Month: April 2015

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Back at Silver Bay, 1941

SB Last Felicia

This is the last of the Terzian cards I found that were sent to Felicia Gressitt; it is now August of 1941, and she has returned from Japan, perhaps at the urging of her father who remained in Yokohama throughout the war. (He survived the Tokyo and Yokohama bombings that took tens of thousands of lives, but died in November of 1945 “from unfortunate conditions connected with his residence in Japan during the war, followed by an attack of pneumonia from which he was not strong enough to recover.”) But back to Felicia: By 1941 she had married Kurt Karl Bock (who went by Charles K. Bock once the war started), and this postcard reached her in New York City:

“Dear Felicia, Rumor has it that you two have been around these parts recently! Mother did so enjoy that nice visit with you. I have a letter from months ago from you which which I’ve had with me all summer. I’d answer, but perhaps I can do it in person. I’ll be going thru N.Y.C. in a couple of weeks and we must get together. I do want to meet Kurt. Love, Teddy”

Felicia Gressitt Bock is remembered today by a Chair in Asian Studies at Mount Holyoke.

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A Card for Felicia, 6

SB Felicia Card 6

“Dear Felicia, Because you can not always look at the larger picture I am sending you this smaller one. It is as beautiful, tho smaller. Your leave taking on Sunday was so hurried. Perhaps it was easier that way, but I scarcely had time to say anything to you. I wish for you all lovely things — your trip across the continent and your visit in California, your voyage across the Pacific, and your new work in Japan. I hope you will enjoy it all and that you may be extremely successful. I should love to hear from you, but I know you have many letters to write to others also, and thus I can only hope that you will write. I shall always think of you when I handle the lovely kimono, which you gave me. It was so sweet of you. How can I thank you? Bon Voyage. Cordially and affectionately, your friend, Mary E. Reed”

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A Card for Felicia, 5

SB Watermelon

“And this was our ‘watermelon and marshmallow picnic’ in your honor a week ago tomorrow evening. It was all such fun, altho we were not happy at the thought of you leaving us so soon. Of course, we are thrilled that you have the wonderful opportunity that you have and I have been thinking of you today as being in Chicago. I know it has all worked out well for you. I wonder, did you go out to the University of Chicago? For two years I was on their staff in connection with the new hospital, the University Clinics. To look over at the picture I can still see our fire, the marshmallow sticks, the group toasting, and the group eating watermelon. That was another lovely party. As I have said many times, when I look back into the past it is only the beautiful and lovely things that I remember and so will this party be remembered. Again, M.E.R.”

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A Card for Felicia, 2

SB Flea 2

“Dear Felicia, And this is the day of a very severe shower after which, in the evening, you and I went for a boat-ride. You were going to dip the water from one of the boats, when the life-guard boat was turned in and we took it. I am so glad I have these lovely things to look back upon for I am convinced that the remainder of the summer is going to be so strenuous that there will be almost no time for play. We have been having approximately three hundred in the dining room ever since the Lutherans left, and we are told the Industrial Conference is to be five hundred. Tonight is the Emps’ Formal, and unfortunately it is teeming. I am so sorry for them. Last evening there was to be a B.R. picnic at Slim Point and an Emps’ picnic. The rain caused us to plan otherwise. Sincerely, M.E.R.”

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A Card for Felicia, 1

SB Flea 1

This postcard by William Terzian was the first of a packet of cards given to Felicia Gressitt when she was sailing to Japan in 1937 to rejoin her parents and teach at a Japanese college. The daughter of a Baptist missionary, James Fullerton Gressitt, Felicia was born in Tokyo, and was in the U.S. to study at Mount Holyoke (Class of ’36). These postcards were given to her by Mary E. Reed, a dietician at Silver Bay, who explained as follows:

“Dear Felicia, This is a little game for you to play the first few days after you leave San Francisco. Each day read one and enjoy the picture. They are numbered and the reason for following the order given is that thruout the season they follow along special events which I connect with you. I shall always think of Odell’s Island in connection with the picnic supper I had there when Hamp started to row you, Virginia Straus and myself across, and you got out at Slim Point. It was so lovely of you to want me to go that day and I so thoroly enjoyed it. As ever, M.E.R.”

I have cards 1,2, 5 and 6, and will try to post one each day.

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Brooks by Day, by Terzian

SB Brooks by Terzian

In 1938, this Terzian postcard was sent to Felicia R. Gressitt at the Kobe College, Nishinomiya, Japan, with this message:

“Dear Flea: Your suggestion that it might be well for me to see Japan is more than interesting; however, I wonder how great a handicap a lack of knowledge of the language, and the possible absence of any acquaintances, might be. If you have any further ideas please write. Yours, Len”