[There were several clues that placed this letter in the 1917-1918 time period (the writer was a student at Columbia in 1917-1918, and Frances Botsford was a student at Goucher in 1917-1918), but the most definitive one was Dr. Giffert's address at Union Seminary. According to William Hutchinson's book "The Modernist Impulse in American Protestantism, this talk was delivered at the opening of the 82nd academic year in 1917. The address was documented in the Union Theological Seminary Bulletin in November 1917.]Dear Dr. Clapp -
It was a joy ful [sic] moment when your letter arrived at the beginning of my first real morning in New York. Thank you for having it here at the psychological moment.
I came to the City last Monday - most a week ago - and all this time seem to have been busy though there's not much to show for it. Registration here involves enough red tape to do up any number of Christmas packages. And fixing one's schedule is a maze! Saw Professor Wilson and planned out one course of action, next went to see the people at P. & S. about some work. It conflicted, so back I went to Professor Wilson - arranged a new place involving a course with Prof. Calkins - Parasitic Protozoa. - Conversed with the latter on his willingness to have me in that course and found him not overly glad because I had not had Protozoology. Third plan made and now my schedule stands till the next bust-up! Cellular Biology with Prof. Wilson, Comparative Embryology with Prof. MacGregor, Evolution of Vertebrates and Mammals, Living and Fossil (two courses) with Prof. Gregory at the American Museum. I seem to be somewhat of a curiosity around these parts being inclined "vertebrately" rather than "invertebrately" or "protozoologically" or "genetically." But it takes all kinds to make a world, I guess, - and the search for truth is what we're all trying.
Have had two genuine sprees this week - one where Teachers Carr and Stevenson came from College to see the Chemical Exhibit. We had dinner with them and went to the theatre to see "The Country Cousin." It's splendid. The "cousin" is from Ohio - pronounced "Uh-hí-uh" in true "Carr-esque" style, so that added to the pleasure of the evening. The climax of the spree came when we literally dashed from 46th & Broadway to the Grand Central to catch the 11:15 train and arrived with but one minute to spare.
Our other real bat was last night when five of us girls with one poor man as escort - Margaret Merriam's brother-in-law to be - went up to 180th Street and had a bacon bat down in Riverside Park. We roasted corn and sweet potatoes, cooked bacon on a stick, "stewed" tomatoes on sticks, toasted rolls, ate grapes, pears and candy. Glorious moonlight night and all the boats on the river and the lights across in Jersey made an enchanting picture. Came home on the bus - riding on top - and instead of alighting when we should have, we went on down Fifth Avenue and gazed at the decorations for the Japanese Mission and then came home.
Have seen so many Holyoke people this week. Meet them on street corners, in eating places, on the subway - every where, it seems. You know Margarette Burchard and Helen Fernald are both in the Zoo Department, Beryl Paige lives right next door, Betti Brockett '17 is assistant to the Secretary of the Religious Organizations, Catherine Edwards & Marjorie Hupper both '17 are studying at Teachers College and so it goes. Had a party of eight of us at lunch the other day - Amy Holway among them. She's sailing for China this next week to teach in the Bridgman School in Shanghai where Katharine Abbey and Anne Hall are.
Heard a wonderful talk at Union Seminary the other day. Dr. McGiffert is the Acting-President and talked on "The Seminary and the War." It was a justification of opening the seminary and resuming work - based particularly on the need of keeping things going in a natural way and the need of preparing for reconstruction in the future.
Heard Hugh Black preach this morning - an unusually impressive sermon, it seemed. Text was in Psalms - place I don't know - but it was something like this "My feet had well-night slipped", and something else - "till I went into the sanctuary, then understood I." The feelings about the war, the need of God and the finding of God - the fact that we get not the explanation of things or the proof, but the experience. I wish I could really tell you about it.
Must stop my running on now. New York is a new experience. So many people, some with such sad and some with such bored expressions! And the running of a city like this! It's beyond me.
Good night, Dr. Clapp. Sleep tight.
I love you.
Elizabeth.Sunday.
Had lunch with Frances Botsford to-day. She was on her way to Goucher.