Viewing page 47 of 133

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

National Museum, Wash D.C.
27 Feb. 1947.

Dear Doris:

That Dutch botanist's name is Verdoon, and he is the one who has been getting out Botanical Abstracts, and a lot of other botanical books since he came to live here. He is in Waltham somewhere. I think by looking up a copy of the Abstracts you could get his address. You would find that in some scientific library, probably there in the M.C.Z. Anyhow any of the librarians would be able to find it for you.

I am enclosing a carbon copy of what I have written about Miss Bryant. Of course you must not mention this to anyone. I hope that she gets elected, and have done my best.

I hope you didn't forget your dinner date with Hattie Pierce. You seem to have another party on that same evening, or is it for next Tuesday? And do run in and see Miss Deichman before she leaves. She may not be back until after you come down here.

Sophy wants me to tell you not to submit to the young chaps' mauling over. She says that it cheapens a girl. Learn how to keep your dignity and handle them and keep them on a more serious subject, such as history or school events. You could get a lot out of people if you would only cultivate their angles of looking at the world, and it would be stimulating to both sides. You can't take home the wealth of the Indies, though, unless you have some apperception to start with. The main thing in life is to eliminate the mere personal self that makes every youthful individual believe the world revolves around him, and try to get out of oneself, break through this selfishness - to push the word back to its original meaning, and be something more than a clod. Use yourself simply as as a sensitive medium. That is the way with all artistic work. You have to get out of yourself and subjectivisms. And any man will respond to a higher level of entertaining by being his best too. These next few college years will do a great deal to making you aware of people. The contacts you have now will crop up all your later life, so make as many as you can with the girls and otherwise. You don't have to take them all to your bosom, but get some little personal touch in with all you come in contact with, so you have some subject you can talk to them about. They may seem crude and youthful now, - like Billy Dodge, but they will develop, as you will, and many a very crude youngster becomes a man of worth afterwards. It is the same with the girls, only you have to pick your real friends there more carefully. Don't be like me or Daddy, but make a lot of acquaintances. 

Now, I must write a little to Grandma and get to work. It is a wonderfully clear light morning up here, and I have a lot of dissections to make.

Love,
Mother.

Transcription Notes:
removed "[[sic]]" - see https://transcription.si.edu/instructions on verbatim transcription - megshu