Vassar College
Feb 28th 1866.
My dear father
I received your very welcome letter to-day to-gether
with James's and the paper.
I was very sorry to see from your letter that you considered
yourself neglected by me. I wrote you a good long letter in reply to
your little short one and expected you would answer it, but it seems
you think I am going to write three or more to your one. Now I could
not do that even if I had ever so much to write, for want of time, and
besides you know it is much worse for me to miss getting a letter than
for you for I am away from home.
Prof. Knapp has resigned his professorship - It has created a
great sensation among the scholars for he was a great favourite. The
real trouble was that there was not enough attention paid to his sugges-
tions and wishes. The course of study is not high enough to suit him.
They teach everything that can be studied here but some things such as
Greek fee are not in the regular course but there is a Greek teacher and
Greek classes. This does not suit professor Knapp and so he leaves for
various reasons probably beside.
I am very sorry he is going it will be such a loss for us - He
says he does not wish to be professor in a young ladies Seminary— that
this is nothing more than a Seminary. He says the young ladies have more than met his expectations, he has not had a student in College better than some of his pupils but it is nonsense to call this a college without having a higher course of study. He is a very peculiar man and very self-willed, though a man of very great genius for languages. He Is a very fine linguist though only about thirty and looks even younger than that. I have written you a good deal about Prof Knapp but it happened to be the great subject of the day and was all I could think of. You will probably see something about it in the Independent though perhaps not. It is nearly ten oclock and I must hurry or I shall not finish my letter. I will send you my bill If Henry is not coming very soon. Please write immediately and tell me for I want some money if Henry does not come soon as there are only 6 cents and a few stamps in the treasury and very soon I shall not be able even to write home. I hope he is coming. I am glad to hear you are all well and hope my letters will be frequent as you are all well again. We have had warm weather here too, corresponding exactly to the weather at home I should think - I am glad James is going to be at home for a while it will be pleasant for me
There is the last bell and I must stop. Please write If you don't
say anything but that Henry is or is not publl coming Just see what mis-
takes I am making. Give my love to all and write soon.
Your affectionate
daughter Ella.