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: Page 1, vcl_Letters_Aaron_Fannie_1919-10_001
October 1, 1919.
Dear Mother, Father, and Pete:
It is funny that I have always a lot to write, in spite of the fact that I write every day.
Before I forget, Pete, I simply forgot to mention the tennis score, that is all. I beat Rurth Franklin 6-1 and 5-3. I played miserably at that. Yesterday afternoon I played again. Since you seem to want to know all the details, I played with a Freshman named Anne Halliday, who hails from Memphis, Tennessee. She looks exceedingly athletic, and I thought I would have a stiff pull, but we ended up 6-3 and 3-5, my score first. I was up for hockey the hour before that, but only one girl turned out beside me, so we had the benefit of an hour's private instruction. It certainly was useful. I am going to play both today again. The other girl who was out had played golf the day before. The course is quite a ways the other other side of Poughkeepsie. You have to take at least two cars to get there. It is an easy nine hole course. I think there is plenty to do around college that takes much less time.
I got through with my work in good time yesterday, so I landed in bed at nine-fifteen. Lucy coma[sic] just after I got to bed. She staid and talked quite a while. You would not know her here, she is an altogether different girl from what she is at home. I told her about the English interview. She told me the sooner I get used to being told my faults and not my merits the better off I will be. She said after her first English interview she went to Helen Jackson's room and let out in her presence the same as I did here. I realized in about one-half hour what a nut I had been. Unfortunately I had already mailed the letter. She gave me Hail Columbia for writing about it to you. She said you would think it was lots worse that it was, and you would start to worry when I had already forgotten about it. I don't think that is so, but if it is, forgive me. She also told me that marking here is not only much stricter than at High School, but stricter than at any of the women's colleges, that girls who flunk out here often go to Smith, and get along very well, also that many who cannot get in here go to Wellesly. I don't know how much of that is true. At any rate she said that two years ago they lowered their system of marking, so that what had previously been A was equivalen[sic] to B, and that they wanted to lower it one more, but some of the faculty would not stand for it, because two-thirds of her class is already below graduation grade. Don't get excited that she told me all this--she simply did it to show me that the fact that I had a C on the theme she picked to pieces simply indicated that it might have been lots worse.
This is not to the point here, but I have forgotten it every day so far. When was the telescope from Lucky's to come?
Dear Mother, Father, and Pete:
It is funny that I have always a lot to write, in spite of the fact that I write every day.
Before I forget, Pete, I simply forgot to mention the tennis score, that is all. I beat Rurth Franklin 6-1 and 5-3. I played miserably at that. Yesterday afternoon I played again. Since you seem to want to know all the details, I played with a Freshman named Anne Halliday, who hails from Memphis, Tennessee. She looks exceedingly athletic, and I thought I would have a stiff pull, but we ended up 6-3 and 3-5, my score first. I was up for hockey the hour before that, but only one girl turned out beside me, so we had the benefit of an hour's private instruction. It certainly was useful. I am going to play both today again. The other girl who was out had played golf the day before. The course is quite a ways the other other side of Poughkeepsie. You have to take at least two cars to get there. It is an easy nine hole course. I think there is plenty to do around college that takes much less time.
I got through with my work in good time yesterday, so I landed in bed at nine-fifteen. Lucy coma[sic] just after I got to bed. She staid and talked quite a while. You would not know her here, she is an altogether different girl from what she is at home. I told her about the English interview. She told me the sooner I get used to being told my faults and not my merits the better off I will be. She said after her first English interview she went to Helen Jackson's room and let out in her presence the same as I did here. I realized in about one-half hour what a nut I had been. Unfortunately I had already mailed the letter. She gave me Hail Columbia for writing about it to you. She said you would think it was lots worse that it was, and you would start to worry when I had already forgotten about it. I don't think that is so, but if it is, forgive me. She also told me that marking here is not only much stricter than at High School, but stricter than at any of the women's colleges, that girls who flunk out here often go to Smith, and get along very well, also that many who cannot get in here go to Wellesly. I don't know how much of that is true. At any rate she said that two years ago they lowered their system of marking, so that what had previously been A was equivalen[sic] to B, and that they wanted to lower it one more, but some of the faculty would not stand for it, because two-thirds of her class is already below graduation grade. Don't get excited that she told me all this--she simply did it to show me that the fact that I had a C on the theme she picked to pieces simply indicated that it might have been lots worse.
This is not to the point here, but I have forgotten it every day so far. When was the telescope from Lucky's to come?
: Page 2, vcl_Letters_Aaron_Fannie_1919-10_001
Classes went much better today again. Miss Thallon was back, hobbling around on crutches. I saw Miss Smith again today. She is very nice. My first impressions are almost always wrong. She wanted all the particulars on how I was getting along. I told her it was very hard last week, that I was not used to work yet. She said "Oh, well, work is not the thing we are going to worry about in you." Where did she get the dope? Do you suppose she looked up my record? I hardly think you would have told her, Mother.
I got your letter, Mother, and yours, Pete, about the French. Owing to the fact that work has not been a snap, I had practically made up my mind to continue with Freshman French. But I do agree with you that it would be perfectly ridiculous to suppose that I did not know more about French than most girls taking Freshman French. One thing I am sure of myself, and that is that I can talk much better. I considered the matter carefully myself, and then I spoke to Lucy. Before I spoke with her I decided that if by taking a second advanced course I could avoid the exam and still have sufficient foreign language credit, and if I could get Miss White of someone equally good, I would try the exam. If I am very low on the exam, I will stay where I am. I don't want to get myself in deep, that is what I mean. I will probably have to give up my fine schedule. The preparation for the three recitations we have had so far have each taken me two hours. She give over fifty pages to read, and not only to read, but to do various things with them. That would take me that long in English, too. I think I will take the exam, and not talk to anyone else. I don't know any upper-classmen who have not taken this French. Lucy knows about as much as anyone on the subject. She said Freshman is a rotten course, and everyone knows it. Soph. French is more interesting, she said. She agrees with me, that I should try the exam, and if I am not too low, take Soph French, and then take another advanced course again. I have the craziest feeling on the subject, that no matter which I do, I'll be doing the wrong thing.
I play off the tennis match tomorrow afternoon.
Love,
Are you coming, Pete? [Fannie]
[The comfort came from N.Y. I told you the other things before. The tea-pot came Only the handle + handle of lid of sugar bowl were broken.
I got your letter, Mother, and yours, Pete, about the French. Owing to the fact that work has not been a snap, I had practically made up my mind to continue with Freshman French. But I do agree with you that it would be perfectly ridiculous to suppose that I did not know more about French than most girls taking Freshman French. One thing I am sure of myself, and that is that I can talk much better. I considered the matter carefully myself, and then I spoke to Lucy. Before I spoke with her I decided that if by taking a second advanced course I could avoid the exam and still have sufficient foreign language credit, and if I could get Miss White of someone equally good, I would try the exam. If I am very low on the exam, I will stay where I am. I don't want to get myself in deep, that is what I mean. I will probably have to give up my fine schedule. The preparation for the three recitations we have had so far have each taken me two hours. She give over fifty pages to read, and not only to read, but to do various things with them. That would take me that long in English, too. I think I will take the exam, and not talk to anyone else. I don't know any upper-classmen who have not taken this French. Lucy knows about as much as anyone on the subject. She said Freshman is a rotten course, and everyone knows it. Soph. French is more interesting, she said. She agrees with me, that I should try the exam, and if I am not too low, take Soph French, and then take another advanced course again. I have the craziest feeling on the subject, that no matter which I do, I'll be doing the wrong thing.
I play off the tennis match tomorrow afternoon.
Love,
Are you coming, Pete? [Fannie]
[The comfort came from N.Y. I told you the other things before. The tea-pot came Only the handle + handle of lid of sugar bowl were broken.
