Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, April 14, 1893

Dearest Mary, The train went 12 minutes earlier than when I last took it and I arrived to find Father waiting and no more time than to jump on board-- not even time to hear from Father the result, much less to telegraph you. Well the did nothing. The nominating Committee said they could reach no conclusion until they had seen Dr. Rhoads, that they has thought he might continue President allowing the Dean with the title of a GÇ£Vice PresidentGÇ¥ to manage the College. Much was said about haste and the need for some decision and they adjourned to meet at the call of the nominating Committee. Dr. Rhoads was not able to be there as it was rainy. He wrote but his letter was not read. Philip Garrett read your letter and made very few remarks-- nice remarks. All my appointments were made without hesitation-- I am new going to write this evening to Dr. Rhoads telling him I will not accept the Vice Presidency unless the position is thoroughly defined as to who shall be President later. I noticed I shall tell him I will not do it at all. The matter had better be faced now before I waste more years of my life and I am determined to have it decided. But it is endless, Father thinks Francis CopeGÇÖs opposition to a woman is the trouble and that if he were not chairman of the Nominating Committee it might all have been arranged. So-- now-- it is put off again, Philip GarrettGÇÖs attitude today seemed to me even more favorable than the last time I saw him. Your letter had I think a great effect on him. I am decidedly more hopeful than before the meeting because I regard this President and Vice President as the last attempt of the opposition to avoid a woman President and if it is checkmated there will be no escape. I think the delay will not be more than a week or 10 days. Now about your letter-- it was such a nice one (and for 2 days I had notes like mine to you) that I was delighted. Two weeks yesterday since I saw you and if we should go to Chicago I fear I could not see you on the 1st could I? Unless it were by accident. I think perhaps I could get off to the congress with you and I think it would be entrancing, too good to be true, I do not think Mamie would wish to go and she knows I want to go immensely. I am afraid you would have exhausted the exposition. Even with your aunts as companions but I should have t let you do as you suggest if it is the price of the other pure joy-- for it would be great fun. No, I do not know and cannot find out, who is to be at the Congress-- probably a menagerie of fads but interesting all the same. I should love to have you at the Conference of Degrees if you ought to take the long journey back for it. Mamie and I could go out and join you if you did not wish to back for that. To answer a question-- I have said nothing about Trusteeship to Uncle James. I said I could not tell. I have written no letters except to Uncle James and Dr. Rhoads-- and of these I have no copies because I had no time to make them. Our model man and our model start on April 15th. I have had the coloured map of the grounds and [illegible] (Olmstead) framed in duplicate and the other plans bound in two volumes, so that they can be screwed to the shelf-- bound in yellow and white. I permitted the Sun reporter to view your gallery beforehand. I thought we had better [illegibleGÇÖ them so I suppose you saw the account. I am going to see the Normal School Monday if Mr. Young approves an index to try to mine him about the Bryn Mawr School. The other professor is that therapeutist at Michigan Dr. Wesson spoke of. Now here is Baltimore. I am more rested now, more rested than last night. Some flowers the first arrived Wednesday. Thanks. They decorated my Thursday reception. I have 18 Seniors.