1915 Lusitania torpedoed and sunk May 9, 1915 WWI continues Albert Einstein‟s General Theory of Relativity Willard remains in China while Ellen and the children are in the U.S. Flora and Mary open the North China American School. Flora is 46 and Mary is 33. Willard is 50, Ellen- 47, Phebe- 20, Gould- 19, Geraldine- 17, Dorothy- 14, Marjorie- 9, Kathleen- 7. ***** Written on back “China New Year 1915” [Photo from the collection of Jill Elmer Jackson] ***** [This letter, dated Jan. 3, 1915, was written from Peking, China by Flora to the dear folks at home. She is working on the NCAS prospectus for the next school term. They took a tour of their new school building in Tungchou. The men went on their traditional calling of the women for New Year’s Day. Flora and Mary are concerned about the health of their niece, Olive Beard. Letter from the collection of Virginia Van Andel.] Peking, Jan. 3, 1915 Dear folks at home:- A great deal has been taking place each day of this past week. Last Sunday we wrote letters and visited with Mr. Burgess‟s guests. Mr. and Mrs. Wickes had come up from Tungchou the day before for Mrs. Wickes to give a lecture on some social problem to the Chinese Y.M.C.A. She had written out her lecture in English, translated it into Chinese, had it corrected by her teacher, and then read it over in the Chinese until she nearly knew it by heart. I did not hear it but, if no one else was benefited, she certainly had learned a fine lesson in the language. She has been studying for two years only, so it was something of an undertaking to talk to a Chinese audience of students – in their own language. Monday we just spent the day getting ready to go down to Tungchou for a few days. As usual, we got to Tungchou and had left behind us some of the articles that we wanted, but we got along without them. In the evening, Mr. Corbett, the chairman of our school committee came in to talk over our „prospectus‟ for next year‟s work, and we talked until after 10 o‟clock, but it was a time of accomplishment for we planned the whole thing. The next day, Mr. Galt, our host, took us all over our new building- clear to the attic. We had to go up and down chicken ladders, which are not the most ideal kind for dismounting. The floors are being laid and the baths are nearly all on, but the stairways must wait as they are being made of concrete, so as to have them fire proof. As long as they can have no fires in the building the cold weather will keep them from laying the concrete. Written in album: “Our schoolhouse Dec. 6, 1914” [Tungchou schoolhouse. Photo from the collection of Virginia Van Andel.] In the afternoon Mrs. Galt invited in all the ladies, so we served and drank tea, and had a good visit. The next morning Mary and I finished up the conference (begun with Mr. Corbett) with Mrs. Corbett, when we went over the list of needs for furnishings our school. It took nearly two hours. Then it was time to go to a Chinese meal with Mr. and Mrs. Porter. We had „spring cakes‟ which are really pancakes arranged thus [her sketch shows one overlapping the other], filled down through the middle rolled up, with the bottom turned up to keep any juices from running out, and then eaten from the fingers. The filling is composed of many delectable vegetables, meats, nuts, etc.,- a little of each, with a spread of Worcestershire sauce over the cakes, inside. They were really very tasty. One desert has rice (glutinous) balls fried in deep fat, with strawberry jam over them. It makes a very hearty meal and we were not a bit sorry to take a long walk out to the pagoda at the opposite side of the city. After walking nearly half the distance we climbed the city wall and had a fine view of the surrounding country- now all planted with wheat. It is planted in rows so it gives a corrugated appearance to the different patches as far as the eye can see. The wind had risen so that we had to hold on to our hats. We could see a dust storm away off, and when we reached the pagoda its bells were arraying and tinkling most musically. There are 176 bells on each story of the pagoda and there are 13 stories. When you multiply those two numbers you will know how many bells there should be on the pagoda [2,288]. There were many vacant places especially on the lower stories but we enjoyed the music of those left just the same. Written in album: “Tungchou Pagoda” and “A Sunday morning walk” [Photos actually from 1919. From the collection of Virginia Van Andel.] On our way home we stopped to get a dollar‟s worth of the famous Tungchou malt candy. It took two baskets to hold our purchase and we are still eating on it. It looks like molasses candy but is wholly the product of millet. It is not only pleasant to eat but is really good for one. That evening (Wed.) we spent with Mr. and Mrs. Galt, talking over plans for next year, so that it was after ten when we went to bed. We had to be up early for our train left at 7.30 A.M. We were on time and left Tungchou before the sun got above the horizon. We reached home before Mr. Burgess was up, but I don‟t blame him for sleeping late, both because it was vacation and because the furnace was broken, and the house was as cold as a barn. It got mended before noon so that with the grate fires we were comfortable. Mary was busy making candy for New Year‟s and I made place cards and little boxes for salted nuts, to be used at our luncheon the next day. It took all day but were ready for the day of the year. It is an old custom here for all the ladies to be at home all day, and for all the men to call on all the ladies. Our first callers came at 9.30 A.M. and they kept coming until nearly 1 P.M., when a few specially invited men went with us next door where we had a very lovely luncheon. The menu may interest you. It began with tomato bisque, then fish, followed by quail, then asparagus salad, ending with ice cream, coffee, nuts, and candy. We all came back to our house for receiving, and at 7.30 P.M. when our last guest departed we had received sixty men. One of the callers, Mr. Martin, brought us the good news that our boxes were here in Peking. They came up yesterday about 4 P.M. It does seem so good to have some belongings again. This morning we made up our beds with our own coverings, and I am sure they will sleep better, although I have no grumbles to make about my sleeping for it is years since I have slept as well as I have since I came to Peking. We are sleeping on our porch and it takes three nightgowns to keep me warm but I am sure it is a good thing to do. I have never heard any thing from the one box we sent off to Boston, when we left. Have you had any word that it had been received? I am hoping to hear soon that you got the two silk pictures all right. You may sell them at any price over $5.50 each that people will give you. We anxiously wait for further news of Olive. Annie Gilbert has written to each of us but not a word about Olive. Her illness is still a mystery to us. To-morrow we begin our work again and the children really want to go to school again.- Love to all Flora Beard. ***** [This letter dated Jan. 5, 1915 was written from Foochow, China by Willard to Flora and Mary. He attended many Christmas celebrations held at the various churches and schools and also had a very busy New Years. Letter donated to Yale by family in 2006.] American Board of Commissioners For Foreign Missions Foochow College President‟s Office Foochow, China Jan 5th 1915. Dear Flora and Mary:- Yesterday‟s mail brought your good letters telling about Christmas and plans for New Years. Our mission dinner for Christmas was eaten on Wed. before Christmas at 5:30 p.m. at Miss Dornblaser‟s at Ponasang. Thirty of us present, four turkeys etc. After that we attended the Xmas exercises of the Girl‟s School- then daily for over two weeks. There were exercises in the various churches and schools. Christmas was never to my knowledge so much in the air as this year. We dedicated three new churches that have been purchased or built this past year, and ordained two men to the ministry during the Christmas season. I could not attend all the exercises in the various churches but every one I did attend was packed full and every one was unusually happy. New Years was strenuous. Mr. and Mrs. Christian had invited friends in to watch the old year out.