Orlando West

15 February 1953

Dear Miss Taylor,

Thank you for your card and address.

Since you went to the coast I have been trying to contact more commercial colleges. I approached Regis College and Damelin College. The principal of the latter felt employment and opportunities for such technically trained Africans did not warrant commercial training. The principal of Regis was interested, but wanted to make sure of the available pupils. I've since realized that academic subjects for definite certificates like J.C. and Matric are an ‘honest bait’ – for employment prospects. Then commercial subjects toward these certificates can be worked into the curriculum, so that later a commercial department can be gradually built up.

In the meantime I have a few teachers on afternoons for Matric. Also, a friend approached me recently about a number of pupils in the township who have not been admitted to local high schools because of lack of space and those who have not gone back to boarding institutions because of higher school fees. Again there were many teachers who could not be employed owing to the fact that the government has not increased education facilities for a number of years, and, several teachers are without work. So I immediately got the teachers together and we started with 13 pupils in a church hall – Standards VII & VIII. The number is now 50 and they go up to Matric.

Our problem, naturally, is finance and we are sending out circulars of appeal for money for blackboards, desks, etc and to pay the teachers, because the pupils pay £2 a year each. We should like this to remain a private school (not under the Education Dept.) where we can carry out educational experiments without fear of intimidation. A hard road but a necessary one in our set-up.

Thanks for all you have done and are doing for me and my family. I do hope you are well now.

Yours with best wishes,

E. Mphahlele

Orlando West

19 March 1953

Dear Miss Gordimer,

Thanks for your letter which gives me courage. I am glad you have been able to get the story as far as that, and cannot thank you enough. Thinking of it now, I appreciate your agent's remarks about the first page – i.e. as far as a publisher must avoid material that may prejudice a writer's audience.