Sept 8, 1954
Dear Pat -
First of all, the Mount Holyoke student would not exist if food wasn't allowed in the rooms. It is best to keep it in tins as the older dorms have a few mice. My dad is from Phila. & says I ought to tast[e] one of those pretzels.
No matter how large you might thing [sic] your room will be it will be smaller. Don't plan on keeping anything larger than a foot locker in your room which might be fixed up as a window seat or pushed under the bed. Your large truncks [sic] are kept in the basements but you can always have access to them if you find that you'd like to keep a formal or other things there. Also don't bring more than one cotton dress if that to begin with. By the time you get there it is generally cool & certainly not too hot for a skirt (wool) & blouse. This cuts down your ward robe abit. [sic]
There is nothing I enjoy like a good play so do write one, however, there is nothing I know less about or have less ability in doing. There is an interdepartmental major which is called speech & drama which might be the one you'd like. For the best advise [sic] you'd better like ask your advisor. The speech & drama is a mixture of English & drama, really. Holyoke has many very good writing courses which you'll want to look into. I wasn't going to tell you that I am a physics major for fear you'd think of me as being odd & having horn rimed [sic] glasses, but that [is] what I am. So you see, I'm not too informed in dramatics except that I enjoy them.
I'm not odd nor have horn rimmed glasses. Just read this over & thought it wasn't clear - I'm just a physics major & it doesn't show, I hope.
Please never excuse your spelling to me as I wouldn't know if a word were misspelled. The only thing I've ever failed was a semester spelling exam in seventh grade, & this letter is probably full of misspelled words. But if I use a dictonary [sic] for letters it makes it too much like work.
There are plenty of tennis courts at Holyoke which are pretty good. If you're not an expert I'll take you on. I guess you know that there are fencing classes also. By the way, bring along your own swimming suit. It is great to entertain a date in the pool, but a girl wouldn't be caught dead in a tank suit.
I think I'll but [sic] up at college the Wednesday after you get there & will be over to see you. Have fun packing - I'm sure not looking forward to it.
Best wishes & love,
Ellie
P.S. bring something to wear in hard rains.
[Inscription on the reverse, in a different handwriting than Ellie's:]
Souvenir of Shrove Tuesday in 1954
Daniel