November 3, 1907

Blogger Note: As promised, the second letter before I depart. It’s the longest letter I’ve come across so far.  Enjoy!

Dear Graffins,

I am sitting in my room above which is a tin roof. It is raining just as hard as possible and I am having a delightful time listening to the patter of the rain on the roof. I love to hear it. I wonder whether it is raining way up where you are.

Well, at last you have received about all the mail I sent you. Our last letters must have passed. I received yours Monday and sent mine before Saturday. I have had quite a time this week. From Tuesday until Friday I had constant pain from neurologia. I thought I should go mad. Several times I wished I had no head. But I managed to go to school all week excepting half a day. I think it was caused more from nervous condition than a cold. I am well now only a little tired.

today we had our third Installment of Institute. It was good but not quite so good as the last time. Miss Jones, Principal of one of the schools of the East side district of New York talked to us about how to manage bad and truant boys.

Prof. Sheid (of our college) talked to us about the difference in American and German schools. He said “we cling to text books too much and do not have enough personality in our work, while in Germany the teachers’ personality is emphasized too strongly and scarcely no text books are used; most teaching must be done by the lecture method. Conditions seem just reversed. Germany is striving to be more American, that is, working for more text books, while we are striving for more personality and not so much text books. He also begged us to talk more about things and less about persons.

Prof. Martin gave us a talk on Nature Study. I only wish I could live in the country and nearer to nature. How I love it!

I am so glad Nora is improving. I sincerely hope she will soon be well and strong. I wrote to the girls last week. I am sorry your mother does not like Omaha. but I hope she is not in earnest about living alone in N. Dakota. It certainly would not be safe.

I am sorry you are so far away but then it may be better for you, for if I had you here I am afraid you would be sorry. that was wicked of you to accuse me of giving a “fellow” a spell of gout. More often (as a friend who has it says) it is caused by poorly cooked and too greasy foods. If that’s what you meant you can be glad you are a safe distance. Aren’t you?

You must drink lots of milk if you want to gain in weight. yes, I have been gaining but lost most of it last week. on the 12th of this month, I expect to hear a recital of Macbeth by John Howard of Boston. I suppose it will be good.

You asked me in your last letter what I think about your going to Seattle. I suppose you want the truth. Well, I do not want you to go. It is too bad you do not get home for Christmas. I always like to be home then. I should consider myself ill treated if I had to each my Christmas dinner at a restaurant. I am afraid. I do wish you could spend this Christmas with us this year. It might be a trifle better than a restaurant.

How did your examination turn out? I hope well, I know it did. My pupils and I are turning out to be famous artists. This week we painted landscapes and on Friday we mounted the best one each child did. Most of the children were very proud of their work and took it home with much pleasure. this coming week we are going to paint tomatoes.

I have not done any reading this week, have you? I do not expect to do much this coming week because I must make some calls. One of my dearest friends was married a month ago and I have not called on her yet. I am ashamed of myself and if I do not want to be disgraced I must go. I want to read “Bleak House” by Dickens just as soon as I find time. Have you read it?

You said you thought you would look around for something else to do. Have you any idea what you will take up? You said it had such a narrow future. that is the case with so many things. There is so much grind connected with so many kinds of work which afford no broadening or room for mental growth and for living a broader, fuller life.

Don’t you love to get out and be alone with nature? The feeling of rest, calmness and peace that takes possession of me then cannot be equaled elsewhere.

I had intended writing three other letters tonight but is half nine and I must stop. Are you not sorry I did not write some of the others instead of tiring you?

With best wishes and hoping to hear from you soon, I remain,

Sincerely,

Daisy Holzwarth

P.S. You Goose, of course your letter did not tire me. Daisy.

Blogger Note:  The first couple of sentences really got me.  I could just visualize her….sitting and listening to the rain hit the tin and give this twang sound.  When was the last time we sat on our porches or anywhere in our house and just listened to the rain?