Letter from Helen Matsunaga to Remsen Bird, January 23, 1943

              Rockford College 
Rockford, Illinois 
 
January 23, 1943 
 
Dear Dr. Bird, 
 
Thank you for your letters and the enclosed clippings. 
 
I received your letter about Betty Thorne's term paper on Saturday and wrote to her immediately all that I had on hand concerning Japanese-American cultural contributions to the United States. Since you stated that her paper was due on or about Tuesday, I had no time to get the factual material that I might have gathered from many periodicals and other literature, but I did write a rather lengthy letter and dispatched it by airmail. I hope it will help her to note the opinion of a Japanese-American. 
 
I am in the midst of preparations for final examinations, due next week; I am also finishing my various term papers now.  
 
I was extremely fortunate to have been the representative of the International Relations Club of Rockford College at a Peace planning congress of the United Nations Association. I am enclosing a copy of our program. I met several very interesting people there and have commenced a very interesting correspondence with Clark [Eichelberger] and also Judge Quilici. George Quilici is of Italian ancestry and is interested in the problems of the American-Italians and also Italy as I am with the Japanese. He and I are having dinner [page 2] together here in Rockford, this coming Friday. He's surprisingly young for such an outstanding member of his profession. We have great times together. 
 
I shall send on your clipping and other material that I have on hand to Betty Thorne at Vassar. 
 
I have several speaking engagements in February in various small towns in Illinois. I shall send you a summary of my talks and programs as soon as I can thrust off this load of final exams. 
 
Thank you for your kind thoughts. I think often of you and wish that I might talk to you again about so many things.  
 
My regards to your wife and Miss Hutchison. 
 
Love, 
Helen