Letter from Dora Giffen to her family, June 14, 1926

American Mission, Fayoum, Egypt.

June 14, 1926

Dearest Ones:
My last letter from the Fayoum and I am five days late in writing it! You will forgive me, for these have been busy days.

It is six o’clock of a Monday morning. Breakfast is at six-thirty, so when that time comes I must bid you farewell and get busy period exams for the classes that don't take the Uniform Examinations are the order of the day today, Tues., and Wed., as they were for four days last week. Many of these exams are oral but I have enough papers to grade to fill up my spare time. The Uniform Exams begin on Thurs. morning but by that time I expect to be on my way to Cairo, leaving Laura on duty, - since I want to catch the early five o’clock train away: - For several reasons; one, that that is a nice time of the day to travel; another, that there won't be very many people at the train to see me off at that time of day. I expect to make connections which will get me into Alex. at noon on Thurs. My boat, the Chili, sails on Sat., but Mr. Caldwell has requested that we be in Alex. a day or two early. - My letter writing may be a bit irregular these next few weeks. You will know the reason and won't worry. I am not going to set my heart on getting home Sat., July 17, for probably I cannot make it, but look for me at the earliest it is possible for me to get there the next week, if I don't.

No letter came from you last week. If any come this Thurs., I am asking Laura to forward them to Alex. I don't know where I will be staying in Alex. But Sara Adair G. is arranging to have me take my meals with them. They are full up, so she is looking out for a place for me to sleep somewhere else.

I finished up the year's accounts on Sat., besides doing several other things. No teachers have signed up yet. We are in hopes several will do so this week.

The enclosed card contains a program of our little musical, held in our drawing room a week ago last Fri. afternoon. It was the afternoon for the monthly Y.W. meeting, which we conducted from five to six, had the musical numbers from six to seven, then quite a few stayed for some games afterwards.

Last Monday morning Mrs. Quay, Jane Smith, and Lois McClure drove over from Beni Suif and were here all of an hour. Laura came over to the other school in town where I was conducting exams, and bro’t me home to see them. Laura is driving Mr. Galloway's Ford now. Lois McClure is going home this summer after spending two months of study in Europe.

On Sat. night a woman, who this year moved back from Sudan and has some girls in our school, entertained us at dinner, and we might have known we would have to stuff ourselves, even if she promised otherwise. Laura and I both had headaches yesterday. Goodbye, much love to you all from your own Dora.

1. Mufeeda Saleh – “Sonatina” – No. 2, Il Sorriso – By S. Alassio.
X2. Miss Sophie – “Tyrolienne,” by Alph. Schotte
“Victoria,” by Acton
3. Moneera Philubbus – “Sonatina” – No. 4
L’Ilarita – By S. Alassio
4. Duet – “Romance” By Berthold Tours.
Belsam Saleh, D. Giffen
5. Cecil Girgis – “Le Voix de Couer” (The Voice of the Heart.) By Henri Van Gael.
X6. Belsam Saleh – “Song of the Morning” by Gurlitt
“4th Etude,” – L. Streabbog.
7. Duet – “Sonatina,” By F. Kuhlau
Hikmat Samuel, D. Giffen
8. Hakeema Ameen – “Canto dei Fiorie” (The Flower Song) By Gustave Lange.
9.X Hikmat Samuel – “Song of the Brook” by H.D. Hewitt.

(X My Pupils)