The Ailing Professor

This lovely card was sent to me by Lily Hydrangea of the Long Island Daily Photo. She and her family stopped at the Brattle Book Shop in Boston, where in addition to books there were lots of old postcards. They collectively debated over which postcard to send me and finally agreed on this one. It's especially amusing and touching because I have never met Lily or her family before, but she had read my blog and thought I would appreciate the card.  And she was right. You can read her post about the bookshop here.

There's something so bucolic about all of these people relaxing in the park. I wonder if they were listening to a band or simply conversing.

The back of the card has an intriguing message.

The message sent to Marinda Locke in 1923 reads:

Martha's Vineyard

Dear Marilockie:

We start on our homeward trip tomorrow and by Friday afternoon I shall be telephoning to know how you and our professor are. My love to you both and to your dear brave mother. K.L.B.

I found some information in the Mount Holyoke College archives that may help to explain this message: Marinda Adams Locke graduated from Mount Holyoke College in 1893. She worked at various schools before becoming a nurse in 1898. Thereafter she worked at a hospital in Boston, Massachusetts. It sounds as if she never married.

Her sister Adelaide Locke also graduated from Mount Holyoke (1892) - and from the Hartford Theological Seminary (1896). She taught Biblical History at Wellesley, and according to the book In Adamless Eden: The Community of Women Faculty at Wellesley by Patricia Ann Palmieri, she lived with her mother.
So, why does the message refer to the 'dear brave mother'? Well, it seems that her daughter the professor was probably in ill health, since she died the following year. Presumably Marinda was there to help with nursing duties. Marinda lived until 1951.