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Title: Aaron, Fannie -- to Mother, Father, and Pete, February 9,1920
Creator: Aaron, Fannie
Date: 2/9/20
Text: [Addressed to Mother @ Hotel Royal Poinciana] February 9, 1920. Dear Mother, Father, and Pete: The one nice thing about the washout north of you, Mother, is that I got four letters from you this morning. I gave the maid her Christmas present after I came back, Mother, and the janitor has never been around that I have noticed--besides which, there is no occasion for that. I do not need a check yet. I have over a hundred dollars left, but don't you have to pay the second semester bill? I...
Show more[Addressed to Mother @ Hotel Royal Poinciana] February 9, 1920. Dear Mother, Father, and Pete: The one nice thing about the washout north of you, Mother, is that I got four letters from you this morning. I gave the maid her Christmas present after I came back, Mother, and the janitor has never been around that I have noticed--besides which, there is no occasion for that. I do not need a check yet. I have over a hundred dollars left, but don't you have to pay the second semester bill? I did not send the books, Pete, because I did not think it safe to send them in a smashed case. I'll send them Wednesday. It will be time enough for the bulfinch to send it with the laundry. I was fully intending to go to town to buy a telescope Saturday when I met Lucy and she volunteered to have her Mother have their store send me one like hers--she has used hers for several years and it has not broken. It will be sent to the house. The ones Luckey's have are not a bit solid. It ought to be there in time for the next laundry. I finally found Miss Bourne at home last night, and she certainly was nice to me. She said that she had not realized that I wanted to change so thatI would not be so rushed up here the end of the week, that certainly it was a shame to have to miss all the college activities up here, etc., that it was not so very important whether or not I take prose, inasmuch as I have a solid foundation anyhow, and I should come in the morning class. She will give me the prose sentences when the other class have them, and if I have time and feel like doing them she will correct them, but I must not let myself do too much work. She said that she could tell from the little she knew of me that "I was inclined to take life rather seriously" anyway. So she was rubbed the right way. I am glad I changed both for the hour and for the fact that I think any additional prose is useless. She said she had hoped that I would continue Latin next year, that I gave a promise of doing very clear-headed and logical work, in advanced prose, for instance. I am not heading for a job as a high school Latin teacher, but I politely told her that I did not see my way clear to it, that there was so much to take, and that I did want to get Greek in. She was nice as it lies in her power to be. I recited with the morning section this morning. They are quite stupid. Miss Kitchel did not appear this morning and after thee minutes from the time of the bell had passes, the class left. Have you and such regulation that you have to wait for five minutes for a prof, four for an assistant prof, and three for an instructor, and then if he she or it does not appear, you get a cut. I am still quite messed up in this system of having no textbooks in solid geometry.Champy discussed marks with us this morning. She informed us that my B was a very, very, high B, in fact almost an A. Bless her fool heart, what good does she thinks it did the class to hear that. She stopped me on my way out of class to tell me how long she had hesitated before giving me a B instead of an A. She said she was about to give me an A when she was told that an A had to mean almost perfect, and then she decided that inasmuch as this was her first year here she had better not give an A, but if she had been giving A's, I certainly would have received one, and she did hope I would get one this semester. Poor fool! I believe in the closed mark system. What did you say, Mother? I spent about an hour and a half last night practicing the tryout parts for "the fellow who blacks the bootlack's boots". That is about how important I will be if I make the part. Helen Reid is trying for the Duke. I do hope she makes it. She had the main part in three plays at Packer last year. I worked for over an hour on Ruth Franklin's stuff last night. I have to finish it up today. I called on Bess yesterday. A Pittsburgh girl, and advisee of hers from last year, Janet Trimball, brought her mother, and we had to suffer over her tea-cups again. This old lady started hopping off on the question of teachers' salaries. She did think that some of the millionaires in Pittsburgh ought to pitch in and help those poor people out. She was very amusing. And then when she started off on what a shame it is that some women are so fat I began to think of your yarns about kidding Mrs. Cowley and I was glad that I had a tea-cup to keep my facial expression busy with. It is much warmer now, but the crust of the snow is still so solid that it holds even my weight without caving in. The paths on the walk are very narrow, and we have to trail to classes single file. Love, [Fannie] Did Harold ever make those pictures for me? There are three girls left in Phyllis' off-campus house. She is not so crazy about it anymore.
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Title: Aaron, Fannie -- to Mother, Father, and Pete, October 7,1919
Creator: Aaron, Fannie
Date: 10/7/19
Text: October 7, 1919. Dear Mother, Father, and Pete: I have never yet written to you in fifteen minutes, but I will see if I can manage it today. Lester wants me to make you aware of the fact that a letter leaving Vassar at 4:20 and Poughkeepsie at 5:30 reaches him in the early mail the following morning. I knew that Lean Stolz had a job somewhere in Europe. Helen Jackson's roommate from Chicago informed me to that effect. The flowers came today. They are very nice, and I think add a lot to...
Show moreOctober 7, 1919. Dear Mother, Father, and Pete: I have never yet written to you in fifteen minutes, but I will see if I can manage it today. Lester wants me to make you aware of the fact that a letter leaving Vassar at 4:20 and Poughkeepsie at 5:30 reaches him in the early mail the following morning. I knew that Lean Stolz had a job somewhere in Europe. Helen Jackson's roommate from Chicago informed me to that effect. The flowers came today. They are very nice, and I think add a lot to the room, which is already quite an attraction. A peach of a Vassar pillow also came from Aunt Ida. It makes Aunt Hattie's look like two cents, so I may send it home to be kept for a keepsake. It is like Lucy's if you remember hers. Lester, the seal is a foot at the highest point and nine inches at the widest. You know the shape. Yesterday afternoon Phyllis and I started out for a walk since it was too wet any rainy for hockey or tennis. I am not keep about that form of exercise for steady diet, though. We went up Sunset, the rounds of the campus, the circle, and out down the road the opposite direction from Poughkeepsie. We did not get far from college, and there were houses along the way, so we were perfectly safe. The country certainly is beautiful, particularly now that the trees are turning. She came up here, then, partook of some of Mary's cake very eagerly, and staid. She had a lot of work to do, and could only be gone an hor, so we were together from three to five-thirty only. We hashed over Peabody--Miss Breene, Mattie, and Mrs. Manley. It was good, only it was maddening to think that our Latin teachers were not like those. Her mind has been in exactly the same state that mine has been, so i guess that I am not the only one. Her sister's husband has been transferred from Plattsburg, to Columbus, not West Point. Just as she was leaving and I was going down the hall with soap and towel in hand to get a bath, along came miss Cowley. Of course I had to take her back to my room, and she staid till almost dinner time. There flew an afternoon's work. She certainly can talk your ear off. She things te[sic] picture of you on my desk is fine, Father, but nobody else does, so get another. She was looking up her faculty charges. The girl I share a post-office box just brought the hangers over. They came on the eleven-twnety[sic] mail. I am going to play hockey and tennis this afternoon, then work. I had my first class in Sophomore French today. The teacher is French, very French, and new. They are reading the "Chansonde Roland" and we had just finished it with Miss White. The reason that they are reading it, too, is that the course is [changed] from last year's and they did not get it in then. Consequently I have nothing to make up. The hour was passed in reading aloud and in having pronunciation corrected, principally. They also had to give short resumes of what they read aloud. It strikes me that that is a very elementary proceeding for Sophomore French. I understand that they have to translate sometimes too. I hope there will not be much stuff like that, for it certainly is uninteresting. We did not do it with Miss White in the Freshman work. Miss White is very fine, and I thought that she talked just like a French woman until I heard the real thing this morning again. I'll know more of the course later, and if I have chosen wrong I cannot change, so there is no sense in wabbling, as you say, Father. But that is very hard for me. I have worked my head off for English. I can see that Miss Buck is a very unusual teacher, I am afraid a little too good for Freshmen. She told me in the famous interview to stay after class some day to see if I was improving any. So I staid today. She said she would ream my themes over carefully, and let me know the next time, but she thought there was some improvement. There ought to be. But I had never analyzed myself carefully before, not even on Yom Kippur. That seems to be what she expects in English. It is quite different being in a class of intelligent girls from calmly staring in a stupid high school class wothout doing a grain of work. I forgot to tell you that I went to Professor Roselli's lecture Sunday night, only, unfortunately having to go odd campus with Lucy for supper, I missed the first quarter of it. He is a very fine lecturer, and can shoot of English at a great rate. He does not think America is perfect by a long shot. Did he give you that line down at Princeton last year, Pete. Last night we reported to our fire captains for fire instructions. I imagine we will have a drill tonight. North had one last night, and Strong had one early this morning, at least I am told so. I seem to be the only one of this floor and this side of the building that did not hear so. Otherwise I have nothing new to report. One of the Freshman is Davison is to be eighteen, or rather is eighteen, today, so there is to be a bit feed down in her room tonight. We had an age comparison at our table the other night, and I had to give it away. Again I am the youngest! What would it have been last year! Four of them are nineteen, and one twenty. Love, [Fannie] Father, I have not gotten a letter from you for a few days. Is your hand sore? Has Mother learned to typewrite yet?
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Title: Aaron, Fannie -- to Mother, Father, and Pete, February 14,1920
Creator: Aaron, Fannie
Date: 2/14/20
Text: February 14, 1920. I received your letter of the eleventh this morning, Mother, also one from Aunt Hattie. Hers are always interesting (not that your are not also, but hers don't come as often). Mother, why on earth don't you stay as long as Grandpa wants you, or at least a while longer. Now that he is getting better, you ought to get a little pleasure out of the place. Besides which I am fully convinced that if Father goes to Pinehurst, you should meet him there and get a good...
Show moreFebruary 14, 1920. I received your letter of the eleventh this morning, Mother, also one from Aunt Hattie. Hers are always interesting (not that your are not also, but hers don't come as often). Mother, why on earth don't you stay as long as Grandpa wants you, or at least a while longer. Now that he is getting better, you ought to get a little pleasure out of the place. Besides which I am fully convinced that if Father goes to Pinehurst, you should meet him there and get a good rest. Having taken care of various members of the family for so long, you are entitled to it. The air is bracing there and altogther[sic] it is a good idea. I misunderstood your telegram asking what day I was going for treatment. I thought you meant of this present week-end. As far as I know, I'll go next Saturday next week, for this reason. I had all my plans made in the New York end to go Friday, (yesterday), but when I called up for a taxi Thursday noon they informed me they could not get one out to the college. That meant that I could not make the eleven-thirty-eight after an eleven-twenty class. So I decided there was only one thing left, and that was to ask Miss Thallon to let me go early. I finally found her as she was going out to dinner Thursday night. I told her my story and she said, (Yes, there are her words), "My dear, I would just love to, but don't you know that it is against the rules of the college?" I said I thought that was just for before vacations. She said, no, all the time. And then she added in the most innocent tone, "But Fannie, if you get up and leave what am I to do about it? I would not be impolite enough to tell you to stay." I'll look the other way". She then said she hoped the train would be on time. I left at five minutes to eleven, and sure enough dropped my book out of my muff with a thump as I was reaching the door! I got the only car that passed in three quarters of an hour. It had to stop about five times a munute[sic], to let every kind of vehicle get out of the tracks. There were huge trucks every few blocks collecting snow, and the car had to wait until each was loaded. I got off once to telephone from a grocery store to see if I could get a taxi there, but the cunductor finally persuaded the truck driver to let him pass. T train was at the station when I got there, on time to the minute, so I almost missed it. I came back on the three thirty and was time. I waited till six-ten for a car. None came. Finally I got the taxi chief to order a taxi for me to take me up along the car tracks. i got there at ten minutes to seven. I am glad I got some supper at the station while waiting for the auto to come. Sure enough, after I gave up waiting, six cars came in succession. The reason that I count on going Saturday next week, is that if the snow is still so bad, as it probably will be, I could [not] ask to be excused again.Father, that was a good idea to remind me to send a special. I asked Aunt Bessie to drop two notes for me yesterday, as I did not have time in New York. I told the doctor that I am no better, worse, if anything, since the last treatment. He half murdered me yesterday. There is no improvemetn[sic] today that I can notice. It's great fun. That makes six treatments. I did not ask about skating, Mother. It would have been foolish. I am enclosing my semester bill. Please pay it, Father. It is right. I asked about the medical bill. I could not make it out. They charge a dollar for each hypo. Perhaps they are right, although i could not give five cents for their skill. I heard two wonderful lectures by Thomas Mott Osborne, one of the State prisons and the other on the naval prison. I [don't] believe I have ever heard such a mixture of sad stories and ridiculously funny ones, as he told. The first night he said, in the course of his introductory remarks that when he had the honor of speaking at the fiftieth celebration at Vassar, he shocked a good many good people by saying that he came from a similar institution down the river,--yes, they were both places of education. Of course the whole hall laughed, then stopped, looked at Proxy, who was quite fussed, and started off again twice as loud. The campus looks somewhat like a men's college campus today. I acted messenger boy for Lucy for about an hour and a half this morning. I am glad I can do something for her once. I saw Charles Rosenblook a munutes[sic] this morning. He is one boob I would not want up here for a prom, it seems to me, but I guess tastes differ. I go to the informal dancing this afternoon, from four to five. Did you read the article in the Yale Record that you gave me in November, Pete, making fun of a visit to Vassar. I could not help thinking of it last night when the ten o'clock bell rand last night, and there was a general exodus of men from the quadrangle dorms. Yes, we go to bed early. Otherwise nothing new. Whichever week you decide you will come home, Mother, I will take a week-end. Love, [Fannie]
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Title: Aaron, Fannie -- to Mother, Father, and Pete, November 4,1919
Creator: Aaron, Fannie
Date: 11/4/19
Text: November 4, 1919. Dear Mother, Father, and Pete: Fool Champy assigned some reading yesterday to be done for today. Two copies of the book are to be found in the library, and one copy she has out. The lesson was assigned to two classes. I practically lost two hours and a half trying to get hold of the book. I told her so. She told me it was too bad, I could read the stuff next time! She returned some compositions today. As usual she told the class that there was room for much improvement, but...
Show moreNovember 4, 1919. Dear Mother, Father, and Pete: Fool Champy assigned some reading yesterday to be done for today. Two copies of the book are to be found in the library, and one copy she has out. The lesson was assigned to two classes. I practically lost two hours and a half trying to get hold of the book. I told her so. She told me it was too bad, I could read the stuff next time! She returned some compositions today. As usual she told the class that there was room for much improvement, but mine was very good. I got a B on it. I was assigned to an English conference with Miss Kitchel tomorrow morning. The history one comes Thursday evening. I was very busy in the library most of the afternoon yesterday, as I said before. After that I had to go to a stunt party rehearsal. The performance came off with great success, particularly the stunt I was in. It was very sill, i admit. I was gotten up so that some of the kids did not know me. I had a man's hat, spectacles, whickers, moustache, white shirt and read[sic] necktie, huge blue overalls, and big tan shoes. We are to repeat three of the stunts at the Maids' Club tonight. I could use the time to much better advantage, but I could not refuse. As far as i can make out, the more reading we do for English the merrier, and the better for our grades. That is all very well, except that I am very much limited for time, and I don't see how I can get very much done. Edith Lowman told me she saw Bertha in New York. I wonder if she is coming up here. I hope to get time to play basket-ball today. Lester, a long time ago you gave me some sort of advice about keeping a certain kind of notebook and writing up notes in it. What was the advice? It would take forever to look through your letters and find it, and I should like to know. Love, [Fannie]
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Title: Aaron, Fannie -- to Mother, Father, and Pete, Oct. 21
Creator: Aaron, Fannie
Date: Oct. 21
Text: October 21. Dear Mother, Father, and Pete: I'll have my typewriter back tomorrow, thank goodness. Jane and I went to town this afternoon. I had a lot of things to attend to. One of my errands was a new fountain-pen. This morning when I took out my debate-notes box which I hadn't opened since last April. So I took it along to have a clip put on, and lost it in the car. Isn't that enough to arouse anyone's wrath? We had the easiest biology written I ever hope to see. It was...
Show moreOctober 21. Dear Mother, Father, and Pete: I'll have my typewriter back tomorrow, thank goodness. Jane and I went to town this afternoon. I had a lot of things to attend to. One of my errands was a new fountain-pen. This morning when I took out my debate-notes box which I hadn't opened since last April. So I took it along to have a clip put on, and lost it in the car. Isn't that enough to arouse anyone's wrath? We had the easiest biology written I ever hope to see. It was almost a joke. I am glad I only studied one hour for it. I have to write a paper for J, due Tuesday, but I play golf tournament on Monday, so I shall have to do it tomorrow. I am up for debate tryouts for tomorrow morning. I read this evening for it. It is not what I should call a thrilling subject. Miss Smith came up to call on me last night. I felt highly honored. I got some of my Colorado Springs arch supports in a drug-store down-town, Mother. They are great, and I certainly was glad to be able to find them. Would you like me to send you some, Mother? You said something about wanting to try them, once. I also bought up all the fruit in town, sent Helen's Shappie some books for her at her request, (he is recovering from appendicitis), bought some dandy woolen stockings, got some stuff at the drug-store, and went with Jane while she got some furniture--all in one hour. As I have remarked before, I have a busy week-end ahead of me. Love, Fannie It was fine to see a note from you in your own hand-writing, Father. Take care of yourself and don't get frisky.
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Title: Aaron, Fannie -- to Mother, Father, and Pete, October 21,1919
Creator: Aaron, Fannie
Date: 10/21/19
Text: October 21, 1919. Dear Mother, Father, and Pete: I had no letter from you today, Pete. What is up? I got your postcard written from the station, Father. I also got your Sunday's letter, Mother. I had to waste an hour this afternoon again resting. It is very encouraging, when I was in bed a little after nine. The shift in the English sections took place today. Miss Buck kept the best. The list was posted yesterday afternoon of the new sections, and I could tell from those of my class...
Show moreOctober 21, 1919. Dear Mother, Father, and Pete: I had no letter from you today, Pete. What is up? I got your postcard written from the station, Father. I also got your Sunday's letter, Mother. I had to waste an hour this afternoon again resting. It is very encouraging, when I was in bed a little after nine. The shift in the English sections took place today. Miss Buck kept the best. The list was posted yesterday afternoon of the new sections, and I could tell from those of my class whom she still had that she had the best group. She told them so today. Judging by the appearance of those of my division, I got into the thirteenth of the thirteen sections. I have Miss Kitchel. Do you know anything of her? She seems quite human. I am sure I shall like her better than Miss Buck, but it hurts my foolish standards of work not to have been kept in her section. If mine were the second of third division it would not be so bad. We got our papers back from the written test in history that we had the other day. There was no mark on my paper, but a few corrections. Miss Thallon simply told us that there were none startlingly brilliant, neither were there any ver[sic] poor. I discovered yesterday that a girl in my history class is a granddaughter of President Taylor. She haild from Idaho, and looks like a butcher's daughter. Also, ever since college started I have been staring at a girl that I was sure I saw in Del Monte. She was in swimming almost every day when I Was. She was at Mohonk the other day, and I aksed her what her name was. It is the girl who was in Del Monte, so I take back what I said, Pete, that Vassar does not go travelling around the country. I went rowing yesterday afternoon with the girl that lives across the hall. The lake is so shallow that you can touch the bottom in the middle with the oars. The boats are very wide and flat-bottomed. It is like the pool--you get dizzy turning the corners. We rowed fro[sic] an hour, and it seemed just like a merry-go-round. I'll try it again next spring. Doctor Baldwin thinks my ankle is better. She said I don't have to go back again. It was pretty wabbly for a while, so I am glad I had it strapped. I am going to ride horseback with Lucy for an hour tomorrow afternoon. I want to go before the leaves are gone. She signed up for me as wanting a lesson. That means a man goes along and I get aperfectly safe horse. It costs two tickets to get someone to go along, but I shall fell much safer on an Eastern saddle that way. We had to turn our schedules in at the gym yesterday so that they can arrange the gym work for after Thanksgiving. They require one hour of class work, one hour of some elective gym work, and one hour of outdoor or gym work. i signed up for apparatus or games, (indoor baseball, etc.) Are you coming Saturday, Father? I really would like to know. You know you said something once about coming the twenty-sixth and seventh. Mother, you asked about what we are reading in English. It is all theme work, and I am sick of it already. It must be a family failing not to like things of that sort. Otherwise there is nothing new. I go to Miss Wiley's lecture soon. That is the way the afternoons fly without getting much work done. If Brym Mawr is worse than this, good-night. Talking about Brym Mawr, Pete, did you know that Grace Lubin came out first in her class Freshman year. [Fannie]
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