Today’s letter is written to Dart, from Ruth Chamberlain. Because there are so few letters written this month by Dot and Dart, I thought I’d interject a few from Dot’s mother. This one was written after Ruth had broken the news to her daughter that she would not be coming out to Ohio to take Dot back to Connecticut for her summer break.

My grandmother was a highly educated and quite literary woman, but she never mastered the art of penmanship. I will attempt to quote her letter verbatim here, but some words are indecipherable so I will guess at their meaning through the context of the letter.

All evening I’ve had the most overwhelming urge to call Dot and be assured that final exams hadn’t (done her in) altogether. And all evening I’ve been telling myself I was foolish to be concerned, knowing full well she is enough like me to have (undecipherable) directly it was all over and forget all about the agony until next time. So – since I’m disciplining myself by not calling, I will humor myself by writing to you so I can talk about her all I please without being thought a prejudiced parent.

First of all, congratulations on having been accepted at college. I sent that message before by Dot, but it bears repeating, for I really can imagine how (undecipherable) it must have made you to be “all set – and no place to go.” I’m delighted that you were given full credit for the college work already completed. When I was confronted by having to take another foreign language at Wellesley I elected German – and have always thought it was a great mistake. Of course, if your major were science, I suppose German might be helpful by the time you were working for a PhD, but I imagine Spanish would be a lot more fun in the taking. German grammar I found difficult – and the speech – ugly and dull. I never felt tempted to go beyond the one year required in that subject! Somehow I can picture you taking Philosophy. I loved it and found it the easiest subject to get A in that I ever met. History should be valuable to you as either teacher or journalist – and with your love of good music and interest in it, music appreciation should be so much “apple pie.”

We were dreadfully sorry not to be able to work in the trip to Ohio – but neither Dad nor Eleanor could take time off now – and there were many other reasons that pointed thumbs down. However we do all appreciate your cordial invitation to come to 12611 Superior Ave. and we’d like to take a rain check on that.

Dot has held out a hope that you’ll be coming to Greenwich between summer school and fall term and we’re already looking forward to that. Had you heard that Gordon and Betty moved out last Sunday since Gordon’s job was transferred to Middletown, Connecticut as of last Monday. They found an Inn that took transients and since then have lined up a sub-let on a furnished apartment from June 23 til Labor Day.

Poor Pegasus has been undergoing a major operation the past two weeks and I have been more or less thumbing my way back and forth to the Library. What dependence we put on these modern contraptions.

On June 16 we’re planning a Welcome Home Day for the veterans from North Hianus – the little community where the library is – so I expect to spend the coming week trying to collect enough food to feed 250 people. No, I’m not chairman of the affair, but I’m a helper – and I have a feeling it’s going to take a great deal of help.

This June 19th will be the first birthday in all her life that Dot has not been home to celebrate. If you’ve heard her speak of anything she’d especially like, do let me know for it will seem very strange to me to have such an important day come by with no chance to prepare a party or a surprise. (No fair saying she’d like to have me come to Ohio.)

If Dot is with you by the time this reaches you, give her my fondest love and tell her she’ll be hearing from me again soon.

My best wishes to your family and be sure to make them know how much we appreciate their proffered hospitality.

I’ll be very interested to know what courses you decide upon and how you like them.