Tehran, Persia Nov. 20th, 1916

Allaho Abha –

My Dear Mrs Platt;

If I had a typewriter I could a tale unfold that would astonish most of my American friends, but first of all I must tell you the joy your letter brought us cannot be described by words. not only the 4 of us but our nice little Mrs Dieger whom we have taught, we are greatly pleased that you are interested in the girls’ schools if you knew all I can tell you your interest would be a thousand times greater. The school I referred to is The Tarbiat girls’ school, if Miss Kappes were not a Bahai or not less than a saint she would not have put up with all she has. for five years her hands have been tied, that is they have not allowed her to use her own advanced ideas as to a school [illegible] she is exceedingly clever, the only [page 2, right side of image 23] reason was because one man had power but no sense. last year the school committee turned him out & another man was put in his place, who having been educated in Europe is advanced & the school came up wonderfully. several of the young girls who had been pupils & learned how to teach, discipline [illegible] became teachers – Miss Stewart went to the highest class – the 7th taught them a great deal which they greedily took in. “First Aid” [illegible] & I taught them anatomy, physiology [illegible] they know enough English to learn well. I have an entire skeleton & each girl knows it well. Ah - the time Miss K. took her vacation July & Aug. (the schools were all closed during July) the entire committee disbanded & a smaller one of 5 men attempted to put things in shape, one of these 5 is the one they forcibly turned out. he is Miss K’s enemy. They put in two teachers whom everyone knows cannot teach & when Miss K. returned to school everything was in terrible shape. Now they want her to take full charge of the finances, a thing they failed in themselves, besides all the other management, she has refused to take [page 3, left side of image 23] the financial responsibility because they have put in many pupils as free who can afford to pay. The Persians will never pay money for anything if they can help it. Dr. Moody, Miss Stewart & I agree with Miss K. perfectly & understand her great worth in spite of the great drawbacks the girls have made wonderful progress but could they have had what can be given them they would be much better. Some of the good men are entirely with her. They offer to open another school for her & several of the nicest of girls will teach for nothing.

I have no official right to tell you or anyone these things, but I have the same moral right to tell that all you Americans have to know for we are told by Abdul Baha nothing can be hidden in these days. as to the money, all that part of the business has been done through Dr Moody by Mr Harmen, & of course if money went to Syria it was needed there & Abdul Baha knows best where to place it. it is [page 4, left side of image 22] a bad time now to send money here for we used to get 11 krans for every dollar & now a dollar is only worth 7 krans. 1 kran = 10 cents. Miss K. is delighted with the idea of your interest in the school. I will ask Dr M. who your pupil is & tell her about you. The idea of maps is a wonderful one. if you were to see the Persian geographies you would be amused. They are in size about ½ of this sheet of paper & ½ inch thick & very little between the two covers. Miss K’s ambition has been to have the girls have enough knowledge of English to teach them proper geography. she has written Rand McNally for information about maps. The kind they want are those that can be hung. one each of the 5 continents & a world map. That makes a proper set & perhaps they can be sent folded & mounted after they get here. large packages do not come by mail now & there would be no use in sending a [page 5, right side of image 24] stick that can be bought here. They come mounted on linen & the white marks on the surface confuse the pupils, but we could have them put on a stick if of plain paper & put a mounting of cloth under the edges to protect them. plain chalk cannot be bought here. The Persians make a kind of lime that is so coarse it is almost useless.

As to magazines we do not want you to subscribe for them, but after you read them they are as good to us – some one sends me The Christian Herald. it is of little use except some of the pictures. if you have the Literary Digest or Review of Reviews or any magazine that gives us an idea of what is going on in the world & some time when you are in the vicinity of Dennisons & can send us some passe partout paper, Miss K. knows how to do the work & often in her teaching takes the pictures to school with her. in her teaching of English [page 6, left side of image 25] she uses only the very best books & very best poems if the girls memorize them. one day she was teaching [illegible] & said “would you like me to sing it?” the girls were delighted. she has taught them “Sweet and Low” & many others & to read at sight from the blackboard, just at this time Abdul Baha sent a tablet telling them to learn to sing like the foreigners. Miss K. knew nothing about it & I am sure he knew what she was doing. if you some time see Sidney Lanier’s poems & can send it she can teach them “Sunrise” & others such as Marshes of G[lynn]. I brought a copy with me but in a box with a great many others & all my medical library was lost on the way. we shall enjoy [illegible]’s book & the nice little other things you sent we divide with Dr Moody and Mrs Draeger. Miss K. will take the post cards to school & tell the girls about them, you should see how devoted they are to her no one in this whole city can be more beloved. The needles too are a great [page 7, right side of image 25] boon. how did you even think of crewel needles? Strange enough it is that just now Miss K. wants to teach cross stitch with worsted to the little girls but had no needles we have some pieces of canvas & it may be possible to buy wool. I believe so far they only want small quantities & now the needles are the most important of all.

In a letter some time ago I asked about you & Mrs Beede going to see my friend Miss Straiton who came out here with me. you will like her very much. I am quite familiar with your locality because I had patients about there. My home when I left N.Y. was on B’way bet. [between] 77th & 78th Sts. & strange too as it may seem the Mohawk Valley has always had great attraction for me many of my relatives lived in Troy N.Y. Glenn Falls, & some of them are living there now. I can see Mrs Beede laugh over my plain talk & the things I’ve told but none of you would laugh if [page 8, left side of image 24] you were here on the ground. I am very glad to hear of Mrs Cochran she is most clever, perhaps she & her friends also would like to be interested in the school for girls, the most wonderful one in all this country & if several of you want to I will neglect something else if necessary to keep you all informed[.] Miss K. is going to meet the 5 men this afternoon & when things are settled I will write you again & when you or any one else wants to send money direct either to Miss K. or to me it will be all right to do so. but at present it is better to use the money there for things that are needed in the school & that cannot be bought here. occasionally when you feel like it & can send us a newspaper & put in a few sheets of writing paper. it is very expensive and very very [both verys underlined] scarce.

I have written this very rapidly & now I have to stop, with great Bahai love from all of us to all the Bahais – I like Miss Day very much & of course Mrs Beeded, who does not?

Yours in El Baha, Sarah A. Clock.