To both parents from Bertha – April 3, 1913
Dear Papa and Mamma,
This is the darkest, foggiest day I have ever seen in New York. I went up to the League this afternoon to see how the light was but couldn’t work as it was too dark to see in my corner. It didn’t matter much anyways because Mr. Drummond had approved my painting on Tuesday and there isn’t much more I can do to it. He says I’m improving as I could very well see myself in this week’s work. It was such a marked advance over my former work – and, I was told by various students, the best likeness in the class this week. I think it was too but am obliged to confess that Mr. Drummond worked on it twice which made considerable difference. He is certainly a wonderful teacher and very much interested in his pupils. The more I see and hear of the methods of the other teachers in the League, the more I am convinced that Mr. Drummond is the only one there who bases his teaching on the absolute sound principles and not mannerisms for a good foundation. I cannot imagine a better teacher and I would almost be willing to think after studying with Mr. Drummond a few years an artist need not go to any other but would have a good foundation upon which he could launch out for himself. I haven’t a good foundation because I am comparatively a mere beginner but I still believe that I can work by myself and that I am so much more capable of doing it myself and that I am so much more capable of doing it now than I was two years ago that there is simply no comparison. People say Mr. Drummond is insistent upon drawing and in a way he is but his one great demand is that things shall be done with appreciation for this beauty and he doesn’t care at all for the technique if it expresses the beauty fully. If it does, it must be right.
[Note: At around this time, America saw its first large exhibition of modern art in New York, where Bertha is studying. The show introduced Americans, who were accustomed to realistic art, to the experimental styles of the European avant garde, including Fauvism, Cubism, and Futurism. Interestingly, Bertha never mentions abstract art in any of her letters. She likely wasn’t a fan.]
I took dinner with Mrs. May, Monday evening and afterwards went to hear “La Donne Curiose.” It was very pretty but I like it less than any opera and have heard because it was more a little society play with lovely scenery and music instead of being a really great emotional affair. It was worth hearing however and Ferrari and Scotti sang.
Just now, we are rejoicing for Evelyn Hope a little. It seems pretty certain her uncle Josephus will be Secretary of the Navy – and of course she is glad – especially as she will be able to visit them in Washington next winter and has never been there. [Note: Joseph Daniels would indeed appointed by President Woodrow Wilson to serve as Secretary of the Navy during World War I.] I think it’s pretty nice for her and she says her grandmother will be awfully pleased. Her grandmother was left a widow at twenty-eight – at the end of the Civil War, with three boys to educate and nothing on Earth to do it with and all her friends just as poor as she is so it’s no wonder if she is pleased to have her sons win distinction. Her other son, one other that is, is a judge and Evelyn Hope’s father is a pretty influential lawyer and a very bright man, so _____ Ulghman told me.
I noticed that a Manila mail reaches here Sunday morning – to my disgust. I won’t get it till Monday I take it for granted that I will get a letter from you.
Oh, I didn’t tell you that General Simpson has improved greatly. I was very glad to hear that.
Mr. Lee is now aide to the Chief of Staff so I suppose he “made hay” last summer when he was still with the Secretary of War’s party.
Did I tell you I tried to convert Mrs. Godsey to women’s suffrage? It was a total failure and I must say that I think I was at a disadvantage considering that the English ladies have been misbehaving very badly lately as I quite freely admit.
Evelyn Hope has been making a good-looking silk dress lately. It makes me feel quite a dress-making _____ but as I don’t want to make anything by hand. I guess I will satisfy myself with trimming a hat shortly after Easter.
We are going to give a dinner for Miss Newman next week and form an Alumnal Association. Incidentally, we have got to make peace cards [Note: If someone is familiar with “peace cards”, please contact us] and pay out about a dollar and a half each which goes sorely against the grain. However, it might as well be now as later so I’ll have to make up my mind to it.
Well now I must write to Reba and attend to a few other things.
Love to all,
Bertha