This letter enclosed the one Cyn had written to her mother at the beginning of the Costain’s trip to England in July, on notepaper from the Clarendon Court Hotel. [July 10 1967] Because Carol had been on holiday away from home, Cyn’s letters did not reach her- this arrived in Ottawa in September and was sent on.
At this point, Cyn was embarking on the ambitious Centennial project with the women’s group of St Christopher’s Anglican Church: opening the first Nursery School in the community. They were using the Sunday School rooms of the multipurpose Church Hall that included the Church, having enclosed an outdoor (treeless, windswept) area at the back as a playground. Cyn and other women from the group were to work at the Nursery School at the beginning- Cyn to bow out after a year, and the other women – especially Gertrude Pierce, as she mentions- taking courses and getting the qualifications in Early Childhood Education that were required, as they worked. Cyn was to audit the course, but had no intention of going back to teaching permanently after 20 years.
Thurs. 7th Sept
Dearest Mama – See what I got back in the mail today! Why, I can’t imagine – I am enclosing the envelope so you can see where it went, but I am sorry you didn’t get it when it was fresh!
Thank you so much for your letter from St. Vincent which arrived today. I am glad that you are safely home but sorry that you got a cold. I feel dreadful about not writing to you sooner, & even worse as I guess you didn’t get my last letter which I sent to Trinidad. I wondered as I sent it, but I couldn’t find your letter with your return date, so thought it would reach you in time. I’m sorry, also I will really get down to a long letter next week. The children went back to school on Tues. of this week & Cec left for a meeting in the U.S. but I have been madly busy getting the Nursery School ready to open next week. Gertrude Pierce and & I have done all the organizing so we have been busy all last month & this week we have been there every day getting the rooms ready as we are having Open House for the mothers & children tomorrow morning so we had to have everything ready. We have about 20 children I think – not all coming every day. I must stop now as I have to take some more stuff down this evening.
Will write a proper letter soon. Love to A. Moo & lots of love from us all to you-
Cyn.
A Family History in Letters 