Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, September 29, 1889

After I left I remembered with a very great deal of annoyance that it was possible that Julia may have been at luncheon with you and I never thought of such a thing and only did not come on because I knew I could stay if I came in and thought you would excuse my asking you to leave your luncheon. Old Mary said you were downstairs at luncheon and I can only hope Julia was not there as Mary did not mention her name. Should she have been will you not apologize to her for me and tell her how sorry I am such an accident should have happened. Since I saw you I have had a talk with Father and I have entirely changed my mind as to the best way to act. I am writing you should tell Julia the reasons but please tell them to no one else not even to Kate McLane. They rest on private information which is absolutely confidential until you hear it from another source. Also I do not wish either you or Julia to talk them over with Bessie for a very special reason, although she through another source partially knows them. If you will trust me about this I am sure we shall gain an end and I care too much about it to [illegible] our scheme by doing what would be unwise. 1st Mr. Gilman is at present totally opposed to the scheme. Dr. Hurd and Dr. Osle vehemently in favour of it. Father and Mr. King (that has been accomplished by time) absolutely (the latter secretly yet just as strongly) committed to it. Mr. Gilman sails the 16th of October; the week after at least 4 and probably more, courses are to be offered to post-grad students. Now Dr. Hurd has given Father a definite promise that to these courses he will admit any women physicians that may apply. To this Mr. King has given his - secret - approval - Our Dr. Hurd will be at least one student and I am sure we can get others. Well so far so good - if only the [illegible] be not raised before Mr. G- sails how when he returns in six months time the courses will be working and every professor in the med school will be committed to women. Then we can raise our 100,000 and present it in the following manner - as a partial endowment for the med school provided they continue for the future to admit women (as at present) (on the the [sic] same terms as men). For this we shall need no promise from the Trustees even. Of course they will not throw away 100,000 for something that has been already successfully tried and so we shall make an eternity of an experiment. Do you not see? Now look at the other side - if I speak, if anyone speaks, to Mr. Gilman he will get an untameable expression of opinion from the Trustees or will himself commit himself to the opposition which would be equally unfortunate. It would tie the hands of Dr. Hurd, Dr. Osler as well as Father Mr. King and ours. He likes above all things success and when he returns this will have been successfully tried. It is many many times the wisest policy. I am very much delighted for now at last I see a way of working that Cooks successful and we shall succeed I feel sure. Before this I felt as you know doubtful. Please write me at once whether you do not agree would it not be if it all worked out. This I think you know - you cannot know except by the way you care about it yourself - how much I care and if I seemed reluctant today it was because I think every failure of things one cares immensely for retards progress more than if one had never tried and I did not see our way clear. That too is why I care so much for the ultimate success of the school - not only because it is our school but its failure will make other efforts like it so much more difficult. By the way that change was such an [illegible] that there was no other way to do than to put it in the schedule as we could not possibly hear in time and it was more probable that you would like it than not. You girls and Mrs. Colvin can take it and of course and no harm is done - I do not think you need have objected unless you dislike it - as we had to take on course or the other and we acted to the best of our knowledge where consultation is impossible I think there was always plenary absolution. There are several things about Dr. Hurd that I think she should know at once but now I do not think I can get home till the 10th. I wish I could see you - there is so much to say and there will be then I fear on account of the wedding and of the Committee meeting so little time to say it. I wish you could spend a week from Sunday with me or any day before Thursday and if we had had a little longer to say things today I think they might have been said better do you not? I am sorry because after all it is a pity - to say oneG��s things badly. As you see I am writing on the train with no paper except odds and ends and correspondence. Au revoir Was the crepe veil Grace returned you your or Mrs. GwinnG��s? She thinks there was one not returned. Will you look and see. It was returned last April or May or June with a note.