Letter from Hattie to Em, May 8, 1873
Dublin Core
Title
Letter from Hattie to Em, May 8, 1873
Subject
Sabbath; Missionaries; Girls' schools; Scholars; Teaching; College of Wooster; Women
Description
Harriet explains how she spent the day on Emily's birthday and tells her about having a Sabbath school; something that Canton has never had before. She told Henry and Mary Happer about it in a "mission meeting" and everybody agreed. The Sabbath school is only intended for women because at this point they think there is no material for men. In total, they have 34 scholars and six teachers: Miss Shaw, Lillie Happer, Mary Happer, Verdi Happer, Hattie and the boarding school teacher. Hattie is delighted to think of Em as the first woman to graduate from Wooster "knowing as much as a man".
Creator
Noyes, Harriet Newell
Source
The College of Wooster, Special Collections, Noyes Collection, Box #1
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
1873-05-08
Contributor
Council on Library and Information Resources Hidden Special Collections Grant
Relation
Format
PDF
Language
eng (English)
Type
Text
Identifier
noyes_c_cor_095
Text Item Type Metadata
Text
Canton China
May 8th 1873
My [u]dear sister[/u] Em
Dont think when
you read the date of this letter
that I forgot all about your
birth-day until four days after it
was past. [u]Not at all[/u]. I thought
of you the first thing in the morning
and the last thing at night and
a good many times between but
I did [u]not[/u] write to you. The
fourth day of May '73 here in
China came on Sunday. I
suggested to Henry that we might
tell you we did not practice writing
letters on Sunday. But as he had
written me a letter just the Sabbath
previous from the country that will
hardly do so instead I will tell
you how I spent your birth-day.
Two weeks ago while I was
listening to Dr Happer's chinese
sermon the idea came into my
head and staid there most persistently that it would
be very nice if we could have a Sabbath School something
as heretofore unknown in Canton. So a few days after
I called a "mission meeting" as we insist upon calling the
little talks that "just us three" have over our work and plans.
We have some good fun over our "mission meetings" + Henry
enjoys teasing us about them immensely. Dear little Mary
Happer seems to think it seems a little like an assertion
of woman's rights and looks on with very little favor
Well the subject was laid before the meeting and there was
no [u]dissenting[/u] voice. [u]There never is[/u]. So it was settled that
we would have a Sabbath-School, and last Sabbath we
organized it. Our Sabbath School is as yet of the feminine
gender we hope it will become common sometime
but at present there is no material for forming
masculine classes. We have two classes of women Miss
Shaw will have one and I the other. Lillie Happer
has the first class of girls Mary Happer the second
the teacher of the Boarding School the third and
little Verdie Happer a nice class of little girls, five.
We commence with thirty-four scholars and six
teachers . Dont you think that is a nice beginning.
I feel so delighted. When I first proposed it I did not
expect we would get it started so soon but the rest
were ready to start at once and it seemed [u]very[/u] nice
to me and I hope it will to you to think of the
first Sabbath School in Canton being commenced
on your birthday. We have only the half hour before
service from ten to 1/2 past ten for our lessons. I hope
you will think of us sometimes then and pray for
us. Have I ever told you about the little girls prayer
meeting. Mary + Verdie come over and have a prayer
meeting with the girls Every Friday afternoon from three
to four. Our general prayer meeting for the women
and girls is Tuesday afternoon. The girls take turns in
leading the prayer meeting and also in their Evening prayers.
They are very much interested in
learning to pray but they think of it as
just something to learn and repeat
[u]without any heart[/u]. Still it seems "stepping
heavenward" to learn the [u]form[/u] of
prayer and we can hope and
pray that the spirit may also be
given them. The organization of
the Sabbath School as you may suppose
did not take up very much time but
when I had spent more than three
hours at chinese & English service and
nearly five hours in the different schools,
there was not much more than time
enough for eating & dressing left. I have
often felt as though I had'nt half the
time I would like to spend in thinking
about the dear ones at home. My thoughts
visit you [u]often[/u] but they dont stay very
long sometimes. They sent us a letter
by last mail which you had written
to them at home and we were very
glad to get it It was just as good as if
you had written it on purpose for
us. I congratulate myself very much
in suggesting such a bright idea
as that they should let us have the
second reading. I have almost finished
my sheet without alluding to that with
which my head and heart is [u]full[/u]
to-day. Matt's coming to China. You
know how much much we shall feel for you
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page one]
all. We were quite reconciled to the disappointment of not seeing her
in thinking of you at home, but I cant help feeling that she will be
happier here than
she would be likely
to be anywhere else
I felt as you did
that I wanted [u]so
much[/u] to be all
together in '76,
but, I doubt
not Matt has
been led in
the way that is
[u]right[/u]. We are
so delighted
too to think
of Miss Crouch's
coming. I dont
expect she will
like Em's sister
as well as Em but I
expect we shall like each other
first rate I could love any one you did I think Your sister
Hattie.
[Note: Additional note written sideways across page three]
I am so [u]delighted[/u] to think of "our Ems" being the first lady graduate of
Wooster + [u]knowing as much as a man[/u] Its [u]splendid[/u] if [u]you[/u] dont care for the humor I [u]do[/u]
its all in the family.
May 8th 1873
My [u]dear sister[/u] Em
Dont think when
you read the date of this letter
that I forgot all about your
birth-day until four days after it
was past. [u]Not at all[/u]. I thought
of you the first thing in the morning
and the last thing at night and
a good many times between but
I did [u]not[/u] write to you. The
fourth day of May '73 here in
China came on Sunday. I
suggested to Henry that we might
tell you we did not practice writing
letters on Sunday. But as he had
written me a letter just the Sabbath
previous from the country that will
hardly do so instead I will tell
you how I spent your birth-day.
Two weeks ago while I was
listening to Dr Happer's chinese
sermon the idea came into my
head and staid there most persistently that it would
be very nice if we could have a Sabbath School something
as heretofore unknown in Canton. So a few days after
I called a "mission meeting" as we insist upon calling the
little talks that "just us three" have over our work and plans.
We have some good fun over our "mission meetings" + Henry
enjoys teasing us about them immensely. Dear little Mary
Happer seems to think it seems a little like an assertion
of woman's rights and looks on with very little favor
Well the subject was laid before the meeting and there was
no [u]dissenting[/u] voice. [u]There never is[/u]. So it was settled that
we would have a Sabbath-School, and last Sabbath we
organized it. Our Sabbath School is as yet of the feminine
gender we hope it will become common sometime
but at present there is no material for forming
masculine classes. We have two classes of women Miss
Shaw will have one and I the other. Lillie Happer
has the first class of girls Mary Happer the second
the teacher of the Boarding School the third and
little Verdie Happer a nice class of little girls, five.
We commence with thirty-four scholars and six
teachers . Dont you think that is a nice beginning.
I feel so delighted. When I first proposed it I did not
expect we would get it started so soon but the rest
were ready to start at once and it seemed [u]very[/u] nice
to me and I hope it will to you to think of the
first Sabbath School in Canton being commenced
on your birthday. We have only the half hour before
service from ten to 1/2 past ten for our lessons. I hope
you will think of us sometimes then and pray for
us. Have I ever told you about the little girls prayer
meeting. Mary + Verdie come over and have a prayer
meeting with the girls Every Friday afternoon from three
to four. Our general prayer meeting for the women
and girls is Tuesday afternoon. The girls take turns in
leading the prayer meeting and also in their Evening prayers.
They are very much interested in
learning to pray but they think of it as
just something to learn and repeat
[u]without any heart[/u]. Still it seems "stepping
heavenward" to learn the [u]form[/u] of
prayer and we can hope and
pray that the spirit may also be
given them. The organization of
the Sabbath School as you may suppose
did not take up very much time but
when I had spent more than three
hours at chinese & English service and
nearly five hours in the different schools,
there was not much more than time
enough for eating & dressing left. I have
often felt as though I had'nt half the
time I would like to spend in thinking
about the dear ones at home. My thoughts
visit you [u]often[/u] but they dont stay very
long sometimes. They sent us a letter
by last mail which you had written
to them at home and we were very
glad to get it It was just as good as if
you had written it on purpose for
us. I congratulate myself very much
in suggesting such a bright idea
as that they should let us have the
second reading. I have almost finished
my sheet without alluding to that with
which my head and heart is [u]full[/u]
to-day. Matt's coming to China. You
know how much much we shall feel for you
[Note: Letter concludes sideways on page one]
all. We were quite reconciled to the disappointment of not seeing her
in thinking of you at home, but I cant help feeling that she will be
happier here than
she would be likely
to be anywhere else
I felt as you did
that I wanted [u]so
much[/u] to be all
together in '76,
but, I doubt
not Matt has
been led in
the way that is
[u]right[/u]. We are
so delighted
too to think
of Miss Crouch's
coming. I dont
expect she will
like Em's sister
as well as Em but I
expect we shall like each other
first rate I could love any one you did I think Your sister
Hattie.
[Note: Additional note written sideways across page three]
I am so [u]delighted[/u] to think of "our Ems" being the first lady graduate of
Wooster + [u]knowing as much as a man[/u] Its [u]splendid[/u] if [u]you[/u] dont care for the humor I [u]do[/u]
its all in the family.
中国广东 1873年5月8日 我亲爱的妹妹Em 不要以为 你看到了这封信的日期 是我忘了的你的生日， 直到四天过去，我才想起了。 完全不是。 我早上一起床就想着你的事， 一直到晚上， 我都在想， 但是我没有给你写信。 中国，1873年5月10日 是星期日。 我建议Henry， 我们可能要告诉你，我们不在星期日写信。 但是因为他就在安息日前一天给我写了一封信， / 从农村寄来，几乎不会这样， 所以取而代之的是 我要告诉你，你生日当天我怎么过的。 两周前，我在听Happer医生中文说教时 / 我想到了一个主意， / 如果我们在广东能有个主日学校，那是个很棒的主意。 所以几天以后 我召集传教组织开会， 因为我们坚持三个人开小会，做计划。 我们很享受组织开会， 而且Henry极大的开玩笑。 亲爱的小Mary Happer看起来认为看起来有点像女人权利的主张， 而且很少的爱好。 我们开会前就主观臆断，没有不通意见。 永远不会有。所以我们决定 开一家主日学校，并且自己经营。 我们的主日学校也还是女校 我们希望那会成为一样的， 但是现在没有开男生班级的材料。 我们有两个女班 Shaw小姐和我各带一个。 Lillie Happer有第一个女班，Mary Happer是第二个寄宿学校教师 第三个和小Verdie Happer是第五个。 / 我们开始有34名学生，6名教师。 不觉得这是个很好的开始吗？ 我很高兴。当我第一次提议的时候， 我没有期待我们能这么快开始， 但是之后我们准备好就立刻开始了， 对我来说，它看起来很好，而且我希望你也这样想， 我们在你生日当天开了第一所广东的主日学校。 我们10:00-10:30做完礼拜， 离我们的课就剩半小时了。 我认为你会想到我们，然后为我们祈祷。 我跟你说过小女孩们的祈祷会吗。 Mary和Verdie每周五下午3:00-4:00都来参加会。 / 我们大众的祈祷会都是周二下午。 女孩们变成了祈祷会的领导者， 在晚上的祈祷会中也是这样。 她们对学习祈祷都很感兴趣 但是她们认为这是学一些东西， 然后机械地重复。 看起来就是“面对天空” 模仿祈祷者的样子， 我们希望并祈祷， 灵魂也可以给予她们。 主日学校的组织就像你想的那样 / 没有花很多时间 但是当我花了更多时间在中文和英文礼拜时 / 不同学校将近5个小时， 没有足够的时间吃饭、梳洗打扮。 / 我经常感觉我还没有花一半的时间 去想想我的家人们。 / 我的思想经常去拜访你们但是它们不能持续太久。 它们在上一份邮包里送了一份信， 你在家写的， 我们非常高兴收到信。 就像你故意写得那么好一样。 / 我恭喜我自己得到了那么多建议， 是多么清晰的想法， 因为它们应该让我们有第二次阅读。 我还没有把我今天的心里话说完， 就快用完我的纸了。 / Matt要来中国。 你知道我们有多想你们。 【第一页边缘书写】 我们相当一致地失望，因为没有看到她在家的时候想到你， 但是我可以感觉到她在这会比在任何地方很高兴。 / / / 我觉得你做到了 我特别想1876年的时候 和你聚在一起， / 但是我觉得不行。 Matt刚刚被领上正确的道。 / / 我们也很欣慰地想到Crouch小姐要来。 / / / 我不期待她能像Em的妹妹还有Em一样 / / 但是我希望她能和大家相互喜欢。 我可以爱任何人就像爱你一样 你的姐姐Hattie / 【第三页边缘书写】 我很高兴我们的Em是Wooster第一个女毕业生。 和男人一样知识渊博，如果你不在乎我对家人的幽默就好极了。 /
Original Format
Letter
Collection
Citation
Noyes, Harriet Newell, “Letter from Hattie to Em, May 8, 1873,” Letters from Harriet Noyes: Missionaries and Women's Education in Nineteenth Century China, accessed April 29, 2024, https://noyesletters.org/items/show/152.