Letters and Manuscripts — Volume 12 (1897)

Lt 203, 1897

White, W. C.

Sunnyside, Cooranbong, New South Wales, Australia

December 2, 1897

Previously unpublished.

Dear Son Willie:

I am sorry that you are so free to invite persons to Cooranbong to your house. May dreads this. Her children demand her attention. They have had serious difficulty with their bowels and this makes her considerable work. Then, you know, your boys are quite noisy and their busy hands and feet make those who have the care of them much work. It is not, it appears to me, doing justice to your family. If May has anyone in her home, it should be persons that can help her and not tax her. When the little ones are older they will, we hope, be less noisy, but this warm weather is a great tax. I advise you to consider that every additional member to your family is a tax. Your children need instruction, and if they improve as I am very desirous that they should, they must have every help possible in this line. But weak and nervous women could not improve in your family. Your children are lively boys and make a great deal of clatter and noise, which would set a nervous person out of their mind. 12LtMs, Lt 203, 1897, par. 1

And you must not make it a necessity for me to take these persons to care for. I have only Edith now to do my work, Sara helping her to plan. It would not be wisdom to have feeble persons that must be cared for in my home. The only place for them to sleep is in the parlor, the only room that visitors can occupy. The typewriters constantly in motion are not agreeable for one who has not strong nerves. 12LtMs, Lt 203, 1897, par. 2

Visitors do not receive a favorable impression to visit us when there is not anyone who can visit with them. I served my time quite fully when at Granville and now myself am not strong. I am trying to gain a little strength to take hold of the work I desire to do in book making. 12LtMs, Lt 203, 1897, par. 3

Well, I have said enough on this point, but I know May’s mind. She speaks to me about these things. “Oh,” she says, “I hope Willie will not bring visitors here now, because I cannot get along with my work.” The discipline she has had in this line is not the right kind, that she can carry the things of the household with systematic plans, and the less your family is encumbered with visitors, the better it will be all around. Now her children require much greater care than when they were younger. She began with giving them things which would make the most clatter and noise, and being two of them, it is considered the one who makes the biggest noise is doing the best things. I know that there should be a different order of discipline, but when it has not been brought into the training process, how can it be cured? There is a great amount of undisciplined movements that might be avoided, but how to reform these things is the question. 12LtMs, Lt 203, 1897, par. 4

Government must be in one, in order to work on right lines. Now is the time the training will have to be done. But May knows not how. You would be pleased to help all you see needs help, but please remember the cautions and warnings given you and work at the point. Your children are greatly in need of the help their father can give them, and you must take time for this, for your children will have a very poor start in obedience and being under control unless you shall bind them to your heart and then work with them to bring about a change of things. 12LtMs, Lt 203, 1897, par. 5

Mother.