 |
| Frances L. Chase, Winfield High School, Graduation photo May 1948 |
 |
| Frances L. Chase, Wellesley College Graduation photo, May 1952 |
To Mrs. Hamilton Chase
1557 Villard, Eugene, Oregon
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Elms, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
February 16, 1949 (Mrs. Chase’s Birthday)
Dear Mommy,
I hope you realize I have no business writing you. I have work up to my ankles.
But I’ve been thinking about you all day today on your birthday and hoping you got your package and thinking of all the things I have to tell you so —----- I threw everything on the bed and here is a letter. Let’s see, grades don’t come out for over a week and you get a copy as soon as I. Darn!
My schedule is exactly the same. I am being a very good girl in Choir in hopes of being one of the few freshman to go to the concerts at Brown or Williams. I go the paper about Abernathy. What a deal; he must be ages old —----- and in the paper was a big article on Paula Jones, the girl that is Leonard’s friend and recent graduate of Stanford. She also is Julie Shauffler’s cousin and traveled last summer with another of Julie’s cousins in Europe.
Julie and I were quite excited over the article. And isn’t that interesting about Babfetti!
A girl that lives across from the Knowles was secretly married and as it turns out, is also 5 months pregnant. Oh what am I saying!
The pillows aren’t here. If they aren’t sent, we’d love a cake. The other one was wonderfully moist, being in the tin foil.
Everyone around here is very much excited about “Death Be Not Proud.” I didn’t read it, but I’m going to now.
Bean is out of the tub so I must quit. There are all kinds of things to tell you but I am following and idea of Dad’s and intend to type with a carbon or letter telling about the weekend, etc.
Dad wants to know too. This is a screwy letter but I just had to write to you.
I just don’t know how to say it but I hope with all my heart that Mama T. is in higher spirits. She has such exceptional courage and patience that when she gets in low spirits, it scares me. Honestly, I marvel at Mama T. because she is absolutely the sweetest, kindest, most considerate person I’ve ever known and still she is bright, witty and independent. That really adds up to an individual worthy of a great deal of respect, and I do have a great amount of respect for her.
And lately, hearing about you from Mrs. Knowles and seeing how she is raising Ellen, I have realized what a wonderful Mother I have. You mean an awful lot to me and you’ve never seen much evidence of it, I guess.
Well, I’ve got to stop before I get sentimental. Work to do, you know.
Lots of love,
Frances
P.S.
I’m afraid you don’t have your birthday package. I got your present in New York City. Mrs. Knowles gave me all the necessary wrappings for it and I got it all ready except for twine on the outside. She didn’t have any around, so she offered to wrap it for the last time and send it off. It is going home first because then I didn’t know if you were gone. It will reach you eventually. Fras
P.P.S.
Please excuse the mess and read between the lines.
P.P.P.S.
You’re awfully good to go out to Mama T. with all the trouble you had.
Tell Mama T. how much I love her.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Mo
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
February 23, 1949
Dear Folks,
The girl that was going to be such a roaring success in college just got her marks and, believe me, she is really squelched. As I understand, you get them too, but in case you haven’t gotten them yet, they go like this:
Freshman Composition C -
Spanish C -
Science C +
Literature B -
Music A -
All I can say is, what would the world be without music? The first two can’t help but improve because I’m good and disgusted about them. But the science was a blow. I had a good sturdy B - until exams. Well, it’s pretty grim but I deserved every bit of it. And in comparison with the others in the house, I came out pretty well. But now I’ve got to quit rationalizing and start work.
Later
All is not lost in the world for me now. Janie and I had dinner all alone together at Seiler’s and had very deep philosophic discussions on removed topics and again confidence is restored in Fras. I’m not so discouraged but I’m still plenty mad at me.
Wellesley is still a great place. We gals have been leading quite a special life lately. Being in New York, seeing Vassar and West Point were quite an experience. And the Carousel weekend was the most fun I’ve ever had (so I say now). What a life! -- Fras
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
Wellesley 3 - 2216 is my phone
October 18, 1949
Dear Folks,
Here I sit with paper and pen and everything else aside but now I wish I knew how to go about telling you everything. For instance, last evening I was thinking just of the variety of the last three evenings. Friday evening at 8:20, I was in my slip and robe, hard at work on economics. Saturday at the same time I was in the Merry-Go-Round at the Copley Plaza with Neal, and Sunday I was listening to talks by the President of Barnard, the past-President of Smith and our own President. Every hour of the day is exactly like that, varied each day. It’s no wonder we love it here. If you’re not satisfied, you’re bound to be within two hours.
Well enough for generalizing. Let’s see, Mikey and I had a grand time with our Harvard dates. We saw Harvard and ate there at one of the houses, went to two roaring parties and then I went to an awfully nice house dance and she went to a square dance. I was with a Junior, Doug McCallum. He’s easy to talk to, a nice dancer and has manners….
Then, this Saturday, as you’ve guessed by now, Neal came up. At your suggestion, Mom, I wrote him Monday night a short, very general note and then Wednesday evening I got a long-distance ‘phone call from him asking me to go to the game and then around Boston afterwards, so who was I to say no? Friday I got a Special Delivery from him sending the ticket, so Saturday afternoon Mikey, Janie A and I went in to Harvard and then Jack Walcott, Mikey’s date, saw that i found where I belonged among the Army girls. I was about 3 seats from the 50 yard line about 5 rows up. Can you imagine it? All the cadets sat together because they marched and all so then Neal met me afterwards and we went back to the subway and then to central Boston, wandered around seeing the sights. Then had a terrific dinner at the Red Coach, went to the Merry - Go - Round Bar and then went dancing at the Darbury Room. Gad, he was actually showing me the sights though it was his first time in Boston. We had a lot of fun together.
After studying Friday evening, Mikey and I danced at the rec until 10 pm with some play boys from Harvard. They were fun and good conversationalists and dancers but they should be from what Mikey tells me of the way they spend their time going from party to party.
The Elms have been together so much lately, you’d hardly know we weren’t in the same house….(Jamie K, Jamie A, Nancy Ray, Lucy)...What a grand bunch of individuals!
About the red head, I’m simply overcame. I’ve had 3 letters and a package! He sent me a 3 foot Missouri banner, a copy of the Shawnee (college humor, you know) and various crazy things…
I did read the Time article on Wellesley and like it very much except that everything is blended here much more smoothly and subtly than presented in that article. If you haven’t thrown it away yet, I’d like to have you save it….
I heard from Aunt Fan and also got a check and I answered.
The music work has been very interesting….This year, though, since I’m just starting really, I think it mostly depends on my own practicing. So far I have carried out my good intentions without fail and the future is just speculation. I can’t imagine that the pleasure of accomplishing something I want to so much could grow less when I do show signs of accomplishing it. Gad, that’s rather involved but so far I love it.
Mrs. C is just our housemother -- very nice and very capable. My permission is fine and all OK’ed.
Could you send me all my yarn, etc, for knitting? The socks for Coleman and my white socks are at a stand-still.
...We have no classes tomorrow and had none this afternoon because of the education conference. What a lovely feeling.
Well, your food was much appreciated by all and more will receive similar welcome. However we now have enough instant cocoa to last us until we graduate…
I am reading over your letters and how I love them. Mikey and I laugh over all the crazy accidents, comments, etc….
I haven’t heard from Marianne so far, but I’d love to. Also I’d love to hear from the Davenports around Thanksgiving maybe or the 19th for the Harvard - Yale game in New Haven. As much as I’ve heard of them, I’ve never seen them….
Thanks for the music, the wonderful newsy letters and so forth.
Much love, Fras
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
December 1, 1949
Dear Mother,
Look what I found on my desk (more stationery) when I came home from class, having mailed the letter home. I hope it is enough because I have plenty here.
I just remembered I completely forgot to tell you about my Thanksgiving. Mikey and I went over for dinner Wednesday night and stayed all night and the next day, getting back here about 11 at night, Thursday. Mikey’s cousin, Jo, a sophomore at Mt. Holyoke, came home with a friend of hers so we four had a grand time. The Hornors are wonderfully hospitable and I felt so at home. Any can you imagine -- Dr. Hornor had a gardenia at the house for each of us when we arrived. We had all that wonderful food and slept real late and also he took us for a tour of Boston including Louisburg Square, etc to see the Christmas decorations. They had 5 other people for the big dinner so all afternoon and evening we sat around and knitted and talked. There were very interesting people -- an instructor at Amherst and a grad. student at Tech, who has the author of my economics book for an instructor. Of course all these people were older and married so we girls were sort of on the side-lines but enjoyed each other very much.
Their home is typical New England all over. You should have seen me sitting in front of the open fire on a low, low long wooden bench making the cranberry necklace for one turkey (she had two, each 14 lbs). And instead of knitting, she was making a spice ball of cloves stuck in an orange. Before dinner, we read the story of the first Thanksgiving and then each ate 5 grains of parched corn, symbols of the 5 left to the first settlers before their successful harvest. I hear this is a custom of New England generally.
We are having our second snow. It is light as was the first but it is exciting anyway and probably will get to be 3 or 4 inches deep before it is gone. Each time it gets messy, I resolve to go down and get some stadium boots so now I’m going to try to go shopping tomorrow. I certainly could have used them at the last game (Harvard - Yale) because I nearly froze! It was so cold.
Well, let Daddy read this too.
Much love to you both, Fras
P.S. Mikey says Hello!
P.P.S. Is it important to you whether I stay in the hotel or a sorority house down at M.U.?
It doesn’t make too much difference to me but the hotel would be an extra expense for Coleman.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
December 12, 1949
Dear Folks,
I have lots to tell you but that will come in all the talking we will soon be doing….I’ll wire from St. Louis about arriving time….I’m so excited I could jump up and down. Tomorrow I have 2 quizzes and they are all studied for. But then the paper Wednesday is not in very good condition. But it will get done and so far all year, I’ve only been up past 11 to study just two nights and that was only until 12:30. Quite a moral victory.
However, there is all this stuff of Alec Templeton tonight, vespers last night and formals Friday and Saturday nights, but see, I had the best time! Oh, Fras has had an orchid! As of Saturday night and the B School formal (Harvard Business School). Can you bear it? That boy was a wonderful boy. Details later (Ha Ha)
Coleman is still hoping to get up to give me a ride to Columbia Saturday. I should hear tomorrow or so about where I’m staying too. What fun!
Jamie A. wants me to come to Jamestown on the way back here. You see, Mikey couldn’t figure any way to get to Kansas City this vacation…(need a slip, slippers, the Hornors)...
Neal wrote in such a sudden burst of enthusiasm, sending me the pictures we took last Spring, etc. Assume he wants an invite for the 22nd or 23rd when he will be in Kansas City so I’m going to write him such.
See you soon!!!
Much love, Fras
____________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
January 15, 1950
Dear Folks,
I have spent the entire time since dinner (time now 8:30) being completely unhappy because of people who skimp on their budgets for scholarships. I was just talking to one girl who has a Pendleton and gets $ 1050; no co-op house and no Student’s Aid; who counts all but socks, etc, as a gift from her mother and completely ignores $ 50 spent on cigarettes, etc, etc, etc. What can a person do! Get ulcers, I guess is all. I did baby myself enough to say, in my letter about asking extra because of tuition increase and such, that I go home only at Christmas and travel coach on the train. So much for that.
Most of my time lately has been spent in reading three Gothic novels and the rest of Pride and Prejudice for English and working on Beethoven’s 8th Symphony, of which I have to write a thirty-page analysis for music mide-term paper. I finally got the assignment he supposedly was to give us before Christmas. I have 2 weeks in which to do it. I heard it for the first time Friday. Peachy. However, on the subject of subjects, I plan to get at least a 4 average this semester and I’m pretty confident of that . That should make the scholarship committee happy, too.
...Miggie Leach, a music major, one of the juniors on this floor, went with me to the symphony…. The program was marvelous -- Talo, Bizet and Ravel (2 waltzes) plus a new concerto by Poulenc, composed just last summer for the Boston Symphony, and he was the soloist. I love some of his works but I was disappointed in this one, personally. Everyone else, including critics, thought it was good but I still wouldn’t want to hear it again.
Miggie and I have lots of fun together lately with our music. This afternoon she play some of “The Marriage of Figaro” for me and told me the story. Last Saturday, we listened to Lohengrin together.
Then, this Saturday, Tom came out for dinner and the all-college dance….Before we went to the dance, he took me to Belmont since I’d never been there and showed me his house. He said we would have gone in to meet his parents but they weren’t home. Slight complication. Lots of Elms kids (at the dance), Severance girls and Walt! So we had lots of fun.
Walt, the coward, still won’t acknowledge that he sees me. Tom called twice this week and wants me to go to the Ballet de Paris, or whatever it is, next week if he can get tickets and if he doesn’t have an exam on Monday. Hope for me.
That is the weekend Thornton was to come up but I have found out since that their exam period begins that Friday so I sort of gave it up. But more strange is the fact that I haven’t heard from him since that letter of the 17th of December. Add that to the fact that I found a package here when I got back from him containing a beautiful Yale calendar. He sent it the 16th of December, but since it wasn’t first class mail, it wasn’t forwarded. Isn’t that nice? I was so happy. I wrote him immediately after I found it, of course, but still not a word from him. Something is up. Well, to be continued when and if.
Carousel is the next formal dance but if I ask Thornton, who doesn’t dance, I wouldn’t be going to the dance. If I don’t hear something from him pretty soon, I’m going to ask Tom and be done with it.
Thank you very much for the packages, books, clothes and such….I’m enjoying ver much having clean blouses and dresses and such. But another clue for packing the trunk: Drawers weren’t packed to the top and things got upset and wrinkled the wrong way.
I wore my new dress to the dance with my brown heels and felt wonderful and got a million compliments on it. I just love to wear it.
Thank you so much for calling me. It was wonderful to talk to you. Call me again soon and write more of those good letters.
Much love,
Fras
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
January 21, 1950
Dear Folks,
Imagine what was going through my mind yesterday when I got a letter from home advising me to ask Tom to Carousel because I had just mailed a letter to Thornton, asking him. I sat there, thinking about the pretty formal and got all confused all over again.
However, last night I had proof that I had decided right. On the book for phone calls, there was a call for Miss Hoster (Jody Hoster, a sophomore here, who had had a blind date with a friend of Sam’s) from Mr. Hosmer. Who else could it be but Tom? Sure enough, Janet had a call from Sam telling her that Tom had called Jody. He couldn’t get her but there was another call and a note for her so -- I was darn surprised because I didn’t have him figured out like that at all. I really can’t explain it. And not only does she live in the same house but he had asked me to go to the ballet with him this Saturday. Janet doesn’t understand either, but just between you and me, there would have to be an awful good explanation before I’d ever go out with him again. I don’t know all the story but any of that stuff does not go. Now I’m chewing my nails until I hear from Thornton. Oh, he wrote me a wonderful letter that I got right after I wrote you. He is in the middle of exams now and had been down to Cornell (he’s definitely going there) etc. So I said his rain check would be valid for Carousel.
Now, instead of looking forward to the ballet (see which I miss more -- this or Tom) I am listening to Tosca and planning to meet Ellie at 4 to go to the Vil to do some shopping and have dinner....I sent in a check for a ticket to Faust just before Spring vacation. Also I might go hear Tosca. That is why I am listening today….
Three weeks from today I will be in the middle of semester vacation but still I have no idea what I will do. I’d give anything in the world for an invitation for a couple of days with the Davenports. That would just do it. Otherwise I’ll end up going skiing, I guess….A ski weekend would be fun but it seems sort of ridiculous for me….
Did you say, Mom, that you have an extra book of the stories of the operas?
Thank you for the check. I’m glad to hear the next semester is all in the bag.
Be good.
Much love, Fras
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
January 31, 1950
Dear Folks,
Yesterday I got a letter from Mrs. Davenport, asking me to spend semester’s vacation with her! I immediately decided to accept and it was a good thing...I’m so glad to be able to see the Davenports and have such a nice change for vacation.
Thornton is coming to Carousel! You know I wrote him Friday morning and had an answer by Wednesday -- 4 pages typed!
All these formals sound marvelous. I’ll really be fixed up. However, what about a pair of black heels, a pair of stadium boots and a ski suit that I’ve been wanting for almost 2 years and have been postponing for economical reasons? Is now the time?....Well, wipe the tears from your eyes and tell me the word. One thing I won’t be needing; a wedding dress very soon, so I’ll be satisfied with my brown suit now. I’ll bet you know when I need the other. Don’t rush into it (I’m being facetious)....
Sounds like you two are having lots of good times at home and the concerts and parties. That’s what I like to hear!
Yesterday I was just thinking (I’ve been trying that just every now and then lately -- great thing if you catch on how to do it) and realized I’ve had one since I’ve been back and that was with Sir Tom Hosmer. Pretty bad record. Well then, I got good and disgusted at studying and at tea, Joan Van Hook had said she wasn’t going to study but one evening on English. Well, guess what Fras said when Allie James came up and said to Fras and Mikey, “You two want to go out, don’t you?” To make a long story short, I went to the Meadows last night with Allie, Mikey and Allie’s roommate and 4 dates. I went with a boy named Frank Bradshaw; tall, wonderful dancer and good company, from Memphis and a senior at Cornell. They were on the way for skiing at Lake Placid….Maybe I missed some sleep but it was good for the morale to go out.
...studies and exams…
I haven’t had one cigarette since 1949.
I haven’t heard a word from General Kindig after the rush of interest immediately before Christmas (shame on me).
Well, be good and have fun and write me lots of letters.
Love, Fras
P.S. Thank you for the picture of Dad and the others too. What would be a terrific idea for a present for Mrs. Davenport? -- F
P.P.S. The boy with the red hair was probably Terry Moore.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
February 25, 1950
Dear Folks,
Carousel is over and grades are out so I guess I will write you people a letter. I don’t know if you know, or no, so --
Bible C
English C+
Economics C+
Music B
Psychology B+
which makes a 3.8 instead of a 4.0. Economics was the only one of the five I didn’t predict exactly. I expected it to be a B-, which would make the extra 0.2. Well, lots of people did a lot better and a lot worse.... (more about grade-point average)...
That reminds me, I’m still hanging on to the New Year’s resolution and on top of that, gave up all swearing, cussing, etc, etc for Lent. What an angel!
Carousel was tremendous fun. Friday night Jack and Rick came for a buffet supper. Then we marched in a torch-light parade which ended in a snowball war. That over and none the worse for it, we went to a ski movie. When we got bored, we went to the square dance and had a wonderful time. While everyone rested between sets, we all sang songs where the band (guitar, fiddle, etc) played. We ended the evening with bridge, hot chocolate and doughnuts in the Severance living room.
Rick arrived the next morning to go to Economics with me and then we met Mikey and Jack at the Well for lunch…(snow sculpturing, diving demo with the Harvard team, cocktail party and dinner at Harvard, formal dress with an orchid, dancing, etc)...
Then Sunday we all slept late so the boys didn’t even call ‘till 2 pm. We met them in Boston for Samson and Delilah (awful but funny) and dinner....(dancing, shuffle board, home by 11:20 pm)...
Rick is tall enough that I could wear heels to the party but not to dance in. He’s not killingly handsome but very nice looking and a nice dresser. We got along just fine from the beginning and, of course, Jack is one who keeps anyone in stitches all the time and doesn’t spare Rick a bit so they are continually full of cracks and puns and such. Oh, Rick is from Reading, Penna, and 1 - A in the draft but planning to go to med. school, if he gets by the draft this summer. What else could I tell you - you learn a lot about a boy in three straight days together and doubling with his roommate. He’s not too hot as a dancer but good.
The last thing I’ve been saving to tell you after all this (and all the fun we had) is that, out of 4 courses he takes at Harvard as a biochem major, he got 4 A’s. It is completely out of character, most of the time. Jack, who last semester got his first report at Harvard that didn’t have at least one “D”, says “Oh, watch four-eyes there or he’ll whip out his report card.” Rick just reminds him of his sure dollar on a bet with Jack that Jack will get a B record this semester. What a couple of jokers. Doesn’t phase either one of them.
I like Rick and had a lot of fun with him but it won’t lead to much. There are a lot of things I don’t like about him, in his attitude sometimes. He’s sort of determined and independent and thoughtless. Don’t worry about my being an old maid, though. He said he’d call me and then said so again in his bread-and-butter letter.
It’s funny but he continually reminds me of Walt. There are obvious and insignificant similarities - a junior, not too good a dancer, and a bio-chem major. That is what fascinates me and that they both are awfully smart. There are similarities in their attitudes, too, in lots of ways. Strange! …(describes running into Walt)...I had every intention of having a friendly, sincere comment or two but he was just as syruppy and conventional and insincere. I could have choked. Boy, I’ve done my part. Really, I never saw such childish actions.
…(talks about shoes, boots, snow, tea dances, potential dates. "I had thought of Thornton for that weekend, but he doesn't dance and also I haven't heard from him since the hospital letter.")...
Much love,
Fras
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
March 10, 1950
Dear Folks,
Enclosed is my tax blank….
Today I went to see the Student’s Aid people and came away quite satisfied….On questioning, she said that my grades didn’t seem to be any problem….we went over my budget in comparison with a standard one and I was a bit higher on just one item -- clothes.
Oh, one thing, that girl who goes home pullman and wears the muskrat coat lost her money on scholarship as of this year and now gets $50 honorary award.
Well, the second woman told me I would probably be granted what I asked to make up whatever the scholarship committee didn’t grant me, but she said it would be only a loan -- no partial gift. She said I had enough behind me -- $1300 from you and $ 300 from Aunt Fan and the Dudley’s to cover college fees so I didn’t need a gift as much as others. Well, I objected.
Just this morning in economics, Dad, I’d decided you were an economic phenomenon because you send me to Wellesley on so much less than the $15,000 taxable income we figured in class that it required. However, both of us are ladies, so she understood me and explained the other side…
Things are going pretty good around here. This week they poured work on us but that’s to be expected. I went out with Rick last weekend and I have Dave Roach’s address. More later.
Much love, Fras
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
April 1, 1950
Dear Folks,
No joke, I’m all ready to go -- bag all packed and shirt with no bulges or excesses, closet locked, etc….We have a taxi coming at 2 to take us (8) to South Station to get the 3 o’clock train through to Washington…(plans for her Washington trip)...
Thanks ever so much for the checks! Oh, I had all sorts of plans along economic lines but they were a bit unrealistic I feel. For example, I know now I’d have to sleep in the park one night to stay within the sum I allowed for a room. You just don’t know the rich I’m getting out of this -- finding out about expenses for rooms and getting traveller’s cheques -- yes, I did that too!
And, I love the hat and jacket!!! Wonderful…(clothing comments)...What a riot. Now I’m lugging a hatbox, but it is doubling as hand bag, knitting bag, card box, etc.
I wrote Mr. Englebart about a week or more ago but haven’t heard anything yet.
Write me the latest on the journey to Oregon. I hope everything is working out about our side of it and with Mama T. too. Well, I’ll think of everything else at Aunt Fan’s.
Much love,
Fras
P.S. I need lighter clothes! No laundry box until after spring vacation but how bout some light P.J.s, etc? F.
P.P.S. You don’t know how I appreciate being able to plan this trip back here and then have you back me up so well too. Thanks very much! F.
________________________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
April 6, 1950
Dear Folks,
We had a marvelous time in Washington! I’m crazy about that beautiful city….(sights, Mary, Belinda, the Mitchells)...I wish I could have stayed longer but I was really getting sort of tired of living out of my suitcase and my pocket book. Maybe someday I can go back again -- Say in ‘52. Believe me, I’m going to put up a struggle if you try to do everything without me then! Also, we will have a new car and be so close. You’ve got to see it too!
I’m not broke, believe it or not. I have $50 and Uncle Sam’s check and some travellers’s cheques (1 or 2 at the most)....(economics of travel)...
I’d never thought of shopping until you mentioned it. What shall I shop for?...Really it was funny in Washington. The twins kept changing their clothes all the time and I wore the same pair of shoes every minute I was there, except for my slippers, because I only had my 2 suits and then forgot to take any shoes but the blue ones I had on. There just isn’t time to think of those things.
Now to take care of past details:...(Harzfeld’s, shoes, black suit, nut bread)..
I hope you are all over your colds. I haven’t had one thing wrong with me -- none of all this flu, colds, chicken pox, mumps, measles or mono that nearly everyone is having. Give Nick (her dog) a word of encouragement from me.
I haven’t written Coleman since January! Isn’t that awful. There’s no good reason. He said, after grades came out, that he couldn’t write more than once a month so I used that as an excuse to not write then and haven’t since. I will.
Thanks for all the news on Grace and Freddy. Was I surprised!
Aunt Fan is fine. There isn’t an awful lot going on around there though. She informed me the other day that you, Dad, had no business telling Aunt Ethel about that because Aunt Ethel never visits her and has to plan Jill, etc., etc. and she hadn’t told her. I don’t know where that is supposed to put me or how she means for me to react. I just didn’t. They are coming in July or something.
Oh, I want to tell you a funny thing. It concerns Bob Castle, Mitchell's cousin from Dartmouth. He’s very much the man-about-town and usually his limelight is focused on him but he was good company and handy to have pay the check at dinner and such (we settled with him in the lobby after every meal) -- you know, nice to have a man, even if he’s one for four. Well, anyway, he got up on Sunday at 9 though he didn’t go to church, just so we could all have breakfast together, so we all decided to get up at 6:30 on Tuesday to eat with him before he left for New York. Well, we’d played Bridge until 12:30 the night before and he’d been out. He’d already gotten his breakfast when we got there and 3 of us ate at a different table even! All I said to him was something about having a nice trip. Then, at 7 in the morning, all we girls could do was play bridge and such until things opened. Were we peeved!
Love, Fras
P.S. Happy Easter !!!
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
May 5. 1950
Dear Folks,
How are you lately? Anything revolutionary happening?
I’m sort of in a trough between last weekend and our Prom. This is the weekend I could have gone to Williams -- Ellie leaves in an hour, Janie tomorrow, etc. etc. Fras doesn’t even have a date all weekend and Dartmouth is having Green Key, so I’m wondering why I let Jack go.
Oh, I’m not either. With something on either side of this weekend and all the work I have, I couldn’t take off a whole three days which is exactly why I didn’t go. I’d just like to go out Saturday. That’s all that’s wrong with me.
Well, I’ll tell you about the high points of the wave I’m in in a moment (high point April 29, low point May 4, high point May 13) but first, Daddy, thank you so much for the candy! What a sweet (ha - ha, a pun) thing to do. There’s no better candy than Stover’s as far as I’m concerned. I do wish you could have been here (for Father’s weekend). They had so much fun.
I met Mr. Early (Ellie’s father) Saturday! He’s so funny. Well actually really quite serious, but very short (not fat) and reserved -- a close-mouthed lawyer. He’s very kind, though quiet and you give him credit for being shrewd, nobody’s push-over, but kind.
Say, Ellie’s grandmother is very ill, which is the reason her mother couldn’t come last weekend, and which also means they won’t be making the trip in June. However, they asked me to come home with Ellie as planned, so I am. I guess Ellie’s dad suggested we fly air coach, which costs no more than train coach. Because of baggage and what you said of flying, I insisted later we go coach on the train, which seems a cruel thing to to do to Ellie, so if you should think we could make an exception, for Pete’s sake, say so.
… notes about concerts, baseball games, dinner-dances at Harvard, pre-med exams for Rick, writing papers, cocktail parties, runs in stockings, etc. ….
I hate to bore you with details of my studies, but I’ve been working, rest assured. Two papers, one Saturday, a quiz and two papers before the next Saturday… I have two quizzes and 200 pages of essay reading. Luckily I’m up to date on everything and it’s getting done. All year I haven’t had one pink slip -- postponing a paper, or a blue slip -- absence for illness, or an irregularity -- for not signing out correctly, getting in late, etc. or been on the black list -- for not doing housework. A pat on the back for me.
Mother, your question about Madame Bovary has been on my mind a lot lately. You say you wouldn’t recommend it, or Nana or Gone with the Wind or Forever Amber. Well, I’ve only read Madame Bovary, but it appears you object to loose morals in all of them. Unfortunately morality is not generally the basis of criticism of a book, good or bad according to the lives of the characters. I haven’t read the others but I have read Kitty and I think it will fit the purpose because it qualifies as far as having loose morals. However, on the other hand, it has nothing else to recommend it (using that last term broadly). From the frame of this contrast between Kitty and Madame Bovary, I think you can place the others in their relative positions. All of them concern a woman who has overstepped the moral standards of her society. But don’t you think this is the only parallel? Emma Bovary was naturally a moral person. Kitty was born in the gutter and if she hadn’t been a bad girl in the particular circumstances of this plot, she would have been some other way. The plot is just and incidental part of the story that was written, it seems to me, for the purpose of profit by appealing to a rather low sort of thing. It was written just to entertain people who like the lurid details. On the other hand, the heart of Madame Bovary (no meaning to be punny) is the deep psychological insight, the detailed study of the influence of environment or character, that environment, situation and action being first consistent with her original nature. It just so happens that the result in a woman rejected by society, along the lines of the old idea of a victim of circumstance. The loose morals are never the focus. They are secondary, the tragic result of this frustration of a dynamic personality. And don’t think it’s frustration just on sexual levels. That is never the only manifestation of her upset emotions. Flaubert has created a story that carries the novel form to the level of a separate art. He understood and perfected the form and made it distinct from all other literary forms, poetry, certainly, and even from the essay or the short story. That is the reason it stands out in its own period. Today it lives, first because of this wonderful study of the growth of a character, but also because of its outstanding diction and realism. His style, the selection of words and construction of sentences is strong and vivid, even in translation from the language it was written in originally. The details of time and place are straight from an experienced and sensitive eye and construct a valid reproduction. The atmosphere as a result is authentic, not the artificial gloss that covers that other stuff they try to make historical novels. Scott can write a good historical novel and Flaubert and create a living character but the author of Kitty can’t do anything but appeal to the lower parts of human nature. Mikey informed me I was to keep Gone with the Wind out of the Kitty class and I think, from seeing the movie, that it has a lot of vitality and character to it, more than Forever Amber, from appearances, but I’ve heard of nothing in it that pointed to its being classed with Madame Bovary. These are just immediate impressions and very general. It should be interesting to look into the details this summer when I have the book. “Till then, I think you’d best not recommend it to Mrs. Breece or anyone’s Sunday School class, but you’re safe along other lines. As to the others, they are more popular than they deserve, at least along the Kitty lines. As I said, I haven’t read any of the others but from what everyone says, sex is the main purpose of most of them. Look at Moll Flanders, Tom Jones, Vanity Fair, for example. You’d never choose them as sexy novels but they are not models of morality!! Moral standards in these are not the primary purpose. They depict active life, local color, character study, influence of environment, all sorts of things and those contain their greatness. In these qualities lie the greatness of Madame Bovary.
I ordered a one-way ticket to Kansas City, coach, through Chicago and will soon need the money for it.
Well, that should cover things for now.
Love, Fras
P.S. The blue socks must be washed by themselves because they run. All wool socks must be done by hand! Also I assume I’ll have a dress for next Friday.
_____________________________________________
May 8 , 1950 letter not transcribed yet (a request for 2 cakes)
______________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
May 13, 1950
Dear Folks,
Rick just called; said he was leaving which means he will be here in no less than an hour and I’m all but ready. Can you imagine it !?!
Well, I finished my last paper for this week on Thursday, well, really Friday, since I finished typing at 2 am. That meant Friday was devoted to nothing but the party (after classes) and the party was loads of fun. We went in a convertible with the top down, singing and such. All the girls were from Elms but one woman we all know quite well, so that made the party very friendly.
Also the punch helped -- peach brandy and rum plus extras. It was deadly! I had two punch cups and that lasted me all afternoon. Poor Janie A. got sick as a dog and seven boys passed out. Isn’t that lovely. Mikey and I were well taken care of though. At one point, I was on my own and stopped to eat some popcorn and two boys who were talking there started talking to me. Well, they were in the party mood but rational and I was with them for the rest of the party, about a ½ hour and they both took me to dinner at Kirkland House. Well, we had more fun. We, of course, knew the same people and then ate with some of them and they called over more people who hadn’t been in the party and we had a lovely time. Then the two gentlemen escorted me to the meeting place about 5 blocks away. What an escort! Really, everybody about died and we had so much fun. That was the best. And did I love it! But what a platonic situation! Mikey was taken out to dinner too. Wasn’t that nice of those boys to not only come get us but take us home ?
…(talks a little about Rick, cakes from her mother, the laundry box, train fare home) …
Free Day was lovely today. The Court was magnificent, the dancing very good and very clever; freshman got to their tree first so gave their new cheer, and proceeded to win the crew race too. We gave the blotter (?) performance (?) again. Everybody was in their class color and white and the classes marched onto the Green, each singing its song. It was fun to see it for the first time. There are so many firsts when you’re a Freshman and this left a first for this year.
Mikey and I are going to see Mrs. Kemp Monday.
Say, I tell you what. I’m sending back the dress. It doesn’t fit as well as it might and I think I’d get more use out of some other kind of dress. We’ll see about that later or I’ll get a pair of shoes or something. That is awfully sweet of you to get it for me and I appreciated it.
Thank you for the good letters.
Love, Fras
P.S. I wrote my name on a psych quiz last Tuesday and then instead of putting Psych 103, I started 21 East 51 Terrace!
________________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
May 27, 1950
Dear Folks,
It was so nice to hear from you on my birthday. It was a grand birthday all around. When you called, we were eating the second cake. Allie’s mother had sent two for the picnic which meant each of us only contributed one so the third floor had some too. I can see when you’d think we do party all the time, but, as a matter of fact, that just lasted about 30 minutes, long enough to eat the cake.
…(talks about her weekend, general exams, the Braves game)...
Rick has an exam Monday and wanted me to go out Tuesday, but I have an exam that morning and the next afternoon so I turned him down. We’re going out on Thursday and Saturday instead. Don’t get any grey hairs over Rick. He’s the most gentlemanly person imaginable.
About that party, I must explain for my sake, your sake and my friend’s sake that you were given the wrong impression. It wasn’t a wild party at all in the afternoon, and we played parlor games -- Pass the Shoe and such. I did realize the punch was powerful but didn’t know about all the casualties until that night and even the next day. I didn’t know until Mikey told me when we were home that even Janie Anderson had been sick. They are all very polite about passing out in private. Except for rumor, I had no indication to go on. I just got it all out of proportion when telling you. Actually it was a congenial crowd having fun without the atmosphere you usually find when the people who are giving the party are friends of your date but strangers to you. Oh well, the words won’t add any more. I do wish, though, that you wouldn’t worry about me. You brought me up and you know how I act and feel. Anyway, there’s no good to be had from worry and you always magnify it way beyond what it is when you do.
May 31
Ellie and I just had a tremendous bike ride….(talks about exams, Rick, Red Sox game, a letter for Miss Wilson)...
I went in to the D. U. house Saturday night and the boy I was with asked me to come in to the house on Sunday for dinner, then go to dinner and the Pops. I stayed home to study for my exam on Tuesday. Did I feel like a martyr. All day I could hear Mother saying “That’s what makes Old Maids,” but the other doesn’t help you pass.
Neal asked me to June Week and I could have left this afternoon and been there until Sunday. One girl this afternoon flew to New York for South Pacific and is staying over tomorrow with another exam Saturday. Melon went to Philadelphia Friday and flew back Sunday. I’m awfully conservative. Now don’t preach to me. The moral is obvious.
I saw Mrs. Kemp a couple of times. It was so nice to talk with her.
I can swim the breadth of the pool, doing the crawl and the elementary backstroke. But that’s in the four foot water. You’ve still got an awful lot to teach me, Dad.
Why don’t you make an appointment for me at Calvert’s for the 21st. I probably won’t get in Kansas City ‘till the morning of the 17th. Ellie and I are planning to be in Chicago on Friday so I could take the El Cap. The only other nice train leaves in the morning.
Glad to hear the guest room is cleaned up. Mikey is meeting her parents on the 9th so I told them to be sure to go out to see you and they are planning to. They bought a new Buick in preparation for a trip via Kansas City to Canada, Oregon, California, Grand Canyon, etc.
Mikey says “hello”.
I bought some shoes - white linen. I think I’ll have them dyed. I thought speclators were a little too sporty to be practical.
…(talks about birthday presents)...
Well, do write me.
I have an exam Monday, Tues and Wed afternoon.
Love, Fras
 |
| These photos of Neal Kindig in the navy (fall of 1950) were sent by Neal to Frances L Chase |
______________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Rockford, Illinois
June 14, 1950
Dear Folks,
Hi there. I’m having the time of my life. If I can tear myself away, I’ll hop on the El Cap, if that’s the Santa Fe train that leaves about five o’clock from Chicago and see you whenever it gets in.
I wrote Mr. Englebart that I’d start work on Monday, the 19th, but if you’d like to have me around the house for a week, you could call him. I’d love to have that spare week, but …
Hope you met the Farmers (Mikey’s family) and had a nice time of some sort with them. The Ellies may go to California, so they are invited to our house as they go through. If not maybe Ellie may come home with me next summer, huh?
Mama T. wrote she was looking forward to seeing me this summer. How about that?
Well, be good ‘till Friday.
Love, Fras
 |
| Three Generations in 1950 Annie Lawson Tonkinson (Mama T), Lieuween T. Chase, Frances L. Chase |
____________________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
September 26, 1950
Dear Mother and Dad (I mean Folks),
What a joy it is to be a Junior. My schedule is just as I requested; I got my choice of practice rooms and hours for practice and lesson; the room is ideal.
…(talks about chaperone permission, damaged trunk, etc)...
The books arrived today in fine shape. Bookends are in use. Got a philodendrum (I just asked how to spell that word and Betsy exclaimed, “Why couldn’t you buy ivy?!”) Well, we couldn’t find the word but you should know what kind of plant I mean. You’ve no idea what difficulty I’m having in writing this letter, the difficulties being Betsy C., Mikey, Mary Rogell and the radio and pleadings by the three mentioned to play bridge.
Well, N.Y. was grand. We climbed into all our p. Pushers, etc., took the sleeping pills and slept from 9 pm until 8 am. I didn’t wake up five times all night. We each had a roommate -- two double seats apiece.
My date was from Havana, Juaquin Rendondo, of Spanish descent, as you can guess. He was good company and knew all about N.Y. -- hasn’t been in Havana for three years. Ellie and I shopped in the afternoon. Lord & Taylors, Peck and Peck, B. Altman, Russek’s, Arnold Constables, Franklin Simon, etc. Those stores all have a huge selection and all the latest French styles in the windows. Even the sidewalk crowd passing was a fashion parade in itself. And me resolving to be frugal.
After that we got cleaned up and, before dinner, went up to the top of the RCA building. We could see both rivers, Central Park and all the buildings including the U.N. building -- How strange!
We had dinner in Greenwich Village in Peter’s Backyard -- marvelous food. Very special dishes and a huge selection. But the place was very simple -- brick walls still showing (the brick, I mean). Of course, the table cloths were of red checked material and the lamp bases were wine bottles. From there we went to the Music Hall and saw “Sunset Boulevard” and the stage show. What a spectacle! Such a big place and so beautiful and such elaborate acts, costumes and all. Then, we had reservations for the midnight show at Cafe’ Society Downtown (don’t be alarmed because I had just one small drink). Errol Garner was featured, very good piano. Also there was a singer and a marvelous Dixiland band and guess what -- Dan Dailey, who had arrived not long after us, replaced the drummer and sang a couple of songs before we left. I wore my red dress and had a grand time in it.
…(talks about the train schedule, Ellie, Mikey, shoes, dates, etc)...
Well, I’ve probably forgotten all sorts of things but I’m quitting anyway. Thank you for the letter, Mother.
Got one from Aunt Fan.
Much love, Fras
________________________________________________To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
October 11, 1950
Dear Folks,
Thank you so much for all the favors you’ve done for me lately - sending permission and such…(talks about Bobby Martin’s marriage, dresses)...
My course so far hasn’t been as overwhelming as I expected. Of course, we haven’t had any quizzes or big papers. But on Monday, I had done all the assignments for a week in two courses. And I got back a paper in Milton that gave the spirits a big boost. The only negative comment was on the rather poor spelling, the everlasting curse on my life.
Well, I can’t wait a moment to tell you the very most exciting news: I got a part in the Junior Show. In fact some people call me a star. Not the star to be sure. But I have a solo and 14 lines, two appearances on stage. It is the only part combining acting and singing. Mary Rodgers wrote the song and is it good! I just love it and hope the audience does. How I got it, I’ll never know. I was determined to do it and I walked up and did the best I knew. I went to try-out at 9:30 the first morning they had try-outs and probably was the first person they heard. The show is a week from Friday and Saturday, on the 20th and 21st. So far, I’ve only been to one rehearsal and one run through of the song. Nice not to have to fool away time organizing a chorus. Mikey has four lines in a song and has spent twice as much time as I.
...(talks about vocal lessons, bed spreads, etc)...
In an hour practically all the third floor will be dressed in suits and trotting off to teas. Last week, we went to Open teas and these today are invitational. Then, they vote. There isn’t a great difference between the societies, so I haven’t any great preference. I’d as soon be in one for music as one for Shakespeare and so on. We’ll have to see. The choices are: Tau Zeta Epsilon, Phi Sigma, Zeta Alpha and Agora. This is the way I lined them up. However, though, the Phi Sigma hasn’t as cute a hours, I liked their spirit better. A lot on this floor put Agora first and I’d like to be with them. So it goes.
Tonight Ellie, Mikey and I go to Helen Traubel’s concert here.
The Madrigal Society asked me to try out (a great distinction in choir) but that was as far as I got. Can’t sing pianissimo.
The man situation is very unsatisfactory. Rick hasn’t put in an appearance since the first Tuesday. I met a could of nice boys but haven’t heard more from them. Oh, guess what -- I got a call from Mr. Trent Saturday morning. He turned out to be Jack Trent, Bill Trent’s brother. He is studying surgery in Boston. He came out Sunday and we drove to Concord, saw the historical sights (and lovely fall scenery) and had dinner in the Colonial Inn -- marvelous food. He was perfectly charming, said he would call in a couple of days -- and is 30 years old. Bill Trent is 33 !!! Horrors. He called last night, asked me out for Thurs and Sat. and I refused both. Thursday I am busy but not Saturday. Three of us are planning to go to the symphony but we haven’t made plans yet. Everyone around here says I’m silly to refuse him. Do you think so? I think anyone that age should desire the company of more mature, adult people. By then, even if they have been studying since college, they are on their own and have experienced a lot of life we haven’t, all bundled up in college. It just doesn’t seem normal. Maybe I’m too extreme.
…(talks about a mixer dance)...
We had a good time though.
Love, Fras
P.S. Tremendous about the furnace! Haven’t had one single letter from Neal. He has had two very good letters. Mikey loved the slippers. Gave them to her on Sunday at the Elms party for her and Cam. Got all letters. The strange one was from Betsy Connell. F.
P.P.S. Guess what -- I’m making argyles. The sweater is off the needles, but will have to go to the village to have the finishing touches. No one here knows how to fix the end of the cables. Socks are for Henry (Davenport), I guess. Colors enclosed go as tan, brown, diamond of aqua with cross stitch of rust. I invited Henry to the mixer but 2 weeks notice wasn’t enough. He said his social calendar was full until winter. This should bring him up. F.
_____________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
October 24, 1950
Dear Folks,
How nice to talk to you on Sunday! But I certainly didn’t get much news from you -- I must have done all the talking.
But here’s some news: I was selected as one of the three leads for the Beggar’s Opera (Mrs. Peachum) to be given in January. I am pleased to pieces, but for a long time I hesitated about accepting it -- for study reasons. Well, I thought it all over, even had a conference with the director and finally decided to do it. I have five solos, which can be handled in the time I practice anyway. I’m only in the first act so I won’t have to stay for any entire rehearsal and Mr. Winkler says that will be just 45 minutes each rehearsal -- Mon., Wed., Fri. evenings and Sat. afternoon (which is always a loss anyway). The thing that convinced me was his mentioning that the scholarship people highly approve of this kind of activity and I remembered a similar statement first thing I came, from Dean Wilson. And Dean Wycoff, in her un-subtle way, asked one time how I was using these voice lessons I was investing in. I’ll show her. Usually the majority of the casts for the Barn productions are scholarship people and nearly all this cast is taking voice lessons, too, so it will make time an element with them, too. Actually we rehearse only about a month before Christmas, have the break at Christmas, and then two weeks after that always lag in between vacation and the last weeks before exams. I should learn to use my time better, knowing that the schedule is tightened up a bit. And if things get out of hand, I have an understudy. Well, it isn’t all as nice and pleasant as the glory of being congratulated on having a lead, but I’m looking forward to it. Studying hard in these first weeks, too, which make over half the semester.
Also having fun (and culture!) -- heard Traubel, as you know. Tremendous! She sang lots of Wagnerian arias. I didn’t know the human voice was capable of what she did in B’s War Cry!
…(talks about a symphony concert)... Very interesting program. And nothing I’ve ever heard can beat the Boston Symphony in their own Symphony Hall. It gets you all the way up the back, clear to the ears.
…(talks about going to The Mikado)...
Well, I told you I got into Phi Sigma. I’ll have to send a picture of it. Betsy, Mikey and Tita Marks (from Honolulu) are in, too. Initiation is Thursday.
The Show was a huge success. Really outstanding according to Mr. Winkler, director of Barn, a few seniors and teachers (Mr. K-M, the journalism teacher for one). I’m just in seventh heaven because even people I don’t know compliment me on the part I had. This has been going on for a week now, ever since full rehearsals began. What fun. It was too! Sort of scary, but exciting. Did I fool them -- everyone said I looked so at ease and relaxed on stage. I didn’t tell them I was scared to death and just as cold! I’ll have to send you the song. The part was a take-off on Gloria Swanson, being Gloria Swansdown.
Well, I haven’t time now. Nana (Davenport) wrote me all her activities, but didn’t say anything about Henry’s big feet. Asked me down but not for any particular time.
I’m going out Saturday with a boy from the Business School.
Going to classes tomorrow morning with Rick and then having lunch with him -- all because I have to go to the Fogg Museum in Cambridge for an art paper.
I’m looking forward to your good letters.
Lots of love,
Fras
P.S. Please send the green coat -- I’m freezing!! Should I forget pride and write Neal a 3rd letter? 1st letters crossed and then address is vague Maybe a note? F.
 |
| News from November 1950 |
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
November 1, 1950
Dear Folks,
Please do get me some Christmas cards. Fifty should be fine, since I have some from last year -- in the bottom drawer of my desk, as I remember.
I hope the green coat is here by Saturday because I have a very special date -- with a friend of the boy Betsy Connell is mad about -- 3rd year man at Harvard Law. Isn’t this killing about all these blind dates! But this boy I’ve heard about for about a year and Dan (Betsy’s man) knows me and it was all planned last Sunday. Ideal for a blind date. We are theoretically having dinner at the Lincoln Inn (Law School club) and then going to a dance at the Pudding (ta-ta, the Hasty kind, you know). Oh, a Harvard football game in the afternoon.
The game last week was pitiful. Four downs on the 2-yard line and they didn’t make it. One time it stood 3rd down and 33 yards to go ,with no great losses while passing or anything, just shoved back. Nobody cheers or anything. It is just an excuse to see the band and have a party.
Last week I conceded on a Thursday that I had a cold; by Saturday, it had me and by Sunday and Monday, after simply perishing from the cold at the game, I was hardly in existence. Well, but force, Mikey, Ellie, Betsy and assorted other people got me to bed, turned up with cough medicine, aspirin, Vicks, gallons of water and the cold is conquered -- a mere shadow of its former self.
Thursday
The green coat, formals, hat, tremendous Hershey bar and Hydroxes all arrived safe and sound. That candy bar is the sensation of the third floor. Won’t last long.
Well, I have a list of 10 things to tell you. First of all, I got back my six-weeks quiz in Milton, which was adorned with a B+ !
…(John R., Jocie DeShong, Mary Herring, the naval reserve)...
I’m enclosing a folder about the Beggar’s Opera. It’s all about beggars and prostitutes and thieves, in parody of the operas dedicated to lofty figures. I am a wife and a mother with the most amazing views on marriage -- not being married myself and my daughter having foolishly suggested marrying the man she loves. Very clever and very funny situation.
Did you see Mr. Proctor in the next-to-last issue of Life? It was the education issue and his picture was among those of leading US teachers. Be sure to look it up -- Green Hall in the background.
You don’t realize I had my hand around the phone to form a megaphone and was shouting. Everybody in the hall was kidding about my yelling “But I can’t hear you!” and such comments.
I broached the subject of Christmas to Mikey and she is considering. Certainly she may stay 3 days, but not five or so. I think it would be tremendous. It would be fun if we could whip up a tea. It would be a lot of work but worth it. We could have more people for the work we put into it than for a dessert bridge.
Ellie is definitely around and at least a couple of times a week plus Choir. She’s been over for dinner and I’ve been to Beebe for dinner twice. Also she sits next to me in history 3 days a week. It is just that we aren’t in the same house. The boy she visited in New York is coming up this weekend, so she’s all excited.
Miss Wilson is having the Pendleton Scholars to tea tomorrow. What a dull crowd! Girls who are ever so much fun, original and clever and natural around here immediately are overly righteous at those things. And I’m the same way.
…(her trunk and writing desk)...
Well, I concede the victory to the student nurse. I had a lot of fun, as always, with Rick, but haven’t heard from him. Mikey saw him last Saturday with the student nurse. He always was a lot of bother too. Did you know he didn’t get out to the Junior Show in time to see my part? He assumed Jack would look him up when he came out and Jack figured he’d get himself to the meeting place so they came without him. He never did call me after the Sunday evening he called to say that he had done exactly the same thing that afternoon about coming out with Jack. By Saturday, Jack was ready to bite him, he was so mad.
Well, that’s enough for now.
Much love,
Fras
P.S. (on a 3x 5 card ) About the Betsy blind date -- he was dull. He went to a tiny Quaker College that his father and grandfather and great grandfather had attended. Everyone else in first year at the Business School has to make an adjustment but he hadn’t as yet. He lives on a dairy farm in Indiana, quite a big one, I guess. He plans to go back to have a part in the management end. He can’t dance -- is too inhibited and has no rhythm. Also is not over an inch taller than I. But he is a good bridge player and was very considerate. I had a nice time but if I ever do go out with him, I hope we don’t go to parties. He just isn’t the kind to make that fun. Well, I really don’t care either way if he ever calls again. F
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
November 12 1950
Dear Folks,
It seems time to write you, but there’s nothing to say. Life has been very dull as far as news goes -- three hard quizzes last week.
The date was fun because unusual, but well. He was (and is, I guess) quite an institution at Harvard -- graduated (in 1947!) then went to law school, graduated last year. Now he’s working on another degree and is also a proctor for a freshman house in the undergrad school. He has lots of pull and influence through all these contacts but he needs to get out into the world and away from that limited society. He’s pretty well exhausted the resources of Harvard, it seems to me. Also, as one girl in the same crowd put it (on the subject of love-making) -- these boys aren’t high school boys. Heavens, they’ve graduated from the college league. I made my point as to my views on the subject so we’ll see if I was able to balance the scales with other interests so he’s willing to take things as I lay them down -- if he calls, we will know. It was fun to go out with him because of all his contacts. He has migraine headaches and had to leave me at the game. I was not too amazed because Betsy came home the Wednesday before, saying Bordon had had one then. Well, he left me with a friend of his who was Sir Walter Raleigh himself -- most gallant. And all his other friends are just as nice. We had dinner at the Lincoln Inn and I was hostess of the table -- I remembered to use my salad fork.
In the evening, we were at a dance in Kirkland House where he lived when in the undergrad school. Well, the housemaster invited us to his house for a little something stronger than the ginger ale punch they served there (Oh, I forgot to tell you that Betsy’s Dan was giving a party after the game. They took me to it an supplied me with many men. Just as I was having a charming conversation with 2 of the most charming ones, B. recovered from his headache and came to the party and claimed me.) Well, we went to the housemaster’s house and had the most wonderful time. He is very sharp, witty and a top-rate conversationalist -- includes everyone. And Mrs. Hampton was equally as charming -- actually remembered my name! That always is such a high compliment. That had a lovely, comfortable home -- full of tapestry, wood paneling, books and a well-used but good piano -- well it was a fine piano piled with music is what I mean.
How silly -- what a gabber I am. All this talk about one bilnd date whom I’ll never see again.
Guess what -- I got a letter from Neal. Just one typed page (Oh, I meant to type this. Next time I will if I remember). He seems to be very busy with all sorts of jobs. Went to the Passion Play. He is stationed now near …
I haven’t heard from Aunt Fan this month yet.
Today Ellie and I went to dinner at the house of her Aunt Jane and Uncle Ralph. Aunt Jane was the wife of Mr. Early’s brother. She was a widow until nine months ago when she married Mr. Thompson. They live in Brookline in a huge house. Also have a house on the Cape that sleeps 28 people! And a boat in Florida (and drive a 1951 Cadillac soon). We had a lovely dinner and then after demitasse they drove us around Boston and vicinity. We went by the famous Union Club -- very blue blood , he says, and adds that he belongs. Then, by Faneiul Hall, saw where they had the Boston Tea Party, Custom’ House, to the harbor, fish pier, T Wharf and to South Boston and the fishing and such there. When you come back to graduation, I am going to drive and show you all these things.
Aunt Jane is very sweet and full of laughter. Mr. Thompson is a bit more formal and aware of situations. I would say he pulled himself up. He came from the middle west - makes machinery for knitting hose. When I commented on one of his many paintings, he said I should notice his rug instead -- then told me he got it over so-and-so Ligget. It was a 300 year old oriental. Huge. covered a room bigger than our living room plus dining room. When I was looking at the Chinese affair, he said the decorations were semi-precious stones -- hard to get. Well, the Dudley’s just don’t say things like that. We had fun, though.
Well, be good.
Lots of Love,
Fras
P.S. He made it apparent that the Jenny’s of Jenny Oil were their neighbors.
P.P.S. Don’t think I’m too harsh on these people and Bordon, too, but the conventional points aren’t significant. These are what sets them apart. F.
______________________________________________To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance House, Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA
November 26, 1950
Dear Folks,
After reading over your letters, I have a list of eleven items to dispose of before starting with the news. So, here goes.
I haven’t heard boo from Nana (Davenport). I had hoped I’d hear from Henry this weekend since he’s sure to have come up for the game, but no word. … (talks about the Independent, and Black Rose, fruit cake, laundry boxes, etc)...
In addition to the A in History, I got an A- on an Art paper.
I’m planning to come home without another check. If it doesn’t work out, I’ll go into the bank account with hopes of being reimbursed.
I have Phil written on my list for this letter. Your guess is as good as mine as to whether it means Philadelphia, Phil Boedon or philosophy.
I am hearing from Coleman but not that kind of news. I laughed and laughed over all that affair with Mrs. B.
As far as Christmas ideas do, I am making great progress with a list. First and foremost, my biggest wish -- a pair of opera glasses. For someone who invariably sits in the second balcony, a good pair would be a life-long joy. But maybe this isn’t the year for them. I could use them very often though. Then sweaters are always a delight -- maybe a cashmere? Size 38 in any case. I’ll figure out colors. I’d love a very nice nylon slip. My old ones are getting very worn and very dingy. Stocking supply is shot. But 10 long is too big somehow. Must need medium. I am beginning to regret being so righteous about a new formal when I face the prospect of the old ones after two years. The velvet can’t do easily for all the formals. But I want a special one the way I have had before -- not just a dress to serve the purpose. Then, there are an infinite number of things for the room that I could use after college in a home or an apartment because I’ll have one or the other, you know. Well, this was fun, searching for all my hidden desires. Maybe some of them will be practical.
I am enjoying my bookends so much! And the books that were waiting for me this summer. Mikey and I are in the middle of a story by Maupassant and just finished one of The Arabian Nights.
Well, Thanksgiving and men can be covered in one last full swoop -- Babson was utterly hopeless. What a mole! And every other’s male there was tall and charming and gentlemanly. But the next night I had one of the best times I can remember. That is the night I went to Pi Eta with Bill Roseman after he helped win the Brown game. Bill, better known as Rosey (his car is the Rosemobile) is only 5’9” but loads of fun and has the nicest friends. Being on training, he didn’t drink much or smoke.
I do hope you had a grand Thanksgiving. Mikey and I went in Wednesday evening. Thursday we had a marvelous turkey dinner. In the evening we went in town to see the Christmas windows -- fabulous. Friday Jo (Mikey’s cousin from Holyoke) took me to a new shopping center in Chestnut Hills where they have branches of R.H. Sterns, Franklin Simons, S.S. Pierce and Feldine’s. Brand new, beautiful stores. We were extending our Christmas lists . That night we went to The Consul, a very gripping and very grim production. It is all blank verse set to modern music, full symbolism. The effect is terribly intense and compelling. Then Saturday Mikey and Jo were escorted to the classic Harvard - Yale tug of war.
I had another of my famous blind dates. Really this is getting to be quite a racket. I had three different bids for blind dates -- what a business I’ve built up. Great whirl it is, to be sure.
The one I chose is a 22 yr-old medical student. He graduated at the age of 19 from Yale with highest honors -- after three years of study. Jo Horner knows his sister and announced to me before I’d said a word about him -- “You are going out with a first-rate genius.”
He is undoubtedly very intelligent but lacks any spontaneous animation or enthusiasm. He is just complete. He has no curiosity about anything mundane. But this is too harsh on him. He can be poked into some response to the happenings at hand. He was Bryan’s roommate at Yale (Bryan was Allie Jame’s date. We were with them all day.) Now he is a good friend of the girl who lives next door to us here -- so we had good company.
And he is a genius when it comes to dancing -- waltzes just wonderfully, and we did the rumba, samba and even the Charleston with all the appropriate flourishes with each. But he is a technical dancer -- has an infallible sense of rhythm and knows these dances until they are second nature but -- well, I guess he just ain’t got no asthetic enjoyment in it. He is strange, but he is an exceptional boy. I enjoyed being with him.
…(talks about the Harvard - Yale game, Garth Drury, Vendome hotel, Harvard Med. School dance, etc)...
So they came over to Aunt Virginia’s today and we all had lobster and turkey! I dissected an entire lobster with cracker and all and eliminated the correct parts, extracted the choice bits from the claws and the legs, disjointed in the proper places and all. What a party we had. Most informal.
Heavens, this must end. Nance (Nancy Carson from Salem) and I have just reached the conclusion that the truth must be faced. -- one boy has all sorts of admirable qualities but lacks one part for perfection; another has that and many others but not one the first has. A profound conclusion it is, of course, just covering the fact that we both admired our dates this weekend, but something isn’t there. You have to look a long time until things balance out.
Well, with that pleasing platitude, I quit.
Love,
Fras
 |
| a 3 x 5 card in the envelope |
P.S. Dear Mother,
Is it too late for Dad to have a picture made to match your 5 x 7? I’d love that. I’ve waited a long time.
As far as sweaters go, I need about every color except chartreuse and coral. Fras
 |
| Nancy Carson (Hovey) in 1952 at Wellesley College |
____________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
December 11, 1950
Dear Folks,
I am ready to come home; I am shot! Three weeks to spend sleeping until I get my fill -- I’m going to get saturated with orange juice -- oh, all sorts of things.
(This is very dull and monotonous -- skip if you like…)
This last week Beggar’s Opera took its toll. Green Death has been going through the campus, in fact nearly all the colleges, like fire, and I got behind on sleep and got full of candy and junk and it nearly got me. Last Tuesday, I started getting chills and dizzy spells and a nauseated feeling, so I immediately went to bed and drank big glasses of orange juice so I never did get it, but I spent two afternoons in bed -- with Milton and Shakespeare, can’t waste a minute you know. But I just couldn’t study. I didn’t have any store of energy and it was almost more than I could do to push myself off to rehearsals. And two quizzes were ahead of me -- one Saturday morning and one this morning. And when I came to study for them, I could tell a difference. I’ve been rushed and haven’t been nearly so thorough in studying all along so it’s showing up now. Well, I passed the quizzes, I’m sure, but I sure didn’t feel good. Oh, and that bug threw my system all out of kilter, so I got the Curse Saturday evening right in the middle of everything -- after 31 days! You can imagine how I felt.
Sunday was the day of Vespers and Phi Sig and Vespers in chapel so that meant all that plus rehearsal Sunday afternoon and me with a quiz on Monday. Well, I go through the day, studying was under control and I started to bed right on schedule at 11:00. At 1:45 am, I got bored with lying in bed and not getting to sleep, so I got up and studied until 2:30 am. There wasn’t one thing on my mind and I was perfectly relaxed, but I had half a cup of coffee at dinner. That is the only excuse I can find. I hadn’t had but seven hours sleep on Saturday night so I was in great shape for the quiz. One of the songs from Vespers stuck in my mind because we’d rehearsed it all afternoon and then used it for the finale -- and it is still in my head. I had to turn on the radio while I was studying because those two phrases were going ‘round and ‘round and nearly driving me distracted! Now you can see why I WANT TO GO HOME !!
Well, I’ve waited a week to get all that out of my system. You can’t say it to anyone around here because everyone is going through about the same thing. Betsy and Nance have been actively sick for about 4 days, but they are in bed, ignoring quizzes. Then, there is Mikey who went out Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights.
But from now on, all I have to do is pack and I’m so relieved.
(Begin here again…)
…(talks about train schedules and telegrams)...
Guess what -- I weighed on Saturday with my clothes on (!) and only weighed 128. The scales may be wrong. Probably are. But a few waist-lines will have to be taken in again.
The man situation still is rather uneventful. Last weekend (Dec. 2), I was out with a swimmer -- best looking thing and so nice, but a sophomore and at Bowdoin to boot, which all means it was fun for one evening and that’s all.
Then Sunday I went out with a friend of Debbie’s (Debbie being Tita’s roommate). Well, he’s coming to Beggar’s Opera and promised to call long before that. Name is Phil. Greek. Likes music. Doing grad. work in chem.
I am very sleepy. Pardon the lack of continuity.
…(talks about housedance with seven couples with a blind date from Yale)...
His names was (and is) Tom. I hope he writes to me, but he was a case so it wouldn’t be much of a loss if he didn’t. Opinion around her is quite divided over him. Details -- senior from Pelham, NY, English major, very nice looking, etc. etc, but the most upsetting defensive attitude. He scours everything and is so pessimistic and inconsiderate, he nearly drove me nuts until I caught on to what it was, put him in his place once instead of being awed by it all and now I think he’s worth knowing. One school of thought says I’m too kind hearted and a glutton for punishment and the other school says it’s all an act and he’s golden underneath. Well, he’s discussable, that’s for sure.
This blind date situation is snow-balling. If you will pardon the expressions, I may not have any boy-friends, but I have lots of nice girl-friends. I came home from rehearsal one afternoon and Van said Debbie wanted me for a blind date. She immediately started praising the boy to the skies in a big build-up and then said that Debbie had said, when she mentioned it, that she wanted me even though Betsy and Mikey were there and I was at rehearsal and neither one of them had dates. Sure enough, she’d waited all afternoon until I came home. And this last weekend at one point, I had 3 dates -- Tita’s friend was bringing his roommate for me and 2 other girls wanted me to go with friends of theirs. So, I picked the best offer and gave the other 2 to Betsy and Nancy and everybody was happy. Everybody jokes about my blind dates, but they want me to go on them or wish they were going themselves. Highly complimented, though, that they want me to go.
Must leave.
See you (word?) soon!
Love, Fras
 |
| an insert in the letter |
P. S. Tuesday morning
Apologies for this very dull letter. I slept like a log last night.
Thank you so much for the book! You must be psychic to know I wanted some American works.
I’ve sent 2 Christmas cards already. Very cute! F.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
January 17, 1951
Dear Folks,
Wonders haven’t ceased yet -- have just shifted fields. Yesterday, despite mountains of work and having spent half the day in bed for the usual reason, I went out. It was just ridiculous but I hadn’t been out at all and prospects aren’t so good -- and I had made the supreme sacrifice of studying on Saturday. Then, of all things, we went tobogganing. But wonder of wonders, I met a very nice young gentleman and had the time of my life. A boy I know from the Business School who dates Bobby Briggs brought out four friends and Tita, Debby, Betsy and I were with them. We rode the toboggan and did everything fun in the snow. It just started snowing late Saturday and hadn’t quit so the snow was ideal. Well, we just had a riotous time. I laughed up so much cold air and I lost my voice. In a semi-frozen state, we retired to Agora where the boys prepared a witches brew they called cocoa and in our ski outfits and warm sweaters, we sang and joked in front of a blazing fire. Ideal no?
Then today, Bobby told Mikey that I’d really made a conquest. He’d stuck like glue. That was the first time I knew the whole thing wasn’t planned! I thought Bobby and done the pairing and was praising her for doing so well. You see, I looked the boys over and picked out the one I like best and was most pleased when he helped me with my coat, etc. So it was all evening. What fun! I got pushed in every snowy juniper bush, had face washed 3 times ect. No more details. “You should see the other guy.”
He, John Yarnell, is a first year man and from Canada -- Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Tall enough, nice-looking, smart and entertaining. No great psychological problems! We got along perfectly. And best of all, he called all afternoon while I was at the library and finally at 5, got me to ask me out for next Saturday. If he asks me out again, I think I shall finesse the Tom B. idea for Carousel.
Beggar’s Opera is going fine. Production in 2 weeks!
Neal sent a postcard from Switzerland about Christmas time.
I got letters today and sent Henry’s sock Saturday.
Scholarship application is in.
A week from today, all work current will be in. I got back an encouraging quiz in Shakespeare, the one I took just before Christmas. She drives us all wild because she never grades them -- just writes comments.
Well, I sure had a good vacation. Thanks for all the nice things we did together.
Love, Fras
P.S. Aunt Fan said to tell you she will be in Kansas City in early April one the way back. She will write eventually. Don’t let her chickens out and fly back without stopping! -- F.
 |
| Frances Lieuween Chase, 1951 |
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
January 17, 1951
Dear Folks,
Miracles are continuing -- another man has entered the picture. Also all papers got in on time and completely and Beggar’s Opera is going quite well.
Since Christmas, I have been completely demoralized -- cut classes, went out Friday, Saturday and Sunday, therefore had to stay up 2 nights extra late, even smoked 3 cigarettes. I’ve been late to nearly everything. But life goes on anyway. A boy from Yale told me last Saturday, when I told him about my resolution, that I’d have a sense of sin and guilt as a consequence, and he is right. Not too much so, though.
Look took pictures at dress rehearsal last night! Probably won’t get in, but we are all quite flattered that they noticed us.
The new man is Bill Dunn, the one who talked to me until Garth, the genius who took me to the Yale game, came to get me that day. I remembered him perfectly well, but I was quite surprised when he asked me out. I went out with him last Friday. I’ve had a great time playing the two against each other. Each asks me out for the time I’m going out with the other (twice apiece) and then adds another invite. Bill is coming to Beggar’s Opera on Saturday and to the cast party. John is coming Friday and Ellie (and a friend of John’s) and some others and dates are having a party at Phi Sig afterwards -- not big and elaborate but fun. Then Bill asked me out to dinner on Sunday, just taking time off to eat, he said, explicitly.
John calls up all the time and just came out on Sunday on the spur of the moment. At noon, he announced it, but when he heard I hadn’t finished my paper, he said he wouldn’t come until I did. Considerate, no? He’s a wonderful guy. Did I tell you he’s a Canadian, from Winnipeg? About 23, as I figure. (Bill, I figure, as a minimum of 27 ! What a contrast). Quite a kidder. Not the practical joke kind, but always sharp and unexpected. He skis and skates and all the other things I can’t do (except he dances wonderfully, I think -- only danced a couple of dances with him).
Isn’t this timing overwhelming! The Beggar’s Opera is nearly over, all in hand. And just the day that dress rehearsals began, I had my last paper. The two boys appear at the same time in a lovely whirl and exams don’t begin for 2 weeks. I have an entire week free for study before my first exam. Yours truly is in !!
Hope you both are free of colds. I’ve been fighting one ever since I got back. Everytime I get less than 8 hours of sleep, I cough. But Mikey and I have been taking black strap (!) and it is winning.
Jamie A. asked about you. She does my make-up for Beggar’s Opera.
Neal has not responded. Had a Christmas card from his parents when I got back. Bill also is at the Business School, but working on his thesis. He has already passed his orals for his PhD. Going to teach. He’s from Springfield, Ill, where Lincoln’s tomb is.
Trunk came through fine. The rye things are new, but not as popular as some other things. Thanks so much for fixing the skirt. Also for soap, wish bone dressing, the editorial, wonderful food to say nothing of the clean clothes. When word got around about my unpacking a laundry box: suddenly with the girls, there was a multitude of the studious host, singing praises to Mrs. Chase.
Send the socks with the gloves. It is no trick to fix them, but don’t try it without the right stuff.
Is the $5 from Santa Claus? Nice.
Lots of love,
Fras
P.S. Marthana liked the napkin ring. Thanks for the picture. Glad you enjoyed the Pop Concert. F.
_______________________________________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
January 30, 1951
Dear Folks,
Beggar’s Opera went fine -- many wonderful compliments and lots of fun. And experience I will always value.
Last week I just sort of recovered and caught up on work. Bill took me to dinner at Abner Wheeler’s (where I went with Betsy C. and her parents) on Sunday and John went with me to the Fogg Museum Wednesday, but otherwise I’ve resisted temptation of the social nature….John’s last exam was over at 1:00 on Saturday but I didn’t go out until 5:30 because I had to go to two more museums to finish a paper -- an optional one for Milton! Really I’m a reformed gal.
Time now is three dimensional, I know, even if I can’t grasp its relation to the fourth dimension. There is a tremendous quantity of classwork, trying for the maximum quality of work given these constraints and a limited length of time before exams begin on Thursday. It not only piles up, but it has the breadth (of necessity) for quantity of work and the depth of careful study of each part of all this quantity of work (note; she drew a cube to represent this description). The whole thing is bulging at the seams and there is more work than can be fitted into these cubic hours. But it is a pleasure to be free of all other responsibilities of the Beggar’s Opera, museum trips and classes. Though we’ve all been wearing ourselves out, I’ve enjoyed it so far. These are interesting studies and rewarding.
Thank you so much for the telegram -- I had hoped I’d get one like I did for the Junior Show. Telegrams are so special and exciting.
The formal got here in fine shape and just the day I asked John to Carousel. Of course, he accepted. So many people came in and exclaimed over it.
Thank you for asking about the tax form. Here it is.
The money certainly will come in handy. We just got the opera series and I’m getting tickets to La Boheme, Tristan and Isolde and The Barber of Seville. Isn’t that exciting -- that’s what I worked for this summer.
Vacation should be most inexpensive -- four days with the Hornors. Mikey and I plan to go to a matinee, maybe Peter Pan, with Nance and Betts on Thursday, the 8th, and John asked me for that Saturday. Maybe old Bill will come through on Friday.
Nancy sort of asked me to her house but Betts said her mother was very busy and Mikey wanted me to be at the Hornors with her. She is going Saturday and I won’t be there until the next Thursday so it should be OK. Nice people!
Got a funny note from Jill. She is an exponent of the school of phonetic spelling if I ever saw one!
Got a letter from Neal B. Kindig today -- 14 pages. Signed “love” no less! He had fabulous things to tell about Switzerland and Paris too.
Wonders clashed with grades -- “C” on philosophy paper and “B-” on Milton. I really felt bad because I thought I had that philosophy cold. The Beggar’s Opera was good experience and I loved every minute of it -- but never again.
Well, on to study.
Have fun with the Dudleys and say hi or something appropriate.
Lots of love,
Fras
_____________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
February 22, 1951
Dear Folks,
Grades came out yesterday and here is the situation....So far, so good. They are nearly all lower than I had hoped at the first of the semester, but that was expected with the Beggar’s Opera. Nevertheless these made a 4.25 which is a good average....(reviews courses and grades)...Mikey got a 2.2 and she’ll just go on the same as always with never a qualm and much praise from her parents. But old Fras has that darn scholarship committee to face up to. If there weren’t just one last year ahead, I’d almost be tempted to throw in the towel and to go K.C.U. Well, I know I’d really have to be forced. There’s nothing I want more in this world than that diploma a year from June.
…(sorry for not writing, recent family news)...
You bet I knit that Ascot. I just finished one for Aunt Virginia, too, in cherry and silver. I’m sorry I forgot Valentine’s Day, completely neglected I guess. Thank you for the cute one from you two. Remember the big ones I used to get fro Coleman? None this year. We never wrote after Christmas. He’s nice and fun, but -- well, you know the situation.
…(knitting, fudge, apricot bread, cake from home)...
Thank you so much for the scores. We are going to follow them with the records before we go, like we did for Faust.
Intestinal flu has cut down over 600 of the Wellesley College community and a proportional number of the 3rd floor…
All in all, you two have been awfully good to me lately. I know there is no one more irritating than the person who neglects to express appreciation. Please don’t think I’m inconsiderate or unappreciative because I do appreciate all these things (and Mikey and all the rest around here do too)....
Did I tell you Neal K. is in Frankfurt? Got two gorgeous postcards from Paris -- the Opera House and the Eiffel Tower.
Well is it sufficient to say vacation was fine, Carousel was fun, Bill asked me out last Friday and if John isn’t in the Infirmary, we are going out Saturday. Poor old John got the flu bug last Sunday and isn’t on his feet yet. Maybe my next letter will have the details.
I had my conference with Miss Balderston after lunch today (about her grades). She hit exactly the one factor that has been my greatest handicap all through college: I can’t think.
Well, that is overstating the case, but the competition around here makes me think that’s about what it all is.
Love, Fras
P.S. (on the back of a Memo from Fraser’s Flowers, Wellesley Hills)
Mom -- Joan Van Hook would like your recipe for apricot bread. Aunt Virginia and Uncle Al mentioned many times how nice it was for you to write. The cake is diminished to 2 pieces. The pink layer is sensational. No one will believe the bread, cake and fudge were made 10 days ago. Very good, Mrs. C. -- F.
________________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
March 5, 1951
Dear Folks,
Here is your typewritten letter. You wouldn’t have it except for the fact I don’t have my glasses so I can’t see to do all the work I have to do. You see, last night Ellie and Gil, and John and I were at Phi Sig for supper and then bridge afterwards and after bridge when we were going to dance, John put my glasses in his pocket. You guessed it -- he went home with them. He’s on the way out, dear boy, with them, and I’ve cleaned the room, done errands in the Vil, all sorts of necessary things that don’t require reading, and this letter is the next project.
There is all sorts of exciting news to tell you. Today the cast for the Phi Sig program meeting play was posted and I have a part. It is a one-act play by William Butler Yeats to be given on March 20. Better yet, there are only two rehearsals a week, so it won’t take much memorizing or practice for very long. I’m so glad to have it because I didn’t do anything constructive for Phi Sig last semester.
Then next Friday I am off for the Yale Junior Prom…(plans and dates)...
This last Saturday, Choir had a concert with the Bowdoin Glee Club and the Meddibemsters -- their Whiffenpoofs -- and a formal dance afterwards. It is such fun to sing with a big group like that and with full eight part harmony. I missed it so much after having boys in choir at Southwest.
The pictures are from a week ago. I was so excited about going to Romeo and Juliet when I talked to you that I completely forgot to mention that I’d spent the weekend in New Hampshire, skiing no less. Some of the Business School boys were planning to go skiing that weekend and John wanted to go. Since he had a date with me for Saturday, he took me along. Wasn’t that nice? Mikey had a date with Dave Ackers, a friend of John’s, so she went too....(skiing, sing by the fire, square-dancing, etc)...
This is the life -- wearing ski clothes and such casual stuff all the time. Never have I taken less for a weekend. The only change I had was my cable-sleeved sweater and grey skirt. We had just gotten grades that week and I was low -- really about ready to throw in the towel. To simply leave all responsibilities and relax gave perspective to the whole thing and I came back with my frame of mind 100% improved.
Jackson is right in the middle of the New Hampshire mountains and was covered with snow. The scenery was marvelous….The food was plain but very good and in unending supply -- spaghetti and broccoli, bread, etc for lunch, piles of scramble eggs for breakfast plus orange juice, coffee cake and coffee. Mikey says that compared to other ski lodges, this one was rather expensive but I thought it was quite reasonable -- $7.15 for American plan…
That seems to cover all but the actual skiing, and there the lovely picture is marred. Never have I felt so clumsy!!... The practice I had in falling in a faint in Beggar’s Opera proved to be quite useful, too, in relaxing and such. Really, it was riotous….
Romeo and Juliet was unforgettable. Olivia de Haviland is a top-notch actress, for sure. She made Juliet seem truly young and impetuous and irrational and very convincing….
Joan sends her thanks for the apricot bread recipe....
Saw Aunt Frances, went to the concert and such. Good luck at the Lion’s luncheon.
Thank you for the letter and clipping from Mama T.
Got a letter from Bebe and she wants to leave school but her parents won’t let her. Why she wants to, I don’t know.
I can’t decide whether to call Henry Davenport when I go to New Haven or not.
Time for dinner.
Be good.
Lots of love,
Fras
 |
| Jack McKenna loading Stan Snider's car, 1951 |
 |
| Buck Carr, Dave Akers, Mikey, John Yarnell, 1951 |
 |
| Bill Nelson, John Yarnell, 1951 |
 |
| Stan Snider, 1951 |
 |
| Dave Akers, Mikey, Stan Snider, 1951 |
 |
| Women's Bunk House, 1951 |
 |
| Spruce Mountain Lodge, NH, 1951 |
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
March 20, 1951
Dear Folks,
Spring vacation starts the 31st and plans are underway, but none too definite. What is definite is that Nana (Marianna Davenport) asked me down for a night or two….(plans with Nancy Carson, Betsy, Janet in NYC)...(quizzes and papers)...
Say, Mother, dear, what are you writing to Neal behind my back ? Pretty smooth -- but, ha-ha, he told on you. Just a short P.S. designed to arouse curiosities.
…(Trinity Cathedral in Boston)...
Last week was very interesting -- 3 days at Yale were followed by the Heifetz concert on Monday and the Flower Show on Wednesday -- both just stupendous. Maybe this summer I will tell you about them, but I’m just so tired now, after this full day -- full 3 days and more -- with the prospect of the Phi Sig play tomorrow night and all this work. I hope you’ll excuse me.
Last Saturday night was the first night I stayed home this year -- and I wrote a paper! Can you imagine? What control! Really, I enjoyed it. Never thought I would. But Janet Fraser, Jo Ellen Abbot and Zany Bergin were here too. Good company. It is nice to have extra time to devote to things around here instead of following a rigid schedule jammed to the utmost.
I hope next Saturday is full, though, because two in a row is too much.
It looks as if -- well, is sure -- that the lovely John situation has run its course. He never was anyone I’d devote the rest of my life to, but he was very nice in many significant ways, and seeing that much of a person leads to a nice understanding and relationship. But there were too many weaknesses in it to last very long. He is very immature, I think due to the fact that this is the first time he’s been away from home. He commuted to college and was a family sort of boy. There is a certain security in that devoted circle that he lacks here. When he gets all adjusted, it will be great. But he is self-centered, not to the point of conceit, but to the degree of some inexcusable rudeness and inconsiderateness. This is funny to say because I was the last to admit it and blew his trumpet fiercely for ages. Skiing was the first revelation that had no two ways about it. Oh, also he is shallow. I thought that since he went to the museum with me so willingly, he wasn’t, but really his interests are very superficial. Well, so it goes. We look some more, but it was fun for a while. Of that original crowd, I was the last to drop off -- Tita and Betsy and Debbie and Zany having gone long since. Mikey and Ellie are “second generation” -- I got them dates. And they are carrying on the tradition.
The ???? got here fine and I just love it. That was so sweet of you! And the stockings are so different and clever! Any my salvation at you -- not a complete pain left ! I’ll tell you all about that weekend -- best ever! F.
Got my checks, too. Many thanks for that and for all the news, Dad. F.
___________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
March 30, 1951
Dear Folks,
Tomorrow vacation begins and about now, I wish it were over. Never have I felt more like an orphan! Plans are so confused and the bank account is so low, it isn’t much fun to think of being self-sufficient in New York for five days and then spending half the rest of the time on the train.
As things stand now, Betts and I leave on the 2:00 tomorrow and meet Nance at some hotel. Then to our little cell -- the only economical thing about this vacation. It costs only $2 a day per person -- no bath except shared. In New York, you can imagine what $2 will bring. Well, Nancy’s aunt recommended it, so it must be clean.
After that, I don’t know just what. Nana Davenport wrote today that her mother (step?) was arriving tomorrow and after that, she is off to Providence. I’m calling her Monday night for the latest news. But when expenses are as limited as mine, that is rather precarious. I told the Knowles that I’d go there on Sunday, so… Also Nance and Betts may pull out on Thursday rather than Friday (which would leave me alone for a day before I shift gears in plans) if their financial supply gives out, in which I navigate the Roosevelt Hotel where Mikey’s Aunt, Uncle and cousin are staying until I arrange the next move. Great relaxation in prospect!
About finances -- the bank is stripped. Some say I have plenty of money and some say not half enough. Well, I’ll exist on what I have, but I’m making no guarantees on the state of things after vacation. You know, Aunt Fan always donated a bit for traveling expenses, etc. Also, it is quite nice to plan a couple of days in Greenwich and a couple of days in Poughkeepsie, but train fare is piling up quite high.
I don’t feel so bad about missing the chance to go to Savannah. Tita’s brother left his car in Washington, so all the gals are flying down that far and that would rather have put me out of the running.
This is rather a gloomy letter, I fear. I had 2 quizzes in successive hours yesterday and a paper today, plus almost no sleep for about a week. But last night they announced Choir Officers so I have a lovely red rose to cheer me up. The red rose is a signal honor at Wellesley that I don’t believe I’ve told you about. I got one for Beggar’s Opera too and Mikey got one for being a class officer -- fact’ota.
I’ll write later.
Love, Fras
P.S. Nancy lives in Salem. Knowles address: Flower Hill, Poughkeepsie. Nana’s phone is Greenwich 7 - 1284.
Hats are here, in fine shape. Might as well send the formal. Maybe someone will turn up for Prom. Well, wait. I may wear the aqua. F.
A long P.P.S. at 10 pm
All packing preliminaries are over and the only major decisions concern blue vs. green suit (wearing brown) and the coat problem. Nancy’s mother was here this afternoon and calmed all our fears about the room, and then reaffirmed Nancy’s invite to come see them. They are sincere and Betts is definitely going back home with Nancy. Maybe I’ll finesse Nana and go on to the Knowles on Thursday. Then, I could go to Salem on Sunday. Mrs. Carson may come to N.Y. on Tuesday and give the others a ride back too….
Say Mom, about that dress pattern. What say you try impressed pleats in the skirt? You know how flattening they are in the blue and black taffeta.
Too bad Aunt Fan isn’t stopping on the way back.
Mr. Englebart will be written soon. You really picked the strategic moment for such a reminder!! That money is gold from heaven.
Mother, I was just teasing about Neal !
Be good.
Much love,
Fras
__________________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
April 18, 1951
Dear Folks,
This may be a resume’ or a small diary before it is finished but here we go on vacation. Well, one moment to say a few things I need. Allie James was married during semester and now a little one is in the distant future, so I would like the soaker pattern…(swim cap, robe, dresses, soap, glasses case needed)...
Wesleyan was very gay. My date was practically a professional piano player (plays with a dixieland band - very good organization) and a fraternity man, so we went to several parties and Charlestoned and such. The Glee Club gave each of us a baby orchid. Wasn’t that sweet of them ?
Wednesday and Sunday afternoons were opera times. I saw La Boheme and Tristan and Isolde and enjoyed each no end….(comments on the voices)...
…(vacation costs, the drive down)...
The room wasn’t any bigger than mine at home and had three beds in it in various places, such as the middle of the floor. However, it was quiet and had a nice view and we were never there, in a conscious state (being awake). The first move was dinner, which we had somewhere off 42nd street -- music by the Air Lane Trio and such.
Nancy talked to her cousin who invited us to a party in a Park Ave. apartment -- a school friend of his. Never have I seen such a swank place -- a fabulous art collection, a maid to answer the door, furniture that belonged in a museum, everything just unbelievable. We had a great time in such luxury. However, there wasn’t much in the way of entertainment so went beyond 3rd avenue to another friend’s place (driven by Mr. Park Ave, better known as Sandy Bing - a very human boy in muddy shoes and athletic socks).
David was the second friend of Nancy’s cousin, who incidentally is Dean Frye. You can touch both walls of the hall leading to David’s place with your elbows. All the rooms are strung in a line and all the chairs fall apart. However, David can keep you interested continually in discussions of everything from Shakespeare to D.H. Lawrence and Beethoven to Berle Ives. This is especially amazing since he never went to high school. He violently hates any kind of convention or regimentation. Just a few weeks before, he was notified that he was drafted, whereupon he renounced his citizenship. Then, he was notified that was 4 F, so all quieted down. He writes for a living.
Sunday, Nancy and I went two blocks up the street to the Riverside Church to hear Henry Emerson Fosdick …(comments)...(a photo from Carousel)...(spelling Mikey)...
After we succeeded in getting Betts out of bed after church, we went off to the Frick Museum…(comments)...Really the place is just a gem….
Dean met us there and escorted us to the Plaza (Hotel) for high tea. Janet and various other people had said this was the thing to do to be New York-ish. It was by far the most swank place I have ever been in. Everything in the furnishing was either palm, gilt or mirror. Also there were many jewels and much mink in evidence. I felt quite equal to it in the dress my mother made for me and my pink coat. I am glad Dean paid the check. That would have shattered the whole illusion. Such luxury -- tea, French pastry and good company. Also there was string ensemble playing nondescript music to complete the atmosphere.
From there (there were hyacinths in the flower boxes, one beggar on the street in front), we went to look in the windows at Bergdorf Goodman’s and then hopped on a bus for Greenwich Village. Dean lives in Greenwich Village. His father is a painter and his mother is editor of junior books for McGraw-Hill….(Washington Square, NYU, students singing in the park)...
We saw a man with a beard, too, in the old tradition. Nance and I ate dinner in a little Viennese place in the Village the next night and in a book store we passed, we saw an ad for books on “Art, Poetry and Psychology.” Isn’t that perfect?! Oh, next door to the book store, they were displaying a large assortment of various styles of berets.
Well, back to Sunday night. We had dinner at Dean’s. Sandy and David and another couple were there, and Mr. and Mrs. Frye. After twisting many arms, I persuaded most all of them that they wanted to go for a ride to Battery Park, so we piled into Sandy’s car...From there we went to Nick’s, a jazz place in the Village to meet two more couples. We didn’t stay very long because Dean had to be off for school again. Dean goes to Temple, in Philadelphia, since he got kicked out of Cornell for grades. He got all A;s at Temple just to show Cornell, also in hopes of getting back in. Sandy goes to Bowdoin, in Maine, where he makes terrific grades with no crises. David, of course, does not go to school.
Monday, we went shopping a bit and then I went with the two gals to the Library where they were job shopping...On the third floor there is one room as large as our house, with row upon row of card catalogues. You fill out a slip with the essential information and put it in a chute. Then you go into another mammoth room and a page brings it to you, the slip having gone into mysterious parts so that someone could explore the stacks to find that particular book...I was so overwhelmed by that huge room of studying people that I took an intermission and never went back...By the time I got finished looking at various displays in the library, Nance and Betts were waiting for me, so I didn’t have to go back to that big room full of intellectual strangers.
At that point, Nance and I took off in search of theater tickets and walked all over Broadway...I went to McBride’s in hopes of getting tickets to the Met, but was discouraged when I discovered that every ticket cost $8.40. That could do a few more things I thought, especially in light of my other two tickets. We were rather discouraged by the prices of other tickets, too, so we went to the box office of “The Rose Tattoo”, Tennessee Williams, and got tickets for the Wednesday matinee. Weren’t we smart? Not so lucky on any others. The good ones are sold out until November. After all that weary walking, we treated ourselves to a very nice half hour in the Astor, having cocktails. Most swank and comfortable. Also luscious hors d'oeuvres. I must admit I felt rather risque, but in New York it is legal at 18, and everyone takes it as a matter of course, so so did I and it was great fun. Cocktails should actually be in the singular, though.
From there we went to Leo’s, the Viennese place…but we ended up at the Music Hall. The Easter show was still playing and was just the amazing spectacle we expected. They really put on a show, and it is always entertaining. I always come out of there, devoted to a life of entertaining.
The next day we had lunch at the English Grill in Rockefeller Center, which was a mistake as far as the budget is concerned….That afternoon, among other places, we went to the Capezio establishment, a bootery for ballet dancers….We had a great time looking at the people there though.
After dinner at Schrafft’s (it was a point of honor not to eat at Schraffts or Child’s or any other such unoriginal place but we were in a hurry at this particular time), we hurried back to change for an evening as guests of Mr. Connell. He took us to “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.” Very funny and also very naughty. Afterwards we went to the Hawaiian Room of the Hotel Lexington….It was good entertainment and kept you interested.
On Wednesday, we went to the “Rose Tattoo” and in the evening to “The Autumn Garden”, Lillian Hellman’s new one….Dinner in between was at Boni’s across from Sak’s. It is a rather mature place -- for mature tastes, I mean, being very restful and quiet with wonderful food, incidentally. All week, we would go down a menu and mark of anything we might have at school. That night I had crab meat in avocado pear. I miss avocados. I didn’t realize I had become so attached to them.
Thursday Nance and I went to Long Island to spend the day with Janet. Mikey had arrived in the City the day before so she was out there with us and afterwards we went back to the Roosevelt Hotel with her to see Aunt Va. and Uncle Al. While on Long Island, we had lunch with Janet. They have a dream of a house, large -- 3 floors -- and very comfortable and quite attractive. Newly redecorated. Also a Buick, so we went in great comfort….
Nancy and I had a very private and small chuckle when we were with the Hornors. Conversation naturally ran to eating at that time of day and Uncle Al immediately produced Gourmet, at which point Nance and I shut up….Uncle Al said, “Well, since we are close, why don’t we go down to Child’s?” at which point Nance said, “We have tickets to Carnegie Hall so we’d better get in that vicinity before traffic gets heavy.” Good old Nancy. We had lobster theradore for a very reasonable price in an ancient French place in a hotel called Maison a de Winter. I can taste it now. Marvelous. Ha ha to Uncle Al and his Gourmet.
It was true and we did have tickets to Carnegie Hall. We heard the New York Philharmonic Symphony under the direction of Dimitri Mitropouos….Mr. M. uses neither baton nor score when he conducts.
Friday before I went off the Poughkeepsie, we three went to McGraw-Hill to see Mrs. Frye (better known as Helene) and she showed us everything in the place from the cafeteria to the president’s suite. She got in two other wheels to help her tell us all the inside tricks of the trade. It was very illuminating since I had vague ambitions of entering the publishing business, as you know. It is a rough pull and hard work, I have concluded. A secretary’s place seems the most advantageous place for learning the ropes and getting yourself known. Ghastly thought….Boston has some first-rate publishing companies but some how, I think I will buy a plane or some such means of fast transportation before I get so far from home.
While we are on the subject, field work in journalism, on a small local paper, seems to be very good recommendation for better jobs in any kind of publishing or journalism. Do you think your friend on the Hutch paper could maybe fix me up? This is for a couple of years at the most. Just to learn the ropes. Even Dodge City would be good experience, but it sounds like awful dull living for a single gal.
Well, on with the description of vacation….(Stover’s candy, Knowles house)...
(More thoughts on jobs before we go on….I might be able to capitalize on my fifteen hours of music, plus all this choir work and such. As far as Skelly goes, I’d never work there unless I wanted money for something else, and it were just temporary. I prefer an interesting job before I think about making my fortune. Another thing that has a lot of bearing on this job situation is the boys who are leaving vacancies. That should give us some advantage over girls who have tried in previous years. There should be more openings, and an increase in willingness to hire women.)
In Poughkeepsie, we played Canasta, went for a ride, a movie, dinner and another movie. The food and nice home atmosphere make it wonderful staying with Ellen and the Knowles.
We did get to see Vassar. It is a conglomeration of architecture and some buildings are very attractive.
Riverside was absolute bedlam. Henry Davenport left Sunday and Steve got home. They were having the house painted and papered and so things were not only confused by packing but by all that upset. But it was great fun. Those boys are just perfect, I think, at least according to the standards of a visiting cousin.
Nana said I might as well stay until I had to go back Tuesday night because she was not doing a thing extra for me -- no special meals or entertainment. I had almost decided when Nancy called Monday morning to say her family (who had been in New York since Thursday) were driving home that day and they would stop by Riverside to pick me up. The prospect of such a saving of money plus good company and no lugging of heavy bags won me over, and I went. We picked up Betts at school, since she had gone back on Saturday, ostensibly to study but was bored since a particular gentleman had not devoted all his time to her.
In Salem, we read good books, drove to Marblehead, the Witch House, Pioneer Village, the ocean and other atmospheric places of interest (the stocks). Also Nance and I got our hairs cut. Finally, I got a steak dinner too. Nana had gotten a steak for Tuesday, but I left too early to eat it. I don’t imagine it was wasted on vacationing boys. Also Nana is not known for her cooking so that wasn’t much of a loss….
Well that is just about the extent of my vacation. It was quite an expensive undertaking but I had to exist somewhere. Never will I have such an opportunity for that inexpensive room and people who know the city so well. Also convenient family to take us to dinner and give us rides. I feel that I spent the money for worthwhile things, too.
Just one more page. I am so tickled that you are driving back with me next fall. We must go to Washington and New York. And it would be fun to see the Davenports and the Knowles. I told them you were coming East. Also I’ve told all my friends, so my must stay until classes begin to you can meet them all. I may have to come back a few days early but not enough to make any difference. This is for Choir arrangements. I’ll get it trimmed down as short as possible. Boy, that is just going to be great to have you here.
The tickets to the outdoor theater sound very nice. The prospect of summer is not very inviting for me just now. Here there is so much to fill time that is challenging and rewarding while when I’m home in the summer, things seem so pointless. Sure, I make money to make these things here possible, but that time could be so much more rewarding in that I’m not tied to the requirements of regular study and so I could do all sorts of things in reading and such. I haven’t even managed to put together all my scraps and those scraps will mean a lot to me later, I think, because I’ve done some wonderful things I want to remember. But somehow there isn’t any inspiration in the summer at home, and that inspiration, challenge spur to the imagination is just essential. There is no success to be got when you push yourself to do something you feel is a duty which you have no desire to do. The pleasure you anticipate is the activating force maybe. Maybe it is not there because vacation is a relaxing time, or because work is tiring and also it takes the best hours of the days, but it seems that such interest would be welcome after a dull working day, something to anticipate to speed the time, and to think about to fill the hours. I think the spark that is lacking is the people around here. We are continually surrounded by not just intelligent instructors, but our own friends who have a vital interest in other fields so we are led to these fields too. And there is a sense of participation and sharing in studying the same things, and in branching out to other fields that relate to study or which are called to our attention by things that happen in Boston. You must admit that the people at Skelly’s are not stimulating or interesting, at least for me. And Bebe and Coleman do not fill the bill either. They simply never are interested in doing...well, they haven’t any initiative or spontaneous interest in things that don’t plant themselves in their paths. It is because of laziness maybe or no interest in thinking on these things or lack of money in Coleman’s case maybe, but the things we do here are not dreadfully expensive, or intellectually lofty or anything prohibitive. Around here there is just more initiative and interest or something. I would be so happy if I could figure out just exactly what is missing in being home in the summer so that I could do something about it. Right now there isn’t any prospect of a Phil Bordon to suggest art shows or Neal to go swimming with or any big trip to Oregon to promise a spark to the summer. Chance usually supplies a flint, though. Well, we’ll just count on that.
Anything else of interest will have to wait. I’ve been so careless in typing this I’ll bet you wish I’d get an efficient secretary.
Be good.
Lots of love,
Fras
P.S. I got a pretty bum hair cut. Tell Calvert I’ll be glad to get back to him. How about getting me an appointment. Also I know of one healthy cavity I have.
I’m still puzzled by the spirit around here. What is it that makes us all knit, play bridge, play and sing with Ukes, or spend an hour as Maggie and I did yesterday when she played for me and I sang for her? Money, etc, aren’t necessary. There is some spirit that moves all this activity that just is missing in the people or the atmosphere at home in the summer. Every hour is vital and worth remembering around here. F.
____________________________________________
To Mr. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
May 16, 1951
Dear Daddy,
Here comes all the news. Before I embark on my unforgettable 21st birthday, there are a couple of other exciting items to tell you. First of all, I got myself included in the group of ushers for the concert series. That means I get to go to four concerts, by the Boston Symphony, the pianist Solomon, etc. for free and get to wear a pretty flower and see interesting people, too! -- all for free! I feel quite proud of myself because the piano instructor is the manager so practically all the ushers are piano students. I decided voice students were being discriminated so I went to make myself known to a couple of people and with the recommendation of the secretary of the music department, got myself in. Ha!
We have been saved some other money too! The Student’s Aid Society got a large grant that is to be spent within 10 years, so they started by reducing loans and mine for last year now is $ 180 and the other $20 is a gift. Nice!
The next item is a mixture of sadness and happiness. Joan Perry, Pendleton Scholarship holder from Colorado Springs, Chorister of Choir and good friend of mine is not making her grades so she will not be back for her senior year here. That means the present Business Manager (Me) goes to the top of the totem pole as Chorister of Choir next year !!
It’s a whale of a job but I’m sure beyond any doubt now that I can do it and do it well. What a thrill I got last Thursday when I went to a meeting of College Government with all the other wheels to plan Freshman Week for next fall. I’m still rather breathless about it all.
Believe me, the New Year’s Resolution stood a hard test in that crowd. You can hardly have any authority at all unless you can tap a cigarette in a final and forceful way. It was a handicap, but I got a few points across.
In the atmosphere of Joan’s sad news, you can imagine how glad i was to see the contents of 2 letters in Resident Mail yesterday, one from the Office of the Dean’s and the other from Student’s Aid. I have the $500 scholarship renewed, plus $50 loan and a $50 gift from Student’s Aid. I think if I had told them about the furnace I might have gotten the extra $100 from Student’s Aid but don’t you think it is nice that we only have $230 to pay back instead of $400? I think we can work out the extra $100, don’t you? There won’t be any furnaces next year and this is the $600 I had originally. OK ?
That wonderful birthday present from the Scholarship Committee was only one part of the great day yesterday. The day started with a great joke on me. A package arrived from Kansas City the day before, so I didn’t open it, but saved it until Tuesday. Tuesday morning I had to Chorister in Chapel so I was very rushed, but Caryl, Mikey, etc. said I didn’t have the right spirit and must open the package before I left. So, I did and imagine our surprise when I found it was my laundry!! We had a big laugh and I went off to Choir saying I’d learned my lesson and would never again be greedy. I knew the dresses and jewelry were a wonderful birthday in themselves. Then, about 10, I was busy writing on the history paper and here came the maid with a corsage box. Well, you know what that was! -- a gorgeous bouquet of 3 huge beautiful gardenias. I was just overwhelmed. I could see you wanted me to have a more particular remembrance than just a dress to wear for the occasion. Then, at 11, I took a break to get my mail and discovered a package from no one else but Neal! Can you imagine the very day and I don’t ever remember telling him when my B - Day was! It was a beautiful cameo necklace. I was quite alarmed at such a gift, but it is set in simulated gold and pearls and so wasn’t an extravagant gift. Lovely though!
That carried me through until lunch when Mikey announced I had two more packages from home!! I feel so spoiled but not half so much as after I opened them. Those special stockings, so clever and so badly needed, and the wonderful sweater! What a thrill that was! But then the last package made this really my 21st birthday. I had completely forgotten about the lavalliere. It never entered my head that I would get such a wonderful thing! Tita got a gorgeous ring for her 21st -- emeralds in gold (draws a picture). Caryl, the creative one, got a fancy swiss sewing machine, but no one got a family heirloom! Also it solves a great problem. Before now, I never had a valuable to take to fire drills and I felt very much out of things but now I’m one of the crowd who carry their solitaires, pearl necklaces, etc, etc (Don’t worry about this silly attitude -- it’s safe in the green lock box.)
Well, the rest of the day, until 5, is a void while I finished and delivered the paper. Then, Miggie and I went to the Well and then all Severance had a picnic in the arboretum. Beautiful day, wonderful food and games like Leap Frog, “Hide and Go Seek” and everybody sang “Happy Birthday” when I arrived.
After I did my music assignment, I came home to find the scholarship renewal. Caryl had brought up the letters to me, so I went to tell her the news. We chatted a bit and when I came back to the room, I opened the door to discover darkness except for 21 candles on a cake and a roomful of people singing “Happy Birthday”. I about fell over! After the cake was cut and distributed, Mikey gave me some shorts, Caryl and Zany a bottle of milk, Betts and Nance a hankie, etc, etc. And Allie (Janus) Quinn sent me a piece of her cake since we are twins. Remember we celebrated on the Cape last year?
Well, that was it.
Really a great day!
Thank you so much for all the wonderful things you sent me. Nice folks I have !!
Much love, Fras
P.S. About box contents: the scarves (plaid wool) should be cleaned and the polka dot pajamas go in the wash. The socks are clean but I’m not sure about the rest.
Finger is about back to normal.
Hope you are still surviving your bachelorhood -- Fras (turn over 3 x 5 card)
Thank you so much for all the letters lately. They always are so encouraging -- especially one I read on the way to a philosophy quiz. I go the job at Shelly’s again! I didn’t intend to change it or not to work. I just don’t want all summer to be as dull as that eight hours will be each day. Got my reservation home for June 11, so I’ll be home the 12th.
I’m still thinking about being 21. It’s such an arbitrary point for being major instead of a minor. Mother Nature has helped me over the line by being much the same as on May 12th and 11th before. She’s not so easily altered. F.
_______________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
May 28, 1951
Dear Folks,
Don’t be alarmed -- I have plenty of stationery, but these scraps I thought were quite adequate for understanding readers and too useful to be wasted.
I guess you are ready to go to Topeka this week. How I’d love to take off for a day’s trip. I can’t remember when I’ve felt free of study load. Right now I’m getting pretty sick of it. Since vacation, I’ve had all those papers and last week I poured over an analysis of Brahm’s 4th for a final paper. Tomorrow I have the Shakespeare exam and I’m so apathetic about the whole thing! It must be a bad attitude but still I’m just bored. The storm will break soon.
Say, mother, it’s wonderful to have your confidence, but I won’t be swinging both jobs, Chorister and Business Manager. Each of those two officers has an assistant plus two Associate Choristers, so Choir requires the efforts of six officers to keep it going smoothly. Even so, the director does more than any of us.
Dad, it sounds as if Mom had a pretty successful trip, doesn’t it -- that nice hotel, the Golden Pheasant and all the sights of San Francisco, in addition to beautiful Oregon. Thank you for all the postcards, Mom. Very pretty. Never saw a myrtle tree (like a purple cow!?!) So glad that you could go Pullman. How do you rate?!! I hope all is just fine in Eugene.
You know what -- Ellie’s foot locker was sent to Beebe Hall -- Wellesley, Mass and ended up at Pine Manor. Maybe it would be best to add Wellesley College to the address.
Coleman writes me that he has been going steady! As he puts it, some one “had the indiscretion to fall in love” with him. However, he says she will probably get over it this summer since he won’t be seeing her. He says nothing about how it is going to affect him. He mentioned three different things about school, draft, etc he had to tell me when he saw me this summer -- so -- maybe this is the opportunity we have been needing for broadening the field. There is always John Merring. That’s not much of an opportunity, though. Well, will be interesting to see and to get the details.
Your comment, Dad, that I seemed to be a “really happy girl” was quite a shock on first reading and then gave me quite a new lease on life. It came just as I was hopelessly depressed. At first, it seemed very ironic. I thought back over what had given you that impression and found the key to the whole dilemma. I was able to see the things that were making me unhappy in their proper perspective. I realized that I was living in a world of mountain - molehills, trivials that obscured my basic security and the all-over serenity that should result from it.
Maybe you would be interested to know the things that had been disturbing me and really, for over a week, I could hardly sleep. My confidence in Frances Chase as a mature person was just shattered to dust pieces. You can imagine how hard on the ego it is to have a pleasant affair go “poof” that had perfectly obvious reasons and was surmountable. But then there was just drifting -- I didn’t meet any charming young gentleman to take me out. In this kind of life, your whole social life, even getting away from these four walls, depends on an escort. Then everybody talks about dates, naturally as a gay relief from serious study. Well, it just about got me down Jr. Prom weekend. It was just unfortunate to have to be with that particular person for too long a time. He was too nice and we just didn’t match. It was maddening and all the others were engrossed in their dates which made things worse. The necessary straw was a terrible misunderstanding with Betsy Connell. The whole floor laid her low for one of her irresponsible tricks and she let off steam to me. It was completely undeserved and luckily I finally stood the test and said nothing in return or even in defense, so that she immediately was remorseful and apologized. We are all reconciled and the best of friends. She asked me to forget the things she said because she knew they were unfair, but she is a shrewd girl and knew just the places to poke an only child. And you know I take things too seriously sometimes. Well, all these doubts just had me convinced that Frances Chase had nothing to offer the world that deserved any reward of friendship. At best I would be an OLD MAID.
It was all just circumstantial, but you know and I know I never have had the security of character that could absorb and evaluate criticism. I think it is because we’ve all three tried to make such a good girl out of me. I agree 100% that I have attained what I have because of it (witness Bebe, etc) but I also feel that in attempting to avoid the sin of complacency we have approached another sin. It is an easy error because the equilibrium is delicate and elusive. I do feel that my chronic lack of confidence is due to the repeated times I’ve heard “you used to be so sweet” or “no one likes anyone who is selfish (or inconsiderate)(or ungrateful)” etc. etc. that characterizes a self-centered person, an “only child” (one power above an “old maid”!)
These sins have been so impressed on my mind that it is difficult to find any core, any foundation on which to construct and remodel the character that is loved and sought after and that meets all moral and spiritual standards in addition to social ones.
Somehow I have a stubborn faith in myself that persists without reason. I really feel the reasons for its survival are there but I just haven’t been so terrible aware of them. Well, this is getting rather off the track, but I do think I need now to halt the drive for improvement and take inventory of my stock on hand and my investments. The core is what holds the super-structure and absorbs the shocks. And it lasts through all the small modifications. That is what can pull me over the trivials.
Well I seem to have rambled quite far down one line. One other thing has rather disrupted my thinking. Nancy and Betsy are both all but engaged. Family and financial and educational problems are the only obstacles. Not to minimize the problems! -- but they are in love just the same and will be married just the same. They naturally talk over all plans because they are new and exciting thoughts. Then, of course, Fras starts thinking this sounds lovely and romantic and secure and is sad because she hasn’t some to share. Then prospects seem especially black just now and OLD MAID next to a curse. You know as well as I that I’m much better off having nothing to interfere with my education. Also those problems that are disturbing Nancy and Betsy are new and overpowering and of much greater magnitude than mine. Nevertheless I can’t marshal my thoughts to present any defense for the independent existence, even for a college girl. I guess Fras just needs some social life and to get out into the world for a breather from the Wellesley atmosphere. I don’t want their problems, that’s for sure.
This great session of “True Confessions” will never help me pass Shakespeare. Now there is another field for you that worries me and weakens my self-confidence. Grades are pretty insecure….(C+, B, B+, B-, C, C+, B+, C-)...They are all so inconsistent that your guess is as good as mine. It puts terrible pressure on this week -- 3 exams and final paper in music.
Well, anyway, FLC has done it before and has had reasonable success lately, has some very nice friends, says she has a view of the elements of happiness that transcend trivials and best of all, two wonderful dear parents.
Lots of love,
Fras
P.S. I trust you got the box and the laundry case. Exciting contents, weren’t they?! Like my first birthday box. F.
P.P.S. As I read this over, it seems very confused and stream of conscious-like, but maybe it will make sense between the lines. I hope so. F.
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley 81, MA
June 6, 1951
Dear Folks,
Before I forget again, I would like an appointment with the eye doctor to have my glasses checked. It hasn’t been done in 2 years and my eyes seem to be easily strained.
Tomorrow I have my last exam and then I hop in Nancy’s car and we’re off to Salem, with a stop in Boston for dinner and the Pops. Thursday we plan to go sailing ! If not, we will go swimming. Friday, after shopping in Boston and putting Nance on the train to Yale, I come back for officer’s meeting, Choir rehearsal and a session at the Well with the ex-chorister. Saturday -- another rehearsal and then -- a practice to play the carillon! Mary Lynn Herring is the only carillonneur who will be here for Baccalaureate, so she asked me to play it with her for an hour! on Sunday.
Well, vespers, etc. will fill the rest of the time. On Monday, I take the 2:25. It connects with the 9:30 from Chicago -- the one that arrives in Kansas City around 5.
Dad, I didn’t think at all that you were sarcastic -- it just seemed ironic to compare your impression with the way I actually felt. Past tense, though.
Love, Fras
P.S. Wonderful about the Kansas City Club and the Dudley’s! F.
P.P.S. I just can’t keep these short!
So nice of you to get Jocie a present!
Thanks for the appointments.
The Tonkinson’s sent me a tricky purse. Nothing from the Vandaveers or Frances Hott or Sallie Smith.
Thank you for letters from Aunt Fan and check.
Sounds like a wonderful visit to Topeka and Laurence.
Tuesday’s not far away! Fras
______________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
October 13, 1951
Dear Folks,
Here is the news. Ellie was elected Business Manager of Choir. What a vicious machine we’re going to have!!
 |
| Ellie Early and her parents in Chatham (summer of 1955?) |
We’ve been having society teas -- very dull and very time consuming. I’ll be glad when we decide and initiate and don’t have to do housework anymore. I should never complain because I dump ash trays twice a week. But I’ve cooked twice and pinned on name tags -- reception committee at the door.
You’ve heard about New York and about Locke - Ober’s but you haven’t heard that Uncle Al and Aunt Virginia took the Farmers and me to the Harvard Club of Boston (!) before the theater one night. Naturally I wore my red dress. One lady there had on a blue hat. I think Uncle Al would rather she had left it outside.
So far I haven’t been enveloped in a social cocoon. Last weekend we had our mixer and the next day one boy I met called and asked for two dates. He goes to Harvard -- Vance Cramer.
Tomorrow I am going to a house-warming for Ann and Jack Thomas with a friend of Betsy’s Al. Tonight I am going out with a boy I met last year. He is from Memphis (Allie James Quinn’s home)... He is second year Business School and rooms with Scott Griesa (older brother of Tom Griesa, who graduated from Southwest H.S. a year ahead of me).
Next Friday I go out with Vance and also the Saturday a week later for the Harvard - Dartmouth game.
The bountiful providence pouring from Kansas City has left me breathless. My every wish has been attended to. Parents are a grand institution! Thank you so much for all the things in the laundry box -- shoes, camera reflector, mail, clothes, the nuts, the perfect memo pad, perfect crinoline, the coat and the record! I have educated everyone on the subject of Kansas City jazz. That is a very good record of the Five Scamps too! I’ve heard them play both selections.
I can’t wait to start the sweater. I may change my mind on the color of yarn as long as I have the chance, but I don’t think I will because I like it very much. Right now I’m knitting argyles for Neal so the decision isn’t imminent.
Neal hasn’t written since I got those first letters. I think it is about time for him to be a First Lieutenant.
…(sending a sweater back to Kansas for a department store exchange)...
Say, would you list the books I left home? Also, I need the book of Donne’s poetry and Bulfinch’s Mythology if it is there.
Dad, is Mother feeling all right? I sure hope so! You both be good.
I love you lots.
Fras
P.S. Thank you for the pictures. I’ve written to Mrs. Dudley. So sorry about Guilford. M and I will be there by the 18th. F.
_____________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
November 7, 1951
Dear Folks,
Finally -- time out for a letter. Even now I have a guilty conscience. Honestly, I am so far behind in some of my courses, I’m ashamed to show my face in class. But I’m healthy!
The worst should be over for the whole year! Phi Sig had two teas each of two weeks, initiation and an initiation dinner plus a breakfast I had to help cook. All that initiation business is all over and Juniors are doing the work of cleaning and cooking now.
Choir took hours…(choir officer’s roles, rehearsal and quartet details)...It’s such fun being Chorister, though, because it keeps you on your toes and then to have 160 girls on campus who say “Hi Fras” whenever you appear at the Well, or walking to class, etc. and they’re all so helpful and enthusiastic -- well, most of them are.
Social life hardly is -- mostly Vance Cramer, the Harvard man (Boy I should say). He took me to the Dartmouth game...He’s an awful lot of fun. He took me aside at a party and gave me a brief lesson in the elements of the rhumba, so Thursday he is to master the Charleston. It’s so nice to think of someone you can wear a sweater and socks with and learn the Charleston. He’s a terrific dancer! One Friday night he took me to, in my opinion, the nicest place in Boston, the Balenesian room in the Hotel Somerset. Also that night we stopped in to the Bavarian Rathskeller for Rhine wine and cheese before we went home. Last week, having been drinking champagne punch at a party, we were in no mood to collect food on a tray in the Leverett dining room so we went to the Oxford Grill, the O.G. or the Harvard man’s Morey’s. We spent two hours just eating and gabbing -- started off with sherry and marinated herring, continued with steak for him and turkey for me (cheap date, I am) through desert and coffee to creme de menthe. Lovely!
Last Saturday night, six of us from Severance accumulated symphony tickets and went….they were playing none other than Brahm’s 4th! That is the one I wrote my paper on last year and was the first record I bought…. During intermission, Nance was exclaiming over the change in program and shoved her ticket stub in my hand and wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. She had a seat in the 2nd row center!!...If you close your eyes, it seems like they are all around you and above and below….
That must have been a tremendous concert Bob heard! Tell him to come again when I’m home -- I’d love to go to one!!
...May I repeat my request -- I beg -- that you make some records for me? They would be something I’d treasure forever! On the radio, Rubenstein is playing Beethoven’s Appasionata, not one of my favorites, but one you have played, mother -- 2nd movement now, which I especially remember as a favorite of yours, mother.
Unless I heard word from you, I’m buying a round trip ticket to Kansas City for the 15th of December, coach, of course. Mikey is planning a trip to Kansas City as well.
...endowment insurance, clippings, dresses, checks, gloves…
Caryl Carter is fascinated by my Paul Bunyan Hershey bars! Peanut brittle went like a breeze in August! Luckily they landed on weeks when my face didn’t have to be clear, so I could indulge.
...find a blanket, winter weather… Also, Nancy has consumed all the sleeping pills I saved for the trips on the train.
Neal is getting more specific and more insistent. Four letters last week. He offers me everything I dream of, but I still insist we must be realistic and wait to get acquainted again. I wish I had the courage to tell him. I’m going to have to soon.
He’s pretty sure he’s coming home before I graduate. How I hope so!
As far as being a First Lieutenant, I think he’s safer now than before because 1sts are behind the lines and not so expendable. Did you know he’s cryptographer officer -- a very responsible security job evidently.
Must stop and study. The radio now is playing Beethoven’s 8th!! I always mean to buy that and end up with something else. Guess I’ll have to wait until Christmas.
I love you both lots,
Fras
P.S. Forgot to tell you about grades. And the first of the year is always my only chance. I don’t know about criticism, but in 17th century literature, I got a B-, in Political Science, a B and in Greek a B+. Those were quizzes two weeks ago. Last week I handed in an 11 page paper, our final work in Greek, on the Iliad and the Odyssey. I chose to write on Greek music, threw in a little Platonic thought on the subject, a bit on Greek modes and all in all got me no less than an A; pure and simple and sublime. F
_____________________________________________
 |
| Great stamp! |
 |
| Frances is feeling better |
______________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
November 26, 1951
Dear Folks,
You will probably be getting another letter from the Infirmary soon. I got a fainting spell this morning in Chapel so the house mother, Mrs. Myers, sent me to bed. The nurse couldn’t figure out what was wrong so I was deposited here for observation. Apparently a virus was eating on me and I was weak. I have no temperature for aches, sleep like a log and eat everything they’d give me -- so there’s nothing to worry about. I am definitely winning over the virus.
I wanted so much to call you on Thanksgiving but I knew you weren’t home. Isn’t it about time for a chat, though? I went to the Hornors, though Mikey went to Raleigh, N.C! Nancy Carson invited me to go there for the holiday but it seemed best to go to the Hornors. Nancy was leaving Friday early for New Haven. I also was invited to the Yale game but I didn’t go until Saturday. Jo Hornor was coming home, also and that made it nice staying there.
Wednesday we put Mikey on the plane and then had dinner at the Harvard Club. Thursday they had one other guest for dinner. That was the perfect dinner -- all the proper wine, before, during and after; masterful carving; wonderful menu; even cinnamon geranium in the finger bowls. Friday was a most cultural day -- the Chinese exhibition at the Fogy Museum, symphony and King Lear. Jo and I went “rush” to Symphony -- 250 unreserved seats for 60 cents each. We waited outside in a great line for 30 minutes and then watched all those people go in ahead of us. Horrible! Imagine our joy when we got tickets -- # 243 and 244!
Pierre Monteux of the San Francisco Symphony conducted a wonderful program; Bach, Mendelssohn’s Scotch Symphony, wonderful Hindemith and Til Eulenspiegel by R. Strauss.
...dinner and the Brattle Theater, John Morse date, Vance and the Yale game...Sunday we came home. I had a minimum of two escorts the entire time - drove home with three other boys besides Vance. They were all boys we’d doubled with whom I knew already. Great fun.
Chivalry is not dead, either, because they treated me like a queen -- always the center of attention. Every girl’s dream!
I’ve met an interesting new man -- Bill Seaver (6’2, 180 lb) went to Washington U. in St Louis from Long Island, now at MIT grad. School. -- electrical engineer. Right now I’m holding my breath to see if he’ll call tonight. I had a blind date with him a week ago Saturday -- mutual friend matched us up on a Missouri basis. He came out again Sunday and then asked me out for last weekend which I had to refuse and also Wednesday before Thanksgiving. I explained about having to be at the Hornors when Jo got home etc. so theoretically we have a date this weekend. However, I saw a friend of his at the play Friday -- the night I was supposed to have been in New Haven. The only reason I was still around was that plans with Vance changed after I saw Bill. Sadness! All those lines in Lear about scheming women had a terrible ring for this innocent one. To paraphrase Gilbert and Sullivan, a woman’s life is not a happy one -- takes too much patience, darn it.
The nurse just came in and said she advised me “to go early to bed” but there are a few things to finish off first.
Could I have the green net formal by Dec. 8 for a house dance?
I have some interviews to make in Chicago . May I stay over in Chicago on the 5th if necessary? We are due here the 6th. These are with publishers.
The only decent blankets they have cost $15. The $6 jobs are threadbare, used ones. Very light single ones.
Fruit cake for Neal is a great idea!
Best you check with Mrs. Carswell to see if Bebe etc. will be home by the 19th. Judy Scott was the other girl you were trying to think of. Might add Fanny Eddy too.
I wore the blue suit and a gardenia from ushering, blue heels, pearls with the Nethercots.
The railroad man didn’t have the cost list with him…
I got a phenomenal bargain on those shoes -- both actually for that unrealistic sum of $15…. Never again will I have such luck! I almost gave up and compromised for some I didn’t like.
It was so thoughtful of you, Mother, to get the appointments. I certainly want my hair fixed. Mikey says she’s quite happy with hers though -- but sends her thanks.
Thank you for the checks, Dad, and the good letters from both of you.
I looked, starting 6 weeks ago, for a cabinet for the radio -- impossible. I almost ordered a table, unfinished, from Sears and Roebuck -- for expenses sake -- but a friend told me of a cabinet maker in the Vil. So, I’m to have a cabinet of pine 16 x 20 x 25 all for $9!! Twenty-five was as low as I could find anywhere else and then not the right size.
Thanks for the food, the jokes, the program and the laundry tucked in the corners. It all came the day before vacation, so the apricot bread I gave to the Hornors -- quite a hit. The cake went the day it came, the way of all good cakes. The candy bar is going fast now. I have a funny story to tell you at Christmas about Caryl Carter and the food.
Now to bed.
Lots of love,
Fras
______________________________________
To Mrs. Hamilton Chase
23 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Mrs. Virginia Horner, 125 Rockwood Street, Brookline, MA
December 8, 1951
Dear Mrs. Chase,
Ever since Thanksgiving I have planned to write to tell you how much we enjoyed having Fras with us -- Poor dear, I’m afraid she may have caught the cold Jo had when she came home from New Jersey -- but that didn’t show up until the next week -- and we certainly enjoyed having her here for the holiday -- It is a pleasure to have her in the house -- She is so thoughtful and considerate, and seems to have so much real affection for all of us -- and of course we all just love her -- It is perfectly delightful, too, to know how excited she is about getting home to you and Mr. Chase at Christmastime -- I have known few girls who so evidently had such a real devotion to their parents as Fras has -- It is reflected in every reference she makes to you all -- and it is a most endearing trait -- I am so glad that Margaret is going home with Fras at the beginning of vacation, too -- I know you will enjoy having them there together.
It was lovely of you to make and send us that delicious apricot bread, and we surely did enjoy it. You were quite right in thinking there would be plenty of opportunity to use it over the busy Thanksgiving weekend -- Our first use of it was with cocoa when Jo arrived on Wednesday night with the two boys with who she had driven up from New Jersey. It was just the right tangy, perfect accompaniment to the cocoa. If it isn’t a family secret, I’d love to have the rule for making it some time.
We did enjoy so much meeting you both when you were here in September and we shall be looking forward to seeing you at Commencement time.
Very sincerely,
Virginia Hornor
P.S. Fras was back at classes on Thursday.
_________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
December 5, 1951
Dear Folks,
Please, I pray you Hold thy anger! I am not guiltless, but, alas, am punished to an unjust degree. That great long letter last week should have redeemed me to a certain extent, I should think. As for being Chorister, I’ve done more than was expected of me, except for those times when I was in the Infirmary. I’ve never missed a Choir appointment, though I am allowed, like all the rest, 2 cuts a month….The Choir is too large to be accommodated in the Chapel so only half of it sings each Sunday. We have six officers, 3 there each Sunday, 2 to Chorister and one reserve. Why did you think I am so essential that I have to go every Sunday?...Now, Madame Chase, kindly stop that habit of jumping to conclusions without complete evidence.
Mikey hasn’t decided how long she will stay. Also I haven’t seen her because I’m in the Infirmary still and can’t have visitors. If you must have an answer, and I can see that you insist, I’ll say the 20th is OK. As I remember, the earliest time she considered leaving was that night.
As for the calls, I tried to get you Sunday when I got back but the circuits were busy….it was 7:30 pm Sunday when I first tried. It wasn’t much loss that we didn’t get through because I hadn’t much voice. I was through with the cold itself on Thursday but the aftereffects were still around. They let me out though I had a sore throat and a cough. It turned into a terrific case of laryngitis so Monday they took me back in, for safety’s sake. Undoubtedly you will immediately leap to the conclusion that I had a wild weekend and you’re wrong. I went to Nancy Carson’s house Friday and never set foot outside the door until Sunday when Mr. Carson took us for a ride. I had large glasses of orange juice, 10 hours of sleep every night and a nap both afternoons -- so there.
Now I am being punished for being poor. The Doctor and I were chatting about going home for the holidays -- she lives in St. Joe, Missouri. Accidentally it came out that I was going home coach, at which point she threw up her hands and said I couldn’t. I said it was too expensive any other way. As a result, I can’t leave here until I have the strength of an Amazon. I’m at the stage when you ordinarily get to go home but no -- I am being filled with vitamins, etc, etc. Meanwhile classes are piling up, a couple of quizzes. Also Choir’s second concert is Sunday. Being in this grim lonesome place is bad enough without all this other stuff I’m missing. And just when I need sympathy, I get scolded. Ah, grief and tears.
You’d better be good folks or I won’t come home. Aunt Fan invited me to come to her house for Christmas...I will admit I declined her thoughtful invitation.
A bit brighter news -- WBS selects one student each week to honor as the Girl of the Week. I have been selected for next week so I will be interviewed on a program and given a camelia -- my favorite flower! This is all a great secret. I’m so excited but can’t tell anyone yet….
Well, we leave at 2:30 on Saturday, the 15th, so we’ll catch the 9:30 out of Chicago on Sunday morning. If not, we’ll wire.
Aunt Virginia sent me a beautiful African violet. Wasn’t that sweet?
Love, Fras
P.S. I wrote to Neal, in effect what you said, Dad. F
___________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
January 9, 1952
Dear Folks,
Everything made it from Kansas City here in fine shape -- me, records and perfume included. Unpacking the box was like Christmas all over. Sure do appreciate those blankets, too.
Both nights on the train I had a double seat. Can you imagine such luck?...I was on the Harvard special, with a small spattering of MIT and prep schools….I never had to sling my bag either. I got to the “Sam” and “Greg” stage with the two in front of me and through others who were friends of a girl I met in Chicago. But creating conversation takes so much effort and can get so extended that I didn’t make much effort. I must admit I refused an invitation to the Club Car. I was quite content to read Time and knit, play bridge, too, with the girl I mentioned, a choir member and some others.
I narrowly escaped a disaster in Chicago….
We had breakfast at the Steven’s Hotel -- quite nice and not expensive - cheap compared to the train….We ended up at two terrible movies in Chicago; “Two Tickets to Broadway” and some other communist spook story.
Mr. Seaver was quite laudatory about the cookies! We are off to the Meadows tonight.
Neal said the socks were pretty (?). Said he put one on and it fit perfectly. Only then did he realize he still had his shoe on. I told him to send them back for me to fix.
Mikey got a sleeper on the way from Kansas City.
Well, I know there were all sorts of things I was to tell you, but I can’t think now what they were.
Sure was good to be home!
Nice to get a letter so soon from you, Dad, and even nicer to read what was in it!
Give Nickey a charge for me.
Much love,
Fras
_______________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
January 23, 1952
Dear Folks,
This Neal deal is about to drive me distracted. The latest blow is that he won’t be home until July 1953, at the earliest. I had decided quite satisfactorily (for me) that it was best to wait until I saw him -- thinking that was six months at the most. Now I don’t know what to think!! Unless some fantastic fairy godmother gives me a plane to fly over to Germany, I have to either make up my mind without seeing him or wait. The first seems utterly fantastic and impossible. The second seems unfortunate, but not fatal. But then, maybe he won’t wait, and I don’t know what I’d do if I wasn’t looking forward to his being here sometime. Still, if delaying means losing him, I’m afraid that’s my fate. He is the best I’ve ever known, but I’d be forcing my feelings and be very unhappy as a result, I fear, if I accepted -- even for his sake and with an aim at adjusting to it. It just seems that marriage is hard enough to swing without adding all this other too.
The idea of deciding on him without having him here as proof of all I think is especially shocking just because the rose-colored glasses are broken over Bill Seaver. Sure, he is intelligent, stable financially, healthy, has fine ideals both ethically and morally, is kind and considerate, has a good disposition, etc, etc. One can tell those things pretty fast, and I knew them when I was home. But also I had a sense that he would prove inadequate in the long run and he has. I haven’t learned of any skeletons in his closet or anything else shocking; just a stronger feeling that he is inadequate. Still am not sure why. This sort of acquaintance is the test I need for Neal. He is quite fine in the big ways but the same awareness could so easily be true of Neal. It seems worth it to wait and be sure it is not true.
Another thing that makes it impossibly hard is that he never says anything to make it easier for me to understand his side of it. And there is a myriad of possibilities. He is simply worse than silent because he says some cryptic, ambiguous thing and never realizes it is completely confusing.
Everytime I decide to put the whole situation away for a year, I fear I am rationalizing because I’m too scared to take a chance. But it does seem an impossible thing.
Off to more comfortable subjects. Bill has proved to be no great prospect, as I told you at Christmas, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have tons of fun with him. He is coming to Carousel and taking me skiing the weekend before. That is semesters vacation. I can’t go until Saturday because I’m making a speech to the Alumni Council Friday night.
Since I’ve been back, we (Bill and I) went to...dinner, a concert, a dance, the Ice-Capades, a play, studied together, and the movie “That Hamilton Woman” -- all interesting and fun things, no?
Vance put in an appearance on Saturday last, but he is just unbearable. Exit Vance. We went to see “Death of a Salesman” which was very interesting, but I’m most happy with someone who is good company, rather than just an escort to an interesting place.
Academic things are following their usual pattern of up and down. The papers are all in and exams begin a week from Thursday.
Tonight I am having dinner with Miss. Clapp at her house. She asks all seniors sometime during the year. Everybody comes home with glowing accounts of the visits.
Good to get all the news. Had to pay 6 cents for yours, Mother (the postage was missing)...Laundry box was good to see too, though without food. And the records! I will cherish them always. Thank you ever so much! I’ve played them for simply everyone I know.
The cabinet for the record player is all finished and in use -- a satisfying success. Another success was the cookie venture. I guess he was mightily touched because there could be no more profuse thanks.
Well, I’m off to solve a few problems for choir. Ho Ho.
I always feel better about life in general after I write to you. Everything sort of falls in place.
Good folks you are.
Lots of love,
Fras
________________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
February 2, 1952
Dear Folks,
One exam and one paper to go this semester! Then, I’m off to Zany Bergan’s house on Long Island….Friday is Speech day -- the College Council is speaking to the Alumnae Council on various subjects about our view of Wellesley. Saturday, 4:00 says Bill! we leave for skiing. Zany is coming back with me Friday and going skiing with us on Saturday. Also we are taking Joellen Abbott. Should be fun!
Thank you so much, Dad, for getting those books from the library. Thanks to that, I got an A- on the poem paper.
Mother, a comment the other night was certainly a tribute to your technique of curing me of shyness. Somehow we got on the subject of parental training and I told how you made me go in Kuhn’s Drug store, though I hated it. One girl exclaimed, “Fras, I can’t imagine you like that!!” Ho, Ho, we fooled her!
Aunt Dolores wrote me the nicest letter a couple of weeks ago! It was just news about Marthana, Don, Pasadena and Hollywood for New Years, thanks for the picture, etc. but so nice!
I should study but the thought is unbearable. I just had a terrible exam this morning and I worked so hard for it. Bill wanted me to go out Thursday and then Friday and I righteously declined but invitations. He went skiing early this morning, the great fan! So now that I can take a break, I don’t have the chance. That exam was really wearing! I’m just exhausted and have a terrific headache with tired eyes. Butterfly is on the radio just now, very helpful!
Caryl has affected a great revolution in my thinking. She collected all the bride’s books, etc and piled them in this room. Then, when that brought no response, she began leafing through and exclaiming “Oh, look at this crystal” etc until she got my interest aroused. Now I can’t help remembering when you would talk about things for the cedar chest, Mother. I wish now I’d been a bit more encouraging!
On Monday, I am going to the travel bureau for information on Europe. What an idea, Dad! Now to decide if its possible and a good idea. But how nice to consider it!
Mikey just got home from the Infirmary and left for Aunt Virginia’s -- she had a cyst on the end of her spine. She went into the Infirmary Tuesday. She had an exam scheduled Thursday but of course didn’t take it. She had planned a great trip to Canada and that is all off too. Then next summer, she has to have an operation. Bad break!!
Lots of love,
Fras
__________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
February 12, 1952
Dear Folks,
Now that the semester has started, I see I need several of the books at home….As you can see, I’m taking the short story and modern poetry this semester. Political science continues and in place of 20th century music, I’m taking basic horticulture. Isn’t that last a panic?! Actually it’s a good course and interesting and a new field….
Thank you for the pretty Valentine too. This is the first time in a long time I didn’t have a huge one from Coleman. He was angry at Christmas time and I never got around to writing to him since. So be it.
Vacation was terrific. Zane’s family and home I loved. We spent Thursday in New York, shopping, going to the theater and eating wonderful food! We saw “The Moon is Blue” and “Desire under the Elms”. That was my first experience with O’Neil. They made a good combination: opposite extremes of sophisticated comedy and earthly tragedy. Friday we slept late and I got me back in to the train.
The evening was most rewarding. The five of us had dinner with Miss Clapp. I was seated next to the Alumnae President….
I was so tired Saturday I decided to sleep until noon, a revolutionary but nice idea, I thought. Heavens, it was my vacation and that’s what I wanted to do. I felt terrific in the afternoon. I went to ski school and was the undisputed star….Sunday Bill took Marty Hinds skiing. She introduced us; spent last year in Switzerland. Jo Ellen Abbott drove up with us so she and I skied together Sunday. Sunday afternoon, Jo was too stiff, Marty was worn out and I am not good enough to go on the T-bar, so poor Bill had to go by himself. I meant to go later in the afternoon. First I wanted to read a bit of Farewell to Arms. Since I broke my watch crystal the week before, I ended up reading until 5:00. No idea!...So, now I’m whole, not a bit stiff, covered with freckles with very pink cheeks. Perfect vacation, no?
Day after tomorrow, Carousel begins. Plans are same as always for that weekend. Sunday night Choir is singing in Worchester. Bill is going and Ellie (and Gil) are driving over with us. Bill has no idea I am Chorister -- big surprise maybe. Ha ha.
Daddy, now I can appreciate your refraining from giving your advice on the Neal deal. At first I felt quite dependent on others’ opinions but now I feel that no one else can appreciate all the situation, especially people who aren’t even in the family. Most of all, each person’s nature causes a different reaction and judgement so mine I have to follow to be content.
Mother, don’t you think that a year on my own in the hard, cold world will be the best thing to cure me of being hypercritical?
As for Europe, it seemed very tantalizing, but unreasonable. You have had wonderful success living on the dictates of intuition and have a very warm way because of it, but I’m not like that, I guess. I just have to live on my way until I can see Neal, without twisting the situation. I would prefer it to be otherwise, but since it can’t be, this seems most satisfactory to me.
Boston is going to be a deserted place next year. Mikey and Jo Ellen are going home. Caryl, Zany, Merithew and Bobbie are off to New York. Betsy and Janet are to be married and Nancy is going to be in New Haven teaching.
Well, I’m writing about jobs anyway. Ellie still wants me to go to Chicago.
Be good and have fun.
Love,
Fras
_____________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
February 24, 1952, Sunday
Dear Folks,
I have just finished things off with Bill and written to Neal that I am coming (going, I guess) to Europe as soon as I can swing it. I just realized this afternoon that Bill hasn’t the character and altruism and nobility and maturity that I thought he had and they have become so important to me that I could decide about Neal. Sure I thought Neal was wonderful before, but I never felt how wonderful and exceptional he is. He is so important to me now that I have decided that, if you will put up with me and let me live at home, I will spend my money I have to go see him. The little adventure of living on my own in grand independence will go by the board. I may even find it necessary to ask Skelly’s to hire me as a bookkeeper until I can earn the money to cover expenses of the trip which I haven’t anticipated. Also if I wait until fall, I can get off-season reduced rates. But you won’t be there with me when I go, it seems. When I’ve spent my fund, I will have to be practical and live as inexpensively as possible -- there goes the adventure, you see. Of course, I plan to build up another fund so, if necessary, I can go live on my own. You won’t have to put up with me forever.
Oh, you are such good sweet parents! How wonderful it is to be able to plan what I want and know you are right behind me!
Right now I’m pretty excited so I won’t chat. When I get my wits about me, I will write a great long letter -- but don’t hold your breath because I have two papers due this week!
Life goes on, you know.
Well, be good.
Loads of love,
Fras
P.S. Aunt Fan is fine -- wants me to come see her spring vacation. I’d like to see you and need to go home if I didn’t go home this summer, whether I went traveling or worked back here. Maybe I’d better say I’ll go home this summer. Can I tell Aunt Fan about Europe? I don’t want to be indiscreet and seem to be expecting something from her, but I think she’d be interested. F.
___________________________________
To Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
March 4, 1952
Dear Mother,
The color of the sample is perfect with the skirt. I’m very pleased. Possibly I’m begging perfection but -- well, skip that: I am.
....(thoughts about fashion and dresses)...
You and Dad will be pleased to know that Belinda Kamp made Phi Bete.
I can’t think of a time when I will need a white dress. For graduation and Tree day, we wear functional but drab robes. Could wear blue jeans and no one would know….(more thoughts about dresses)...
Well, be good. I’m quite excited about having some new clothes. Everybody around here is planning her Easter outfit and so far I had nothing to add to the excitement.
Give Daddy my love.
Lots of love,
Fras
________________________________________
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
March 18, 1952
Dear Folks,
Much excitement! Today when I had an interview with the personeel woman from Harvard, she was very encouraging, saying they were quite pleased to see an English major who could type. She said then that she had many jobs for $40 a week for those who could take shorthand. These not only give more money but have a better chance for initiative and advancement. I asked her if I should have interviews in the various departments and when and she said in June for typing or September for both. Of course I reminded her that I was from Missouri and had no intention of coming back here without a job, whereupon she said she could assure me they would have a job for me! I am going in for an interview in May, about typing. One job open now which needs no shorthand is department secretary in the department of music! I will probably get started in a department with more than one secretary though.
Last week I had an interview with a man from Aetna Insurance, so I’m rather interested in underwriting, too. I’m writing for interviews with John Hancock and New England Mutual.
I have already written to the Personal Book Store Office. They look for college girls to manage their branches. All these are so interesting that I’ve done nothing about the publishers. I’ll get around to them eventually. Anyway, they are so swamped that they are snooty and don’t offer a living wage or advancement, so I hear. Harvard offers a 3 week vacation after a year and a 35 hour week -- plus all the interesting things that are going on around there all the time. Insurance seems just a step above Skelly’s -- more money and more responsibility but still you are only one of 50 in a department.
I wrote to Dr. Englebart for my job this summer and wrote Aunt Fa. I’d come there for most of vacation. Betsy’s wedding is June 14. So there is my schedule: vacation here, you come and, after the wedding, take me home to Skelly’s and maybe some shorthand and in September, I’m back here again. Alas, a tear for Europe.
Haven’t heard a word from Neal -- went to Africa before the letter got there, I guess. Just as well, I suppose.
The grades: Greek Lit B+, Political Science B+, Criticism B, 17th Century Lit C+.
Overall a B average, which puts me on the Dean’s List.
Thank you for the food and clothes, Mom. About 5 people told me to tell you how much they liked the cake, but I can’t remember who they were -- could have been so many because it was so popular. One bit of advice -- don’t pack anything else in coffee cans. The fudge tastes like coffee until we aired it out -- by then, it was rather dry. We ate it all, though -- very good!
I am sorry the dress didn’t fit, too, but I’m hardly to blame! We have had very good success usually, you know.
Thank you for the books! And the check! and the income check, too!
Mother can stay in Severance and Dad in the Vil. If this doesn’t please you, I’ll look for a room in a private house. Sorry Aunt Fan isn’t coming!
There won’t be many warm clothes leaving here very soon! Later, though.
You’ve been so good about filling my mailbox lately! I love to hear all the news. I appreciate your looking for jobs. I’m glad you saw Mr. Wheeler, Dad. Hope you’ll be friends as well as acquaintances. Mrs. Wheeler gave me a very warm greeting when she was here.
As far as jobs go there, I’d prefer to be here. I may have to be sensible and not go to Europe, but I do want to try it on my own. Thanks for the offer to come home, but I’d rather come home in June.
Forgot all about men!
As you know, the Seaver situation exploded. The next Saturday I met a proctor at Harvard and went out with him last Saturday, too. But he is getting his PhD in physics, so we haven’t a great deal in common!
This Saturday I am to meet a friend of Janet’s fiance’, an intern. Zany has asked me a couple of times to go out with a boy who rooms with a law student she dates. All shows that life won’t be dull. Hope to meet someone of more than passing interest! What with Prom coming up….
There are a million interesting things going on lately. General Marshall is speaking here tomorrow and Barbara Ward in a couple of weeks. Last night the Hornors took Mikey and me to the flower show; Monday I had dinner with Janie A; Sunday I went to Nancy’s for the day; Friday I had dinner with Kathy Farenbach.
Well, be good.
Lots of love,
Fras
__________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance Hall, Wellesley College, Wellesley 81, MA
March 22, 1952, Saturday
Dear Folks,
All plans are working out for vacation perfectly. Last night, I was out with my proctor friend, Frank Ham. He lives in Washington, has a car, has vacation next Saturday and suggested driving me to New York to catch the train to Wilkes-Barre. Isn’t that nice? And Jo Hornor is quite pleased to have me for the weekend. On Monday I am planning all sorts of interviews and am meeting Nancy in Boston.
Mikey is going to Canada to ski --$50 to fly to Montreal and $75 for the week. I feel so frugal!
And Aunt Fan sent me some extra for the trip, on condition that I not fly.
We had such a good time last night. We planned to see an English movie which was at the UT (University Theater in Harvard Square.) It didn’t start until later so rather than sit through the feature with it, we went to his room and he played the third act of Die Meistersinger for me -- with program notes. Then, after the movie, we picked up two quarts of ice cream and went to Dan Weary’s room. He’s engaged to a girl from Kansas City, Barbara Tindall, who graduated a year before me from Southwest High School. Dan used to date Betsy Cornell last year (and is a proctor too). We had a great time with them. Wasn’t that a nice evening ?
Wednesday evening, I saw Sadler’s Wells Theater Ballet. Sophomore year I met a dreadful boy in May whose only claim to fame was that he had two tickets to Sadler’s Wells for the next January….I got a ticket this time because one girl at the last minute saw she would flunk a quiz in a major course if she went. What luck!...I wore my plaid taffeta. What luxury!
The ballet I expected to be quite obscure but it was quite clear. In fact it was almost obvious pantomime at times. Every bit of it was pure pleasure. All the motion, colors, costumes, even the people were all beautiful. Boy, if I’d known that was what all that patter was about when we were in Chanute, I would have been a bit more excited about ballet lessons.
Lots of love,
Fras
P.S. ( a full double-sided page in length)
I’ve tried to think of gift suggestions for graduation: 1) Records (she lists Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Bach, Gilbert and Sullivan, jazz, 2) Books (Burton, Tolstoi, Eudora Welty, Samuel Pepy).
I need to be well-rounded in both of these categories.
3) Pictures, prints, book ends, book marks, 4) Always clothes (blouses and new pajamas), 5) household items (Russell Wright pottery, tea cups, cocktail items, doilies, sheets, pillow cases.
6) Special: a Wellesley paper weight! Gein’s Jewelry makes replicas of the seal in silver, which they can mount on a finished dark-wood base. This would be lovely, possibly a life-time treasure! F.
__________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance, College, Wellesley, Mass
April 11, 1952
Dear Folks,
Traumatic tales I have to tell: Betsy is not getting married in June. Nancy predicted this long ago but I just could not believe her. The Connels separately have been fluctuating in their approval for as long as the whole thing has been proposed. Then Al did not get the internship he wanted. Even though he got a fine one, in Chicago, they used that as an excuse for refusing to approve the marriage. She has agreed to wait a year, placated by promises of a trip to Europe, a damask tablecloth, a silver service and any other trinket her heart desires. She already has been presented with her silver and china and crystal.
You can see from that that they, especially the Mrs., are being inconsistent. She, at times, gets carried away with buying pretty things for Betts but losing her to Al is something not so pleasant to think about. Lot of good all that stuff will be to her now.
And just now when Al needs her most -- going to a strange city. Of course he is foaming at the mouth, first because her mother seemed slightly feeble-minded in her objections; secondly because Betts won’t stand on her own two feet. Poor boy, I guess he feels pretty deserted. He probably feels that they will succeed, but their postponing, in breaking up his marriage.
Well, the moral of it all is that you will have a passenger going to Kansas City in June -- but not until we just have to leave. Caryl is having a house party right after graduation for one thing.
Another moral is -- isn’t it awful to see that such a thing can happen today to a smart girl?!
I just can’t get over it. She has chosen between her parents and Al as far as I can see and her parents have given no reasons for respecting their opinion.
Third moral -- everyone is not settling down. Caryl broke up with Dave on Carousel weekend and Bobby is through with Buck. Janet and Trudy are the only ones settled. Not even any pins (hee hee).
The Man situation has never been better with me. Frank Ham (the proctor) called last night and filled up the only vacant weekend until the middle of May. This weekend Choir goes to Wesleyan; next comes Prom and the Cape with Scott; then the opera and the evening with Frank; then in May comes the formal dinner and dance that Mrs. Curtis is giving for Janet and Dwight; finally Wellesley night at Pops on Free Day.
Let me tell you about the formal party. Mrs. Curtis is the widow of a patient of the doctor Dwight assists. She has so much money! She lives in a great big white house in Brookline.
I am to see the proper Bostonian then, Kim Monroe. Incidentally, his father is the doctor I referred to. I asked Kim to Prom….Finally, Kim wound up saying he’d refuse because of his schedule. Immediately I asked Scott and had his answer (Yes) in two days so I could write Kim and thank him for being so thoughtful….
Mother, do you suppose you could part with your pretty blue bracelet long enough for me to wear it to Mrs. Curtis’ party? I want to wear the necklace from Donnie and the bracelet should go nicely with it.
I think I should have a copy of Emily Post or something to tell me the proper things. There are so many important details I don’t know.
Have you ever used The Joy of Cooking? Everyone raves about it.
Two more ideas for presents: a train case and a ring. These are great, major gifts if anyone should want to give me a big gift. A nice train case, not just one to do, would be much better than the hat box I’m using just now. And rings are my love in jewelry. I know I’m off my nut but I was just looking at garnet rings the other day. Oh, I like any sort. Just wanted to give you a broad choice in this gift question, you know.
A steam iron is an invaluable asset to housekeeping. Oh, I’m full of ideas when you get me going. Just ask.
...location belt at home, new dress / blouse…
Vacation was quite as vacation should be -- refreshing and interesting. I had a good time being with Aunt Fan, going to church, eating good food, reading. We had lunch with Kathy Farenbach and her grandmother, Mrs. Hillman, played bridge with the other Mrs. Hillman and Mrs. Phelps, and a girl from Choir went to the movies with me and had me to her house afterwards.
Philadelphia was introduced by a lunch at Bookbinders, a historic restaurant with good food, a cross between Locke-Obers and Durgin -Park (you have to go to both when you are here!) We saw the historic parts, had a good dinner, went to the movies. The M.J. got the Green Death! But her roomate came for me the next day to go to lunch at -- Miggie’s. Her husband is working in Philadelphia. Sure was good to see her!
Friday evening, Jo and I had a grand dinner at one of the infinite number of interesting little restaurants in New York. This one was Semon’s. Then, we saw “The African Queen” -- good! Then I got the Green Death. Consequently I had a fever and was a bit weak Saturday. But Sunday we got to the Museum of Modern Art before I got on the train.
I went to the Hornor’s when I got to Boston. I had planned to go to a hotel, at 9:30, wash my hair and be in bed by 10:30. The next day was filled with 5 interviews and I still had not had a hearty meal. But I decided to be economical. Then, I spent three dollars on a taxi because we got lost in Brookline. And I got there to discover dinner guests. Mikey was there, of course, and Dave. There were 2 medical students and a friend of Jo’s. We had an awfully nice time. They left at 11 and I got to wash dishes until 12:30. I was about to faint! Luckily two of my interviews were cancelled the next day -- one man was sick and one woman was called out of town. That means I had only three. Very interesting but not very promising. I had a long nap in the afternoon and recovered. I just hope I wasn’t too limp in the morning.
Another bit of altruism -- I had no dinner the first Saturday of vacation. Too late for it in New York and no dinner on train. I didn’t want to bother Aunt Fan at 12:30. Blessings on me!
The rest of vacation was just fun. Mikey and I went shopping and knit and such. And Tuesday evening we all had dinner at the Country Club (initials on the tablet ware TCC!!) before going back to school. I had shadroe -- delicious!
Well, my fate is decided, I guess. Everybody requires shorthand. Just glad I already have the typing. And I probably will have to have two six-week courses because they ask for 100 words per min. Would you send me the address of Sara Chon-Hooley?
Next I have to see if Mr. Englebart will let me work part time.
Hope you have -- or have had -- a lovely Easter. The church in Middletown (where Wesleyan is) is white with a spire -- real New England!
Lots of love,
Fras
P.S. Must tell you of the April Fool’s joke I pulled on Aunt Fan! Came time for coffee at lunch and when Aunt Fan picked up the pot, it went flying up, it seemed, because it was so light. She was startled but started to pour. Nothing came out -- so she looked in the pot. A note in it said “Happy April 1, Aunt Fan”. She simply roared. Thought it was a master joke. Of course, Mabel was ready with another pot, full of coffee. F.
P.P.S. You are staying in Navy house, if you don’t mind, for graduation, I mean. F.
______________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Miss Frances L. Chase, Severance, College, Wellesley, Mass
April 20, 1952, Sunday
Dear Folks,
Spring fever has struck. There is a real epidemic around here and your daughter has a very heavy case of it. Plans for the Cape folded so I had planned to do much work today. After dinner, Zane and I went for a walk, saw the flowers, lake, etc. and clambored all over the new (??), up and down ladders, over gullies. Finally I settled down to write one of the two papers due Thursday. But after only an hour, the maid announced the presence of Frank Ham (the tall proctor from Harvard who likes to square dance). We went for a walk and sat down for a chat and a coke at Phi Sig. Then I sent him home. It is about time for dinner now but tonight I’ll try again to study.
…(new eye glasses)...
Mother, you do persist in letting that imagination create worries, don’t you? The only reason I didn’t mention all about the fit, etc. of the new dress was that it takes so much time to write all that. Best of all I liked the material so that was the detail I included. I wore it last Wednesday when I had a favorite teacher to dinner. Then, on Thursday, I wore it to rehearsal, dinner, concert and dance afterwards when Wesleyan was up here for the Easter concert repeat. And today I wore it to dinner. Does that convince you that I really do like it? I do hope so and you really mustn't be so pessimistic!
Now I’ll tell you I am sending it home for you to wash….I’ve gotten loads of compliments on it!! And the hat too! And the blue dress!
This must be boring for you, Dad!
…(clothes)...
Scott Griesa is a first-rate heel. He never called me once until Friday. I was too busy to notice but...Then Friday evening in the middle of the party before the dance, he announced that he had so much work he wouldn’t be able to go to the Cape. I managed to keep my rage from being evident to other people but I was never so mad at anyone in my life. Luckily it happened that we couldn’t get a place for the weekend so I only missed a day. But Frank Ham had asked me to the Jubilee Formal at Harvard -- crew races, proctor parties included. And I sat home.
And don’t try to defend Mr. G. There were other small incidents which confirmed my opinion.
I enjoyed going to Prom with an attractive man anyway.
A brighter note -- I have a crush on a marvelous boy. He is the president of the Wesleyan Glee Club, Rusty (Warren) Russell (has thick black hair). Last weekend and Thursday are memories framed in pink roses and I am in a Rusty haze. Quite delightful.
I arrived with the other 79 Choir gals, looked for an official red-haired young gentleman. No red hair to be seen, but there was a stunning black-haired gentleman I have admired each time we have sung with Wesleyan. Naturally I took the opportunity and chatted with him. Lo, he was Rusty, my date for the weekend. Wheels must roll together, you know. Ho Ho.
I was simply charmed the whole time, in a hundred ways ie. nicknames, songs sung to his own accompaniment, a daffodil from the yard for Easter, socks to keep my feet warm on the bus. He, on his suggestion, took me to church on Easter, the first time he’d been to real church in four years there. Thursday, when they were up here, it was more of the same. And he has wonderful friends. Then Saturday, yesterday, I got a four page letter written at four on Friday morning, when they finally got home, having left here at 1:00 am.
Really, I can’t believe that he is interested! He is just a grand boy, one in a million. He’s solid gold with a huge heart. Also he has a wonderful sense of humor, is very attractive, intelligent, athletic, modest, etc, etc, etc. Also he is director of their octet and a second bass. And he is coming to Free Day May 10. Don’t get me wrong -- This isn’t love, but it is terribly delightful.
Really he has so much character and real goodness underneath that you never have to compromise your idea of the ideal boy. And it is Spring!
On to a more substantial subject. Publishing and I are through unless Houghton - Mifflin comes through -- which I don’t. The field is flooded, the companies in Boston are static, no one pays a living wage and I’m not interested enough to fight going to New York. I am being considered for a job with IBM that pays $3600 a year. But so are many many other people and they are looking for people in the upper third of classes. The competition looks pretty stiff. Probably I will work at Harvard. Since I don’t want to work until September, I won’t hear of openings for a long time anywhere. June would be early. So far I haven’t heard of anything that would tempt me to start before September.
Some gals asked me to share their apartment. They are nice but I’m not sure I want them for roommates.
Must study.
I love you very much and am looking forward to seeing you in June. Fras.
P.S. Our general exam in 5 hours! -- a change -- all others are 3 hours. A blow -- a real one!!!
P.P.S. Neal had a great time in North Africa.
Betsy and Al may get married in August
P.P.P.S. I sent Aunt Fan flowers for Easter -- first she’d worn in many years, she said.
I went to the State House to see what Guilford Dudley wanted me to see. With your OK, I will write to him at home.
I was glad to get the clippings, very interesting. I hope, Dad, that you are bearing up under the combination of C. Long and the strike! F.
___________________________________________
 |
| Frances L. Chase in front of Severance Hall, Wellesley College, 1952 |
 |
| Frances L. Chase, 1952 at Wellesley College |
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Severance, Wellesley, Mass
May 9, 1952 Friday
Dear Folks,
It was awfully good to talk with you Sunday. It will be marvelous to see you again! And it was so good to have all the news in both those good letters. Topeka, etc, sound like fun! There was no mention of shingles, colds, etc. I hope that means they are all over.
The flowers arrived, a bit squashed, but whole. Thank you. Now I’m awaiting the other box. You were so sweet, Mother, to shorten all those things.
And thanks for sending in the prescription. In the course of the last two years, i have succeeded in leaving my glasses at Harvard twice, the Carsons once, just simply lost them twice (found them again, though) and when I left them on a bus and spent three days without them, I gave up and ordered an extra pair….I got cheap frames so frames and lenses both were only $13. Never did that well at home! Nancy Carson recommended that company.
Now for news from this side -- including operas, The Cocktail Party, Anita’s party, hoop rolling, etc. I guess I already told you about the operas…More discussable was May Day when we rolled our hoops. Caryl, Zany, Mikey and I practiced the day before and looked pretty good! But it seemed like at least three miles from Severance to the Chapel. The next day, Jane and Caryl were on the hill in sleeping bags at 5:15 am! You see it is illegal for little sisters to save places for big sisters before 6:30, but no one said anything about the opposite situation. And one girl put a dummy on the starting line to save her place. With those first row places, Caryl and Zane got away from the mob. But, alas, the president of the Athletic Association won. Caryl came in second. Zane’s hoop ran into the rhododendron hollow before she could catch it. The rest of us just had a howling good time, all running into each other.
That was Thursday morning. After that the Sophomores gave their blotter show. Then I took off for Boston to see about the Harvard job and was so pleased about that the play was in the afternoon. When I came home, I found a package from Neal -- for my birthday but I opened it anyway. It contained a small gold pin, handmade from Madrid. Also a pair of gorgeous delicate lace gloves from there. And a sleeveless blouse, handmade by Muslem women in Tunisia. And a pair of blue kid gloves and more of the German crests. Really I was overwhelmed. Everything was so beautiful, fit so well, so interesting, such good taste --- and from Neal.
On Saturday I wore the gloves with my blue organdy and the lavalier, etc. It was a fabulous party, like most of us had never seen. Kim Monroe, the proper Bostonian, had called on Monday to ask to take me. He brought me a gorgeous corsage of ornithogalum (white, waxy blossoms with black centers. Gorgeous with the blue! Very few people had flowers so I was very pleased.
The party started with cocktails -- old fashioneds, Martinis or wine -- with caviar, anchovies, etc, etc. The caviar was some super kinds -- red. Trust Anita to have the finest even of caviar! Dinner was lobster newburg -- all lobster! -- plus ham, asparagus salad, everything simply exquisitely flavored. Creed is the caterer in Boston and the man himself was there with all his helpers, even a butler at the door. Marvelous service! We had cream puffs with exquisite cream inside -- not ice cream that melts. With fork and spoon, both in the most proper way. Of course, I used only one, the fork.
Then the music began -- Ruby Newman’s orchestra led by none other than R. N. himself.
Usually it is just one of his groups he arranged to send. But not this time. Wonderful music.
At the bar, they had bourbon, scotch and -- champagne. They had 10 cases of champagne alone. Guess what I drank! Wow! And I didn’t dance more than three dances all evening with Kim. Everyone was mixing all up. We started out dancing with each other’s dates, then with the older Bostonian men, and then with their sons. I received much attention from one young lawyer, George Caner: most attractive, heavenly dancer, really elegant! A famous skier. Uncle Al told me all about his family the next day and they are quite outstanding in Boston and in psychiatry (his father). Believe me, I was most flattered when another Boston gentleman, intending to take me to my escort, headed for George Caner.
And to my joy, Kim never noticed! Really he is rather dense. He was having a fine time and it never occurred to him that someone was trying to steal is date. Ho Ho. Most exciting! I was good to him though -- went walking in the garden only with him. Caryl and Mikey, separately and without any encouragement, said he struck them as being “singularly uninteresting” in Caryl’s words. Mikey changed it to unexciting. That is the unavoidable truth. He is very attentive and very good -- but you just don’t miss him.
Well, on with the party -- interrupted by midnight supper of chicken, ice cream, cakes sandwiches, milk, coffee, anything you could think of. We danced until about 2:30 and then went to Uncle Al’s. Great fun!
Boston society I found generally disgusting. With very few exceptions, the girls are snobs, the boys are dissipated and they all are self-centered. Over-bred? Of course, they were very polite to me if I happened to be with one of their group, but I wasn’t interested in knowing them further. Of course, I said or showed none of this but the group at Uncle Al’s was quite strongly putting forth the same idea.
Bill Seaver came out on Sunday! I was perfectly willing to be nice and possibly see him more but he put on an inexcusable show of egotism and bad manners -- obvious to everyone concerned, not just me.
I do sound cantankerous. There are the opinions no one but the folks know. And just about everything in life is mixed -- good, pleasure, etc. are nearly always qualified. No sense in exaggerating.
Life right now, with all this I’ve described so far plus Free Day and Rusty tomorrow, sounds very gay -- but actually it is a very tense time for all of us. Zany voiced our feelings yesterday when she simply said “I am not happy.” We all have generals coming up, problems about the summer jobs, places to live, etc. and there have been many, many, too many curt remarks and crying spells. Work is so heavy now, too. I had two quizzes and two papers just last week. The general is May 23.
A brighter note -- I got an A- on my botany quiz and the same on my political science quiz. I got a B+ on the political science paper and on my short story research paper. My poetry paper is on reserve in the library and I got a straight A -- 100 -- on that quiz. Just all of a sudden I hit everything. I’ve handed in 2 papers since then that showed the pressure though; not great.
Swimming is so wonderful -- such a nice relief. And I’m learning to dive and swim in deep water.
I just am stumped by this job situation. First, there is nothing I can do until June 3 about anything. Then there is the Boston situation. All publishers and the insurance companies said flatly $40 a week to start. Harvard is $37 with $40 next year. It hardly seems worth quibbling about. I went to IBM and it was ghastly. They have those horrid THINK signs everywhere you look, with a hundred machines banging incessantly and the most slangy stereotyped people! I just couldn’t stand that. And the job -- learning to assemble and operate those awful machines and then teaching customers to assemble and operate them. Not for me! No Money can entice me to that.
It seems to me that no one can starve who can take shorthand. Maybe Harvard is a bit impractical but I do want to get something which will be flexible -- and IBM training prepares you for nothing else. Would you send me the address of Sarachon - Hooley please?
Well, I’ll do some more looking in June. But $45 a week is exceptional in Boston. They have too many college graduates around here.
Actually my expenses shouldn’t be bad. We are angling for an apartment on Harvard Street which would mean saving $1.80 on subway fare a week. Rent for me would be no more than $30 a month. And there would be plenty of papers to type -- at 25 cents a page, that means a dollar an hour, which would help the kitty.
My roommates are very nice. I am most excited. They are Wendy Altschul and Alice Gutman. Wendy lives in Richmond, is going to Harvard School of Architecture, is Vice-President of our class, father owns a department store. Alice is a botany major (Wendy is in Math); father is a professor at Columbia and she will be doing cancer research at Mass. General Hospital. They are both very nice, kind, neat, conscientious and good company. They are interested, much more than I, in cooking and housekeeping, etc. Alice has a car.
We have already written for tickets to the Sunday symphony series….And Alice sings so we plan to join a singing group -- either the Pro Musica Society or the Gilbert and Sullivan group.
And I have to take more shorthand for a while. That seven hour day will be a relief.
Well, reread this letter from now on. Postcards will be your fare until June I fear.
I love you muchly,
Fras
_______________________________________
 |
| From Frances 1952 |
_____________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Severance, Wellesley, Mass
May 29, 1952
Dear Folks,
I have just survived the first traumatic experience of my life - successfully. I failed my general. They notified me on Monday and this morning I took an oral exam before a board of 4 members of the department. I passed that.
I simply blew the first one. There was no pat explanation for it. I had studied hard and took the sleeping pill (thank you!) so I got lots of good sleep. At noon I was by far the most calm one in the crowd. The scaredness was way deep down, I guess.
I didn’t study any more for the oral, so that wasn’t the reason I failed. And they said as much. They said they could see organization in my answer too. But the thinking and expression were nearly senseless, they were so vague and broad. The oral was guided and specific so I didn’t have that kind of problem. Actually it was very rewarding because they made me examine many deep problems -- the purpose of poetry, over and above theme, techniques, etc.; the nature of the problems of a century as opposed to eternal problems of humanity. And all this with specific poems, novels for illustration. I covered works from Shakespeare, Milton, Conrad right up to Robert Frost. What an experience!
But the psychological experience was much worse. As I say, I didn’t study any more for it. And I had to take an exam on Tuesday. But this was the sort of thing I never dreamed would ever happen to me. And on Tuesday everyone was rejoicing and all. And then to think that maybe I would have to take it all over in September!
But now I can sleep and eat big meals and talk about the general and address announcements and all. Whoopie!
What a shock it was to get your note, Mother! Guilford Dudley was such a sweet man but he suffered a great deal. It is awfully nice that Mrs. Dudley asked you both to be with them. I will write tonight - but I don’t know what I shall say. In the letter I shall have to include my thanks for a check she sent me. The usual amount and for graduation. She is a wonderful woman!
There was so much to tell you and now I can’t think what it all was. Thank you for the laundry (Mother, you sure haven’t kept the larder full this year. Mrs. Carson gets the gold medal this year)...
Heavens it just struck me that I haven’t written since my birthday! It was very nice and I had a cake! A gorgeous one with blue and yellow roses and my name on it -- from Mikey -- plus a surprise party -- got jacks and a ball, a map of Boston, a can of Dutch Cleanser “for my apartment.” Mikey gave me a record of some Offenbach songs, Caryl a cookbook on meats, Mama T. a flower holder of myrtle wook and Aunt Polly two trays. Any my Mama and Daddy -- such a nice record and such a pretty set of robe and pajamas. Thank you very much. Can’t wait to know what is at home!
Aunt Pollly send me a short night gown and Mama T. a wall holder for things. Very nice.
Plans are rolling along for graduation. Here is my schedule so you can find me when you arrive: 1) back from Maine Friday evening.
2) Choir rehearsal Friday evening 7 - 10
3) Choir rehearsal Saturday 9 - 11
4) graduation rehearsal Saturday 11 - 12
5) for fittings in Boston for bridesmaid’s dresses
You’d better have shown up by then! Otherwise I’ll be panicked. This time we must do interesting things!
There is no house party at Caryl’s -- for me. It is to be between the 14th and the 20th for those staying for Janet’s wedding. As it is working out, no one is staying except those who live around here and don’t need to stay at Caryl’s. All of which means you will have company until you start west or I go to Champlain -- have to be there Friday evening. But Nancy and Bob have asked me to drive from New Haven with them Thursday evening after Bob’s work. I got to thinking of train fare to New Haven and that also that you might like to go to Quebec for a day, Montreal for a day or so and on from there on Friday. Look at the map before you cry “No!” Well, I just looked at the map for myself and it looks a bit different from what I expected. Anyway it would be fun. But we could go to the Cape too. Maybe you could go home via New Haven -- you figure that way out.
We have a problem -- a real one. Nancy broke the news to me that Betsy does not intend to pay for the bridesmaid’s outfits, and she has already ordered the clothes -- $45 for dress and $15 for shoes. I see nothing we can do now but pay and live around it. I am very sorry! Actually (luckily) it sounds like a very wearable dress. Glad I didn’t have a new one this year!
Since this is the end of the page, I shall end the latter.
Much love,
Fras
P.S. It is not generally known about my general. F
_______________________________________
 |
| Frances L. Chase, Wellesley College, Commencement, 1952 |
 |
| Frances Chase, the Chorister |
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Texas??
Maybe August 18, 1952 Monday
Dear Sweet Folks,
What a surprise it was to me to learn you were there until we left!! I looked for you lots but I couldn’t see you -- so I figured you had gone -- which you should have. If we’d have stood and talked, we’d have torn our hearts right out.
I can’t tell you how much these people have enjoyed my candy. It was too pretty to open on the train. And what a surprise inside -- so pretty and so good! Did you know that light candy was white chocolate?! Yes, it was a pleasure to share it but I wished too I could have it when I was more off on my own. I sure do thank you for such a sweet thought (that pun was not intentional).
The trip down went fine -- as is inevitable with a trip so well planned. And Mrs. Farmer, I hear, has told you all we’ve been doing. Great fun and wonderful to see Mikey. The round robin arrived today (thank you) so we could have it together.
Well, we’ve shot, had the motor boat out, been swimming and shooting again today and played bridge for far too many hours. It’s too late to be up writing a letter -- so you don’t worry about me so much -- so I don’t have to write little, no account letters, late.
I love you both lots -- that I never have to think about.
Frances
__________________________________________________
To Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton Chase
21 East 51 Terrace, Kansas City, Missouri
From Frances L. Chase, Office of the Assistant to the President, Straus Hall
Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts
August 21, 1952 Friday
Dear Folks,
See where I am! First thing Monday morning I sped off to fair Harvard to investigate the jobs they had to offer. This was the first interview I had. I am assistant to the assistant to the assistant to Dr. James B. Conant himself. It sounded fine and is a lovely office, I have discovered, and the people are most fascinating. But all I do for Dr. Conant is lick stamps and file cards. Later the job would involve keeping track of the mailing list of a booklet or two, watching supplies, etc. Actually the office is a fund-raising office (not an interest of mine).
The music job was record librarian -- not so good.
BUT also on the day of interviews I went to the student placement bureau, a most fascinating place. They let me know only that they were going to interview more people -- most encouraging. But day before yesterday they called and said they had decided to stop interviews and give me the job. So on Tuesday morning I move into my own office. I shall be typing my own letters, too. No more shorthand secretary type job for me. You see, I am to be in charge of interviews, which involves writing to the various corporations and such to see what days they want for their representatives, if any: arranging the schedule of interviews: also doing all the advertising of the interviews. In addition, we each are responsible for a project each year, to fill up our slack time. These are on subjects related to the work, but of our own choice. Some have been on relation of college major to job, relation of education to income, facilities of various organizations for education, research, etc, etc. “We” are a Holyoke grad and a Barnard grad and someone I did not meet.
Harvard is a marvelous place in which to work -- and I say that even before the boys have come back. The facilities are most complete and up-to-date. The Square is most interesting, of course, and the whole attitude is unbelievably casual. This office, which is the most proper of all, opens not at 9 as is the schedule, but around 9:25. The days so far have ended about 4:30, with any time from 11:30 to 2 available for the lunch hour. The woman I work for is already gone. The work hours will settle down when the boys come back. Today I have nothing to do (obviously) so I am fooling around until 1:00 lunch. After that I am free so I am meeting Nancy in Boston. Isn’t that fantastic?
Well, that covers the job and just about all that has filled my time lately. I spent an hour at the Pioneer Sunday and then gladly accepted Nancy’s invitation to stay at her house. That Pioneer is purely a hotel for old women. No swimming pool, etc. It is too grim to allow one to stand on principles. I guess I shall be with the Hornor’s part of next week because it seems that Sal and I will be apartment hunting then. So far I have managed to miss her and vice versa. She was here on Tuesday but couldn’t get ahold of the girl she was staying with nor could she find me so she went to the Cape with her family. Neat enough -- except that I didn’t know it until today. She is coming back soon and there are messages strung all over Boston, and vicinity so we are sure to get together soon. And anyway I have not had time to go hunting.
...I see that I forgot to mention pay. It is the same as for the steno job because there is more initiative, though less preparation. In other words, I am not using my shorthand. Actually there is a job above the one I soon start which uses shorthand so I shall probably pick it up pretty soon -- the shorthand, I mean. Really I am so pleased because the woman I am working for now said “You are too bright for this job”, the other people stopped their interviewing as I said, and Miss Willett, in the employment office, said “You have made a hit a Harvard.” Those words all gave me a big boost. And so did the paycheck I got today.
What a surprise those accommodations were! Sure do thank you. The trip was pretty exhausting as it was and without that good night’s sleep and all the peace and quiet in the day I don’t know what I would have done.
Mother, I sure was sorry to miss talking to you Saturday. But I hope the back is much better too.
I haven’t gotten ahold of the Hornor’s. I am going to in about 10 minutes (Successful. I go to them on Monday, Labor Day). They both wrote to me when I was in Texas so I am pretty sure of being with them next week. If so I’ll let you know and you might send off a laundry box load of such things as -- razor, travel iron (you were right, Mom) and some clean clothes, preferably not blue. I am so sick of these blue shoes and I’m sure everyone around me is too. Could I get my mail too? I don’t plan to be there long (address is 125 Rockwood, Brookline, MA).
Well, that about does it. I am still a bit unsettled about apartment and such but all is going along smoothly and I am Very Happy. Now I’m off to lunch.
The Farmers seemed not too encouraging about the Royal. They are in a very bad way with the drought.
Love you lots!
Fras
P.S. Saturday: Nancy came in with the mail just now -- practically all for me! Thanks. Miggie had her baby. Neal sent another crest -- for good luck. Shelly sent the extra money because the cost-of-living raise was retroactive. F
_____________________________________________
