Miriam Van Waters Papers. Male Prisoner Correspondence, 1927-1971. Correspondence: K, 1950-1955. A-71, folder 599. Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass.

[text top right] W. Concord, Mass. Dec. 22, 1965

Dear Dr. Miriam,

Your good letter of the 17th just came. Thanks for your kind comments about the conduct of the smoketalk.

Oh, that's beautiful about Mr. + Mrs. Constance Marshall. We are all delighted. This would be the beginning, then, of [our?] Friends of SDG.

Two men swim? up in our minds who would dearly appreciate visits and correspondence as you suggested - Robert Schiller John Usher

God bless you!

I was deeply disappointed that Francis & Rita did not attend the Muscular Dystrophy Survival Meeting on Dec. 16th - regardless of prior commitments. We shall remedy that next time.

Best from all of us.

Ever with deeper respect and love, Jim Kerrigan

P.S. Mary Marcin's Christmas note was touching & lovely & appreciated.

Dear Mrs. Marshall - 12/24/65

Today I set this letter from Jim Kerrigan. He says that Robert Schiller and John Usher would love to have visits from you.

Also I enclose another letter sent in my care. You can telephone the Reformatory to find out what are the visiting hours. I do hope you will go.

All good wishes - Faithfully yours [?]

[text top right] W. Concord January 11, 1966

[stamp] CENSORED BY M.C.I. CONCORD

Dear Dr. Miriam,

Your good letter of January 7 came yesterday, and I have your thoughts also of December 28th. Thank you for the lovely poem by Fanny Hall - together with something of her biography. A good fighter still at 90. [?] I am glad she knows about SDG.

Dorothy [Prow?] sounds like quite a person. I know you will treasure the porcelain duck - a beautiful memento of the Occasion.

John wrote me about your letter to him on Christmas Day. He loved it. Yes, his spirit is extraordinary, thank God. So is your own, and I am delighted that your feelings about his case co-incide with mine and his family's.

Francis has a new, good job in Wellesley. He worked on the [snow chair?] Saturday, so was not able to visit. I think, now, that he and Rita can and should arrange this schedule to include some work for Muscular Dystrophy. After all, social responsibility [involves?] us all. I am so glad Chuck Thomas will try to find time for [empowering?] an SDG meething of a Sunday afternoon. John Anthony is trying to set up the additional meeting.

[centre] 2

All of us hope Howard Dearborn keeps doing well, and is so good of you and typical to wish to look in on his family.

Ronald today handed me Frank Laubach's LETTERS BY A MODERN MYSTIC. It is a broad statement (I am at page 21) - and certainly stimulating as a power-of-example in the expanded faith "that one perfect hour, I believe, will echo down through eternity." Yes, and perhaps one perfect moment as well. Mayb SDG could make this another of it's goals: to try to live one perfect moment a day, then one hour and finally many of each 24. Thank you for donating to our Library this thoughful gift from you & others Jim, aged 90. What a wonderful guy, alert and helpful!

I can imagine your joy at having your grandson, Peter, with you for New Year's after two years' absence.

Mary Marcin also must have been very happy at her son Paul's visit from Okinawa - and a [sergeant] in the [marines?] [Great.?]

Helen Bryan's Christmas thoughts, and Cynthia & Chuck Thomas', were great.

All's well here. We hope to see you and Cynthia when you have a chance to get over and if the roads are OK.

Always with respect and love for a great fighter for good, Jim

[text top right] January 12, 1966

Dear Dr. Van Waters:

Thank you so much for your note and the enclosures. I return to you herewith the letter from Jim Kerrigan. I telephoned the reformatory but was told by the guard room, with which the switchboard connected me, that one cannot just come to visit - also the hours are from 9-11:30 am and 1:00 - 3:30 pm, during all of which time I am occupied at school. Weekends they tell me are reserved exclusively for family members, so? ---- Maybe you can clarify all this for me - did I perhaps misunderstand the ruling?

At any rate, I thought I would let you know what I had learned.

Our daughter in Connecticut is expecting her third child this month so I may be tied up somewhat for a couple weeks. I shall look forward to hearing from you again.

Sincerely, Constance Marshall

Mrs. B. T. Marshall 9 Brookside Avenue Winchester, Massachusetts