Monday evening / October 12th / My dear, dear Patricia: I left your place this afternoon in high spirits, for you delight me beyond words! There are so few persons, young or old, students or otherwise, who display the interest in, understanding of and courtesy toward other persons of all sorts, that you do so spontaneously and naturally! I love to hear your voice mount, see your color rise, and your eyes sparkle with indignation as you espouse the cause of our foreign students – or anyone else. All these things enhance your beauty and the loveliness that radiates from your shining face. You may doubt my judgment [over] as you will, think I am blind to shortcomings that you are aware of, and you may be right about having to work harder to learn than some persons but these admissions do not destroy any of the other things I have said about you. The qualities that have me charmed, bewitched, or enthralled, as you choose, are all there, showing out between the qualities that you depend on to maintain your balance and composure. Do not give up any of the fine things that are you in so real and genuine a manner. Let me always keep in touch with you, for I believe as you do; I share your interests, the heartaches you feel for others; the fierce determination to do [page 2] everything that you can to show our foreign guests and our own underprivileged that not all Americans are as blind and callous, as indifferent and wooden as some they encounter. They will recognize us as being the real spirit of America and will know the others are spurious. They will trust us and look to us for guidance. And we will not fail them. And now, my little “rainbow in the sky,” you are yet to me “a thing of beauty and a joy forever.” You may think that all is illusion with me, though I doubt it, but, if so, let me have my illusions. They will give me strength and buoyancy for the rest of my work on this tired old earth of ours and I think they’ll contribute something to your happiness. See you soon. Affectionately / Carl
Dr. Carl Duncan and Patricia Whiting Collection (SJSU)
