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John Edward Howell, "Jack"

John Edward Howell, "Jack"

Male 1902 - 1948  (45 years)

 

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John Edward Howell letter to his son Spencer at Kent.

John Edward Howell (Jack) letter to his son - J. Spencer Howell (Spencer). 15 Feb, 1945 from Buenos Aires. A gem, providing much insight to Jack's exceptional personality and intelligence.

Jack and family are now living in Argentina, but Spencer, now age 16, has been sent to the Kent School in Kent, CT to receive a proper education. Kent's motto: "Simplicity of Life, Directness of Purpose, and Self-Reliance"

The letter is a response to Spencer's complaints about the bad behavior of the other boys at Kent, the bad food and lack of attention exhibited by the staff toward an injured boy named Peter. (I assume this is not Spencer's younger brother Peter, age 10)

The third paragraph begins "There comes a time in everyone's life when one begins to realize that things are not really either completely black or completely white and that, on the contrary, the truly black and truly white things are the exception rather than the rule."

Jack closes with "Spencer, old boy, this has been a long letter but it had to be, because I had a lot of things to tell you. Keep a stiff upper lip and your hand straight and remember 'bien faire et laisser dire'."

Its literal meaning: Do well and let (them) speak. What it really means: Do your work well and never mind the critics.

To clarify some of the references in the letter: "Granny" is Jack's mother in law Flora Maude Campbell (a.k.a. Granny Stone.) "Chatham" is Chatham, Ontario, Canada - home of Flora Maude. "Father Chalmers" is the headmaster of Kent School.


Owner of originalJ. Spencer Howell
Linked toJohn Edward Howell, "Jack"; John Spencer Howell, "Spencer"

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