Letter from M. Carey Thomas to Mary Elizabeth Garrett, May 25, 1889

Sunday Afternoon Dearest Mary, Just one moment before Miss Erben comes for me to drive-- for in the presence of so much asparagus and apples and celery and my English books I had to accept her invitation and perhaps also her persistent attendance at my lectures in rain and shine has touched my heart-- and I had wished so much to talk to you about so many things. I hoped too that having to send for my Committee letter enclosing the Metcalf letter you might get this before leaving for Deer Park. Tonight Miss OGÇÖGrady and two biologicals dine with me so there will be no other time. Shall I talk first or have a business interview? But what a foolish question to ask you after this winter. You must forgive me for having teased you a little; it is not that I do not care -- as much as you think -- for the business but because you love so much to talk business; it is like smoke to your nostrils. Is the correct Hebraistic expression? Well then business. School (house) Mary, you must if it be possible (and it must be possible) take out a nest of dressing rooms and put in a nest of water closets. The physical effect of exercise and bathing is such that there must be waterclosets on that floor-- otherwise the bathrooms will surely be used as such, Remember we have children not grown people. It seems to me absolutely, utterly necessary. It cannot be too late. Please do arrange it. Do not take the time to write to me about it but only arrange it. Think of our swimming pool! Then too before you finally select the casts-- do not let us do anything as banal as to get so and so many yards of Parthenon prize-- let us get all that is beautiful exceedingly of it and fill out with other things, say at one end like the Victory-- There must be other reliefs just that size. You remember the Olympian-- something falling off a rock. If you are going to put anything as nice around the school room let us have it just as nice as nice can be. Could you not wait till I have time to explore the Beaux arts with a foot rule? Then finally Mary I have fallen so in love with the rose of my hall that I want you to have the walls of the school room some warm tint. Do not make it cold. I think that is the fault of the colouring so far. The gymnasium would have been prettier warmer and the hall. I think with casts and busts and photos the school room may be a little GÇ£academeGÇ¥ of sweetness and light-- if only the setting be warm. Casts and busts are cold. I sometimes think they need all the sun and sky of Italy out the windows of a Vatican to make them perfect. I do not want blue or green, I want rose flushed ethereal backgrounds. School You understood of course that my Committee letter was in answer to JuliaGÇÖs note about not signing and to her conversation with Mamie about it in Baltimore. I think, Mary, that school matters are so difficult already that we ought not to leave a matter like this gymnasium to assume larger proportions during the summer. If it seems best to a majority of the Committee to manage the gymnasium separately from the school it ought to be so managed. At least we ought to understand exactly what we do think and at all events the mistake made in the beginning of the whole matter ought not to be repeated. It has been a series of mistakes and do you not think it pleasanter to put an end to all future trouble by taking our bull by its own horns? I wrote in a great hurry but I think it must have been clear what I meant. We have worked so much for our dearest school that I suppose it will take work till the end. There so much for it. Here is Mrs. FranklinGÇÖs letter my secretary is not here and my back aches too much to copy it. Mail it please. As you see, I had nothing to say. Miss Tuxbury will meet you girls on Saturday spending Friday night with Miss Locke and Mrs Franklin. GÇ£What did I think of his letter?GÇ¥ -- that from his point of view it was a most spirited and right minded production. What else could he think assuming that she had thought your friendship for her genuine? From yours I thought it very unpleasant to receive-- an unpleasant ending to an unpleasant episode. I am sorry we subjected you to it by affording her the opportunity. I have asked Dr. Jacobi (marriage reminds me of her) and Dr. Blackwell and Dr. Cushier. She sent me her book so unless she sent you one too you can read that extraordinary production in my copy. I think perhaps she will come as her niece comes here next autumn. Ah if she could have heard her sister-in-lawGÇÖs account to me if that infant prodigy her daughter and the childGÇÖs hatred of those very beliefs that figure so uniquely in Dr. JacobiGÇÖs book. The more I think about it the more my heart is set on having a woman appointed at the hospital. We must manage it somehow or other. How can we find out about Dr. Cushier? Yes Mamie told me about Dr. Osler. Bessie has misunderstood her of course-- she only thought it might be imprudent for him to talk so openly. It is that conceivable piece of good fortune that Dr. Osler should think as he does. I am perfectly delighted and should have written you at once only I knew you would hear before my letter could reach you. You say I will GÇ£admit you to be rightGÇ¥ when I see the correspondence. Do you suppose for a moment I think Richard right and you wrong? Of course you are right in fact. I only think it difficult to prove (as I wished it proved) to what they pompously call GÇ£both Faculties.GÇ¥ I shall be curious to see what you have said. Miss Erben has come and has made herself agreeable with a bunch of flowers and a box of candy, my biologists have departed-- it is Sunday and I have finished 15 letters and have discovered something that oversets (as my book says) my plans. Our entrance examinations begin on Saturday June 1st next Saturday and I must be here at 9 a.m. I cannot tell how I had forgot this. I must then leave Baltimore at 5 p.m. Friday and if I am to do -+ of what I have to do-- especially if we are to have a Committee meeting for even an hour or two, I shall have to leave Bryn Mawr at 6 p.m. Wednesday in order to get Thursday and part of Friday in Baltimore. Now Bessie may come Monday although I can hardly hope it, it is so cold today. At all events Thursday and Friday are the only days I can get off before I sail. This means I shall have literally no time to see you at all if I should have stayed over Saturday we could have shared some dressmaking letter of credit time and it is such a disappointment that I wonder if there is no way out of it. You see it is not quite like an ordinary Summer because there is a little more risk about it I confess and three-four months is so long without it. I wonder if-- always promising that you do not go-- it would be important for you to come on Saturday and Spend Sunday with me again or whether if you could not do this you could not come on Tuesday and let us have Wednesday morning at least together. No one of my guests would be here till Wednesday and Wednesday evening. Whatever arrangements you may prefer to make you would have to be here yourself as alas your train does not exist. I really do not think I can go away without seeing you and you must try to arrange it if you can. Julia will be here all Summer and you are with her every day of the year so she is not like any ordinary guest of course. Moreover, you must think about it and tell me when we meet for I wish to keep the possibility open till then by making no engagements. At present I return Friday evening and Saturday afternoon and evening, Sunday, Monday afternoon and evening, and Tuesday afternoon and evening are clear. I did not at all realize it was the last talk we should have when you were here. I am afraid I have said too much I am in such a hurry, never mind. When I have seen Athens I shall be as coldly classical as a Parthenon prize against a greenish tinted wall Goodbye Mary dear, Lovingly yours Minnie C. Th. [A brochure for Compagnie Generale Transatlantique steamship travel is included with the letter]