The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1925-11-05
EXCURSIONS IN
CORRESPONDENCE
BY THOMAS ARkLE CLARK
Dean of Men, University of Illinois.
Notes of Appreciation

- lers OF courtesy, as | have said. ar
almost Infinite and are limited only b
our inclination and the time available
1here are some, however, which, if W,
are to be at all thoughtful and we'll
hammered, we cannot avoid writing
and writing within a reasonable tim,
after the occurrence of the inciden
that made the letter necessary.
When | was in Berkeley last winter
Mr.. Dodge showed me every attention
and gave me a lovely dinner at the
University club, and tool me to the
train when I vas leaving for Portland
should be very crude, indeed. if. after
arrived home, / should neglect to
write to him and tell him how much
| appreciated his kindness. Stanley
McCord took a day off from a pretty
active business and drove me down to
Stanford in his beautiful car, and
bought my lunch for me, and wasted
we good hours in dragging me from
one Chinese shop to another in an en-
deavor to help me buy an embroidered
shawl for Nancy. He, too, was entitled
to some epistOlary attention later, even
If | did at the time thank him for his
thoughtfulness and generosity.
When Nancy and | had entertained
George Milton for a week, when he
was visiting in town, and given him
our best bedroom, and served him late
breakfasts when he stayed out late the
night before, the least he could have
done surely was to have written us a
brief note of acknowledgment after he
got back home. 1t gave me a feeling
of disappointment that he did not l
had thought him more a~ppreciative,
and more of a gentleman than he
proved himself to be.
There are a good many courtesies
which we are under obligation to ac-
knowledge, and to acknowledge in
writing if we want to do the thing as
should be done. Gifts, and social at
tentions, and special favors, and en-
tertainments should always be recog-
nized by a written note. We have
most of us been taught to write dread
and butter letters" but the practice
olOQlu Dc tAICuQSu SIlll lulllIeI.
There are a good many letters of
courtesy which may be written, and
which would give those who receive
them pleasure that we are not under
my social obligation to write. Letters
If coincidence, of congratulation, of en-
enlargement, are among these. Foley
las been ill, for instance; he is coming
along slowly, but the way back to
seems long to him at times, and
lie has periods of depression and dis
enlargement. A cheerful letter from
IN old friend would help immensely to
ret him onto his feet. Kinsey, over in
has just picked off a first In a
ace at the Olympic games he would
lot take it amiss, | am sure, If he
hould receive a note Of cOngratulation
rom his old high school coach.
Such instances as these might be
multiplied almost infinitely, If one Is
ympathetic and interested In the ups
nd downs of his friends, in what they
o or fail to do. Lincoln knew how to
rite such a letter and, harassed and
riven as he must have been during the
Tying incidents of the Civil war, he
)und time to write them. His letter .
!, Mrs. Bixby on hearing of her loss of
We son. In battle, is n of the ten
crest and most sympathetic notes of
Incidence in the English language.
The results of writing such letters
e more than we ourselves might at
think. 1t does us good, it widens
II sympathies, it increases our inf1u- :
Ice and it deepens our friendship. We
IN say often so much better in a let
r what we would hesitate to say face d
face to a friend. Few of us have
ore friends than we need, and a time
note may strengthen and cement a a
iendship that was waning or that a
light soon have been broken. a
AS a purely selfish business PROPOSE
IN it is a good thing to write such
tiers. The personal note always
axes an appeal. Many of our strict
business deals are settled largely
a personal basis. 1t pleaSeS me
len the man from whom l buy my
al, or my clothing, sends me post
rds from Palm Beach, or the battle q
FUNDS of Europe. 1t shows that he
S at least thinking of me, and even
his purpose was purely selfish, I
more likely to continue my bust
IS relations with him than if he had
written me.
The effect upon those who receive
letters goes without saying. They
and encourage, and warm
heart; they soften grief, or in
ase the joy of living, and the more
expected they are the greater their