Grandma's Letters

I wrote to her since I was in high school, and we exchanged letters and cards for two decades until she died in 1983.

Perry, Mo.  Aug. 5th

My Dear Granddaughter,

     What  an interesting and informative letter you wrote me, I enjoyed it so much. It was a real and a very delightful occasion for you to get acquainted with those beautiful mountains.

     This earth is full of wonderful and amazing things that we humans know little about . Of course I am glad you had the opportunity to take a trip like that. It will always be a fond memory to you as the trip we took up in those mountains when Combs and I were there is a fond memory to me. The Irishman who runs the  Cab station then and his Filipino wife took us up in those mountains one day. My cook packed an American dinner. At noon we spread it out on the ground and ate. Then she and I lay down  and took a siesta and the men did also.

     Then she showed me how she smoked her cigar without burning her mouth. I still don’t understand how she did it.

     Those rice terraces were a wonderful sight to us, they represented what humans can do  when forced by a need and what patience and skill  it required.

     Ana, my dear, you had the knack to paint a word picture so that I could see in my mind those old Ha! students milling around as you said they did and honey  Thanks much for telling  about the Anniversary Day. And you have convinced me of Nicolas’ death. I just woudn’t let myself believe it hoping what I had heard  was a mistake and sure it was  when I didn’t receive word from the office as I supposed I would but I guess I'll  have to believe it is true. I sure feel for all the members of the Class of whom he was Pres. all those years and I also feel for Angelina. I know how hard it is to give up your better half but it’s God’s law and we have to accept it as graciously as we can.

     I wonder if the Class is going to select another Pres.

     Ana, honey, excuse my writing please. I am so crippled up with Mr. Arthritis as a friend calls it. I can hardly hold this pen, it’s so painful and I don’t see what I write. It’s all by guess and by gosh.

                                                                                         Love,
                                                                                     Grandma
 

Tuesday Mar 23rd
Dear, Dear Ana,
     What a nice surprise you gave me when I received your lovely birthday greeting 21 days after my birthday. I wonder why it was so long coming. It was the first and only personal letter I have received telling me about the Anniversary April 10th. Yes I received the long long letters from both Nicolas and Gonzalo in which they said they sent each member of the class and Faculty a copy asking for funds and telling what plans they were making for the occasion. They made me feel they thought I was a member of the class. Of course I am not and have never been but I have always been grateful for the opportunity that came to me that gave me the chance to be their English teacher and I was so proud of their ability to learn and speak the English language.
     I have a lot of fond memories of my experiences with the class and the people of the town. Several invited Combs and I into their homes and welcomed us warmly. I remember the trouble I had climbing the little bamboo ladders with high heeled shoes but I soon changed to low heeled ones .
     I am praying that the Anniversary will be as Golden as it can and should be. It is a time for all to get acquainted again and renew old friendship. Teofila, bless her heart, your father will know her, is going to show my picture she says and give the talk I’ve prepared for her. The years have taken their toll and I am not so spry as I was there with you all. Arthritis has crippled me and a broken hip in a windstorm has put me in the wheelchair. My friends tell me I do not look old nor act old and I don’t feel old nor think of myself as being old  but I can’t see to read it nor hear very well. Drs. say old age Ha! but I think I’ve used eyes and ears too much.
     Honey I certainly Thank you for remembering me. It has brightened my sunset days. Good Luck and Best Wishes my daer.
                                                             Love,
                                                       Grandma Cecille
 
 
 
 
 

P.S. I hope you can figure my scribbling out enuf to read this. My fingers can hardly hold the pen so my penmanship is far from being what it used to be. Writing is a painful job nowadays. The years take their toll and changes us all and I am sure the members of the class are also changed.
 
 
 
 

     Yes, way back in my early teens I took a sleigh ride but only once. It turned over and we had to dig ourselves out of the snow. Not a very comfortable situation but it’s an experience. I admire your ambition and I hope you can accomplish it for I would also like to meet you personally.. Maybe that opportunity will come to you like ours did to us, Grandpa Sterrett and I, when it was offered to us all of a sudden. We like you had often wished we could also see some other part of the world but never thot of the Philippines. In fact, we had no idea where the Philippines were or what kind of people you were, etc, we were only told you were in the Tropics. Imagine how we felt when we met up with the people and couldn’t understand a word they said Ha! You wouldn’t have that experience if you came here for you speak, write and understand English and I’m almost sure you have a good idea how we live, eat and dress, when we were complete strangers to your customs, but how very thankful I have always been  that I had that opportunity of meeting up with our "little brown brothers" as the saying was then. The friendships I made then and that has lasted all these years means a lot to me, and I hope those who correspond with me are sincere when they tell me how they think of me. And just think of all the grandchildren I have!  And last Christmas I received pictures of some of my great grandchildren. Their pictures are here on my desk now. I have your picture along with your two brothers when you were youngsters, bubbling over with laughter, that your father sent me several years ago.

     By the way, how is your father and your mother and do you have a family picture? I would like to have one to go along with some of these others I have.

     Do you have a permanent job now? Tutoring or teaching is a rewarding job as you found out and I hope by now or long before now, it has come to you that you must leave childishness, assume maturity, for that is the stage where your talent (and you have it) will "shine" and how satisfied, honey, you will be with yourself, and how others, secretly or openly, will commend you. Dress sensible, yes, in style but not the extreme, don’t make a brush pile or bee-hive of your hair, talk sensible, keep your sense of humor, and I assure you  you won’t flunk interviews, the administrators are right in thinking the students wouldn’t give you due respect. They wouldn’t, girlie, it does matter, all students, no matter what they say, innately respect those who are above their equal, what’s the use of having a teacher who isn’t above you? Forget it, they won’t tremble, you didn’t did you? Love them, be fair and just but firm. What’s the use of teaching, it really wouldn’t be teaching, if you weren’t above them in example. If you haven’t learned that yet, honey, think it over seriously. Now, isn’t that just like Grandmamto give a lecture Ha! The thing that is right is never antiquated, as you put it, so don’t give up as you say you have promised yourself. Teach if you really like it, go on and get the Masters if you so wish. I really never cared for a Masters, myself.

 That’s enuf in that line, don’t you think? I’ll tell you how I spent Christmas and sometime you must explain lantern parade to me.

 As you know I am 79 years old, in a wheelchair because 11 years ago I was in a storm that blew a garage door against me with such force that it knocked me down and broke my right hip. As a result now my right leg is about 5 inches shorter than the left making walking a slow and awkward job. I use a Walker, a cane, and in the house where the furniture is handy, I get around just holding on to it. I am physically alright otherwise, but as we say, machinery wears out as the older it gets. I have many friends and one who helps me very much. It was she who came after me Xmas morning, took me to her home where they had up an evergreen tree and  many gifts under it. Her son and family of 4 children, 6 to 12 years, were there and her daughter and family, a boy 18 and girl 16, from Mexico, Mo. Were there and 2 other adults from Hannibal, Mo. After a bountiful dinner prepared by Gladys of turkey and all the good things that go with it, they distributed the many gifts that were under the tree. The most interesting part tome was to see how excited the four younger ones got. They got many gifts, of course. I gave the older one a plastic horse about 8 inches high. His hobby is collecting horses of all kinds. The little girl I gave a small doll dressed in rain coat and hat and the two small boys each a toy truck. The two older children I gave cuff link set and crystal necklace. Altho of the teen age they showed maturity also.

    I received boxes of beautifully decorated stationery and when I don’t have to write such a long letter to you I’ll write to you on some of it, but it’s heavier than this paper I’m using.

     Now I must ring off and get this in the mail and tell you in spite of the "fist-full" (Ha!) I’ve given you that I hope you will write me again soon. Give my regards to All and Much love to you!

                                                                                         Grandma C.
 

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