A Letter Written on Mar 6, 1956

Tuesday

Dear Mom & Dad,

Received your letter & also package with skin lotion & glad to get both. I was sure there was something in with the lotion when I saw the size of the box.

Don't remember exactly when I last wrote - Anyway - Edgy, Mel Comstock, and I were among 10 Holyoke girls who went on an IOCA skiing trip at Dartmouth's ski lodge in norther N.H. this past weekend. It was a great trip & we all had a wonderful time. You spoke in your letter of my "many ski trips". This past weekend was only the second time this winter I've been on skiis! [sic]

While I'm on the topic of sking - this may not be the best time but here goes. Edgy is going home the weekend of the 16th & bringing their car back with her with the idea of going skiing the first few days of vacation. The president of O.C. [Outing Club] and a couple of other O.C.'ers are going & Edgy wants me to come. We'd probably go to North Conway until about Sunday or Monday [Vacation, by the way, starts Wed, March 21st]. Edgy then wanted me to drive back to Philly, as her parents don't want her to drive alone, and I could probably take the bus up home with Irene if she can come then. It should be a great chance to really work at my skiing & show a little improvement. Whenever we go, it takes me most of the time to reach the point of progress I was at last time out & I don't seem to improve much.

Only one catch - I will probably have to borrow some money to finish out the year - even though this will be a relatively cheap trip - small transportation costs & one of the kids in our class has a family cabin near there. We're hoping maybe we could take sleeping bags & stay there. Should be great fun!

[Just for the record - I'm sort of "off" on Dartmouth at the moment & have given up the idea of skiing up there over vacation. I was awfully glad he didn't show up last weekend]

As for Soph Hop, I invited a fellow from R.P.I. & found out Sunday he couldn't come. Also found out I have two blue books and a paper next Tuesday, and a history paper Monday & decided I had better work this weekend - I could have had a blind date but not from Amherst - it would have been for the whole weekend. I didn't want to spend all that time & money on someone I don't know.

I went to a tea given by the religion dep't Monday night for prospective majors & was very impressed with everyone - faculty and jr. & sr. majors & by their program. I also talked with the head of the department and he said there was nothing wrong with starting my major subject junior year - if that was what I wanted. He also pointed out that this is not as important decision as some people try to make it. I'm only committing myself to 24 hrs. in religion out of 60 hrs, my last 2 years. it ammounts to only two full courses a year. But I will go to the discussion groups of history and English majors - just to make sure.

Courses are coming fine. I was relieved to find I only had 3 blue-books this period but then discovered I had papers in 4 courses in the near future. I just love my description class - it's fun, not work.

I would really like to go back to Chateaugay this year - Let me know what you think & also about the proposed skiing trip. I'll write Irene.

Love,
Liz