September (?), 1930 – Ted Dreier to Ethel Dreier

 

  • September ? 1930 – Ted Dreier (Bolton Landing) to Ethel Dreier (Long Island)

Dearest Mother –

Here almost a week has gone by since I left you and haven’t written you yet! But here goes at last. I can’t tell you how wonderful it was to be out at Sunken Meadow for those three weeks with you and I want to thanks you and father a thousand times for your hospitality and all the much more precious things. I am sorry there wasn’t more time that we could have together and for the other things like teaching you physics and so on, because I should have enjoyed that a lot! But the main job, which was with Anes was pretty well done, I think. And I think also that it is going to be a tremendous help to me. In fact it is already apparent in my feelings toward all of you and toward Barbara. On my last day with him, he gave me a copy of some lines which he had seen and which expressed some of his ideas rather fully. It seems quite beautiful and wonderful to me, so I have copied him and enclose here with. It is the way Barbara and I would like to be toward Quintus. How is Quintus? It seems strange to have him away from Barbara and myself, tho’ he has often been away from us before. Do you take him to the beach? It is simply wonderful of you to take him from us for a few weeks and I hope he won’t be too much bother. What do you think? On the way to town, whom should I see at the Cold Spring Station that last day but Louis Ruckjaber and his wife! I hopped off, met her, and chatted with them for a minute. It was very nice. In the evening I saw Margot and Mother Loines and had a nice time with them.

My glasses have already come – though I can hardly imagine getting used to wearing such awful things. It is simply wonderful up here at Lake George, though it seems as though we were swamped with things to do. They have been so slow on the camp, and there are so many things that have to be done, and cannot wait until next year, though we are leaving everything that can wait. It is a beautiful place, though, and we are crazy about it. The weather here has been simply gorgeous, with a temperature of 39 or 40 nearly every morning. The lake is still warm enough for splendid swimming though.

Our last night in Schenectady was a wonderful one. Mr. G. Reist, the head of the department, invited us to dinner. Dr. and Mrs. Albert Hull were also there and it just could not have been nicer. Dr. Hull ranks almost next to Dr. Langmuir in the laboratory and is the man I worked for this summer. We had a marvelous time and were really quite flattered, as Barbara was put on Mr. Reist’s right and I on Mrs. Reist’s right. After talking with Dr. Hull, I also think I might get him to come down to Rollins to give a week of lectures next arch. Wouldn’t that be great! I hope you and Dorothea have a fine trip and adventure out west. Do write us about it as we are keen to hear. We rather expect to leave here next Tuesday, tho’ not entirely certain yet. Much love…”