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Alma is being stuffed like a turkey with useful knowledge for graduate school.
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Oberlin, O. May 21, 05
My dear Will;
We had learned several weeks before we got your last letter that you would not sail until July 15th. I should not have planned to go to Chicago if your leave could have been here during the summer. I am going to stay all summer - you sent such a big check that we can manage it very well.
I have my work planned. I am to have a course in Micro-Technique (Botanical Methods) and one in Special Morphology of the Angiosperms. Professor Grover selected my work and consulted Dr. Chamberlain of Chicago about it. He is cramming me these last few weeks so that I shall be prepared for my work there. Professor Grover is so sure that I shall distinguish myself that I am rather afraid to go. It is a nuisance to have to live up to a reputation that anyone has given you. I am to have a scholarship at Chicago year after next if I do good work this summer.
Miss Starr and I have written to engage a room. We want to get in at one of the college dormitories.
This has been a week of dissipation. Sara Laird came up last Saturday to spend a week. Laura came home Saturday night to spend six to eight weeks and Grace Hanlin came Monday to spend two or three weeks. I love to have company but I always lose a good deal of sleep. I never can go to bed so early.
Then we have had the May Festival this week. The Musical Union assisted by the Theodore Thomas Orchestra gave two concerts - “Tannhauser” and “The Beatitudes” by Cesar Franck. “The Beatitudes is the finest thing I have ever heard. The orchestra gave a recital assisted by William Sherwood. It was a glorious lot of music. I went to everything and I felt worn out when it was over. It is pretty hard work to take in these heavy concerts in rapid succession especially when the seats are hard and uncomfortable.
Did I tell you that Lil’s uncle died last month? He had been sick a long time. He left Al and Lil each $3500 and the Halseys $4000 and the house. Lottie who is married got only $1000. Lil is doing very well at teaching. She has between thirty and thirty-five pupils and will have a good many more next year.
Laura had been sick several weeks and she came home to get rested. She likes it very much here and has improved remarkably for one week. She had tonsillitis and was threatened with an abscess in her throat but the danger is all over and she seems to be about well.
I have been teaching Eva a French song “Les Cygnes” and am very proud of myself as she pronounces very well. I taught her two German songs and Mr. Adams asked her to get me to teach her this French one. She is going to sing it in rehearsal soon.
I am very glad you sent your saber home - it has made its appearance at Talcott dramatics half a dozen times. The last was at a presentation of “Bluebeard”, given by the Senior Girls in the Talcott attic. The cadet suits have been very useful too. I hope you can bring me some kind of dress or waist to give to Lil. She has done so much for me that I should like to give her something and there isn’t anything else that I can get her that she can’t get better for herself. If you can’t do it conveniently never mind.
As far as I know now I shall be here next year. I am not very anxious to go away unless I can get a very good position. I should hate to go away if you are here next fall. Mr. Sockett is going to teach Botany in the Academy next year and if I leave I suppose Miss Starr will be Assistant.
I am very glad that you are coming back so soon.
With lots of love,
Alma
My dear Will;
We had learned several weeks before we got your last letter that you would not sail until July 15th. I should not have planned to go to Chicago if your leave could have been here during the summer. I am going to stay all summer - you sent such a big check that we can manage it very well.
I have my work planned. I am to have a course in Micro-Technique (Botanical Methods) and one in Special Morphology of the Angiosperms. Professor Grover selected my work and consulted Dr. Chamberlain of Chicago about it. He is cramming me these last few weeks so that I shall be prepared for my work there. Professor Grover is so sure that I shall distinguish myself that I am rather afraid to go. It is a nuisance to have to live up to a reputation that anyone has given you. I am to have a scholarship at Chicago year after next if I do good work this summer.
Miss Starr and I have written to engage a room. We want to get in at one of the college dormitories.
This has been a week of dissipation. Sara Laird came up last Saturday to spend a week. Laura came home Saturday night to spend six to eight weeks and Grace Hanlin came Monday to spend two or three weeks. I love to have company but I always lose a good deal of sleep. I never can go to bed so early.
Then we have had the May Festival this week. The Musical Union assisted by the Theodore Thomas Orchestra gave two concerts - “Tannhauser” and “The Beatitudes” by Cesar Franck. “The Beatitudes is the finest thing I have ever heard. The orchestra gave a recital assisted by William Sherwood. It was a glorious lot of music. I went to everything and I felt worn out when it was over. It is pretty hard work to take in these heavy concerts in rapid succession especially when the seats are hard and uncomfortable.
Did I tell you that Lil’s uncle died last month? He had been sick a long time. He left Al and Lil each $3500 and the Halseys $4000 and the house. Lottie who is married got only $1000. Lil is doing very well at teaching. She has between thirty and thirty-five pupils and will have a good many more next year.
Laura had been sick several weeks and she came home to get rested. She likes it very much here and has improved remarkably for one week. She had tonsillitis and was threatened with an abscess in her throat but the danger is all over and she seems to be about well.
I have been teaching Eva a French song “Les Cygnes” and am very proud of myself as she pronounces very well. I taught her two German songs and Mr. Adams asked her to get me to teach her this French one. She is going to sing it in rehearsal soon.
I am very glad you sent your saber home - it has made its appearance at Talcott dramatics half a dozen times. The last was at a presentation of “Bluebeard”, given by the Senior Girls in the Talcott attic. The cadet suits have been very useful too. I hope you can bring me some kind of dress or waist to give to Lil. She has done so much for me that I should like to give her something and there isn’t anything else that I can get her that she can’t get better for herself. If you can’t do it conveniently never mind.
As far as I know now I shall be here next year. I am not very anxious to go away unless I can get a very good position. I should hate to go away if you are here next fall. Mr. Sockett is going to teach Botany in the Academy next year and if I leave I suppose Miss Starr will be Assistant.
I am very glad that you are coming back so soon.
With lots of love,
Alma
audio---images---comment---transcript---~NOTES~---links---site navigation
1.
We had learned several weeks before we got your last letter that you would not sail until July 15th. I should not have planned to go to Chicago if your leave could have been here during the summer. I am going to stay all summer - you sent such a big check that we can manage it very well.
Not knowing what exactly was going on with Alma, I had to read this a couple of times before I understood it. She's saying that she is going to be studying at the University of Chicago during the coming summer, but if Will had been scheduled to come home on a ship that sailed earlier than July 15th, then she would have stayed in Oberlin to spend time with him rather than planning the summer of study in Chicago.
Here's a link to sample of a notice that Alma would have read with the July 15th information:
2.
Miss Starr and I have written to engage a room. We want to get in at one of the college dormitories.
This is the first mention that I have, at the moment, of Anne Starr. There may well be an earlier one that I haven't noticed, since Alma doesn't explain to Will who Miss Starr is - or maybe calling her "Miss Starr" seems like sufficient introduction? In a letter later that summer, Alma does tell a little more about Anne Starr:...as if she had never mentioned Anne to Will before. I suppose she forgot that she had.
3.
Sara Laird came up last Saturday to spend a week.
This is Sara Grant Laird, who is on the Non-Family page for Ohio folks.
4.
Laura came home Saturday night to spend six to eight weeks and Grace Hanlin came Monday to spend two or three weeks.
It can't have felt like home to Laura, since it was in Oberlin, not Canton, but never mind. Grace Hanlin was a Gracey cousin. I've got her in the Provines/Gracey section of this website.
5.
The Musical Union assisted by the Theodore Thomas Orchestra gave two concerts - “Tannhauser” and “The Beatitudes” by Cesar Franck.
For Theodore Thomas, Wikipedia says:
Theodore Thomas (October 11, 1835 – January 4, 1905) was a German-American violinist, conductor, and orchestrator of German birth. He is considered the first renowned American orchestral conductor and was the founder and first music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1891–1905).
So Theodore Thomas himself wasn't in Oberlin for the concerts since he had died the previous January. As for his orchestra, friendsofmusichall.org says:
Starting in 1869, Thomas toured his orchestra across the U.S. along what became known as the ”Thomas Highway.” He left summers open for festivals, traveling to major cities including Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati, and small towns in between. He returned regularly to New York for summer concerts and concerts with the New York and Brooklyn Philharmonic Societies.
6.
Did I tell you that Lil’s uncle died last month? He had been sick a long time. He left Al and Lil each $3500 and the Halseys $4000 and the house. Lottie who is married got only $1000. Lil is doing very well at teaching. She has between thirty and thirty-five pupils and will have a good many more next year.
Lil is part of the Non-Family page for Mabel, Lil, Steenie, and Orestes. Her family was the Loves, in Canton. I've got them on the Non-Family page for Ohio folks, although there isn't much for them.
7.
Laura had been sick several weeks and she came home to get rested. She likes it very much here and has improved remarkably for one week. She had tonsillitis and was threatened with an abscess in her throat but the danger is all over and she seems to be about well.
I haven't yet decided whether Laura spent a lot of time being sick, or if it's just that most of the time when anybody thought to mention her, it was because she was sick.
We had learned several weeks before we got your last letter that you would not sail until July 15th. I should not have planned to go to Chicago if your leave could have been here during the summer. I am going to stay all summer - you sent such a big check that we can manage it very well.
Not knowing what exactly was going on with Alma, I had to read this a couple of times before I understood it. She's saying that she is going to be studying at the University of Chicago during the coming summer, but if Will had been scheduled to come home on a ship that sailed earlier than July 15th, then she would have stayed in Oberlin to spend time with him rather than planning the summer of study in Chicago.
Here's a link to sample of a notice that Alma would have read with the July 15th information:
2.
Miss Starr and I have written to engage a room. We want to get in at one of the college dormitories.
This is the first mention that I have, at the moment, of Anne Starr. There may well be an earlier one that I haven't noticed, since Alma doesn't explain to Will who Miss Starr is - or maybe calling her "Miss Starr" seems like sufficient introduction? In a letter later that summer, Alma does tell a little more about Anne Starr:...as if she had never mentioned Anne to Will before. I suppose she forgot that she had.
3.
Sara Laird came up last Saturday to spend a week.
This is Sara Grant Laird, who is on the Non-Family page for Ohio folks.
4.
Laura came home Saturday night to spend six to eight weeks and Grace Hanlin came Monday to spend two or three weeks.
It can't have felt like home to Laura, since it was in Oberlin, not Canton, but never mind. Grace Hanlin was a Gracey cousin. I've got her in the Provines/Gracey section of this website.
5.
The Musical Union assisted by the Theodore Thomas Orchestra gave two concerts - “Tannhauser” and “The Beatitudes” by Cesar Franck.
For Theodore Thomas, Wikipedia says:
Theodore Thomas (October 11, 1835 – January 4, 1905) was a German-American violinist, conductor, and orchestrator of German birth. He is considered the first renowned American orchestral conductor and was the founder and first music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (1891–1905).
So Theodore Thomas himself wasn't in Oberlin for the concerts since he had died the previous January. As for his orchestra, friendsofmusichall.org says:
Starting in 1869, Thomas toured his orchestra across the U.S. along what became known as the ”Thomas Highway.” He left summers open for festivals, traveling to major cities including Boston, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati, and small towns in between. He returned regularly to New York for summer concerts and concerts with the New York and Brooklyn Philharmonic Societies.
6.
Did I tell you that Lil’s uncle died last month? He had been sick a long time. He left Al and Lil each $3500 and the Halseys $4000 and the house. Lottie who is married got only $1000. Lil is doing very well at teaching. She has between thirty and thirty-five pupils and will have a good many more next year.
Lil is part of the Non-Family page for Mabel, Lil, Steenie, and Orestes. Her family was the Loves, in Canton. I've got them on the Non-Family page for Ohio folks, although there isn't much for them.
7.
Laura had been sick several weeks and she came home to get rested. She likes it very much here and has improved remarkably for one week. She had tonsillitis and was threatened with an abscess in her throat but the danger is all over and she seems to be about well.
I haven't yet decided whether Laura spent a lot of time being sick, or if it's just that most of the time when anybody thought to mention her, it was because she was sick.
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LINKS TO OTHER RELEVANT PAGES IN THIS WEBSITE
DOCUMENT LISTS FOR PEOPLE:
- WILL: DOCUMENTS ----- Incoming
- ALMA: DOCUMENTS ----- Outgoing
- LAURA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- EVA: DOCUMENTS ----- Related
- PROVINESES & GRACEYS: DOCUMENTS ----- Grace Hanlin
- NON-FAMILY: OHIO FOLKS ----- Sara Grant Laird, Love family
- NON-FAMILY: MABEL, LIL, STEENIE, AND ORESTES ----- Lil
- NON-FAMILY: ANNE STARR
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