Vassar College Digital Library
jhhorn
Edited Text
Dear Mother: - continued.
I don't know just where I left off, so you'll have to excuse repetition. Lucy said the only unfavorable criticism passed on me was that I presented my statistics boringly , but somebody promptly [sat] on that and tried to disprove it. Rachel Higgins, chairman of Junior debate this year, was strong in [wegnig] making me a speaker. But they finally decided on Margaret Ray ('22) on the strength of her previous experience. Frances Kellogg is the only sophomore on. She has the first affirmative speech. I don't begrudge it to her - the only thing that makes me feel at all dissatisfied is that I put much more time on it than she did and had many more facts - much more material her speeches are mostly bluff, but they wanted some of that this year, because they found at Barnard last year that the judges were more pleased with the sob stuff of <[Barnard]> than with the cold facts of Vassar. She is a very pretty girl with an exceedingly magnetic personality and an un-usually pleasing voice and manner of speaking. I think those things have more weight for that particular speech than material. However, I suppose it is part of the game to be a good looser! And I have two years ahead of me yet, and Margaret Ray has only one, so it is fair that she got it. P.S. Kellogg is president of our class this semester, is on the class basketball and hockey teams. Very brainy in classes, and third speaker of '23 in class debate.
Did I say that I was <[first]> alternate for the affirmative - here at Vassar? That means that if any of the speakers are sick or do something desperate suddenly, I will speak. but they are all strong as horses! They first had me booked for Wellesley, but decided that in view of my visit to the infirmary that it was best for the sake of Vassar and of me to keep me at home. They thought the trip would be too hard for me - you see it means getting there about midnight Friday night and getting back here one o'clock Monday morning. It would be hard and terribly exciting - but I did so want to go! Darn that health! On the other hand I am trying to be sensible enough to realize that it might bring on another experience like this one next month.
I am feeling well again, but not strong yet. I felt too sick to eat anything except some rolls + boullion from noon Sunday to noon Wednesday, so naturally the compination fo that and three days in bed made me weak. I got up after lunch and have been in the parlor of the inform writing letters all afternoon. Dr. T. maskes the morning rounds, and she told me [this] morning not to dare [leave] this bld'g until Dr. B. saw me! Today is Dr. B's day off, so that means she won't be around till tomorrow evening. However, I had Miss Hendon call up Dr. B, and she said I could go to classes tomorrow if the wather is all right. It was damp + rainy today, so the extra didn't hurt any. I must get to work now - I haven't done any since Monday.
< > you aren't disappointed about debate.
Love, Fannie