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From A Maine Woman Goes South, letters transcribed by Jean F. Hankins in 2003. This installment contains 13 letters. Historical dates appear with each letter; the article retains the original collection’s publication date.
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, Lee Academy, May 2, 1926
Source: PDF page 134; printed page 128.
Heading: Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia, May 2,1926.
Dearest Mother,
We had to come back into the hall after dinner the sun was so hot... We have just been discussing how we shall come home again. Our latest plan is to go up to Philadelphia for the sesquicentenial. It is really worth seeing, I guess. We would get home much more quickly in that way than we would if we went down to Havanna.
We had our music recital Friday evening. Some of the things were wonderful. When I hear some of my dumb students playing the way they can I wonder if I have reason to think that they are dumb just because they can't get mathematics.
They had a beautiful may pole here and chose the may queen yesterday. I was giving a makeup exam in algebra to some girls so I didn't see them but they were very pretty, Anna said.
Our tulip trees are blossoming. They are big trees, nearly as big as our elms...
Last Monday was the Confederate Memorial Day here, and a holiday in the city. There is one old soldier whom I often see on the streets downtown always wearing his Confederate uniform.
Loads of love, Your, Nellie Sam
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, May 2, 1926
Source: PDF page 134; printed page 128.
Heading: Spelman, Sunday Postmark: Atlanta, May 3,1926
Dear Brute,
Was the sophomore dance a howling success? I don't think that you showed very good discretion in not asking Dickie. I hope, nevertheless, that you liked Goddard. And, of course an ATO is to be preferred above a Deke. Roach doesn't live far from Sade so you could have a boyfriend up there now.
I should have liked to have seen the Gym Meet. How many people sat down in the mud?
I don't like the idea of your working next summer very much. Who can I get now to take me to the delightful Friday night socials? Honestly I don't know what I'll do with myself without you to fool around with. I shall have to ride Old Madge for amusement and that won't be very amusing. Will you wait on tables? You probably will have a lot of fun. I hate to think of doing nothing all summer, although after having worked from September with no vacations I'll be ready to do nothing for a while.
If you ever want to see a hair-straightening mystery see "The Bat." It's in the movies now and so you'll probably get a chance to see it in the pictures at least. We saw it at "The Howard" last night. I've sort of forgotten "The Circular Staircase," but I think that this is different in one character. The Bat will make the shivers go up your spine and down your eye teeth.
I had a Mother's Day present sent to Ma from you and me. It is a summer coat. It is light grey with little trimming affairs on the side and a little bit of fur on the collar. I hope that it fits all right and she likes it.
I had a letter from Carl last week. He told about seeing Norwood from Hebron. Did you know him? He was a friend of Doug Grearson's. I haven't heard very much about Ducky lately. Give my love to Irma, too. Is she keeping the little freshmen in the straight and narrow way?
When do you go to Maqua? Do you stay for commencement? We leave here the ninth. I don't know how long it will take us to come home-it makes a difference how we come.
Blessings on the bare legged girl. I sent you some stockings yesterday and shall remember the promise of the fur coat, although I haven't much use of it just at present.
Lots of love, Sambo
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, May 6, 1926
Source: PDF page 135; printed page 129.
Postmark: Atlanta, May 7,1926 Heading: Spelman, Thursday
Dearest Mother,
It seems a long time ago that I heard from you - that was Monday I didn't get a letter this morning as I usually do. It may be because you didn't get my midweek letter of last week as early as usual.
They are piling the work on us now. There is so much to do at the last of the year. Miss Lamson is a crank on tests, and she spent all day yesterday testing everyone from seventh grade up. For some reason or other I didn't-or haven't yet-been given any tests to correct, but Marjorie has about two hundred and thirty English tests so I'm helping her out a little. There are some more Math tests coming and I think perhaps they are headed in my direction.
Tuesday evening we went down to the Big Bethel church (colored) to a cantata. It was a beautiful thing. Kemper Harreld directed it and had his Morehouse boys there. I wish that you could hear one of those boys play the violin. He is just a little fellow-only sixteen years old, but people who hear him say that he plays even better than Mr. Harreld who has studied abroad for several years.
I chaperoned one of the girls over to A.U. Monday night and so I saw Ruth. She is coming home by car with the Zimmermans. And then the Zimmermans are coming up to the camp. I'm awfully glad that you are going to have a chance to meet them. They are as nice as can be. Mr. Zimmerman reminds me of Herbie Newman.
Alice Kemp is going to be at home this summer and is bringing with her a friend who she has met in the West. Ruth doesn't know where she will be next year. She isn't coming back to A.U.
Win is going to do graduate work next year and so she won't be back with us. We will miss Anna and Winn. It really has been too good to last as it is this year. The five of us-'our family" have had wonderful times together, A nice thing about it here is that we get the good times of dormitory life without having the duties of overseeing the children.
..Four weeks from next Wednesday I'll be starting home to see you. Just loads and loads and loads of love, Your Sammy.
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, May 8,1926
Source: PDF page 136; printed page 130.
Heading: Spelman College, May 8,1926
Dearest Marmie,
I want to write my prayer meeting talk tomorrow and so I am going to try to get my letters done today. Each of us on the faculty have to led Thursday night prayer meeting onbce during the year, and my turn comes May 23.
[Comments about family matters.]
Our roses are beautiful now. The ramblers have blossoms on them as large as roses which grow on bushes. This red clay soil seems to be good for flowers although it is almost impossible to get grass to grow on it.
I can't tell for sure about coming home yet. Next Sunday I will be able to write just how we are coming....
I wish still that you could be here next year.... I want you to be where you would be happier, and I imagine that you would be happier with Moult and Winifred....
Loads of love, Your Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, May 8, 1926
Source: PDF page 137; printed page 131.
Heading: Spelman College, Atlanta, May 8, 1926
Dear Little Brute,
You didn't tell me what the date of Commencement is. We can't leave here until June 9, and if we come by boat, which is a lot cooler, we won't get home for about a week-even if we come directly. But if we do get home in time I'll try to get down. Aren't you going to be home at all between college and Maqua-or Maqua and work? Each morning that you are at Maqua, at daybreak, I shall arise and saddle our trusty steed, and hie me down to see you. And then at night the plowman will homeward plod his weary way.
How much are you going to earn working? Is this the Massachusetts Glouster [sic]? Marjorie says that that is a lovely old place. You will have a good time.
It was heartless of you not to invite Dickie to the dance. He is such a nice boy. I wanted you to still be going out with him when I came home so that I could meet him. Has he forgiven you? You must have had a good time at the sophomore dance. I suppose that Bunny Collins is a loyal A.T.O., isn't she? If she's even half as nice as Mildred she's a wonder. Does DeOrsay still look like sweet old Carlos? I must look at him again to ease my poor broken heart.
You all showed very very good judgment in electing Chi Omega officers. Miriam will make a dear G.H. I should think that Bobby might stand a chance of getting in with Miriam as G.H. Where is the Convention? Does it happen to come anywhere in my way going home?
I think that I've solved the mysteries of your secret society. Isn't its name "Set Against
Eating"? Anyway, that is S.A.E. What did you have at your banquet-water and toothpicks?
Morehouse is playing Tuskeegee this afternoon and they wanted me to chaperone, but it's somewhere around a hundred in the shade so I begged off because I have so much work to do.
When does Ivy Day come? What play are they giving and who stars? You ought to see the roses here now. Out hedges are full of pink ones like those which we have at home and the ramblers are beginning to blossom. Remember how we decorated for Winifred's wedding last year? I want another wedding in the family. Please gratify my desires.
In a little while, picyune, I'll see you. Be good until then. Love, Sambo.
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, Lee Academy, May 13, 1926
Source: PDF page 138; printed page 132.
Heading: Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia, May 13,1926
Dearest Marmie,
I'm awfully sorry that the coat wasn't long enough. The only way that I could change it was to get another-or get some goods from the store. So I am having another one sent to you....
Night before last Anna was over in Tapley about nine o'clock and she heard this awful howling. Then she heard one night watchman whistle frantically to the other, and heard him answer. Anna was pretty scared and curious, but she didn't get her curiosity satisfied until morning. It was a baby, all wrapped up nicely in a basket, with a bottle of milk. The night watchman took it up to the hospital and in the afternoon, since it is a boy and Miss Chadwick couldn't take it, they took it to the city orphanage. That is quite a common occurrence. When anyone has an undesirable baby she simply parks it on our campus knowing that we are a Christian institution and will provide for it. Usually the babies are quite light-probably their fathers are white. This baby though was dark. They said that he was a cute little youngster with good husky lungs. He was about two weeks old.
After all planning Marjorie and I at last have decided how we're coming home. When letters about Commencement began to come we felt a great longing to go back, and so we have decided to come home by train, stopping off in Philadelphia for two or three days and getting to Waterville by Tuesday at least of Commencement week. Any other way-except going directly home by boat-which would be cheaper but also longer-would cost between fifty and a hundred dollars more. 1 lie awake nights now thinking about coming home and seeing you all.
Remember not to keep the coat if it is too short. Perhaps you could shorten your dresses a little-even Miss Tapley has hers pretty high this spring.
Just loads of love, Your own Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Annette K Pottle, May 16, 1926
Source: PDF page 139; printed page 133.
Heading: Spelman College, Atlanta, Georgia, May 16, 1926
Dearest Marmie,
Your cold weather must be coming down to us, I guess. It was cold yesterday and is cold today....
We are in our rooms last night. Anna and Win, Leola, Marjorie, and I. We made lettuce sandwiches, had cocoa, ice cream and cake. It was all so much richer than that we have in the dining room that Marjorie is sick this morning. You won't have a hard time feeding me this summer-just give me baked beans three times a day. By the way, I'm going to do this feeding this summer, am I not. I'm not much of a cook but no doubt I'll learn by experience. Have we a stove up at the house? Does Stelle get home between Maqua and going to work? Will you and I be keeping house alone some of the time?...
How much would they be able to pay a teacher for vacation church school? - or would the service be gratuitous? There are a lot of people now-a-days trained to do that work. There is a teacher here in the grades who has studied at Gordon to do exactly that sort of thing...
Last Wednesday evening we had a shower for one of the teachers who is going to be married the week after she gets home. She is a very talented and beautiful girl. She teaches vocal music here, and is an excellent singer herself. She is surely putting the money into her trousseau. I don't know how many new dresses she has.
The roses here are beautiful now. Nearly every yard has a rosebush in it, and they are of the big hothouse variety. The girls come to school with them in their hair-beautiful big white ones and dark red velvety ones.
....Marjorie is talking of going other ways, but if she will go with me I still want to go up to Philadelphia and get home in time for commencement. Ethel wrote yesterday, reminding me that I promised to stop there on my way home. If I try to do that I won't have very long to stay in Philadelphia. The Sesquicentenial [sic] bids fair to be interesting. Almon [Hirst] was offered this job so he and Ethel moved out there to Wrentham. It is out from Providence. I'd take a bus from there.
They have offered me Biology and English in the High School instead of my Math for next year. It wouldn't be as advanced work. I would have some classes in the Junior High, but perhaps it would be more interesting to teach. It would be almost wholly biology, probably only one course in English.
I am hibernating today to get my Thursday prayer meeting talk ready. Two weeks from today, if all goes well, we will be together in Pugleville. Loads of love to my dear mother and to you all, Your Sammy.
I heard them singing "Sombody" over at Sunday School.
Lots of love, Nellie Sam
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, Colby College, May 16, 1926
Source: PDF page 140; printed page 134.
Postmark: Atlanta, May 16, 1926 Heading: Spelman, Sunday
Dear Apple-pie,
After all of our planning to go to Havana, the Bermudas, St. Augustine, Colorado, New Orleans, and other uttermost parts of the earth places, we have now decided to try to get back for Commencement. We want to stop in Philadelphia for the Sesquicentenial, and Ethel is anxious that I should stop off there for a little while, but by travelling by night we can get to Waterville for the last two days of Commencement at least I think. It is going to seem awfully good to see all of the folks again. We get through here the ninth. So we will leave here that night. It's such a tiresome ride up through this desolate country that it's better to travel by night, and we can save time by doing that.
Do you know when you are going to work yet? Can't you plan to be home for just a little while so that Nellie Sam may have at least one fight with you?
Did I tell you about our baby? We heard the night watchman frantically blow his whistle for the other night watchman and an awful howling the other night. In the morning we found out that it was a baby. Someone had left it, all wrapped up in a basket. They took it up to the hospital and the next day carried it away to an orphanage. That is quite a common occurrence. People bring their babies they don't want and leave them on our campus because they know that we will take care of them.
Well, Bumpkins, Sambo has to preach Thursday night and so she had better get busy writing her sermon. She thought that she'd write to tell you that she is going to get to commencement-maybe four weeks from tomorrow.
Loads to love to Jumbo, Sambo.
Nellie Pottle to Estelle Pottle, May 16, 1926
Source: PDF page 141; printed page 135.
Postmark: May 16,1926. Heading: Spelman, Sunday.
Dear Kalukus,
I suppose that you are back on the spot now, hard at the grind. Here's hoping that you didn't leave too many shattered hearts in Lee. Had Moult and Marion returned before you came away? I bet that you had a nice cold ride out to Lincoln in that cold old pungue(?). Wish I had been with you. There might be some honor in freezing to death in Maine but I'm sort of ashamed to be freezing to death in Georgia,
Listen, will you do this for me this very day? I want to return the seventy-five dollars which the Colby Alumnae Association so kindly loaned me last year. It is Miss Parmenter to whom I am supposed to pay it, but I don't know her first name. Would you please find what it is and let me know right away? She is a prominent Sigma alumna there in Waterville. If no one else knew it, the Dean would know her first name.
I had a letter from Sevia yesterday. We says that "Flivver" Ford and George Sawyer ar engaged. That is something new, isn't it?
Had a letter from Mildred. Her addresss is: 14 Gerry Ave., So. Portland, Maine. She wants you to write to her. She is probably working there, so it would be nice for you to write if you have time.
Want to know a big joke? The college biology teacher had to leave because of the death of her father, and I'm going to have one of her courses for the rest of the year. Don't laugh! I can cut up angleworms and frogs as well as any of them, although I'm not just sure of what is inside them... Lots of love, Sambo.
P.S. Be sure to send that name right back.
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, Lee Academy, May 23, 1926
Source: PDF page 141; printed page 135.
Postmark: Atlanta, May 23, 1926. Heading: Spelman, Sunday
Dearest Mother,
I wonder if you have my last letter yet. I am anxious to hear back from you again. The only thing I'm worried about is that you wouldn't want to take it because you'd be here through July. Of course we would be home for the nicest part of the summer, and if I save money enough so that I could go back to school a year from next fall, we would be home until nearly the first of October. It would be a lot better than cussed cooking, I'm sure. I don't know, though, perhaps you'd rather do cussed cooking than eat it. Our cooking, though, was real good until Miss Miller decided not to come back. I pine for baked beans!
... They gave me a birthday party Wednesday night in the dining room. Our table was all decorated up with red crepe paper, and at each end there was a basket of strawberries. Miss Hooper had her girls make them, but from the baskets were streamers, and at the end of each streamer, at each place, there was a little emery strawberry with our place card. And we had a great big fat luscious strawberry cake. At my place there was a bright shiney automobile with a diagram showing another way that I might get home. It's about the only way that I haven't planned.
At last we have our reservations all made to New York at least. We found that Sesqui in Philadelphia won't be well started at the time we go home, so we are going to leave that until we come back in the fall-you can see it with us then. We are going down to Jacksonville Wednesday night; will see St. Augustine Thursday, and take the Clyde Line from there to New York. If our boat is on time we get into New York Sunday morning-three weeks from todav-and can take that State of Maine Express out in the evening and will get into Waterville for nearly all of commencement. The Clyde Line has had five boats either bum up or sink in the last few years, but this is one of their newer ones, The Cherokee, and strange to say, it's all their old ones which have met disastrous ends. I'm going to write Winifred.
Loads and loads of love until I bring it to you three weeks from tomorrow. Your Nellie Sam
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, May 26, 1926
Source: PDF page 142; printed page 136.
Heading: Spelman College, Atlanta, May 27, 1926
Dearest Marmie,
How can a person correct exams when two weeks from today she is going to be packing to go home? On two weeks from tomorrow night she takes the train. This is our itinerary-leave here Wed. 8:50 P.M.; arrive Jacksonville 7:45 A.M. Thursday; spend day out at St. Augustine; take boat 4:30 A.M. Thursday; on high seas Friday and Saturday-lots of time to be seasick-get to New York Sunday morning; I go down to New Haven and take State of Maine Express from there that evening; get into Portland about 5:30 Monday morning, and Waterville later. Even though many of the Clyde Line boats have met disastrous ends, it seems to be the "swellest" line. Sometime we'll try Merchant and Miners and then we will have given them all a chance....
Tuesday evening. Marjorie and I faced the heat and went down to make our reservations on the train, this afternoon. We got them all right down to Jacksonville, but they couldn't find the Bar Harbor Express, or any other train going from New York to Portland in the night. I think that I'll tell Fred to make the reservations at New Haven.
The magnolias are blossomed and they are beautiful...
I don't remember whether I asked you this before or not, but will you please, in your next letter send back all the Spelman snapshots I have sent. I am collecting them together in a book and I want to get them all to take back to college to show the girls.
I'm waiting anxiously to hear about your plans for next year. Once in a while I wonder if you'll mind the heat, then I remember how it is never too hot for you. And also, Bessie Strong is up on top of a rise, with lovely trees around it, and a nice cool piazza.
Write often. Remember that I'll be leaving here two weeks from tomorrow....
Just loads of love, Your own Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, May 28, 1926
Source: PDF page 143; printed page 137.
Postmark: Atlanta, May 28, 1926 Heading: Spelman, Friday
Dearest Mother,
Your letter came this morning and since I can't think of anything now but you all and coming home I'm going to write before I make out my exam. I'm giving my last two today.
... It isn't as hot today. Yesterday was awful. Then in the evening about ten o'clock, all of a sudden the breeze began to blow...
Tonight is Miss Tapley's reception. The Morehouse men will all be over. By Thursday morning the students will have deserted the campus, and in another week the teachers will have done likewise.
I really have a good start on my papers, so I hope to have them all done by next Wednesday. Then I'll have a whole week to get packed....
Loads of love to my dear mother, Her Sammy
Nellie Pottle to Annette K. Pottle, May 30, 1926
Source: PDF page 143; printed page 137.
Postmark: Atlanta, May 31, 1926 Heading: Spelman, Sunday
Dearest Momma -
Today I expect you are writing your last Sunday letter to me. You had better write next week's on Saturday so I'll get it on Wednesday to "cheer the weary traveler." That is one of the spirituals the girls sing. Another one very appropriate for this season is:
"The old ark's a movering A movering, a movering, The old ark's a movering And I am going home."
This afternoon we have our Baccalaureate Address, so Commencement is underway. Monday is Class Day. Tuesday-this will sound funny to you-is Packing Day, and Wednesday is Commencement Day.
I shall not be very busy next week for I have a large part of my tests corrected.
Of course I am awaiting news of the Bessie Strong position. I'm sure that they are offering it to you, but I'm anxious to hear back from you. Before you really decide to come, I'll make inquiries as to whether people ever have asthma here. I know of no one who does. The campus and especially Bessie Strong are higher than the rest of the city. I have never felt so well in my life.
We slept over this morning and had our breakfast in our room. We bought a free pinapple [sic]. After recalling all of my biology lab experience, we finally dissected it, and it was awfully good.
Marjorie and I have been getting up early lately to play tennis. Until lately, I have never cared very much for the game, but now I like it a lot. Of course, Marjorie wins most of the time, but she isn't a good enough player but what she is willing to play with me.
It's hot again. I'm so glad that two weeks from today I'll be in New Haven.
... Sorry that all the news there is is that it's hot.
Just loads and loads of love, 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.