Dear Girls,

Your letters show the usual energy of 1903. Thank you, Mabel, for telling me of your daughter's enjoyment of the folk schools in Denmark. I enjoyed news of marriages for my older niece, Virginia, has been married, too; to a newspaper man, who is now on the Baltimore Sun. My nephew is finishing his second year at Haverford College and likes it better constantly. At first he said it was too hard a college but his friendly nature has made him many friends. He likes the freedom, too, of a small, well managed school. Janet, my second niece, is still with me. She was graduated from the University of Pittsburgh last June and during this year has prepared to teach Zoology and English. So far, she has no position for next year.

I liked Nina's description of her mother, so alert and adorable at 87. My dear mother shared the same admiration until she was almost eighty-eight. It is an inspiration to know that old age may be so interesting.

On this Mother's Day I have been so happy to receive greetings from Virginia and Clyde, away, and Janet at home, all giving me their devotion as if I really were their mother. Carrie Probst, mothering her sister's five children, is having hardships now but the future will bring her a rich reward, I know.

I am glad Dr. Thomas will have a memorial at Goucher. How much his good nature and fairness in seeing both sides of a question helped us all.

My chief interests are still my school and my home although Methodist church activities enthrall me at times. The meeting of bishops in our city was inspiring. Young Bishop Pickett from India plead in our church for world unity. He paid tribute at Dr. Van Horn's where I was invited for dinner, too, to the beauty, of mind and spirit of Flora Robinson Howell who was a friend of Jessie Wilson Sayre. President Wilson said after Flor had visited his daughter that Flora was the most brilliant woman he knew. I teach a class of women called the Emma Slease Class for my mother. That takes time but is worth it.

My school work this year is most interesting. My first Pittsburgh principal, Dr. James N. Rule, who was Pennsylvania State Superintendent, is now principal at my school, Langley High. He is chairman of a committee to revise high school curricula. He believes that we must 'learn' children before we teach them. We have a continuous home room plan in which we are expected really to know our pupils and help them. Dr. Rule does not believe in giving grades or requiring a specified length of years for graduation, but thinks school time should last till the pupil makes a connection either with college or work. It would waken ambition and earnestness so much more than the present system.

My home duties have lessened since much of the time there are only Janet and I at home. I spend some spare time in my garden which just now is delightful with beautiful tulips.

My best wishes to you all,
Sincerely,
Anne M. Slease