APPENDIX C
This letter is reproduced exactly as written, mistakes and all.

Letter from Theodate to Harris Whittemore dated July 8, 1914

Dear Harris:

I have been wishing to have a talk with you and will begin writing so that you may know something of what is in my mind. Last winter my illness in New York was in a great measure due to my turmoil of mind and it was fortunate I was not with mother until I "found" myself and had regained my courage. My courage to live and act came when I had decided what form the memorial to my father should take. Besides my care for my mother I have three interests in my life which will take my time and much of my income: my architectural work, Psychical Research and little Gordon. I can best serve my father's memory by utilizing my ability to design. This I shall have ample time for as I am not receiving orders for work that I should were I a man. I first thought of a gallery, as you know, but I found that mother did not wish to part with the pictures in her lifetime and could not understand my even being willing to live in our house without them. I then considered building a village club house but decided that what I had in mind would suffice and serve a town of fifteen thousand people instead of the fifteen hundred we have.

Then I thought of founding a school for boys and knew in my heart that was absolutely the appropriate memorial. I waited some time before speaking of it to mother but did so a week or ten days ago. I dreaded very much telling her of it as I feared she might be critical of it thinking the scheme too large a one. To my great relief she understood instantly and gave it immediately the seal of her entire approval.

I have explained to her that I must borrow the money and carry a very heavy indebtedness for years. The interest on this indebtedness will amount to about the same sum that she will spend annually on this place (Hill-Stead) and she will run the place entirely while I assume all responsibility for the cost of building and starting and helping to maintain the school after it is in running order as the tuition fees on a school of this class would not make it a paying investment. I should make in my will a provision for endowing it. Wouldn't that be much better than allowing my property to accumulate only to be divided by my little second cousins? In as much as mother supports me here while I am working out this plan she also is building the memorial and it will stand in my dear father's memory as given by us both.

As a matter of fact I am beginning slowly - at the beginning of course and it will be several years before we will see the plan consummated. But I am talking over available building sites with Mr. Whitmore whom you will remember in those exciting days that summer when we bought our land here. We already have a particular piece of property in view which is only two or three miles from here and I am thinking of buying an option on it which Mr. Whitmore thinks I could get for $100.00 for two months. Without an option I would not even dare go past it in my car much less put foot on it.

I would like if possible to purchase a property this summer or autumn as I could then begin the planning of the buildings which work would come in so well when the slack time comes when the drawings for your school are completed. You see I am planning as far ahead as little Gertrude does! I saw three schools for boys while on our recent motor trip - St. Paul's, St. Mark's and Middlesex. Have also seen Pomfret - Groton and Hotchkiss and Andover; they all illustrate exceedingly well the things which I wish to avoid. I find the subject has taken hold of mother's imagination and she kept alluding to it on our trip. Nothing could possibly help her more it will give her an object in life as it has for me.

Dear Harris, I do want your sympathy and encouragement. I can work better when the friends whom I love understand.

Yours as ever,

Theodate

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