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HELEN M. CHESNUTT

10629 MORISON AVENUE
CLEVELAND 8, OHIO
LIBERTY 0397

November 11, 1947

My dear Langston,

When Mrs. Alexander went down to Central High School late this summer to finish up the work on the Centennial she found, to her great embarrassment, the enclosed envelope addressed to Mr. Watson. It had evidently arrived too late for the celebration and had been put aside with the other material connected with the event. So for a year and a half practically it has been buried up at Central. She brought it to my house and asked me to send it to you.

We are terribly sorry that this happened, but as Mr. Watson was transferred from the building all the material concerning the Centennial was probably put aside until more time was available. Mrs. Alexander, who is a very busy woman, had not had time to clear up things until this summer so a great many things were neglected until she returned to the job. The committee naturally thought that the school had finished the job.

I must congratulate you on the great success of Street Scene. You must have been very proud of your share in it. We were all proud of you. Did some one tell me that you were teaching literature somewhere? I am sending this to New York as I know it will get to you from there. Best wishes to you.

HELEN M. CHESNUTT

10829 MORISON AVENUE
CLEVELAND 8, OHIO
LIBERTY 0397

July 22, 1949

Dear Langston,

I have thoroughly enjoyed reading the material on your course in creative writing at the University of Chicago Laboratory School. It must have been a delightful experience for you, and a wonderful one for the children. I especially liked their appraisal of the course -- their remarks were very appreciative and charming. Is it not enlightening to see how much youngsters can accomplish when they are interested in what they are doing? You ought to be very proud of what you have done for them.

I intended to write at greater length and sooner but we were recalled from Idlewild very suddenly by the serious illness of Dr. Slade, my sister's husband, who had a stroke last Tuesday morning. However he is getting along nicely, and we have hopes that he will ultimately be himself again.

Thank you for sending me the material. I surely enjoyed it. By the way, I have a copy of "The Poetry of the Negro". It is a very beautiful book and has given me great pleasure.

Best wishes to you.