[some paragraph breaks were added for ease of reading]
Peiyang Women's Hospital
Tientsin, China.September 12th, 1935.
Dear Miss Turner:
This is fall already. The summer has been a very busy and a happy one. Vung Yuin sailed from Shanghai on President Hoover two days ago for America. We were happy to have her back as this visit gave her a chance to know something of our recent progress and recent development. With her college training she can see for herself what further progerss [sic] and development China needs. Vung Yuin is simple and sweet as ever and her five years away have not changed a bit her natural self except we found her much more refined and more considerate.
Her return home has been a good thing for her brothers and sisters also. We have one boy who is entering college. He is the one whom I want to send to America for college training. He is too timid to venture his education outside of his country. With proper guidance he would make the mark also. He took government collee entrance examinations and has entered Tsing Hua University as a freshman this fall. Tsing Hua University is considered the best college in North China. There were 4000 students who tried to enter. Tsing Hua only took four hundred from all over China. This is our government institution and there is practically no tuition to pay. He said that he would see what he can do in college first as his English foundation is not too good.
Now I have added another member to my home. That is another younger brother of Vung Yuin is staying with me and going to high school. My brother is a good man but he does not look after the education of his children. His theory is that people must be born talented. My theory is that one must have right training in order to bring out the natural talent. But the older brothers want these two younger brothers stay near me as to have my guidance over their education. This younger boy is in senior high school now and has two more years then he would be ready for college.
Mary Jean is in her fifth year primary school. Abby is studying at home with a tutor. She is literary inclined so we have decided to let her master Chinese classics while she is young. She is studying Confucious Annals.
By this time you must be in America. We read about the International Physiology Congress. One Chicago Professor has been invited by P. U. M. C. to give a series of lectures to medical students there. I am sorry that Peiping is not nearer. When you have time I shall be glad to hear something of your trip to Moscow. We read much about Russia's five year plan for her people. Probably in our next issue of The Journal of Physiology we would be able to read some of papers presented at the congress[.] What main language is used at this congress? Were you able to visit some interesting places at Moscow? We have a large community of Russinas [sic] here at Tientsin. They look so sad and many of them are in desperate need. Last Sunday I took a walk in a park where there is a Russian church. I did not understand anything but all looked and sounded sad to me. Most of their women knelt right down on bare floor. There were only three or four men in the congregation.
Mary Jean and Abby have played their Danish game much at beach. Abby is not as dextrous as Mary Jean so she cannot earn many pretty pins. They have also played much with their rubber rings at beach. Vung Yuin was with them for one month so they got real acquainted with each other. I had only a short vacation this summer as one of our doctors was away. Altogether I was with them for one week at beach. It was a very happy short vacation. Vung Yuin took care of her sisters so I did not have any responsibility during my vacation.
Thru Vung Yuin I am sending you a little Christmas package. In the package you would find two silk blouses from me and two tray sets from Mary Jean and Abby. We send this small package with much love from three of us. I do not kow [sic] your size but the man told me that this kind of blouse slips thru head easily and the size would not make much difference.
Today happens to be a general holiday for everybody. This is Moon Festival. Everybody goes out to see the moon tonight for this is considered most beautiful moonlight night. I am staying at home this afternoon as I do not expect people in office.
Hospital is busy as usual. We are making progress although slowly but we feel we are making every improvmenet [sic] on a solid foundation. Just now we are putting up a new building for our men help. There are almost twenty of them and we have no adequate living quarter for them. Since we have a little saving this year so we would use this saving for them. They work hard also day and night to make this hospital comfortable for our patients.
In my last letter I told you something of a home for infants. I am glad to say that the past summer we did not have one case of dysentery. In former years infant mortality have been very high. Summer before last we lost fifty babies in three months. Although I have a big practice among children but I have not had chance to handle so many at one time. I am having good results with my plan. My goat's milk formula is making success with these babies. Ever since I took the administration of this home people have asked me if the budget has been increased. I told them that the smae [sic] amount of money and at the same time I did not put any of myown [sic] money in for this work. All I took with me is my will and my energy. It is really another place. How I wish that you can visit me in my active years. You must see these happy children when I visit them. They understand too who is their real friend. This is my reward. Now we are formulating plans to make these children useful citizens for the future.
Some one wants my service now so I would speak to you someother [sic] time. I close this letter with much love from all of us.
Yours lovingly,
Me-iung Ting.