The weekly times-record. (Valley City, N.D.) 1912-1922, 1921-10-27
GIVES PICTURE OF
EASTERN AUTUMN

Through the kindness Of faculty
member we are permitted to print
portions Of letter which was written
by Mr.. Switzer who is studying in
Clark University.
l know cannot tell you anything of
the understandable beauty Of the au-
tumn coloring, for you spent last au-
tumn in central New York, and have
lived in the hardwood area of. In
diana. But l kept thinking today Of
the thousands of North Dakota people
that have never lived off the plains
and have entirely missed this. l think
the ten-years in North Dakota with its
comparatively meager variation IN
color made the experiences OF today
even more impressive. just wished
you might have your classes out here
for while to study how nature mixes
her colors in. such absolute and ex-s
quisite harmonies and in such profus-
ion that to the uninitiated it is almost
unbelievable. .s -..-. .
A young married man in the geo.
graphy department and his delightful
~ hospitable wife took me with them
in their Ford sedan and we wandered
leisurely over the winding roads that
ever enticed you on with the promise
of more glorious beauty if you would
follow around the next bend. The
deep reds of the hard maple were riv-
allied by the almost crimson OF the
sumack. These graded into the browns
of the oak with every possible inter-
vening tint shown in between. Then
there was the golden yellow of the
soft maple and ash which in places
were so dominant, and their branches
meeting across the road in an over
head arch, the autumn sun filtering
through gave you, not stairway but
avenues Of gold. These in turn grad
ed by innumerable stages through the
poplars, elms, birch, and others into
the deep park green of the conitirs.
Then in natures own way, these were
all tumbled together in composite
mass, as you came out on the crest OF
a hill, and your eye swept across a
wide valley with miles and miles OF
rolling, wooded landscape. An artist
can not reproduce it correctly. We
must wait for the perfecting of color
photography to give an adequate idea
| to those who have never experienced
the sensation of autumnal riot IN
| color.
Of course the color was not the only
| impressive thing to me. New Eng
lands boulder strewn fields and woods
were even more impressive to the
| mind of one geographically trained.
Have you seen them? I thought l had
some idea of what they were like, but
I had to repeat the words Of the Queen
of Sheba to Solomon, and II 1ate
should distine that I must till the land
so boulder strewn, I am sure l would
have to say, "there is no more soul
left in me-" Why, we passed fields TO-
day that were fenced in little patches
of from one to five acres, with STONE
fence around each one three feet high
and yet it seems you could scarcely
see the ground. Our North Dakota
farmers would be afraid to turn
COW even into them much less even
dream of cultivation.
I am enjoying my work here at
Clark immensely. Everyone is SO
kind and thoughtful, and the atmos-
phere of association with an entirely
''graduate" body is very stimulating.
The conditions for research work are
admirable and you have practically
entire freedom to work out your own
ideas and problems. 1t seems shame
that one has to devote so much time
to the sordid occupation Of making
a living" l feel sometimes / would
like to stay here and study about three
| years and then have no work when |
20 back but teaching. believe l
| then could do a grade Of teaching
worth while.
This has become a rather lengthy
dissertation of variations. You may
be sure am interested. in all the
things at Valley City and am looking
forward to the first Budget to give me
! some news.
With kindest regards and best
| wishes,
Sincerely yours,
j. E. Switzer.