[Some paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.]Peiyang Women's Hospital, Tientsin, China.
My dear Miss Turner;
Your good letter came while I was at Peitaiho for a short vacation. The last letter was the first time you mentioned anything about your operation in spring. By this time I hope you are enjoying your usual health. I would address this letter to college as I think you might be travelling from one place to another. It is indeed pleasant memory to think of my visit at Copenhagen. I am sure that you would enjoy your visit at this hospitalable [sic] city again this time. When one thinks of the world as a whole it is not so large. We all have mutual friends somewhere. Do you remember Dr. Møller? She was a doctor to my patient Mrs. W. W. Yen when the latter was in Denmark. Mrs. W. W. Yen's fourth daughter was delivered by Dr. Møller ten years ago. I delivered the fifth one this time. She was telling me of her good doctor at Copenhagen. I am sure this European trip will give you vigor for your work next fall.
Your letter came the same day when I got Vung Yuin's. She was so happy to have that visit. It was so kind of you to invite her. I was pleased to know that Vung Yuin had a chance to meet Dr. Clapp and Miss Purington. Vung Yuin has done good work in college and she came out second in her class of ninety eight. Ever since my return to China in 1922 I prepared for her going to America. I have given her what I thought of the best for her development mentally and physically. When Vung Yuin was ten years old I had a college graduate to lay the good foundation for her in Chinese and English. She could write in both languages fairly well then. Yes, she is younger than when I was a freshman in college. (three years). But I think the life of responsiblity makes the difference in maturity.
I have made myown [sic] living since fourteen years old and she has always been treated like a baby in the family, although the oldest of her lot. My brother is very fond of his children and he goes miles to make his children happy. My father was of the severe type and believed in discipline of his children. But to be fair, my father gave us good inheritance of health, moral standard and intelligance. Vung Yuin inherited much of the good quality of her grandfather. Vung Yuin has one good quality that is not often found in girls of her age_ that is persistence. She can sit at her desk without moving for hours and hours until she has matered [sic] her task. I am naturally proud of my niece.
My two younger ones are doing equally well in thier [sic] ways. Mary Jean and Abby are both qucik [sic] in their lessons. Both are little ahead in comparison to children of their ages. Abby is growing too tall and her limbs are very slender. I am getting my two nephews ready for study abrad. [sic] China just cannot afford to continue her cultural civilization. She must have her children trained in science. Scientific training will bring China blessings she has not known in past. Famine, flood, plague are scientific problems. If we know science we can conquor [sic] them. Now we are slaves to nature. This is my conviction and I am trying to do what I can inhaving [sic] ourown [sic] children trained along scientific lines.
Indeed this world is full of problems. The situation between Japan and China is no better. Japan is taking advantage of China's weak situation at this special moment. There is need for internatiaonl [sic] knwoledge [sic], understanding and appreciation of each other_ that is between nations. Japan got her literature, art, and music from China. The foundation of Japanese language is Chinese. Her military party thinks in terms of aggresion. [sic]
Japan has done everything to harm China. Just now she has seized China's custom and post office in Manchuria. Here at Tientsin Japan has stationed troops since last fall. Soldiers point thier [sic] pistols at us all the time. We walk and go about in our work as if they are tin soldiers. It takes certain amount of grace to pass these soldiers without cursing them. This is a very bad word to use_ but this is exactly what one feels like to do at times. For China she must be patient in her suffering. We must continue to have faith in better instinct of mankind. This world is here for our happiness and not for our suffering. We must have different psychology for our living.
Depression is a sickness not only of China but America as well. I read in paper that Michigan University has to cut certain percentage of salaries of her staff. Many college students find hard to finish their courses. A. A. U. W. journal mentioned that Mount Holyoke College has two of her sophomore houses on cooperative basis for the coming year as to meet the student need for retrenchment.
Our students are having many problems also. Some cannot continue thier [sic] college courses as thier [sic] fathers are out of work. Many colleges around Shanghai have been burned by Japanese soldiers. Many colleges had to close last year on account of Japanese invation. [sic] All colleges in Mukden are occupied by Japanese soldiers. Those colleges that are open are pressed with funds. Some of us are begining [sic] to see the importance of college education for our youths. Here at Nankai University one man gave thirty some scholarships of three hundred fifty dollars each per year for four years to men and women of ambition who needed financial help. These students must pass thier [sic] examinations before getting aid. Many students are seeking summer jobs. This condition is rather unusual in China for labor is cheap here and very few students would give their time for exchange of little money. But this year many students are glad just to get their rooms and meals.
We took in quite a number of students into hospital this summer. Living is getting harder as the standard is higher all the time. Articles of food and clothing have doubled during my last ten years at Tientsin. Meanwhile income of people as a whole have not been doubled. We are begining [sic] to have these problems like large city population. One thing I have noticed that is our college students are getting stronger and healthier than their parents. We have a number of colleges whose students ar examined by our staff members. As a whole they are a healthy lot. In China all colleges require high school diplomas and entrance examinations. It is getting harder each year to send students to college. Many parnets [sic] who can afford to send thier [sic] children to colleges are not admitted for their children have not had enough qualification. Many students come to me for thier [sic] physical ailmenst [sic] as well as getting advice for college entrance.
In regard to our hospital work we are getting along as usual. But this year we have added one additional doctor and twenty some student nurses to our staff. We have a Yenching Graduate as the head of our nursing school. She received her training at P. U. M. C. We have a young graduate from Cheloo University. It is good to have a number of people from different colleges. We have established two more stations in busy districts outside of Tientsin. Each station is taken care of by a young doctor and an experienced nurse. All together we have four such stations, two of them already self supporting, other two are in poorer districts of the city. But we hope to make ends meet someday.
In our medical department we have secured service of a Harvard graduate. He is very fine in clinical diagnosis. This helps much in our work. We get much aid from P. U. M. C. also. We send all our specimens for pathological diagnosis there. We cannot afford such elaborate plant as P. U. M. C. but we certainly ought to take advntage [sic] of their laborate [sic] plant. We also send members of our staff to take different coures [sic] at P. U. M. C. every year. We are only three hours from Peiping. We have no X ray but we have connection with Peiyang Men's Hospital for this work. We are getting nearer to our aim gradually. On account of unsettled condition we might have to postpone our new building. I am so afraid to start a thing then not to be able to finish it. I like to do things that I am sure. The only thing is that we are very much crowded for space. With addition of some twenty new students we had to do some readjusting but we did succeed in carrying out our plan. As Dr. Tsao patinetly [sic] waited for my coming I am waiting for some one to share my responsibility. Our two residents are fine and they lack administrative ability.
When this letter reaches you probably it would be about time for college. I close this letter with much love from Abby and myself. I do hope that this trip to Europe has done you much good.
Yours lovingly,
Me-iung Ting.August 23rd, 1932.