[Paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.]Peiyang Women's Hospital
Tientsin, China.
March 23rd, 1933.My dear Miss Turner;
Your good letter arrived several days ago. I have just finished my letter to you when yours arrived. I just made a summary of the question you asked_ [sic] the peticheal haemorrage and its treatment. The little summary was sent with my hurriedly written letter.
In these days of troubled times it is hard to sit down to concentrate our thoughts_ there is little opportunity for doing our best. It means a great struggle to keep our heads above water. I am rejoicing in the work of your departemnt. [sic] In your peaceful country where people can devote their time and energy for science. If scientific results are utilized for the happiness of mankind this would be a different world. To certain extent scientific results are wrongly used_ they mean destruction of stable civilization. Here in China Japan is inflicting deaths upon hundreds and thousands by her modern warfare. Air craft is certainly a wonderful invention but when this invention is used to kill people_ it is a curse. The thing itself is good but the purpose for using it to kill people is certainly a curse.
China at last has gone into resistance. Fierce fightings are going on outside of the great wall. Both sides are struggling and casualities [sic] are heavy on both sides. In face of modern warfare China cannot stand long but Japan must know that in odder [sic] to inflict deaths upon us she must pay with blood of her men also. China has definitely decided to tolerate no longer of arrogance of her neighbor Japan. If the ar has not done anything to China certainly it has done one good thing_ that is unity among all classes of people. Everybody is contributing toward patriotic chest. Japan has violated international law by not allowing Red Cross to get the wounded soldiers. Thus many of our soldiers died of cold and hunger after being wounded in front. Our soldiers are very poorly clad. There will be an internal revolution also against the military party in China after this.
Four representatives were sent by Tientsin United Women's Organization to visit the emergency hospital for the wounded. There were about three hundred fifty soldiers lying on floor with just little straw under them. Many soldiers have no shoes and stockings. Some have just torn uniforms. There was a stove in each room. Each room is able to accommodate fifty people. Many schools have given their extra beds to these soldiers. These soldiers are not of the front line they were wounded from air bombing shells. Many are suffering from chillblains of hands and feet also. North China is as cold as massachusetts in winter. I was one of the four representatives so I boldly said to the cheif [sic] officier [sic] of this military camp.
"We regret with shame to find your camp in such a condition. what taxes we have paid to country we expect to be rightly used for national defence [sic] and support of our soldiers. now it is not time to discuss your past negligence and we are here to do what we can for soldiers. Just tell us your immediate needs and we shall supply them to these soldiers in the shortest time possible."
The military officier [sic] was much shocked by my statement for very few people in China would ever dare to say anything to military officier [sic] of this nature face to face. This military officier stood a little bit straighter and said to me_ "I am a graduate of Medicene [sic] from Cheloo University. I have been with the military party for ten odd years and I am fed up with their selfishness. I am Christian and I really want to do my best for these poor soldiers. I am powerless in certain respect. [sic] Requisites [sic] are made to the highest militray [sic] council and often they are ignored. People must rise up and do things. I agree with you in every sincere statment [sic] you have made[.]"
We left the place and was busy right away with buying and making of beddings, clothing, stockings, shoes etc. By this coming Sunday we shall be able to supply material comforts to five hundred soldiers. They are coming in daily from war area. After allt hese are immediate aids. We must get our fundamental problems settled in order to be a stronger nation. Education, industry, scientic [sic] agriculture, solution of better communication, etc all take time. For decades we have been taught to look backward and now we must turn forward and face problems as they are. There will be another meeting this afternoon and we shall know what other needs we can be of aid.
April 2nd, 1933.
This is another Sunday. I had a very early call out. It is too late to sleep again. Your good letter dated February 26th and March 5th came. Nothing has happend [sic] to any of us yet. We must go head with our constructive program. Just now hospital is undergoing renovation. We are putting in heat system in our old building and are going ahead with construction of our new building. I have been rather busy with relief work and on top of this_ my own professional work. Inspite [sic] of everything we are making progerss [sic].
If suffering has not brought us anything I am sure it has given us a sense of responsibility. Everybody is giving toward relief fund or patriotic fund. Patriotic fund is used for soliders. Relief fund is used for civilian population. Tientsin is quiet and so far nothing has happened. If you should visit Tientsin streets you would think there is nothing happening in China. People go about their every day affair as usual. Hospitals for soldiers and relief camps are outside of the city so ordinary people do not see much of suffering except reading newspapers and learn little indirectly.
Then another thing we must be very careful_ that is we must not arouse too much emotion of common people. When emotion is stirred we might do many things we would regret later. Cool headed people would not cause trouble but others could do many unreasonable things. China is in a very piteous condition. She cannot build a national army in one day. We do not expect other nations to help China for this is our problem. China is like a very sick person and whose house is full of armed robbers.
There are many problems but I feel the greatest of all is how to educate the mass in the shortest time possible. Once we become an enlightened people we need have no fear of any aggressive neighbour. All sound hopeless in view of the urgency of this present condition. No matter what has gone or what is coming the world is going on and on. Today is our national day of prayer. suffering is a whip and suffering is a stimulus. Thru it we might become a sturdier people. Thru it we might become an [sic] more upright people.
Now we will chat something personal. Your little namesake is growing. She is very bright mentally. She reads easily both in Chinese and English. She has excellenet [sic] memory. She can say the whole book without looking. It is remarakble [sic] how well she uses her English. Abby is not neat and is not careful with her things. Her muscular coordination is very poor. For this reason I have not started her with piano lessons.
Mary Jean is more an all around girl. She has not so good concentration but learns easily and forgets easily. She takes of herself like a grown up young lady. She is always neat in her appearance.
The two always dress alike as they are about the same height. Mary Jean has piano lesson twice a week. She is doing well. Abby can sing well. When Mary Jean can play her songs they would be able to have their concerts together. I have no complaint of their behavior. By nature they are obedient and sweet. They are like my brother_ thier [sic] father having soft temperament. They are like other children sometimes do cause little uneasiness. Physically they are ten times better than when they were under care of their mother. They give me great comfort and pleasure.
I like to share my comfort and pleasure with you. When you can, do come and stay with us. I am planning to build a small Chinese house with modern conveniences. I want to have enough ground; so I culd [sic] have a little garden also.
Now we are in an apartment which is bad for children as they have so little room to play about. Probably we would be able to go to seashore this coming summer as fighting is quite near there. It would be hard to live in that apartment for summer so I must plan someway to have them in a cooler place.
I hope that you can see my work during my years of activity. After a few years I will have to retire to a quieter life. At least I must give up my obstrical practice. Just as you said once to me that you want to live in health when you retire. I think this is an important point to remember. Health is happiness. For this very reason I try to live a very regular life. I always try to make up my lost sleep if possible. By the time you retire from your teaching I hope to have a little house of my own to welcome you.
My plan for my children is an ambitious one. I want them to have as high an education as they are capable of attaining. At least you will try to spend your next sabbatical year with us. Abby would be twelve years old by that time. Mary Jean would be thirteen. By the way each has written you a little letter. I helped them with a few words but they did most the writing themselves. I think that they are going to be good students in college. There is geart [sic] deal pleasure in watching their growth.
Outside of my professional activity and home activity I have been interested in helping college students to get thier [sic] education. Just now I am assisting a young man to get his college education in engineering. He seems to be a very promising young man and is in his first year in college. Of our twelve graduate nurses this year we are offering two further chance [sic] for higher education. We want to send them to Cheloo University.
A week ago I sent you two boxes of tea. During these spring days one gets sleepy at times working long hours in laboratory. A cup of tea would refresh you and members of your staff for further periods in your work. I hope that you do not have to pay duty on these two boxes. In my last letter I thought I put in picture of my children. Evidently I did not. This picture was taken at Christmas time. Now they are taller and bigger than thier [sic] pictures[.] [The enclosure does not still remain with the letter.]
This is to let you know that while my mind is disturbed by war but so far nothing has happened to hospital or to nay of us. We are going ahead with our constructive program altho I feel very slow at times. I close this letter with much love from three of us.
Yours lovingly,
M. I. TingApril 3rd, 1933.
[First letter from the children follows.]
March 28th, 1933
Dear Aunt Abby;
I thank you for your pretty valentine. Now I am having my spring vacation. I am in the second grade of Tientsin American School we read, wite [sic] an [sic] draw in school. I have Chinese lessons at home. I have Music lessons twice a week when I grow big I like to come to America to school. Sister Abby is one year younger than I and she is in the first grade. We like school and we like our teachers.
With love.
Your little girl
Mary Jean Ting.[Second letter from the children follows.]
March 28th 1933
Dear Aunt Abby
I thank you for your valentine. I can read every word of it. I am in the first grate of Tientsin American school. We read, write, and draw in school. We have numbers also. When I grow big I like to come to America for school.
With love and kisses
Your namesake,
Abby.