WCP294

[1]

Parkstone, Dorset

Sept.[embe]^r 30th. 1897

My dear Violet¹

I send you the book on Educational Reformers having read the chapter on Rousseau, which is really wonderful. I also send a "Brotherhood" & a few "Clarions"² in which read at all events "Nunquam’s"³ & Cartwel’s letters & articles.

I have just sent off to Ma⁴ at Hurst Will’s⁵ last letter received yesterday, with instructions to send to you immediately as it is for all of us. It contains adventures. Journey to Niagara & the West stopped for the present, & they are all now at a place near the centre of the Adirondacks, the finest mountain scenery in America! [2] And they want to get away!! I have told him it is far better than the Rocky Mountains, & have urged him to stay there the winter, if they can — & hunt wolves, bears, panthers!!!

Now with regard to your affairs. I quite agree that you should have a nice — and more, a thoroughly good one, else they will at worst give you £10 more & consider it final. If I were you I should ask £120, as the lowest you consider your services worth, & the lowest you can stay on. Then if they decline, come here & start a K.G.⁶ We can no doubt get an unfurnished room near, [3] and as you will be at no expense for your board, you can afford to wait till you get pupils. But I have another idea for you to think over. Walker finds his house too large as his sister will not come & live with him, & wants to let it. The large lower room about 30 ft & 20 ft. with a wide verandah & separate entrance, would make a splendid K.G. It has sun all day & a slope to the south which would probably add a few years to my life as I could bask in it in the winter. Now, if we could get it at say £60 or £65 — I don’t think he will get more as there are so few [4] bed-rooms — & we could let Corfe View for £50 or £55 which I think we could, easily ^do, there would only be £10 to £15 — loss, & when you got a dozen or 20 children you could afford to pay that. I suppose a large room alone would cost that. Two more families have come there both with children though perhaps too old, — but there are so many families about now, that I am pretty sure a K.G. for Castle Eve & Sandecotes alone would be fairly filled. As to your health here, surely bicycle rides & sea-boating would get over that, with a bracing holiday in Switzerland or elsewhere. One of the ladies just come has lived in Switzerland & says the flowers in April and May are wonderful! Nothing like them is seen later on.

Your affect[ionate] Pa | A R. Wallace [signature]