[A penned inscription: "ans. Febr 19 1918"]Monday Afternoon -
Dear Dr. Clapp:-
Well, I didn't suppose it would be as long as this before I wrote you again! Those first few days after the fire seem months ago now
The first day of second semester is here and "Baby Zoo" started off with lecture and laboratory. In Embryology and Histology we're waiting until after the first lectures before we begin laboratory. In both of those courses we are having to start with prepared material. It's taking a while to get reagents and equipment together, you know.
How I wish you might see my histology quarters. I'm so proud of them - those two second floor English offices. If you remember there are double doors between and when they are thrown open it makes a very good room. in spite of bell ropes at one end and the doors leading into the west and south galleries. I only hope all my girls enjoy music. [smiley face] This morning I discovered that Mr. Hammond gives organ lessons to-day - one of our regular periods. Did I tell you I have 16 girls in that class? I'm taking them eight at a time - Monday morning, Tuesday afternoon, Thursday afternoon and Friday morning with 2:55 & 3:50 for lecture hours on Wednesday. I put the class hours together so that they can be used for laboratory work if we wish.
Such slides as I have to use! Harvard Medical sent us 18 sets of 100 each, which they use in their own histology class. A loan. Then on Friday the boxes from Dr. Kingsbury and Prof. Gage arrived. Among other things they sent us 685 slides to keep. Did you ever hear of such generosity? Then of course I have all of Edith Wallace's, Mabel Hedge's, etc - smaller lots, but very nice. If my girls don't learn histology this year, I know whose fault it will be. The talk that Dr. Sedgewick gave us a while back, sent a number more than usual into the class. When things come I'm going to do quite a bit on methods. That is what they want especially. They want to get positions in laboratories.
I've been realizing more than ever how poor my old head is on theory. Give me facts every and any day! For ten days I've been reading, reading, on Evolution, trying to get together a few lecture notes once more. We have been pretty fortunate in replacing the books. Thomson's Heredity is the one thing which I've wanted and found out of print. I mean wanted a good deal and didn't want to get along without. Friday I went down to Skinner where our charred books are reposing and after some search I found 5 readable copies. To be sure the covers were so brittle they fell off when I touched them, and the pages are burned on the edges, but I've had the girls trimming them off this morning and we can use them. Isn't that luck! I think the class will have a certain delight in using them.
The incubator is giving us more trouble than anything else. It seems to be impossible to get one with electric attachment unless it's imported. Dr. Hooker will incubate the eggs for us if we aren't successful. Did Ann tell you this choice bit? She is giving us the stains which she happened to have.
Oh yes, you might be interested in knowing that it's costing over $500 to replace the dissecting instruments which we had in the department. Maybe Ann told you. Isn't that terrible. Prices just take one's breath away. Well, Mr. Adams said our $1300 insurance was in the bank. I'm afraid it won't go as far as we wish it might.
I don't know much general college news. I stick pretty close to Mary Lyon these days. I was lazy before Christmas, but haven't been since and I never felt better in my life. Chris and Esther and Dorothy have been perfect bricks throughout this whole thing. I've found it's a splendid stimulus for Chrissie to have all she can possibly stagger under. She did a better job between Christmas and exams, when she had so much to attend to, than she ever did before.
Elizabeth is spending the week end with us. It seems natural to have her around except for the way she looks - those abominable bone rim specks! Why is it that people who are sensible about most things will wear those pesky things! I can't understand it. Bone rims or no bone rims, I'm mighty glad she is going to come back next year. She has gotten at Columbia somewhat of the feeling which I got at Woods Hole about the "out-of-dateness" of comparative anatomy, but I tell her she'll forget it when she begins to teach it. You know I really had a strange feeling about teaching it in the fall, but it didn't take long to get over it. I'd forgotten all about it until she mentioned it this morning. I only wish I had had a chance at making it a year course! One can hand it out without the "stuffing" performance which I've been sorry for, both times that I've given it.
Your dear friend Mrs. Smith is sorrowful these days. Was there for supper last night. Miss Carr sent a girl out for napkins for Elizabeth and me. The girl came back saying Mrs. Smith would bring them in herself. Sure enough she did, with this remark - "napkins would be provided for guests if she knew when they were to be present." You know about that system they have now - a book in which you sign up when you are to be away & then if anybody wants a guest she consults the book and if there's a vacancy, simply records the name of the guest. You see the thing is taken absolutely out of Mrs. Smith's hands. Miss Carr told me last night that Mrs. S. has tried to make her go back to the old system and she refuses - hence this very wounded attitude of Mrs. Smith of late. Poor thing!
Miss Woolley is at home with a bad throat, I hear. She hasn't been "in public" for days.
Mr. Shea & Mr. Burnham are getting to be very friendly. (How do you like the transition from the president to these men?) In pulling the bell ropes they have to come into my room, you know. From the first Mr. B. has been talkative, but John is only beginning to volunteer an occasional remark beyond his usual, "Mornin, miss." His latest was, "Snowing again & we have enough to last until fourth of July." He is pretty nearly right too. Of course you haven't all the snow but you are getting some of the cold weather aren't you! I'm sorry. I had hoped, for your sisters' sake especially, that it would be summerish all the time.
I keep that picture of Pine Knot on my desk in Wilder - It's so nice to have it. A number of the girls have noticed it and all remarked the same thing - "What an ideal situation, in the midst of pine trees!" Now spring will be coming before long and Helen and I once more have our minds set on putting something in the cottage. Wouldn't you please give us a suggestion, or pass on this one - a big rug for the living-room? We are set on doing something, and you'll let us, won't you? We want it to be what you'd like.
Please give my love to your sisters and keep a lot for yourself.
Lucy.
P.S. At present my little nephew has 2 black eyes - bumps from coasting!