DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | May Tangen Christmas Letters, 1961-1974 | Tangen Tribune Christmas Greetings Page 2

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May Tangen Christmas Letters, 1961-1974

Tangen Tribune Christmas Greetings Page 2

I KNOW WHERE my backing of George Mcgovern belongs in the Fruits of the Spirit: his candidacy was the answer to our years of prayer for peace, and answer to our concern or underprivileged people. 

BUT WHERE DOES MY MEMBERSHIP in the American Association of University Womenbelong in Paul's categories? Formerly, in other jobs, I scorned it as an organization wherein women look at women. Here at Rust I joined because it gave value to the black women coming into their own. As time went on I discovered also that it has a good social betterment program. I was glad I joined also when it became clear that the educated white women of Holly Springs were not joining, that we were one of the two chapters with predominantly black members in Mississippi. Presided over by my friend, Mrs. Lindsey (whom one of our students eulogized as a queen in a poem that she wrote), the organization made me publicity committee chairman and as such I write (again writing, you see) articles for the local paper about our activities. Also we initiated a news letter, but it came out only once in the year.
  
I SEE NO PLACE AT ALL for my delights in the benefits old age brings -- the salary independent of work, the three-month summer vacation in which I was thoroughly lazy and in which I worked on and on typing our Tangen family record, and the anticipation of the time when I don't work at a job any more at all. 

{in a box on the bottom half of the page}
BUT I MUST COME BACK TO FAILURES and fears of failures, as there was much of that.

Early one morning as I was waking up God made a prayer and its answer and put them full blown into my mind:

   "Don't be afraid of failure. Abide in my love", he said.

Of course! There is the place of abode, a provision for expression in our work, our play, our relations with others, our thoughts, our being.

I like Martin Luther King's third commandment (from "Why We Can't Wait", which describes the Birmingham boycotts). He said,
   "Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love."

I like it because when God knows I can't love (temporarily?) I can try God's manners until I can catch up --  as if I ever can. And if I can't, I may still be permitted to abide in his love.

{handwritten at bottom of page, up left margin}
Came home from the College P.O. reading your welcome letter. Yours was the fourth Peace card in the last two mail deliveries and you also protest the long wait for peace in your note, Jo - so I sat down and wrote a letter to Pres. Nixon, am putting in for your reading one of the carbon copies. I hope peace comes before I pay my inc. tax though, as I hate the wrangling.   With love, May

I like your cards so much -- Did you buy it, Rebecca? If there are some for sale will you buy a box and send it to me with price so I can repay you? I, too, like to help provide homes. You should see the pitiful shacks less than a block from the campus here.

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I KNOW WHERE my backing of George Mcgovern belongs in the Fruits of the Spirit: his candidacy was the answer to our years of prayer for peace, and answer to our concern or underprivileged people. BUT WHERE DOES MY MEMBERSHIP in the American Association of University Womenbelong in Paul's categories? Formerly, in other jobs, I scorned it as an organization wherein women look at women. Here at Rust I joined because it gave value to the black women coming into their own. As time went on I discovered also that it has a good social betterment program. I was glad I joined also when it became clear that the educated white women of Holly Springs were not joining, that we were one of the two chapters with predominantly black members in Mississippi. Presided over by my friend, Mrs. Lindsey (whom one of our students eulogized as a queen in a poem that she wrote), the organization made me publicity committee chairman and as such I write (again writing, you see) articles for the local paper about our activities. Also we initiated a news letter, but it came out only once in the year. I SEE NO PLACE AT ALL for my delights in the benefits old age brings -- the salary independent of work, the three-month summer vacation in which I was thoroughly lazy and in which I worked on and on typing our Tangen family record, and the anticipation of the time when I don't work at a job any more at all. {in a box on the bottom half of the page} BUT I MUST COME BACK TO FAILURES and fears of failures, as there was much of that. Early one morning as I was waking up God made a prayer and its answer and put them full blown into my mind: "Don't be afraid of failure. Abide in my love", he said. Of course! There is the place of abode, a provision for expression in our work, our play, our relations with others, our thoughts, our being. I like Martin Luther King's third commandment (from "Why We Can't Wait", which describes the Birmingham boycotts). He said, "Walk and talk in the manner of love, for God is love." I like it because when God knows I can't love (temporarily?) I can try God's manners until I can catch up -- as if I ever can. And if I can't, I may still be permitted to abide in his love. {handwritten at bottom of page, up left margin} Came home from the College P.O. reading your welcome letter. Yours was the fourth Peace card in the last two mail deliveries and you also protest the long wait for peace in your note, Jo - so I sat down and wrote a letter to Pres. Nixon, am putting in for your reading one of the carbon copies. I hope peace comes before I pay my inc. tax though, as I hate the wrangling. With love, May I like your cards so much -- Did you buy it, Rebecca? If there are some for sale will you buy a box and send it to me with price so I can repay you? I, too, like to help provide homes. You should see the pitiful shacks less than a block from the campus here.