Orlando West

22 July 1952

Dear Miss Taylor,

Would you allow me to keep your costumes until after Aug. 16 when we shall be performing? If you are using them before then, I shall bring them. I'm looking after them jealously.

I have just received a letter from the Tvl. Education Dept. dismissing me from the teaching profession. Two others of my colleagues have also received like letters – as from July 31st. We are being paid for August also in lieu of a month's notice.

This is the outcome of a commission of enquiry visiting our high school towards the end of the last term. They said they had come to enquire into ‘staff relations’. There had been disturbing relations ‘tween us and the headmaster owing to our radical views which we have openly expressed from time to time, – I as Secretary, another as president, and the third as Editor of the journal of the African Teachers’ Association. The inquiry was evidently a pretext for a witch-hunt, and the authorities got every amount of help from the head. So – there it is. The last straw must have been when I condemned the Dept's syllabus for so-called ‘native schools’. This letter of dismissal states no charge against any of us.

This afternoon we are meeting a solicitor as we want to contest the decision. There is, of course, a movement in governmental circles against a number of teachers who are considered too progressive to allow those that follow to accept such unprogressive measures as e.g. the recommendations of the Eiselen report. Such an organised sweep is, of course, the first of its kind in the profession this side of the colour line.

If you happen to hear of anyone who might need the services of a graduate etc please let me know. I needn't mention how hard it will be for my wife & family – that's the ‘the badge of our tribe’.

Regards.

Yours sincerely,

E. Mphahlele

Orlando West

Saturday

Dear Miss Taylor,

Yes, my wife had a histerectomy; this is the history: Haemorrhage began last November, but then only slightly… May this year she went to hospital as bleeding was becoming serious. She went to the theatre for an op.