Letters From Africa

Dear Mom and Dad, Our mid term break started last Wednesday, so we went to Nairobi as the girls have already told you. I met with some of my classes the first part of the week, seven in all and about eighty girls in all. It is going to take some getting used to for sure. We started out sewing and are making a bag to put things in! We are going to use machines, if they can learn to treadle! Some of the machines work by a hand-crank and that is easier for them. Frank bought a great big clay pot on the way home. It stands three feet high! We enjoyed our trip, traded houses with the Knudsons at Kenyatta College. We got to see Mzee Kenyatta as he went past on his way to the parade and speech. The girls told most of the rest. Frank carried Kiva up Mt. Longonot, it took two hours to climb it. It was a sight, but I think I will wait at the bottom when they climb Mt. Kenya! One TEEA person got to the 1490 ft. level on Mt. Kenya but couldn’t go to the top. Everyone’s in good health and has new ...

  13.1 Sunday, October 15 Dear Folks, (Frank writing to his folks) We just finished the practice teaching and tomorrow we start teaching. At least we will have three days of classes, then a long weekend for mid term vacation and Kenyatta Day. We are going to Nairobi to buy groceries and to have the car tuned up over the vacation, so have the time pretty well taken up. The principal just got the teaching schedule up yesterday afternoon, and as far as I'm concerned it is a mess. I wish he had given me a crack at it. I think I could have done a much better job. In fact, I sat down this afternoon and in about two hours had a schedule that gave everyone an easier teaching load and the classes were better organized. I don't know why people want to make things so difficult. But let's face it, I guess that is another legacy from the British. They have to make everything at least 50% harder or more complicated or they don't think they have done anything. I shouldn't waste sp...

  13. October 15  Dear Mom and Dad, (Barb to her folks) Got your letter from Saratoga. You must have had a real nice trip. It was good to hear all about it. Glad Ted’s baby is finally here and what a surprise at the name. That’s real ice. (*His baby was named after Mother’s brother Jody) Evidently things went okay or you would have said so. I imagine you enjoyed the company of the people from Salt Lake too. We got back a bunch of pictures the other day. Some we had taken while at Helen’s at Fishkill. They are pretty good. There were also some good animal ones taken at the Nairobi Game Park. After we have looked at them for a while we may send them on although I sort of hate to trust them in the mail. Tomorrow teaching begins. They put up the schedule yesterday and I have seven classes of Domestic Science, two each on Monday and Thursday and one each the rest of the days. Each class is two periods or one hour and 10 minutes long. I still don’t have the slightest idea how many s...

 Oct. 8 Dear Folks, (Cochrane)     The weeks are beginning to roll by fast now. I guess that comes from being busy or having so many things to do that you can't get them all done. The supervisor of our practice teachers really keeps us going plus all the other little extras Like a student came down last night because he couldn't sleep. This was at midnight. He claimed he was so sick that we had to take him to the hospital. His temperature was 96 degrees and his pulse was normal but he was convinced that he was going to die. I finally took him back to his dormitory and put him to bed, which he didn't like one bit. He didn't  like it half as much as we didn't like  being called out at midnight to fuss with him. He'd been sent to the hospital the day before. All in a days work I guess.       I hurt a few feeling last week while I was visiting classes. I really laid into some of their teaching. I always try to compliment them on something, but so...

 Oct. 1 Dear Mom and Dad, (Line)     Well, we finally didn't go to the Nairobi Show. The bus developed a faulty thermostat and heated up to a fare-thee-well. It took a day to take it apart and put it back together. Then it began missing again, all this while Frank was trying to go back and forth to observe students practice teaching. So he took things apart again and cleaned up the fuel pump, put it all back together, and so far it is running all right. But we felt pretty insecure about trying the trip to Nairobi when we hadn't tried out the car any more than from here to Embu and back.     So Frank went down with the Young Farmers in the Land Rover and saw the sights. It was just like the fair at home minus the carnival plus about 40 times as many people! He came home around eight Saturday night pooped, sunburned, and so thirsty, I thought he'd never stop drinking! He claims now a Land Rover is the most uncomfortable thing to ride in the world, an op...

Sept 24  Hi. I will try to get a few words in here before bed time. Everyone keeps asking about the kids education, where they go to school, etc. They are all taking correspondence courses and Amy, Vicki, and Milton have a complete course for each of their grades. They have a regular time each morning that they sit down to do their work. We try to run it on schedule. They all do so well that without taking recesses they all finish by noon. The courses seem to be quite easy bu the main thing is that they do not have to wait while the rest of the class catches up. It makes you wonder about the amount of time wasted in school. They are not attending public school here for several reasons. There are quite a few schools near, but the teaching staff is under qualified by our standards. Amy and Milt would have to learn the vernacular because they do not start teaching in English till Standard four. Also there are a limited number of places available and if we sent them that would take a p...

 Sept 24 Dear Folks, (Cochrane)     We have heard from Spearmans' and from Patsy's about you, Dad, and it sounds like you are making good progress. I hope by now that you are home and feeling in pretty good shape.     This is Mom's birthday...we hope you had a pleasant day. There is a present on its way to you. We mailed it in Nairobi on the 12th so it should reach you soon. It isn't much but will let you know we didn't forget you.     It's a real nice day here, bright and hot with a cool breeze now and then. Mt. Kenya is still under its cloud but the surrounding country is sort of hazy and makes you think of Indian Summer days at home. Amy, Milt, and Kiva are playing in the sand pile and yard with about a dozen kids all laughing and chattering until it sounds like a bunch of magpies! Seems like the whole population talks without ceasing. Yesterday there was a bunch of students working in a garden right above our house, and you never heard such no...

 Sept 17 Dear Folks (Cochrane)     We missed writing last week so you are probably wondering where the letters are and it was particularly bad because of Dad being in th hospital and not getting a letter off. I suppose he is home by now or will be in short order. I wonder how soon he will be able to tell how it is going. I don't know why I keep saying "he" instead of directing the questions to you, Dad!     The last two weeks have been rather eventful around here. Last week end the whole family went to Nairobi and on the way down the car started acting up and we limped in at a very slow speed. it took about four and a half hours and it should have taken two. We stayed with some of the people of our group that are stationed this side of Nairobi about ten miles (Kenyatta College). Saturday morning we took the car back to the dealer and of course they quit work at noon Saturday and they didn't get much done. It took them until Tuesday morning to get it out. Ne...

 Sept. 5 Dear Mom and Dad (Cochrane)     Guess what? I AM going to teach Domestic Science...looks like it will include sewing, child care, nutrition, and the syllabus had a section called "Housewifery" which includes how to clean various things in the house and how to wash and iron clothes. The Home Ec room is a big room with four sinks and some cupboards along two sides and small store room with about six sewing machines, some bolts of material, and boxes of thread and various odds and ends, all covered with dust and spider webs. There has been no Domestic Science class for three terms. I think there are possibilities but feel pretty shaky right now. Frank has enough enthusiasm for both of us so think we'll come out all right. His science room is right next to mine which will help too! Whoever thought I'd do my first teaching in Africa! I'm glad I don't have to tackle it in Swahili!     All the kids send their love. Today they found some kids to play softball...

 Sept . 3 Dear Folks,           It is getting to be that time of year that we generally are getting back to the old grind of teaching. I'm wondering how you feel, this year for the first time in many, not to answer the call. I envy you your trip to Wheeler and I imagine that you  will be on your way shortly after Labor Day. I remember how peaceful and pretty that place was when we were over there before I went to Korea. We sure hope you enjoy your selves and we are looking forward to hearing about it. If I knew an address I would send this letter there.     We heard a few new items about Idaho via the Voice of America in the last week or so. One ws about all the fires, range and forest, and we figured Jim would be busy until we realized the time of year it was. There was another item about the U of I's Education TV...We do get a little news that way, in fact we were rather surprised to hear it.     You asked about Christmas pre...

 Sunday Sept. 3 Dear Mom and Dad,     Got your letter written August 27 today. We figure it was probably here Friday, but the mailman didn't make it for some reason yesterday. It takes about a week from you to us. This is letter no. three to you. I am hoping you have been getting the ones we write, as we give them to the clerk at the school office here and he gives them to the mailman. I imagine once school starts--next Tuesday--that things will settle to a little more business-like routine! I guess it is pretty certain that I will be hired - for money - to teach half-time Domestic Science. It will not start immediately as this next two weeks is spent by the students in getting ready to go out practice teaching, and then three weeks out practicing, and then they come back for more classes. I haven't been told much yet except that the principal thinks it's a wonderful idea to have me teach Domestic Science. They haven't had it for about four years. The principal ...