary than ever for him to curtail expenses, but I am afraid this made little impression upon him.
I dislike exceedingly to write you in such a discouraging vein, but I feel that it is only fair that you should know the exact situation and the difficulties which confront me in this particular case. I have told you son that out of over sixty cases of Chinese boys with whom I have dealt intimately within the last twenty-five years, I was forced to class him with only two other boys who had caused me serious anxiety. I begged him for your sake and for his own to change his attitude and make a real effort to cooperate with us in the endeavors that we were making wholly with a view to his own best progress and interest in the end. I can only hope that this coming year will reveal a better spirit on his part and that I may have much more favorable reports for you in the future.
Very sincerely years
English
Correspondence
Letter from H.K. Tu to Mr. Alfred E. Stearns, July 19, 1926
Letter from H.K. Tu to Mr. Alfred E. Stearns, July 19, 1926
Typed letter from H.K. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns. States that due to distance, Tu trusts Stearns' direction and supervision of son. Nominated as Minister of Navy and currently in Peking. Holding premiership temporarily due to current issues in China. Has difficulty with political side of position. States new salary is limited. Asks Stearns to impress upon son current financial situation. Sent letters to son, but received no reply.
H.K. Tu
Phillips Academy
July 19, 1926
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The Ministry of Navy,
July 19th. 1926.
My Dear Mr. Stearns:
Your letter dated the 7th June has reached me and I appreciate very much what you have done for me. As he is so far from me and being ignorant of his environment, I do not like to offer any suggestion as to his occupation during the summer vacation, but wish to have him placed under your direction and supervision. Young men are apt to indulge themselves too much during the vacation; it is, therefore, necessary that they should spent their leisure in study, although the tuition fee may be very high. I hope that you will make a satisfactory arrangement for him.
I was nominated as the Minister of Navy and arrived in Peking on the 6th June. As the conditions prevailing in China are very critical, the Central Government is always in a difficult position, and many important political problems, such as tariff conference etc., remain unsettled, for this reason, I was regarded as the most suitable man to hold the premiership temporarily. Being not a politician, I am at a loss to cope with all puzzling political cases, and am, therefore, prepared to relinquish this post at any time. Salary attached to this post is very limited, insufficient to meet different expenses in Peking. I hope that you will be good enough to make my son understand my present condition, which will not allow him to lead a life of extravagance.
Continual practice becomes a habit and so is extravagance with a boy. It is, therefore, very necessary that he should live within reasonable limits right now. In the statement of accounts enclosed in your letter mentioned above, the items of vacation expenses and incidentials occurs much too frequently.
Although many letters were sent to him, I received no reply at all. Kindly draw his attention to this point.
With best regards, I am,
English
Correspondence
Letter from H.K. Tu to A. E. Stearns, February 2, 1926
Letter from H.K. Tu to A. E. Stearns, February 2, 1926
Typed letter sent from H.K. Tu to Dr. Alfred E. Stearns. Regrets to hear son is giving Stearns trouble with finances. Agrees with Stearns regarding finances. Emphasizes K.Y. Tu should live within means. States if not willing to do so, K.Y. Tu should return to China. Sent $1000 check. Asks Stearns to set a definite limit for monthly expenses. States K.Y. Tu should get permission first before purchasing. Asks for evident of son's progress in form of examination papers.
H.K. Tu
Phillips Academy
February 2, 1926
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No.687 Long Lek Li,
Cannaught Road, Shanghai, 2nd, February, 1926
A E. Steams, Esq.
Phillips Academy,
Andover, Mass. U. S. A.
My dear Mr. Stearns,
IN reply to your kind letter of the 29th, December, 1925, It grieves me very much to hear of my son's giving you so much unnecessary troubles, your consenting to take him under your care is already deemed a special favour, a kindness I am not entitle to transgress, consequently, my feelings are disturbed and really annoyed, that my son should have disregarded your fatherly advices, extravagance is itself a bad habit and especially in the time of youth, whence the valuable time should be spent in reviewing his lessons, certainly it is not my object or intention to send him to the States for the visiting of friends or sight seeing.
I concur every word in the copy of your letter to him and now request you to strictly convey to him, "that he must obey your instructions; not to say necessities, he must obtain FIRST your permission, and to live and keep within his means.” In conclusion, you will please frankly tell him for me, that if he will not behave himself as directed he better pack up and return.
What you have done for me, no words can express my ever sincere gratitude to you, often I transverse ever the thought in my mind, how fortunate I am to have a distant friend, who takes so much troubles and interests in my son, and with a hope, some days he will return well educated and join me in the same gratitude, it is most discouraging, however, you will kindly accept my sincere thanks for all the troubles takes, I enclosed herewith a cheque for $1000.
In the meantime, it is my ardent desire that you fix a definite limit for his monthly expenses, cut down and curtail all incidental expenditures, above all he must in each case get permission from you first before he acts, trusting this will put a step to his unwarrented excuses, and by first opportunity to inform me of the nature of his studies and progress in the form of examination papers.
With kindest regards from
Yours most sincerely.
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Correspondence