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Sorry, I haven't recorded this document yet.
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Alma's finishing up her time at Oberlin, and enjoying some experiments in singing and acting. But her true love is evolution.
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Dear Will:
Behold my new paper! It is our society paper and we think it is très jolie.
My chief concern in life at present is dramatics. I am dividing my leisure time between rehearsals for a French play and a farce. The farce is to be given at the Post-Graduate club party in February. The French play is to be given before the French club and French classes and all other persons who are interested. I am going to be “la nourrice”. We are going to give one of Molièreś comedies “Le Medécin Malgré lui. In the farce I am to be a young thing who has just broken her engagement a pink and white thing with dimples! The canaille [??? but it can’t be cavaille] howls at the thought. I took part in a Christmas play given by the Aelioian before the holidays and I took part in a scene from “The Rivals” in society. You see I am getting considerable practise.
Although I am not technically a P.G. I am one by adoption. I have gone to all the parties with Mr. Sockett.
I am getting much concerned to know what I shall do next year. Professor Grover says that I ought to have a year of graduate work if I can possibly manage it - that it would be better to borrow money and study first than to earn my money first and study afterwards. I am perfectly willing to do it if I can find any place to borrow.
At the same time I shall be glad to take a position if I can get a good one - one in which I can manage to save anything. I have already registered at one teachers agency and Professor Grover had sent a regular budget of recommendations. I gave only three references and of course he was one. He said I ought to have recommendations for all the things I could teach and he asked Professor Rediger, Mr. Jewett [???] and Dr. St. John for letters and sent them with his. He is fine at helping one to get a position. The agency is in New York and I am afraid I stand a very slim chance. They prefer graduates of eastern colleges. Professor went over to the registrar’s office + looked up all my grades for my college course before he wrote my recommendation. He has been making fun of me ever since. My lowest grade was in Serin [???] Bible - only 3.2. (3 is passing work) I had made 4.4 in Freshman Bible and the registrar told him he had a bad moral influence. I suppose I shall have to register at a Chicago organization. If I do take graduate work next year I suppose it will be at Chicago for I am pretty sure of getting scholarship there or $150 or $200 and it will not cost me more that $250 or $300 beside.
Eva is doing well. I think we shall be proud of her some day. Her singing is noticeably good even here where there a great many good singers. Professor Morrison the Director of the Conservatory who is not given to idle words of flattery told her she had a voice of much promise.
Eva is giving me lessons in singing. I take one almost every day. Mama is the only person as yet who professes to enjoy my efforts. It sounds very queer to me and Eva laughs occasionally. But never mind some day I’ll sing like the lark! Fred is going to choral class so he may too.
Fred is learning to skate or at least practising at it. He can get around now almost as well as I can. I wish you could see the skating here. Almost everyone does figure skating except me. I haven’t enough endurance to learn to skate well.
I am sure you will be glad to hear that Mama has taken to making candy. She makes fudge or nut candy almost every week.
Have you ever written to Mrs. Braden? She told me a long time ago to remind you that she had written to you. I saw the Chrisets [???] when I was in New York and had a very nice time. They inquired for you.
This semester ends Feb 11. “Evolution” will end then and I shall take up a course in “Introduction to Philosophy”. Evolution is the most interesting thing I have ever studied. I think I shall give you a course in it when you come home. Do you know if you are likely to have a leave this summer?
Write soon. It is a long time since we have received a letter from you. It seems like ages.
With much love,
Alma.
Behold my new paper! It is our society paper and we think it is très jolie.
My chief concern in life at present is dramatics. I am dividing my leisure time between rehearsals for a French play and a farce. The farce is to be given at the Post-Graduate club party in February. The French play is to be given before the French club and French classes and all other persons who are interested. I am going to be “la nourrice”. We are going to give one of Molièreś comedies “Le Medécin Malgré lui. In the farce I am to be a young thing who has just broken her engagement a pink and white thing with dimples! The canaille [??? but it can’t be cavaille] howls at the thought. I took part in a Christmas play given by the Aelioian before the holidays and I took part in a scene from “The Rivals” in society. You see I am getting considerable practise.
Although I am not technically a P.G. I am one by adoption. I have gone to all the parties with Mr. Sockett.
I am getting much concerned to know what I shall do next year. Professor Grover says that I ought to have a year of graduate work if I can possibly manage it - that it would be better to borrow money and study first than to earn my money first and study afterwards. I am perfectly willing to do it if I can find any place to borrow.
At the same time I shall be glad to take a position if I can get a good one - one in which I can manage to save anything. I have already registered at one teachers agency and Professor Grover had sent a regular budget of recommendations. I gave only three references and of course he was one. He said I ought to have recommendations for all the things I could teach and he asked Professor Rediger, Mr. Jewett [???] and Dr. St. John for letters and sent them with his. He is fine at helping one to get a position. The agency is in New York and I am afraid I stand a very slim chance. They prefer graduates of eastern colleges. Professor went over to the registrar’s office + looked up all my grades for my college course before he wrote my recommendation. He has been making fun of me ever since. My lowest grade was in Serin [???] Bible - only 3.2. (3 is passing work) I had made 4.4 in Freshman Bible and the registrar told him he had a bad moral influence. I suppose I shall have to register at a Chicago organization. If I do take graduate work next year I suppose it will be at Chicago for I am pretty sure of getting scholarship there or $150 or $200 and it will not cost me more that $250 or $300 beside.
Eva is doing well. I think we shall be proud of her some day. Her singing is noticeably good even here where there a great many good singers. Professor Morrison the Director of the Conservatory who is not given to idle words of flattery told her she had a voice of much promise.
Eva is giving me lessons in singing. I take one almost every day. Mama is the only person as yet who professes to enjoy my efforts. It sounds very queer to me and Eva laughs occasionally. But never mind some day I’ll sing like the lark! Fred is going to choral class so he may too.
Fred is learning to skate or at least practising at it. He can get around now almost as well as I can. I wish you could see the skating here. Almost everyone does figure skating except me. I haven’t enough endurance to learn to skate well.
I am sure you will be glad to hear that Mama has taken to making candy. She makes fudge or nut candy almost every week.
Have you ever written to Mrs. Braden? She told me a long time ago to remind you that she had written to you. I saw the Chrisets [???] when I was in New York and had a very nice time. They inquired for you.
This semester ends Feb 11. “Evolution” will end then and I shall take up a course in “Introduction to Philosophy”. Evolution is the most interesting thing I have ever studied. I think I shall give you a course in it when you come home. Do you know if you are likely to have a leave this summer?
Write soon. It is a long time since we have received a letter from you. It seems like ages.
With much love,
Alma.
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1.
About the date:
The letter is undated, but must be in January, since it’s after the holidays, and before February. I think it’s 1905 because Alma mentions that they’ll be doing Le médecin malgré lui in:
1904_11_24_Letter_FROM_AlmaStokey_TO_WillStokey (not yet uploaded, I'll try to remember to add the link when I do)
Also in this letter she mentions her Evolution course, which she also mentioned in:
1904-10-25 LETTER FROM ALMA TO WILL
And furthermore, she’s talking about Mama and and Eva in a way that indicates it’s after their 1904 move from Canton to Oberlin.
So I’m figuring it’s written in late January, and I’m putting it on a Sunday (which doesn’t really make sense because she wrote letters on other days, but never mind), and coming up with January 22, 1905. And that should be close enough.
2.
We are going to give one of Molièreś comedies “Le Medécin Malgré lui.
Alma mis-accented Médecin. Never mind, she’s a botanist not a linguist.
3.
I took part in a Christmas play given by the Aelioian before the holidays and I took part in a scene from “The Rivals” in society.
The Rivals is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775.
4.
He said I ought to have recommendations for all the things I could teach and he asked Professor Rediger
Professor Rediger - I think I got the correct spelling of that in some other letter of Alma’s.
About the date:
The letter is undated, but must be in January, since it’s after the holidays, and before February. I think it’s 1905 because Alma mentions that they’ll be doing Le médecin malgré lui in:
1904_11_24_Letter_FROM_AlmaStokey_TO_WillStokey (not yet uploaded, I'll try to remember to add the link when I do)
Also in this letter she mentions her Evolution course, which she also mentioned in:
1904-10-25 LETTER FROM ALMA TO WILL
And furthermore, she’s talking about Mama and and Eva in a way that indicates it’s after their 1904 move from Canton to Oberlin.
So I’m figuring it’s written in late January, and I’m putting it on a Sunday (which doesn’t really make sense because she wrote letters on other days, but never mind), and coming up with January 22, 1905. And that should be close enough.
2.
We are going to give one of Molièreś comedies “Le Medécin Malgré lui.
Alma mis-accented Médecin. Never mind, she’s a botanist not a linguist.
3.
I took part in a Christmas play given by the Aelioian before the holidays and I took part in a scene from “The Rivals” in society.
The Rivals is a comedy of manners by Richard Brinsley Sheridan in five acts which was first performed at Covent Garden Theatre on 17 January 1775.
4.
He said I ought to have recommendations for all the things I could teach and he asked Professor Rediger
Professor Rediger - I think I got the correct spelling of that in some other letter of Alma’s.
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LINKS TO OTHER RELEVANT PAGES IN THIS WEBSITE
DOCUMENT LISTS FOR PEOPLE:
- WILL: DOCUMENTS ----- Incoming
- ALMA: DOCUMENTS ----- Outgoing
- FRED: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- EVA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- MAMA MARGARET: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- NON-FAMILY: THE BRADENS ----- Related
RELATED DOCUMENTS/PAGES:
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