American University, Beirut, Syria Oct. 31, 1933Dear Miss Turner,
I am in the midst of writing a paper on Children's Reading to be given to the Mother's Club next Tuesday. Please note that this time I am one week ahead of the game and not doing it the day of the utterance.
This is a joke. By some fluke I am getting the reputation for speaking. At least this came my way. And I've been asked to talk at college chapel on Nursing and Social Service - as far as I know the first woman who has been asked to speak at regular chapel. I'm a bit nervous. Then lo and behold a woman at the British Syrian Mission wrote and asked me to lead the Bible Study Group on one of the Minor Prophets. I balked at that. Does this sound like Nursing Education?
There has been an envelope addressed to you sitting on my desk for some weeks past. It was meant for an effusion which wasn't finished. The occasion was a paper written by one of our flock. I enclose a copy.
The student who wrote this is good material. She has a light in her eye. I can't convey to her yet the beauty that there is in the classification of epithelium - but I can enjoy a glint of pleasure when I pass out a skull for the students to feel the groove for the transverse sinus and its proximity to the temporal bone (petrous portion)[.]
Yes, this year the Anatomy & Physiology Course is in my hands. It doesn't seem to me that I am training their powers of expression, much, but I do believe that they are getting a feeling for the human frame and its behavior.
My assistant in the nursing course is getting "next" to the students by reason of the hours she puts in with them in the practice sessions. I'm sorry to miss that and a little jealous, but know that perhaps my part - of planning etc is necessary.
The doctors are fine. Last year's class is doing well in this year's classwork. I visit some of the classes and am pleased to feel that with a few there is a sound basis for a clear understanding of the work. Some of them are doing well with their ward work. It will be fun to see a whole crop of "completed" nurses turned out by us. Really nursing is something to teach. It involves quite a lot. Giving them a "feel" for it is the idea. I know my details are fuzzy. I know it is difficult to be simple and clear enough for them to feel satisfied in their classwork. It is still hard for me to be careful about assignments and too easy for me to wangle out of them what I want them to say. But it is also getting to the point where I can watch them follow an idea through to its conclusion. And a gleam in the seeing eye is my criterion of accomplishment. Surely you say I ought to remember that any clever class discovers soon enough what teacher likes.
Come and see us. How is everything? The year flies by. My oldest niece writes me letters with a literary facility and the power of putting herself on paper. I've taken a new lease on life and will try from my end to develop her expressive tendencies. My niece Katharine loves school and takes joy in reading and writing.
Love as ever,
Katy[A second letter in the same envelope. Many grammatical errors; perhaps it is a letter from the niece?]
American University, Beirut Syria
Oct. 15, 1933
The Laundry I have never supposed that the laundry is developed in such degree. When I would think about work which belong
edto the women world I would kome to the point that the women work stand in the same place as with many year ago. The women as a mother and a women she must fulfill her fuction for example; to cook, to clean, to treat, to scrub and to wash. I was sorry that no body took care and to make her life easier, and to respect her greatfull work. But this day I was happy to see that the housework bigan to interest the people, and to take a place in the modern technique. I was glad to hear that a great number kilos laundry is bringing in the morning and in a few hours it is returned clean. I saw the big washing and boiling machine and a special sqeezer and the ironing machine everything is arranged in the best way. I want to hope that every branches from the women work will grow farther like the nursing branch its began from witches and women treatment its growed up till a special school and a training during years.