Madras. February 2, 1930.Dear Abby:
Edith Coon gave me your letter of Dec. 24th which we had been anxiously awaiting. We did want to know whether or not Miss Smith's last attack was one of a series or whether it could be due to her trip. Apparently, as I had thought, it might have happened anywhere, and it was no harder on her for having happened in Madura. I feel quite sure that if she could have chosen her end the manner of it could not have been different. It seems much simpler to die in India than in America. However, it never can seem right to us that she did not reach Madras. It has been such a shock to us that I know it must have been dreadful for you with the month of suspense that followed. I know how you must miss her.
There is one thing which I would like to ask - that is, if the little blue bowls which were Anne's could go to you. They are really good Chinese china and Anne was very fond of them. Miss Smith wanted to buy them but when Mrs. Mallery found out that she wanted them she asked me to give them to her because Anne had been very fond of Miss Smith. I would like to see them go to one of Anne's friends as well as to some one Miss Smith loved; if Miss Smith had had them long enough for them to be thoroughly identified with her perhaps I would not feel that way. But it is not a really important matter.
When I was in Kodai and saw all the callas growing wild around our bungalow I did wish you were there to see them (and for other reasons!) since you have a fondness for them; they were magnificient. There were also magnificent Jack-in-the-pulpits, a larger species than ours. I brought them down with us so that we could show them to the girls. Miss Cosmey wanted to teach them a very pretty little song about jacks which I learned in Philadelphia last spring - a song in canon form.
Edith Coon began lessons in Botany while we were in Kodai - systematic work. We meet every Sunday morning for a spell - an hour and a half; she takes up a new family every week, while I work on the plants of the compound and try to keep up with the new things that come into bloom. I know most of the things in the compound now but I manage to find Sunday morning work. We are feeling a bit sensitive on the subject of what we collect, as most of the things which I bring in are described as growing "in waste places." That does not seem a proper description of the compound.
Yesterday we devoted the day to a Staff meeting. Various problems had come up which depended on plans for the future of the college - size of college, size of staff and character of staff, new buildings, etc. We had taken a stab at them at our Monday night meetings but never got anywhere; it always seemed to [sic] big a problem to tackle with our usual program and when we were likely to become sleepy. So we planned to devote a day to discussion. We had a morning session from 8:30 to 11:45. We intended to stop at 11:30 for breakfast but Mrs. Buck, who has the work in Physical education came in to give some special points and she was going strong at 11:30. She is a most likable and interesting woman, very attractive. Her husband is in the same line of work at the Y.M.C.A. training school. They are going home on furlough and we are desolate. There is a prospect that the school may be moved and they will not return to Madras - that is a sad prospect for us. She says we ought to have a full time person who will give hygiene, and we should, indeed. It ought to be an Indian but there is no place in India for a woman to get proper training. Eleanor may write to you about this same thing. One suggestion is to get the right girl and send her to America for training. We began in the afternoon at 1:30 and continued until 4:20. We got through all the business which was on the docket in good shape. We had allowed until 4:30. We all felt rather tired out after it. We met in the Staff common room, and true to my custom I "rushed the plush." There is nothing in the Staff room to corrspond to the funeral chairs at the M.H.C. Faculty meeting, but some seats are more comfortable than others, especially for short people. It was a very interesting meeting; our meetings do seem so much more profitable than those at M.H.C. I was surprised that I could keep keen on it the whole time, but I must admit that, as Roger said of the cat he was holding, I "swiggled" during the last quarter hour of the morning.
We are begining [sic] to get a taste of warm weather; it is noticeably warmer than a week ago; every week since Christmas is a little warmer. If it keeps up at the same rate it will be sizzling by the last of March. Eleanor and I plan to go north April 2nd, we start on the morning of the 2nd and it will be a hot trip of 36 hours. We are trying to finish up work for the 2nd and 4th year classes this month so that they can have March for "revision." I can manage the 4th year work, but I am behind with the 2nd year. Eleanor says she is ahead and will lent [sic] me some of their time. The 1st and 3rd year classes are about where they ought to be, but as they do not come up for university examinations the problem is not so serious.
I am more used to my work now, but I still tend to forget my 1st year class when it meets on Thursday. For some reason I have had a hard time to remember that part of my schedule. I think the real difficulty is that I am not used to keeping track of the work of all four classes. I have often taught more hours than I do her[e], in fact, I usually have, but I have never had to cover the whole field. The 1st year class meets only twice a week, Wednesday at 2:30 and Thursday at 1:30. I never forget the Wednesday hour, but twice I have forgotten the Thursday hour until the class hunted me up. The 4th year people are in at that time and I would get interested and forget the 1st year. They do not do as classes do at home - bolt at the end of 10 minutes - but sit patiently or impatiently and wait; after 15 or 20 minutes the more daring would look me up. One day I had even forgot to prepare for them, but usually I remember to do that when I plan my work for the week. I have had several narrow escapes and remembered only at the last minute. So far as I know I forgot a class only once at home - that was last year; I intended to go at 11 and I should have gone at 10.
It was so good of you to send me the beautiful stockings; I am afraid the saleswoman thought of me as more stylish than I am - they are the most elegant things! They are just the thing with one of the 9 pairs of shoes I bought in Boston in June. I did not have anything which looked quite right with them. Now I shall feel realy [sic] stylish - down there. I understand that all my new clothes are out of style, but it does not matter here; short dresses are still worn and probably will be for a long time. Christmas did seem rather queer but it was better than I had expected. It was very much better for us to go to Kodai than to take the Travancore trip. Edith and I may do that next year.
We have been having a class in folk dancing - the English dances which Cecil Sharp introduced at Mount Holyoke - since November. I am even worse at it than I was back in those days but I enjoy it and it does give one exercise. As you may imagine this is not the climate for golf. I shall wait for that until I return.
I was very glad to hear about the concerts. I do miss the music. We have only amateur music, some of it good and some not so good. Our chorus is now at work on the Mandelssohn "Hymn of Praise." It is a great relief after the "Pied Piper." What we need is some good tenors. There are two fairly good ones, but they are not always available. They get dengue at the critical moments, or go on a journey.
This is a rambling ourpouring. [sic] Perhaps I'll do better another time.
Affectionately yours Alma