226 Prospect St.
Torrington Ct.
Jan. 15, 1900.My dear Susie:
Your very welcome letter was received about two months ago. It doesn't seem so long ago in a way and in a way it does. Guess how time goes fast some ways you look at it and looking at it other ways it doesn't. It is Monday night after school and before supper and my word is very uncertain. That's why I am writing to you, I don't feel like doing any thing else. Now don't feel offended on the other hand feel complimented to think that when I can't compose myself to do any thing else, I can write to you.
Since school I have been on a sleigh ride and walked down town and back again and still I am uneasy. I think I shall go skating after supper if its any good. This town boasts a skating rink this winter, whether they have had enterprise enough to clear off yesterdays fall of snow I don't know. Don't think I am usually so reckless. School closes at 3:30 and I usually stay there working until on towards five and then study more or less in the evening. We had a two weeks vacation at Christmas and I spent it at my new home in Morristown, N.J. I told you mamma lived there now didn't I? I had a pleasant quiet time visited the metropolis one day, but it took all my time to do my errands, consequently I didn't do much sight seeing.
I had one Christmas present which I enjoy so much that I must tell you about it. It is a nice little oak desk. Ella and I owned together the one we had at college and she has that now. I have been without one since I have been here & I do enjoy this so much. Your face looks out upon me and inspires me as I write this letter. Perhaps you won't feel flattered at the kind of inspiration you have given me. Ella is looking at me too and my brother and mother.
The world treats me on the whole better than it did last year. It thrusts fewer annoying boys in my path and less hard work, or else I have acquired a faculty of walking by the work that is in my path. I sometimes think that perhaps I should be wiser if I worked a little harder. My Biology class makes me the most work. I have them the whole year five times a week, and I am beginning to be scared for fear I shall teach them all I know before the end of the year. I have taught them all I know now, but I am afraid I shall teach them all I can learn before the year is out. They have studied the grasshopper, the cricket, beetle, fly, butterfly, earthworm, starfish, sea urchin. And next they are going to take the cray fish and I must hurry and dissect it before they get to it. You see I have to hustle along all the time, because I didn't do very many dissections at college.
I was immensely interested in the topical discussion of your surroundings which you sent me. One thing worries me. You said the same thing about 4. Supt. & 6 2nd assistant, namely - - - - - -. Is there any serious connection? I should think you would perish with so much work. I just couldn't possibly do it, but you always did have a much larger capacity for work than I. I am really worried about your doing such an awful lot tho'. And a class in water color painting!!! That did make me gasp for a few seconds. But isn't it surprising how one can adapt themselves to circumstances. I am teaching a class in Eng. History. I can't remember the stuff half as well as my scholars can, but I pretend to and scold them when they forget and get along beautifully.
You ask me how far a Freshman Algebra class should be at the end of sixteen weeks. I don't suppose you want to know, at this late date, but I think our class is about thro' factoring. I don't have the beginners. They go as far as quadratics the first year and I take them a term in the second year and finish there. If you do it in one year you probably ought to be a little beyond factoring.
There were a number of changes in the faculty here this year. And all the new ones were - m e n, awful to contemplate. But owing to my prolonged training at the "Female Seminary", I am enabled almost to ignore them. Three of them there are & I have to share my laboratory with one of them, so it is inevitable that I come in contact with him. They are all little sawed-offs. [?] One Wesleyan '99, teaches Physics, somewhat stuck of himself. Another Williams, '97 I think, teaches in business course, very much stuck on himself. Another Yale '98 teaches Latin, very meek & not enough stuck on himself. The first one is the one I run across the most often.
But I must be boring you. I can only say take good care of yourself and take plenty of outdoor exercise every day. When you have papers to look over, throw them into the waste basket. Ella writes me that Grace Clark has just died. She was Freshman our last year & sister of Florence Clark '99, a very sweet girl.
Do you see Elizabeth Stowell often. Give her my love when you see her.
With much love
Bertha C. Hyde.