Huguenot Seminary,
Wellington.
Oct 13 - 1928.
Dear Miss Bliss, -
It has been a long time since I have heard from you, but perhaps you did not receive my last letter sent in reply to yours written on an Easter card. I think I sent it to your School address and possibly it arrived after your school had closed. You wrote of your father's serious illness, but that he was getting better and able to be about his room. I hope he has continued to recover, for I know what a joy and comfort he is to you all. I know what busy summers yours are. My life has been very unsatisfactory of late because I cannot get about quite as rapidly as I used to and everybody seems to think I ought to be relieved of duties which I used to enjoy, so I feel that in some ways I am being set-one side, but, on the other hand, I am about as busy as I want to be and should not complain, for I am quite well, but not as strong as I would like to be.
I am on duty tonight, that is, sitting in the Teachers Sitting room, to give permissions[,] answer questions, and keep the house from running wild. Seventeen of the girls went to one of the other buildings to a Y. Council and came back in late, - Dr. Viljoen is paying an official visit and they are having refreshments in Goodnow Hall, this is for all the teachers of all the schools as he is the Superintendent General of Education for the Cape Province. This is an important visit for they are re-ar-ranging [sic] the courses of study, or planning to - and there is much to consider. The proposed changes will effect both - Training Colleges and University Colleges alike; or as one has said, it will strike one or the other hard and we are not sure which or how, so I feel sure there have been many questions asked today. I wonder if you have heard anything of Miss Sargent. I have had one good letter written since she arrived and know she is very busy, and that her time is just flying. I wonder if she will be able to do anything for the College while she is home.
Next week we have our last Council meeting for the year, and the seminary bazaar comes the next day, on the 20th - On the 25th the ladies of the "Governor [?] Tending [?] Bond," the Woman's Missionary Union which grew out of our Huguenot Missionary Society, (started in 1878,) is meeting in Wellington, and we are interested in that. The D. R. Church has just been reopened after being in the hands of builders for over nine months. It has been enlarged and renovated inside and out and seems quite new. I believe it will accomodate several hundred more people, and, of course there is a debt to be wiped out. This afternoon a class of 106 have been "confirmed" and on Sunday they are to be "presented." This is an important event in the lives of students. They have gained a certain amount of head knowledge of the Bible, but it is not always heart knowledge, but the present minister is very faithful. We are trying to make it mean something more than a new dress and hat and stockings and shoes, but these last have come largely to the fore of late.
I do not know that I have mentioned to you the rather long and serious illness of the third daughter of Dr. Murray. I was interested because she had an operation similar, but more serious than mine, some four years ago - and the trouble was of long standing, I believe. She was in bed at home for some several weeks, then in hospital for a little more than three months during which time she was steadily going down, and about three weeks ago she died. They will miss her very much. With some of us she was the favourite of the family. I learned to know her better after she was ill, and went to see her several times while she was in hospital. Just this week the news has come of the death of Mrs. Puttick at the home of her daughter in Mybing [?] you may remember Mr and Mrs Puttick retired from the Seminary two years ago after more than 31 years here and I have kept in touch with her by letter, and this afternoon a letter was given me to read giving the details of her home going. It is another link in the chain which should draw us to heaven - but there is still work to be done here!
I feel very sorry for Dr Stoneman and Miss Callahan at this time, for there is so much depending on them and so many problems -
Our oak trees are all dressed in fresh spring green, and wild flowers are coming up everywhere for lately we have frequent rains.
Oct. 19. It is mail day and Council meeting and tomorrow we are planning for our Annual bazaar - to raise money for chairs and sports outfit. [sic]
With love and all good wishes for Thanksgiving.
Yours sincerely,
M. F. Baldwin