Having marked the centenaries of the emigration sailings of spring 1923 during the last few weeks, the Tasglann blog will revert to its usual publication schedule, picking up with the events of early 1919. This week, there is an exciting co-educational sporting competition at school, whilst Mr Gibson has been discussing professional challenges for the teaching profession. Servicemen are still returning home after the Armistice of the previous November. The next in our series of letters from the W.J. Gibson collection held by Museum nan Eilean. Please get in touch if you have any comments: archives@cne-siar.gov.uk
Jean dear,
We had your letter yesterday morning, and were glad to hear that you are keeping clear of the cold. How did the two exams. get on? We hope the papers proved suitable and that you were able to give a good account of yourself. Things have been busy for Mamma this week (you wd. have noticed that you had no mid-week letter) and there is no N.G. [night girl (servant)?] available yet. Maggie, so far, has not volunteered, though the need is great so far as Mamma is concerned.
Mamma was down on Tuesday afternoon seeing Mrs. Menzies and the baby, and found both well and flourishing.
On Friday we had Mr. and Mrs. Fenton in from Cross. They spent the night with us and we discussed educational and Lewisian problems. On Saturday we had a meeting of the Lewis Branch. The Story. Bd. had offered £400 of a bonus. The teachers’ committee had recommended its apportionment as salary so as to give the Craik scale for a few weeks at the end of the school year. But Mr. Maciver, Tong, was not satisfied with the amt. the proposed interpretation of the scheme was going to give to him, and made a most convincing exhibition at the meeting of how far we are from being a profession yet. After dinner the Fentons set off in the rain and storm to drive to Ness. Hut as usual. Most of the fishing fleet is now away, and the attendance was much more manageable. Drawings for the evening – £2”10”6. A number of the Battery boys came in to the Hut and had tea with us in the kitchen. About a score have reached Lewis in the last draft returned. Some of them I haven’t seen yet. Murdo Kennedy, Cromore, has been in this afternoon. He is proposing to go in for Medicine; about a dozen of them are. I have not seen Donald Mackay yet to know what he proposes to do. I hope he’ll come in soon. Very busy in school with I.C. [Intermediate Certificate] and L.C. [Leaving Certificate] schedules just now. Mr. Maciver is due to leave at the end of the week, and there is no word yet of Mr. John Macrae. Have had some very fine weather, though it has now broken down to sleet and storm. Christina Macleod (“T.-t-has”) was in at school on Friday. Her school is closed for epidemic. She thinks, of trying to get away from Lewis. There was a rather good hockey match on Saturday morning – a combination of the boys and girls’ teams – with Miss Mitchell in charge. The play was quite keen.
Good night, old Sheann, and best love from both. Soon be home again!
Papa
Ref: 1992.50.64iii/L33
Transcribed by Dawn MacDonald, Archives Collection Assistant
