[Letter] June 12,1890,Smith College [to F.H. Giddings]

June 12, 1890, Smith College.

Dear Friend,
      Something has
happened that I rather
dreaded; the Wesleyan
position has been offered
to me. Shall I take
it? That is the
question, and I wish
you would give me your
off-hand impression. I
wish to get out a book
on Distribution in about
a year. I can work fewer
hours a day than many
men. There is some
history to be taught at
Wesleyan for a time;
later the debt will be
divided. It will be
divided soon ( ) at Smith.
In public consideration
I think the Wesleyan
position outranks the
Smith one. Is that
much of a consideration?
Uprooting is painful.
I do not want to do it
without a perfectly clear
case. Yet if I stay do
I not resign myself
to teaching girls as long
as I teach at all?
Should we be willing
to do this? It will not,
in the natural order of
events, be necessary for
me to teach many
years more unless I
wish to do it.
Stimulating teaching I
should wish to do rather
than to be idle or only
occupied with study and
writing. Which course
assures the "things
unseen" that you so
aptly referred to in
your own letter?
 Pardon me for
asking so much of you.
I am in a very
great quandary. They
evidently expect me
to come to Wesleyan.
Something has emerged
to them the idea that
I am ready to do it.
That, at least, is an
impression I get. On the other
hand they expect me to stay at
Smith. You will do me a great
favor if you give me your impressions.

        Yours Very Truly,
               J. B. Clar