Huguenot College.
Wellington, 29 Oct. 1917
My dear Annie,
Our new head nurse from Chicago, Miss Grover, came by the city of Calcutta from New York and was 8 weeks on the way as the coal caught on fire and the ship put into Pemambuco and did not yet get away for two weeks. I hope the new steamer, City of Cairo, leaving Cape Town next week, will not take so long. Mrs. W. J. Vilgoen and daughter have taken their passage to Boston where the latter is to remain for study. Dr. Vilgoen (V like f) is one of the leading men in Education in South Africa. He is superintendent General of Education in the Orange Tree State and chairman of the University Commission that is planning under government for the three universities of South Africa Cape Town, Stellenborch & the University of South Africa of which the Huguenot College is a constituent part. His wife and daughter I have only met but Mrs. Walker says they are very pleasant, simple people. If they are as nice & friendly as Dr. Vilgoen they will make friends easily. He has been very courteous and kindly to me. I think they will go first to the Copley Square hotel (is that right) and then look for a boarding house. Possibly they may go to the "Commonwealth." I do not know whether the Franklin Square House would be open to them or whether it is what they will want. Mrs. Vilgoen wishes her daughter to learn economy, Dr V. said. She is to study "Domestic Science," "Elocution" and "Music." She is 16.
I hope you will call and see if you can do anything to make them feel at home. Mrs. Vilgoen expects to return to South Africa and leave Gertrude and her father will go for her when she has finished. I have given them your name and address. Also Clarence Swain's, and am enclosing in this a letter to him. [Clarence's letter is no longer together with this one, so I assume Annie sent it on to him.]
Those who have gone to the United States from this land to study have often gone to Columbia, Cornell and Ann Harbor. I suppose this letter will go on the City of Cairo so the ladies will get there as soon as this letter. I wish I could have written to you earlier but did not know about their plans.
A year ago I was with you at Franklin Square House and we went to Park St. Church to hear Dr. Conrad. He had a good sermon & a splendid audience.
I suppose Florence & Burdette Reed have had their lovely wedding trip by motor through the White Mts. & around by Lake Champlain. I wonder if they went to Burlington Vt. where grandfather Chamberlain used to be professor in the College. Your Aunt Mary wrote of taking mother's big blue sheat [?] for the wedding presents! That was before the wedding day.
I hope you and the homefriends are keeping well. I hope Mervin can be of more service elsewhere than in the trenches. With much love from