[Some paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.]
Bessie B. Nesbit
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Mass.Wed. Feb. 7, 1940
Dear Mama & Papa,
Greetings! I didn't receive any flunk slip in Shakespeare so I guess I passed it. Thank goodness. But don't expect me to pull an A+ in the course. Thanks ever so much for the check and stamps.
I have a few financial matters to discuss now. First of all I have to pay a $5.00 Chem. Lab. fee by next Mon. I had forgotten about this with going home and being sick etc. I owe about a dollar for subs which can be taken care of with the dollar which Sally will pay back to me. Then I will still have the dollar you sent me. If you could possibly send me the 4 dollars before next Mon, it would help a lot. You know that they won't let you do lab. work without your receipt. There is also a matter of .50¢ for French so that if you could make it $4.50 it would help even more. So much for the out & out money. I also am afraid that my book bill will increase quite a bit. I also must pay $1.00 to the cleaners for my bath robe before the 10th. My present bill at the book store is $17.00 rendered Jan 17. I shall order a Schevill to-day.
The following is a list of books which I think it is necessary for me to buy for this Semester.
Schevill about 4.00
A book about world 3.50-400
war by Fey
Myth Book 2.08This will give you an idea of my expenses. This of course does not have to be paid right now. The $5.50 is however quite necessary.
Now here is a question for Papa. Do you have any of these books?
Bremer, J. A. Lit. of the Old Testament
Lyman, May E. - The Christian Epic
Scott, E. F. - Lit of the New TestamentOr any books like them? Dr. Adams said that for later study we shall need a harmony of the Gospels. I know you have one but do you use it too much? Also, do you happen to have
Peake, A. S. Commentary of the Bible
published by Nelso[n].Dr. Adams says this is about $5.00 but is invaluable. It is not too long & very practical. I have not received my check from the Bd. of Education yet.
Last night I heard Carl Sandburg. It was very interesting but I don't know really whether I liked him or not. He has a very singsongy sort of voice. I don't think he read his own poems at all well. I liked his singing of the folk songs from his American Song Bag. He is very philosophical and not exactly practical.
I received a letter from Fred. to day. It was a terrible mess. I don't think he ever got very far in his schooling.
In history to day we discussed the Dre[y]fus Case. The only trouble with the history is that those of us who didn't take the 1st semester have to read up on the unifications of Italy and Germany as well as the Revolutions of 1848 and the social development. I like Mr. Bailey a lot & I like his ideas. He seems to have a very level head. To night we are going to a lecture on France's place in what Mr. Bailey calls World War No. II by him. We are starting out on Madame de Sévigné in French. Some thing I could use are:
Deodo
gum
KleenexThanks ever so much for the 1st day covers. By the way do you happen to know a girl from Naugatuck named Marion Rose --- something? She goes to Michigan & says she knows me.
I am enjoying the Mythology a lot.
Love & kisses,
Bessie