January 3rd, 1948.My dear Miss Turner;
Kindly share this letter with Miss Purington as I have so little time for writing these adys. [sic] The enclosed letter will tell you everything about two honor scholraships [sic] I gave to Ginling in honoring you and Miss Purington. I am very happy that I was able to give this small gift. I have had chance for a christian education and I want many others to have it. In turn these girls someday would understand the joy of service for others. After my return from Hangchow Conference I have been very busy with releif [sic] work. 1948 does not look too bright for China and our peopel. There is the communistic war spearding [sic] rapidly like fire. This is not a civil war but it is a war between Russian Communism and China. Russia is forcing upon us this ism and many of our young believe that this communism is going to make earth into heaven. China is suffering poverty and misery. But those of us who have Faith in God believe that evantually [sic] He would deliver us out of this evil. The saving feature of our national life is that everywhere christians are going forward in Faith. Inspite of difficulties we are going ahead with what we can. It is true we are suffering inflation, high cost of living, disruption of communication etc. The spirit of going forward is there.
The theme of our conference at Hangchow was Faith in Action. I carried this spirit back. On my return to Tientsin I found so many refugees. I started a soup kitchen for refugees from rural districts. I had very little on hand. Gifts have come in with no names and we are now feeding 1000 people in a camp. Every one in the city calls Dr. Ting's Refugee Camp. I started this but gifts small and big have been received. In one bank everyone gave from the president to the errand boy gift big to millions and small to cents. Everything looks dark but the spirit within in [sic] is bright with that peace and joy from God.
Myown [sic] medical work keeps me very busy. Although in my family there are a number of doctors. So far no one is willing to share of my hard work yet. My nephew wants to finish his postgraduate study then he would do his hospital work. Because of my fall I cannot stand on my feet so long otherwise I am strong as ever. On my left wrist there grows a small cystic tumor. It was operated once but the root I am afraid is still there. It grew again and sometimes causes a little pain. As soon as P. U. M. C. opens I would want to have it removed. I would like to get to America and have it removed by a good surgeon. But this may be too long in waiting for it is getting slightly bigger. It hinders little in my operative work.
The hospitals in China are geeting [sic] help from International Releif [sic] Committee otherwise we would not be able to run them. Because of inflation we can get so little with our money. I am now chiarman [sic] of Tientsin committee and this work keeps busy also. We have just finished our work with 33 milk stations in this city where we have given milk to 600 patients and 4000 students all between ages 6_12. There are 260 Russains [sic] (white) and they do not want to return. These Russians are very poor. If we are poor we are in ourown [sic] land and they are poor they are in a foreign land. I as a chairman I try to look after their welfare. They are our poor guests who would not return home.
I do not need this letter to be returned to me. Just keep it with that other letter from Ginling College.
It is getting very late and I am closing this letter with much love to you both. I wish you the best of everything for year 1948.
Yours Lovingly Me-iung.
[On the reverse side is the other letter mentioned above.]
Ginling College Nanking China December 29, 1947
Office of the President
Dr. Mei-ing Ting [sic]
132 Chengtu Road
Tientsin 10Dear Dr. Ting:
I am very sorry not to have answered your letter sooner. In fact, I ought to have written to you regarding the scholarships long before your letter came.
In November, the Scholarship Committee met and two girls were chosen to receive the scholarships you have given in honor of Miss Turner and Miss Purington. Each was given a CN$1,000,000 scholarship for this term.
In regard to the endowment, we decided to turn half of your gift into US$1000 and have the other half invested here and to use the interest as the scholarships. This decisionwas made with the hope of preserving at least the value of half of your gift. If the depreciation goes further and the interest from the CN$5,000,000 should not be enough for the two scholarships, we shall then have to turn part of thegold [sic] into CN. If you should have a better idea for conserving the value, we shall be very happy to have any suggestions you may wish to make. We certainly want it to bring the best value possible for the students receiving the scholarships.
Miss Tao Dzin was given the Turner Scholarship. She is a sophomore, majoring in Music. She has been a very active member of the Christian Fellowship. She took charge of the Sunday School for the neighborhood children. She is a capable and responsible student and has a good spirit of service.
The student chosen to receive the Purrington [sic] scholarship is Miss Peng Shi-ko, a sophomore, majoring in Chemistry. She is a graduate from Baldwin School in Nanchang. She is a Christian,a nd a very dependable student, and made good grades during her first year. Her two younger sisters are in our freshman class, and the family would not be able to meet the expenses of all three of the girls without help.
These students are both anxious to correspond with Miss Turner and Miss Purrington [sic], and will do so very soon. You have given me the address of Miss Turner, but I do not have the complete name or address of Miss Purrington [sic]. Perhaps you will be good enough to send it, as we do not have a Mt. Holyoke Catalogue.
Mrs. Ting came over from the University last week to bring your dues for the C. A. U. W. and it has been turned in to the Treasuruer. I expect you will soon receive the official receipt.
I hope you have had a good Christmas season and that the New Year will hold many good things for you and all your family.
We have been busy with the usual campus activities around the holidays, and are beginning to prepare for the details that come with closing the semester and the registration for the new semester. We have a new student dormitory partially built -- and hope to be able to relieve the crowded conditions in our present dormitories. It is not the same architecture as our other buildings, but more like the Practice School Dormitory. We are using the funds from the Joint Campaign for this purpose, and are looking forward to being able to house the enrollment we expect for the fall term next year.
With best wishes and thanks to you, I am sincerely yours,
Wu Yi-fang
WYF:hp
P. S. Dear Dr. Ting,
Dr. Wu dictated this letter yesterday morning. Before I got it ready to mail, she was taken to the hospital and her appendix was removed. She had been having some pain for a day or two but did not consider it serious. When the doctor came to see her, he still did not think it serious, but said he would like to have her at the hospital several days for observation and tests. She went in at 2:30. At 5:30 the doctor telephoned to say they had decided to oeprate. By 7:30, it was all done,a nd she came out of the anaesthetic very easily. This morning, Dr. Chester went to the hospital and got the report from Dr. Daniels that she was doing well and no complications were expected. The doctors said they were glad they had not waited longer, so we were all glad when it was over. Dr. T. Y. Chen performed the operation. We are trying to see that she does not have visitors for some time, so she will have a good rest along with her convalescence. She is now in the University Hospital.
If you will send me Miss Purrington's [sic] address and her given name, I shall see that Miss Peng gets it and writes to Miss Purrington [sic].
I hope everything is going well with you and your good work.
Sincerely,
Helen Plaum
Secretary to Dr. Wu