[The Dec 1917 Williston fire, Mrs. Purington's illness, and Lu's wedding all help establish the year of this letter as 1918.]Dear Dr. Clapp:-
I'm taking the contract on your paper and pamphlet mail - for it's no trouble to me and Mr. G'. Connell can't discriminate. He gave me your envelope of stamps. I thought you'd like the Ginling College thing and I'm remailing the Bulletin. Don't tell me it's too much work for me for it isn't. But do tell me when you are to leave Mt. Dora, and where you go. I hope you come right here.
I'm glad you liked the Williston article - I'd rather have you like it than anybody else. It was hard to write because I had an atmosphere rather than just plain facts to deal with. I'm glad to have you think I said the right things.
We have been going over again the plans for the science-service building. The rink is sliding along now - half of it - but I'm fearful lest time be lost about starting the new building. Mr. Adams doesn't hustle enough. He is sweetly pleasant - but I want to see more speed, for we really need that building Sept. 13, a week before college opens. We can move in a week, I think, but not in much less time than that. I'm anxious to have you get here and go over the plans with us, point by point. Some things we couldn't alter, by reason of permanent uses of the building. Others could be altered if we have made mistakes. We have tried to think of things - to decide what was really necessary to go in now, and what could be omitted.
Mrs. Purington had a shock last night. The only paralysis is that of organs of speech, but it is too soon to decide how serious a matter it is. They say Miss Purington left church this morning but we have heard of no change for the worse. My mother is feebler than last year, but yet she keeps about as well as usual. Miss Safford is away for about a week but Miss Lockwood is with me and she knows Mamma well enough so that things move on much as usual.
I don't know whether the matter of a summer school here for training health officers to look after women in gov't industries is to be regarded as settled or not! Amy Hewes has been up since Thursday to foster the enterprise. She is on the sam ecommittee with Dr. Mann who is prime mover. Amy seems to consider the matter settled. I can't feel sure until I know where the money is coming from. That is another matter I'd like to talk over with you. I wrote you Dr. Welsh and Dr. Sherwood will come if the thing goes through? That would be fun. I want the thing decided so I shall know whether I can garden or not! If I'm to be in town most of the summer I want to raise our peas, beans, tomatoes, carrots &c. This food business is much on my mind. The situation is so deadly serious. There was a conference of N.E. colleges, normal schools &c at Northampton a week ago with two rep. from Washington - and the only thing they could say was that it will grow worse and worse until the new wheat comes in early Sept. Last year it was Oct. before we could get deliveries here. There are so many factors involved in planning the adaptations of menu here. It's no joke at all.
Good night - I must pay my bills tonight, so I'll stop this which I find much pleasanter. You'll give my greetings to your sisters? I'm so glad you've had a happy winter - and that you found a good crony to do things with. Oh - Lu says, as you may know, that she's going to get married as soon as possible. I shouldn't be surprised to have it before Commencement. She has been a trump this year. I don't see how Ann would have gotten on without her. Ann has been working so hard on filling the vacancies. She wants to get somebody for the third "high-grade" one (beside herself and Elizabeth) whom you would like to have here. She has about decided that all zoölogists are freaks! It certainly is hard to plan clearly - we need so much, e.g. in museum lines now. A lot more slides came this week from the Baltimore girls - nice slides too. They want you to stop there - both Mabel Hedge and Helen have written about it. Mabel is a trump - and Helen has her good points even though she has queer ones too. [Helen may be Helen Vincent.]
Good night again - and love to you -
April 21