Fall 1910, "Dearest, I am writing in the Holyoke station"
Dublin Core
Title
Fall 1910, "Dearest, I am writing in the Holyoke station"
Subject
Travel
Longing
Love
Presidency
Britain
Description
Woolley asks Marks to come back from Wales, despite the rumors at the college about them, and gives news of the faculty
Creator
Mary Woolley
Date
October 21 1910
Format
Correspondence
Identifier
ms0865-s01-b12-f06-i001
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
[1]
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts 10.21.1910
Office of the President
Dearest, I am writing in
the Holyoke station, waiting
for the 8.40, a [?] [?]
to New York, on my way
to [?] [?]. I know
what any writing on the
train will be and I am
going to plunge into the
midst of things.
Darling, I want
you to engage passage
now, as soon as you
receive this, for a
time not later than the
[2]
first week in December.
If I hear in answer to
this letter that you have
done that, I can settle
down to my work and
wait patiently for you to
come. I do not care what
has been written to you,
I want you to come
home, for my sake, as
well as for your own.
My anxiety about you
and an [?] I can
not stand much long-
er. And I do not see
why I should. If my
work here depends
[3]
upon your being away
from me, it is not
worth the keeping.
If I have made no Place for myself, if
I have to ask a group of alumnae, or any one else, to
approve of my choice
of a friend, if my
hold on the college
depends upon pleasing
them in a personal
matter--I would better give up! But
that is absurd, Dearest,
[4]
there has never been a more
general [?] of my
work than there is this
autumn - and I have never
felt that I could do it
more firmly than I
feel it this year. I
know that I can do
this work, Sweet heart,
I feel it in my
bones. Of course I
will be wise and not
antagonize people unne-
cessarily, but that
is another question. There
is nothing in our
friendship for which to
[5]
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts
Office of the President
apologize - it has been
and is the greatest
power in my life, you
know that, Darling - And
I need you - every
day. You must come
home, Dearie - it is not
right to stay away,
not right from any
point of view. If I
can think that in
a month you will
sail for home, I
[6]
can then throw my
energy into my work -
now I feel that so
much of it goes into
my anxiety for you,
Dearest. You will see
this in the true light
will you not, little
Girl? Just rely upon
Muddie’s judgement.
The faculty will
consider the impact of
the Committee on Sanctions
next Monday morning
and we think, as well
as hope, that they will
[7]
adopt it. The unanimous
recommendation (Miss
Morse a possible ex-
ception, as she has
not yet been heard
from) is that they
cease to perpetuate
themselves. I will send
you the full report,
and tell you of facul-
ty action, on Tuesday.
Dear, if this is done,
that matter will be
entirely settled before
[8]
you return & there
can be no thought
of any possible con-
nection, on your part
into it. As far as
the “Miss’s Young ans-
wers [??]” is concerned,
that we must ig-
nore - it will take
time, in which to
[?] out, and a
few months more or
less, can make no
[9]
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts
Office of the President
difference.
I could write
for hours on this
subject - simply [?]
signing [??] what I have to
say. This is not an
impulse - it is a con-
viction, you must
come Dearest. I adore
you for your nobility [??]
in pulling yourself
[10]
out of considerations,
but it is not above
yourself, to be con-
sidered. There was
never a year of such
tremendous demand up-
on me. It seems
sometimes as if I did
nothing but refuse
invitations to speak
and even though Octo-
ber and November are
full of arrangements,
then we are beginning
[11]
on the endorsement and
then that requires so
much effort, I need
you, my Darling. Come
home and make
our lives what they
should be.
You know
that I could not
add a feather’s weight
to your burden. Do
not interpret this in
that way. You have
trusted Muddie before
Trust her now.
[12]
Your own dazzled,
longing Peddy
I can send draft
at any time. Mail
at once in answer to
this, that I may
forward it on season [??]
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts 10.21.1910
Office of the President
Dearest, I am writing in
the Holyoke station, waiting
for the 8.40, a [?] [?]
to New York, on my way
to [?] [?]. I know
what any writing on the
train will be and I am
going to plunge into the
midst of things.
Darling, I want
you to engage passage
now, as soon as you
receive this, for a
time not later than the
[2]
first week in December.
If I hear in answer to
this letter that you have
done that, I can settle
down to my work and
wait patiently for you to
come. I do not care what
has been written to you,
I want you to come
home, for my sake, as
well as for your own.
My anxiety about you
and an [?] I can
not stand much long-
er. And I do not see
why I should. If my
work here depends
[3]
upon your being away
from me, it is not
worth the keeping.
If I have made no Place for myself, if
I have to ask a group of alumnae, or any one else, to
approve of my choice
of a friend, if my
hold on the college
depends upon pleasing
them in a personal
matter--I would better give up! But
that is absurd, Dearest,
[4]
there has never been a more
general [?] of my
work than there is this
autumn - and I have never
felt that I could do it
more firmly than I
feel it this year. I
know that I can do
this work, Sweet heart,
I feel it in my
bones. Of course I
will be wise and not
antagonize people unne-
cessarily, but that
is another question. There
is nothing in our
friendship for which to
[5]
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts
Office of the President
apologize - it has been
and is the greatest
power in my life, you
know that, Darling - And
I need you - every
day. You must come
home, Dearie - it is not
right to stay away,
not right from any
point of view. If I
can think that in
a month you will
sail for home, I
[6]
can then throw my
energy into my work -
now I feel that so
much of it goes into
my anxiety for you,
Dearest. You will see
this in the true light
will you not, little
Girl? Just rely upon
Muddie’s judgement.
The faculty will
consider the impact of
the Committee on Sanctions
next Monday morning
and we think, as well
as hope, that they will
[7]
adopt it. The unanimous
recommendation (Miss
Morse a possible ex-
ception, as she has
not yet been heard
from) is that they
cease to perpetuate
themselves. I will send
you the full report,
and tell you of facul-
ty action, on Tuesday.
Dear, if this is done,
that matter will be
entirely settled before
[8]
you return & there
can be no thought
of any possible con-
nection, on your part
into it. As far as
the “Miss’s Young ans-
wers [??]” is concerned,
that we must ig-
nore - it will take
time, in which to
[?] out, and a
few months more or
less, can make no
[9]
Mount Holyoke College
South Hadley, Massachusetts
Office of the President
difference.
I could write
for hours on this
subject - simply [?]
signing [??] what I have to
say. This is not an
impulse - it is a con-
viction, you must
come Dearest. I adore
you for your nobility [??]
in pulling yourself
[10]
out of considerations,
but it is not above
yourself, to be con-
sidered. There was
never a year of such
tremendous demand up-
on me. It seems
sometimes as if I did
nothing but refuse
invitations to speak
and even though Octo-
ber and November are
full of arrangements,
then we are beginning
[11]
on the endorsement and
then that requires so
much effort, I need
you, my Darling. Come
home and make
our lives what they
should be.
You know
that I could not
add a feather’s weight
to your burden. Do
not interpret this in
that way. You have
trusted Muddie before
Trust her now.
[12]
Your own dazzled,
longing Peddy
I can send draft
at any time. Mail
at once in answer to
this, that I may
forward it on season [??]
Files
Citation
Mary Woolley, “Fall 1910, "Dearest, I am writing in the Holyoke station",” Digital Exhibits of the Archives and Special Collections, accessed April 25, 2024, https://ascdc.mtholyoke.edu/items/show/565.