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From A Maine Woman Goes South, letters transcribed by Jean F. Hankins in 2003. This installment contains 16 letters. Historical dates appear with each letter; the article retains the original collection’s publication date.
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, Lee Academy, March 2, 1926
Source: PDF page 109; printed page 103.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 2, 1926 Heading: Spelman, Monday
Dearest Ma,
I thought that this linen [writing paper] was better when I got the sample..
We have a college faculty meeting tonight. Being on Junior High Faculty, and Senior High Faculty, and College High Faculty I have all kinds of meetings to go to.
This is the week that exams have to be corrected. I wasn't planning to give my EX Algebra any six weeks exam and they asked if I please wouldn't to help bring up their marks.
[Rest of letter is about clothes.] Be sure to send it back if you had rather have something else.
Heaps of love, your Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, March 3, 1926
Source: PDF page 110; printed page 104.
Heading: Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia, March 3,1926.
Dearest Marmie,
I shall probably get a letter from you tomorrow. Today I had a letter from John, one from Miss Parmenter acknowledging the $75 I sent in payment of the alumnae loan, and a lovely newsy letter from Miss Patrick which sounded just like Pat...
When I was downstreet today I saw in Davison Paxon Stokes some linen dresses on sale for $2.79...
Last night was one of the coldest nights of this winter. It was down to 23 this morning and there was thick ice in a dish of water which one of the teachers left on her windowsill.
We put in marks again today. There will be only one more set of six-week marks and then the finals. It is because of those foolish final marks that we have to stay after school is finished.
...I am going down with Ruth Friday to meet her mother. She is coming through on that swift train from Boston.
I must get to work much as I hate to.
Heaps of love, Your Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Betsy Kemp, Oxford, Maine, March 5, 1926
Source: PDF page 111; printed page 105.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 5, 1926 Heading: Spelman, Friday
Dear Auntie,
I imagine that our weather lately has been nearly as cold as yours...
I had supper with Ruth and May Kemp last night. In the evening we went to see "The Big Parade," a war picture.
They have been having quite a bit of excitement here in the city this week because three convicts escaped from the federal prison. They have them all back now. Marjorie Everingham was out at the hospital when they brought in the guard whom the convicts shot. I have met a girl whose father has something to do with the prison, I guess that he is a guard, and she has many stories to tell about it. It is strange how so many whose term is almost up will try to get away. They are almost always caught and of course are given another punishment.
... Nine months is quite a long time to teach with only a day's vacation at a time and only five of those. I'm not complaining, though, for the work is easy....
Much love, Nellie Sam
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, Lee Academy, March 7, 1926
Source: PDF page 111; printed page 105.
Heading: March 7, 1926
Dearest Marmie,
I've written a lot of letters today. I always leave yours until the last because by that time I have thought of more news.
Yesterday was such a miserable day that I stayed in all day long and made my linen dress.
May Kemp came Friday. She is looking very well. I hadn't seen her before for a long time. She came through in two days and a night.
I wrote to Miss Runnals today. In the letter I spoke about Stelle's joining the church.
Marjorie and Anna and I are all invited out to Agnes Scott, a very select woman's college here, to the exercises of the installation of a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. There are installation exercises in the afternoon, the banquet, and an opening meeting in the evening. We do not know how they got our names. Miss Lamson didn't send them. We are quite excited over the prospects. It is quite a privilege just to have a chance to visit Agnes Scott.
I had a lovely long letter from Marion. She is having a pretty hard time I guess deciding what to do next year. Perhaps something will come up for Gordon [Mann], so that they can be married next year, then that will solve the difficulty. I wish so that she could come down here next year. I showed her picture to Miss Tapley, and Miss Tapley thought that Marion had a lovely face. I don't know whether or not there will be any vacancies. I'm afraid that what they are going to offer you is a position of hall mother. It isn't a bad job in the least. You would have no manual labor and the discipline wouldn't be hard. The only thing is that we wouldn't be free to go off campus together very much.
I guess that I will go to bed early tonight so that I'll be fresh and vigorous for next week.
Lots of love, Your Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, March 7, 1926
Source: PDF page 112; printed page 106.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 8,1926
Shewangled Tyhoopus,
You all were right good to send me the menu. How my mouth watered. How I licked my poor hungry chops! The favors must have been cute. I was glad to get all the news too.
I made me a yellow linen dress yesterday like this. [Nellie inserts a drawing of the dress.] The scallops are bound in white. If you will make you a dress all yourself I'll buy you any kind of goods that you want for it-even if you want silk. Be sure to tell me what color and how much of what kind. Remember the bargin [sic] stands only if you make it yourself.
Ruth Kemp's mother came Friday. She's going to be here for a whole month.
Is it true that Clara Carter Weber has a little girl? If it's so I should like to congratulate her. If it isn't it would be rather embarrassing to.
I had a letter from Aggie Osgood about Y.W. the other day. How is Y.W. coming now? Have they started on their church membership campaign yet? Listen Stelle why don't you join the church there in Waterville? We are home such a little while now that it seems hardly worth while to join the church there, and you should join some church. Have they nominated the new Y.W. officers yet?
I'm glad to hear that the ATOs have found out that you are on the map. I can't forgive you though for not dancing with my little Al. Don't you suppose that if I had been dancing with the Prince of Wales or Calvin Coolidge or John D. himself I would have immediately left them to dance with Al. Carleston must be right nice.
Be sure to give Ma a good time when she is in Waterville. Will she be able to stay with you if Bobbie comes in to room with you?
I'm going out to visit Agnes Scott, a very highbrow girls college to a Phi Bete banquet. I don't know how they happened to invite me.
Thank Irma for her nice note. Love Jumbo, Sambo
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, March 9, 1926
Source: PDF page 113; printed page 107.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 9,1926 No heading
Sweet Pumpkin Pie, Don't spend it foolishly and stretch it.
Be sure to see that Ma has a good time and a real vacation while she is in Waterville. Love to Jumbo, Sambo
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, Lee Academy, March 11, 1926
Source: PDF page 113; printed page 107.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 12,1926 Heading: Wednesday 9:15 P.M.
Dearest Mother,
Monday a letter from you and one from Auntie; today one from Stelle... I have no classes after one-thirty today, so I have lined my coat. It's quite a job... I've been in Marjorie's room tonight and she has been spinning yams. She had been talking with a man out at the hospital who is friend of one of the influential and wealthy men here in the city. Some of the stories sound fishy, but I get them only second hand. The first story is that a negro man by some means, perhaps as a joke on him, came into possession of this mountain outside of Atlanta, which was of no value because it was nothing but rock. The negro was then working for the influential and wealthy man, who at that time was neither influential nor wealthy. The negro man was very anxious to go to another town to live with some relatives but he had no way of getting there, so he went to the influential man and told him that if he, the influential man, would give him a mule, he would give the influential man the mountain. The influential man, out of the kindness of his heart, consented. The mountain, of course, is Stone Mountain, and that is how Mr. Yenable became influential and famous.
The other story is about the family who lived in the house where the Everinghams live. That house was originally built by the Venables. After they moved away a very wealthy widow and her two beautiful daughters lived there. The oldest daughter went out West to school. While she was there she met this charming young man, and they proceeded to fall in love with each other. In the summer she came back home. She had decided that she'd marry him, but her mother demanded that she see him before she would give her consent. So he came to Atlanta and brought his sister with him. The mother finally consented to the marriage provided that when the daughter go away the other daughter should go with her. So both daughters went, taking with them a very large sum of money which had been left them. Neither of the girls were ever heard of again. They finally traced the man and found him living with this "sister" as his wife. They couldn't prove that he had killed the girls, although they found a big kettle which had aroused their suspicions. But the man and his wife have been in the federal prison but are coming out soon- all of which goes to prove that Southerners have a good imagination and the gift of Diogenes.
They are to have the big peach blossom festival down at Fort Valley tomorrow and Friday. It is Georgia's mardi gras. There are miles and miles of peach trees in blossom. They have trenches for barbecue three miles long, the paper says. Then too, there is a pageant. If it rains tomorrow it will be postponed so it will last until Saturday. If so we may go down-
Heaps and heaps of love, Your Sam.
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, March 14, 1926
Source: PDF page 114; printed page 108.
Heading: Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia, March 14, 1926.
Dearest Mother,
I doubt whether you have been having colder weather than we have this last week. It is as cold as any weather that we've had. I'm afraid that the things which have blossomed will suffer. I wonder if the peach crop won't be damaged....
I am anxious about Twig [Moulton Pottle's wife Winifred] now. I hope that Moult will wire me when all is well. If he should send me a telegram I'd get it very quickly. A night letter I would get the next day....
It has been hard for Mr. Everingham to be sick here in a city where there are no friends to call on him or to help them. It has been more than three months now that he has been sick in bed and about a month and a half that he has been in the hospital. They are in hopes that he can come home tomorrow.
We have another Phi Beta Kappa invitation. This time, it is out at the Piedmont Driving Club, the most aristocratic club in the city. And it is to be a formal dinner-pretty swell. I think that I shall wear my tan dress...
Thursday evening I went over and had supper with Ruth at A.U. After supper we went over to the Zimmermans for a while, and then in the evening we went in to see The Big Parade. It is a war picture and it [was] very thrilling. I suppose that it is the biggest war picture....
I had a letter from the national Y.W.C.A. this week telling me that if I should take a six-weeks training course in New York this summer they think that they can place me in civil reserve work in some city organization in the fall. If I were not coming back here, or if I do not come back I should consider it. The cost of the summer course is less than two hundred dollars. It lasts from July sixth to August thirteenth. I'm not thinking at all seriously about it, but I thought that I would mention it.
Marjorie is in my room now and Mrs. Everingham slept with me last night to keep warm. There hasn't been a single day that my room hasn't been very warm and comfortable.
I will probably write again... Heaps of love, mother, Your Nellie Sam
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, March 14, 1926
Source: PDF page 115; printed page 109.
Heading: Atlanta, Georgia, March 14, 1926
Dear Pigly Wigly,
I suppose that I would not recognize you now if I should see you. Irene Castle has nothing on you for grace and snakiness I bet. Neither has any hunger striker anything on you either. Are you still surviving? You have good courage.
Nothing very exciting has happened this week. I went over to A.U. Wednesday evening to supper and in the evening we went to see The Big Parade. It is a war picture and is pretty good. It seemed good to hear all those war songs again.
Marjorie gets quite a few wild stories out at the hospital. I told you about the woman out there who was smashed up driving while she was intoxicated, didn't I? She is getting better now. Her husband brought her a negligee which cost ninty dollars, so he loves her just the same I guess. The woman who tried to commit suicide is getting better and the guard whom the escaping convicts shot is going to pull through.
It has been colder than blue blazes today. We walked into town this afternoon and nearly froze.
I suppose that Ma will come to Waterville Saturday. Be sure that she has a good time. What kind of dresses are you going to have? I guess that I will wait and get a dress to wear home on the boat. I got a spring coat back in January when they began to wear them down here. I had worn my old one all winter and it was pretty well worn out. The one which I got is tan twill, or something like that with tucking and fine braid on the sleeves. I have had my old one cleaned and I lined it and that is pretty good looking now too. I told you didn't I that I made me a linen dress?
I bet that you are a mess with your eyebrows pulled. No mam, you don't pull mine. You have just about ruined them already by rubbing them back-wards mornings.
I always liked Tom O'Donnell, at least from a distance. That is all that I ever knew him. I hope that he gives you a bid to the ATO dance. You would have an awfully good time.
I suppose you know that Elizabeth has her hair cut. I bet that it looks good.
We have another invitation out to a Phi Bate [sic] affair. This one is to be at the Piedmont Driving Club. That is the swell club of the city. This is going to be a formal affair. I haven't any evening dress so I guess that I will wear my tan one. The darned thing shrunk though when I had it cleaned, so that I cant sit down in comfort. I will send it to you when you get rail-like. Have you worn your wedding dress much? It won't be a wedding that we will be interested in soon.
What have you done about Bobby's pledge?
I had a letter from Doris Roberts the other day and am going to answer it soon.
I hope that the mud isn't as deep as it was last year. If you and Linly go riding you won't have Carl to crank the Ford, as you had last year. I must go home and go to bed.
Did you get the twenty-five? Write again soon pumpkin. Sambo
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, March 16, 1926
Source: PDF page 117; printed page 111.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 16,1926 Heading: Spelman, Monday
Dearest Mother,
Nothing much has happened since yesterday but I'll write again so that you will get another letter before you go to Waterville. Your letter came this morning...
I had another letter from Y.W. again today. They advise me to take up Girl Reserve work for the years before going into Student Work. They feel quite sure that there would be a position open for me in the fall with a salary of from fourteen hundred to seventeen hundred. That doesn't appeal to me though as coming back to Spelman with you and Marion does.
Mr. Everingham came home from the hospital today-
Heaps of love, Your own, Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, March 19, 1926
Source: PDF page 117; printed page 111.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 20[?], 1926
Dearest Mother,
It seemed strange to get your letter on Wednesday this week. It seemed stranger to hear of snow drifts and slush. We have not wanted our coats at all today, and even for a long time after supper, we sat out on the piazza of the Nurses Home, in our thin dresses. Atlanta is really pretty now-in some places. The peach and pear trees are all abloom. It would inspire a theme for verse to a poet, I think, to see the beautiful delicate pink peach trees brightening up the dingy little yards of these wretched houses. However dirty and tumbled-down the house is, it has its peach tree.
You cannot realize how excited we were with plans for the dinner at the Driving Club-that was Monday night. I had my hair waved, and the girl gave the nicest marcelle I've ever had. (Poor thing, though, she couldn't add two and two. I had the wave and a hair net to keep it in. First she charged me a dollar less than she should have. Being honest I corrected her on that. After I had used all skill as a mathematics teacher to show her that if you took out a dollar and fifteen cents from five dollars, you had only three one dollar bills and change instead of four -after that she charged me twice for the hairnet, and I had neither the heart nor the time to correct her, so I paid for it twice. You always have to make change for the girls in the stores here.
We had the privilege of inviting guests, so we took Winifred and Leota with us. We went by taxi-left Giles about half past seven. The Driving Club is across the city near Piedmont Park. It is a very lovely place. We were very cordially met and shown upstairs, then later we came down to a little reception room below. We met some very interesting people. As Marjorie and I were standing there a nice jolly gentleman came up to talk to us. He told us that he had been up to York Beach. Later when we heard him give his after-dinner speech we found that he is Honorable John Slaton, ex-Govemor of Georgia. When it came time for dinner, we went into a beautiful ball-room. We walked miles down it, it seemed, to tables at the far end. There were beautiful baskets of jonquils on the tables. Marjorie and I sat beside each other. On the other side of me was a Southern girl who was very pleasant and Judge Kontz of the city sat beside Marjorie. We noticed that very few of [the] women had on their keys and wondered if it were not the proper thing to wear them with evening dresses, until it occurred to us that probably there were very few women Phi Beta Kappas there for there are few Southern Colleges for women which have chapters of the fraternity.
I'm not sure about everything that we had to eat. Most of the things I can give a name, I guess. We had fruit cocktail; fried roe with potato chips; steak wrapped in bacon and on thick crusty bread, tiny potatoes and peas and little pastry baskets, tomato salad, ice cream with fresh strawberry sauce, cake, and demitasse. I had a very interesting conversation with the girl next me. I get rather tired of hearing all Southern people say, as they do, and as she did, "I know you Northern people think that we all have cloven hoofs." After I had assured her that I didn't consider Southern people utterly diabolical she was very nice. Judge Kontz was extremely nice. He told me that there is a prominent Judge Pottle in Georgia, and that I had some very fine kinfolk in the state. Do you suppose that there is a connection?
The speeches were rather long but quite good. The Southern people seem to resent the fact that, although Phi Beta Kappa was founded in the South, it was taken to the North, to Harvard, and became almost wholly a Northern institution for some time. They are doing all that they can to get chapters into the Southern colleges.
A rather strange coincidence happened. I don't remember whether or not I told you about this. One afternoon in the winter I was down calling on Mrs. Murphy, the colored lady of whom I am so fond. I didn't realize that it was getting late, but it got quite dark before I started back. While I was there a fme young negro fellow from Morris Brown came in. When it came time for me to come home he would have come up with me, for that is not a very good section to walk through at night. I suppose that Mrs. Murphy thought that I would not want to be seen walking with a negro man so she came up instead. At the Piedmont Monday the first waiter at whom I happened to glance was that negro boy. I knew that he recognized me, and I would have liked to have spoken to him, for he had been so nice. I knew, though, that they would probably put us both out if I did - they hadn't even invited President Hope of Morehouse - and he is as white and as nice-looking and as nice as any man whom I've ever seen.
... Be sure to get a good rest.
Lots of love to my dear mother, Her Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, March 19, 1926
Source: PDF page 119; printed page 113.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 21,1926 Heading: Spelman College, Friday evening
Dearest Marmie,
This is only Friday evening but I think I'll start my letter to you now...
On Wednesday evening we heard Sigrid Onegin a contralto. She was excellent. There is Grand Opera in Atlanta the last week in April. We plan to hear one-probably Tannhauser.
Ruth and May Kemp were over yesterday and stayed for supper. In the evening we went to see Mike. It is a cute picture. There was a lot of vaudevil [sic] with it. I never saw show girls quite as nearly naked as they are on the stage here. They wear only parts of a brassier and a South Sea islander's loin cloth. Some of the stunts that they did were quite clever though. One girl couldn't have had a bone in her body I believe. She could twist herself up most fantastically.
They have been having a big Bible conference here in Atlanta. I have discovered something which I didn't know before. Several of the leading fundamental agitators in the North are Southern ministers. One in particular, Dr. Straton of New York, is strenuously opposed to all views of the modernists. He sent his boy to a Northern college, and the son came back with the heretical idea that one need not believe that Lot's wife was turned to salt, to be a Christian. Dr. Straton decided that if they taught people things like that in the North, he had better come up and see about it. So he did. I don't know how hue a story that is.
I'll write some more soon. Goodnight. Heaps of love. Your own Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, March 22, 1926
Source: PDF page 119; printed page 113.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 21, 1926 Heading: Spelman, Sunday
Dearest Mother,
My prophecy of warmer weather proved true. Yesterday was hot and so is today...
Yesterday forenoon I walked into town with one of the teachers. She had been feeling very poorly for about a week and wanted to see the Doctor. The whole right side of her body had been bothering her-her right arm ached, her neck hurt, and her back ached, especially her right eye was very sore. She was quite worried, but the doctor told her that he thought it was just a sty coming on her eye. It is here in all its glory this morning. Isn't it strange how a little thing like that can make one feel as if she were about to die...
We chaperoned about forty of the girls over to the Morehouse-Morris Brown baseball game yesterday afternoon. The Morehouse team is very good this year. They won by a big score. The girls were just as good as they could be. We let them sit up back with their men and we sat down front. The boys walked out as far as the gate with them and then obediently left. They have a wonderful bunch of fellows over at Morehouse.
We went down in the evening to walk back with Marjorie. She got her father a radio while he was in bed...so we enjoy listening to that. We seldom get anything North of K.D.K.A. We get the Southern stations better. Sometimes we get Cuba. Mr. Everingham is getting well quickly now...
This morning as I went over to breakfast I saw a big fat mockingbird in the tree... Our campus and the Morehouse campus are the only places in this part of the city where there are large trees and lawns so many birds come here.,,,
One of the teachers entertained three of us on sauerkraut last night. It was quite good. We always get into heated discussions about pronunciations when a bunch of us get together. One of the girls is from Boston, one from Iowa, and one Illinois. Since I am from Down East my pronunciation is without question not even worthy of consideration. Boston declares that Boston is the only place where people's pronunciation is what pronunciation should be, but Iowa (I'-o-way) and Illinois won't agree to that. Our discussions are entirely good natured ones as a rule.
Monday we got to Piedmont Driving Club to dinner, and on Tuesday we go to Agnes Scott for the installation, dinner, and open meeting there.
We saw something in the Bookman which we think refers to Agnes Scott, for John Drinkwater has just been there. The Rookman says that Drinkwater was welcomed with unequalled hospitality into one of the oldest and most conservative colleges of the Black Belt. After he had lectured to one of the classes he asked the girls to name him some of their Southern poets-and the poor creatures couldn't give him one name. So Drinkwater said, "I'll start you off with one of your best, Paul Lawrence Dunbar." The Bookman said the ice, which Drinkwater had attempted to break, congealed afresh and had he cited similar cases, no doubt the hot water pipes would have frozen and burst.
I suppose you are in Waterville today...
My love to Mrs. Marriner. I suppose that Junior will be getting big and old enough so he won't be caring to play with me now. Remember me to Mr. Marriner...
Heaps of love, Your Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, March 27, 1926
Source: PDF page 121; printed page 115.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 29, 1926 Heading: Spelman, Saturday
Dear Stelle and other home folks,
I suppose that the fatted hen is killed, and that old Madge is weeping tears of joy, if she knows about it, because Stella Q. Has come home. I bet that she didn't have as haza[r]dous a ride as we had with A1 Edwards from the station last year-or as bumpy a one as old Madge gave us getting the sap that day.
One day it ill seem like spring here-the next day it will feel like the middle of winter. The peach trees, jonquils, violets, etc. are all blossomed, so I guess that spring must be really here.
Stelle, I forgot and sent a letter for Ma to you in the middle of the week. It probably didn't get there until after she had left.
We have been downstreet all day. Anna is taking out Life Insurance and had to have an examination. I'm sorry that another agent got after her first or I would have gotten her for Phoenix.
I made another faux-pas in class the other day. It was biology and we were studying about circulation. I was trying to tell them that there were large veins with smaller ones branching from them. I said, "Look on your wrist and you can see where they branch off." I immediately realized my error, but I kept on. "Or, if you look carefully on the backs of your hands you can see where the veins branch." Several giggles and a stage whisper, "Perhaps you can, but we can't" followed. That is only one of the many breaks I've made, and Marjorie has made even more.
I wish that you could have been out at Agnes Scott the other night. Can you imagine Foss Hall with colored waiters and after-dinner coffee? It must be awful to go there (Agnes Scott) to college.
You will probably get that letter which I wrote to Ma, and in that I told about the dinner at the Piedmont Driving Club. It was there that I learned that there is a very prominent Judge Pottle in Georgia and a very nice family by that name in the state.
Monday morning. As usual I've been running around all the weekend so I haven't done anything for my classes today. We went to church yesterday morning and then I stayed down at the Everinghams for dinner and listened in all the afternoon. Of course we get the Atlanta stations perfectly.
The other night from Cinncinati [sic] I think it was, we heard a fiddler play all those gigs they play at home. His name was "Uncle Charlie" and he played all of Uncle Charlie's gigs. I could imagine Uncle Charlie sitting out on his piazza fiddling while the rain came down through his parlor ceiling.
Only eight weeks more of regular teaching, then exams, commencement, a few days more here and then we start for Pugleville [East Otisfield] and other respective homes.
I wish that you could see the peach trees here. They are beautiful. The pear trees are pretty too but they haven't the color which the peach trees have. Some of the magnolias are blossomed but the common kind aren't.
Have an awfully good time all of you this vacation. I don't require that you think of me when you eat the old hen, but please think of me when you eat the good baked beans. I could devour a pot-ful.
Love to you all, Nellie Sam
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, Lee Academy, March 30, 1926
Source: PDF page 122; printed page 116.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 30, 1926 Heading: Tuesday morning.
Dearest Marmie,
I was pretty tickled with the news from you. I'm anxious to hear more about her now [the new baby, daughter of Moult and Winifred Pottle], her name, what she looks like. I'm going to write to Winifred as soon as I find time. It's too bad that Moult has to come back to school so soon...
Will Winifred come back to Lee as soon as the baby is old enough to travel? Babies don't usually have black curly hair, do they?
We went down to the Everinghams and celebrated Mrs. E. birthday last night. They are planning to start back on Sunday I think.
I'm giving examinations this week and am pretty busy.
When you write again would you please tell me how much I owe Fred-also where all the money for my Hebron and Colby expenses came from.
Be sure to tell me all there is to tell about the baby when you write again.
Just heaps of love, Your own Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, Lee Academy, March 30, 1926
Source: PDF page 123; printed page 117.
Postmark: Atlanta, March 31, 1926. Heading: Spelman, Tuesday Evening.
Dearest Marmie,
I haven't written a real letter to you this week...
I haven't told you about the trip to Agnes Scott. It was beautiful on the way out-loads of peach and pear trees in bloom. We got there just about as the Installation exercises were to begin. Dr. Voorheeves, the secretary from National Phi Bete, is a very interesting speaker. It was quite an opportunity for us to see an installation exercise. That lasted only a little while. Then we were taken to a house to get ready for dinner. We were dismayed for everyone else had brought evening dresses and were going to change for dinner. We thought of course that since there were the exercises in the afternoon and more in the evening that they would wear their afternoon dresses through it all.... The dinner was in the "silhouette tea room." The background of the walls is cream, and there are black silhouettes of colonial ladies and gentlemen. I sat between Mr. Ernest Wright and an Agnes Scott girl. Mr. Wright is a William and Mary graduate, a teacher in Rome, Georgia. He was very pleasant and we had a nice time talking together. The Agnes Scott girls are charming. If one had a million dollars it would be fun to go to college there-and I guess that no girl goes to college in the South unless she does have money. The meeting in the evening was good.
We fired seven girls last week - You told me to tell the unpleasant as well as the pleasant. They did nothing very bad. One girl didn't obey her hall mother so she was reported to Miss Tapley. Miss Tapley took her over in her office and was going to keep her there until she repented her sins. She sat there on the bench for two days-going over to meals and home at night-that was all. By that time Miss Tapley decided that someone had stirred her on to rebellion. Then Saturday night after all was quite in the hall, someone upstairs threw something down the stairs and quite a riot started. One of the girls came down and offered to help the hall mother all she could. In the end Miss Tapley found out — she's a wonder - that this girl was at the bottom of it all, and so she sent her and six others home. We were all surprised at this girl. She was always unpopular with the girls, and I suppose that it was because she was such a traitor. That morning after she went and tried to soft soap Miss Dyer into thinking that she was innocent. The girls put a big sign "Judas" on her door. The girls didn't seem to be at all incensed because the other girls were sent home.
...Marjorie and I went out to the West End Baptist Church this last Sunday. We are going again and if we like it we will go there all the time. Mr. Everingham thinks that if we plan to be here next year we should bring our letters and join the church here.
I must get to work on my algebra...Next week we start on logarithms. It's regular college algebra. I have some brilliant youngsters in that class. Just heaps of love, mother, Your own Sammy.
Source and transcription
Original complete PDF, transcribed by Jean F. Hankins, 2003. Original spelling, bracketed notes, and omissions marked with dots are retained. This web edition was extracted from the scanned transcription; consult the PDF when an exact reading is important.