[Letter] July 11,1897,280 West 70th St.,New York City . [J.B. Clark's new permanent residence] [to F.H. Giddings]

July 11, 1897, 280 West 70th St., New York City. [J. B.
Clark's new permanent residence]

Dear Friend:
       I congratulate
you on several things;
first, on being in the
country, and on your
own estate. We have
had hot weather, and
I have enjoyed it,
working in the forenoon
and sailing somewhere
each afternoon. The
second subject of congratulation
is the abundantly
earned degree of Ph.D.
which Union College has
given you. In this
connection I am moved
to tell you that, about
a year, or a little less ago,
Dr. Lauden, who
is chairman of the
committee on degrees of
the Amherst trustees
asked me to think over
the eligible men to
whom higher degrees
should given by Amherst.
I said I would; and 
after proper meditation,
told him that Professor
Giddings was most
worthy of LL.D.'s and
Ph.D.'s of men of my
acquaintance, and called
attention to the work of
the said professor.
 Williston Walker is
now a trustee of Amherst
and told me that
Union had conferred the
degree a week before the
commencement
meeting of trustees took
place at Amherst; so
that action by them
became unnecessary -
which is there loss.
 A month ago or
more Fred came home
from Worcester with a
severe tonsillitis, which
developed into scarlet fever.
We at once put the younger
children and nurse into
a hotel, till Fred's case
was past the severe stage -
a very short time - and
then Mrs. Clark went
with the children to
Minneapolis, leaving a
trained nurse and me to
look after Fred. He got
on finely, and was released
from quarantine a week
ago. His rooms were
fumigated day before yesterday,
and I am struggling
with the problem of
making the rest of the
house secure, when the
children shall return.
The doctors say we isolated
Fred's rooms effectively
enough; but I distrust
the isolating that is
possible in a New York
house. We curtained the
hall entirely across with
cotton sheeting. I expect
to go to Minnesota in about
a fortnight and thence to
Colorado.
 You have doubtless
read in Springfield papers
of the "bobbery"at Amherst.
The trustees did everything
that it was possible to
do for Morse, and I
think he will stay. At
any rate he withdrew his
resignation. A lot of
petitions for the removal
of Prest. Gates were, it
is said, presented to
the trustees. I have not
exact information about
this. They laid them on
the table - it is said -
till fall. It will be hard for
Prest. Gates to get another
position, and I think he will
stay at Amherst to the last
minute. Regards to Mrs.
Giddings and the family.

      Yours Very Truly,
         John B. Clark

Excuse this envelope.
My stock of proper ones
is exhausted.