12/4/2002 [Calvin W. Shaw from the original letter]

Written by Mary Wait Warren [Calvin Shaw's maternal Grandmother] to him in response to his crayoned scribbling at age four years..

Alethea Warren Shaw [Calvin's mother] wrote: "Mother's letter to Calvin (mother taught herself   to type after an accident had blinded her!)"

"Fairvale", Montpelier, Vt.
January 8, 1938

Master F. Calvin Warren Shaw
98 Leroy St.
Rochester, N.Y.

My dear grandson,

Your interesting letter came today, and with the help of your mother, and aunt Statira, it is very plain to me. Yes, I like candy and I like nuts but I do not like them so well as a little girl or boy would expect me to, I feel quite sure.

I have a metal box to keep it in and am sometimes surprised to find several pieces in it which I have not thought to eat. I eat it mostly to finish a lunch.

Now I would like to tell you about my box. It was given me by some very dear friends, one Christmas before I knew about you. The box cover shuts down over very closely so the candy will not dry up.

Your aunt Statira said you did a fine job writing your letter with squiggly lines. I am not sure but you will print   me a letter in capitals next year. I had little cousins who learned their capital letters on the iron cook strove before much more than two years old.   They would point a finger at a letter and ask Mamma what ir it was and then run across the floor saying it.   When one letter was learned, they would ask another.   I think that I and O are easiest but C. And S. Are easy too and they stand for you know what? Well for Calvin Shaw.

I was so glad to hear, quite a longtime ago that you were learning about God.   You know I think that it is worth more than to learn to read and write but since God knows everything - that helps us to learn all the right things.   One time when this grandma and some other people were learning more about God, her oldest little girl asked her some questions. First, Mama, who is God?" Her mother answered, "God is our Heavenly Father." She continued to ask such questions as the teacher was asking her mother and father, and her mother heard her repeating the answers.   She asked the questions slowly, one at a time and she kept the answers and used them to do something nice for herself with which her mother was much pleased.   The lesson her mother heard her saying was, "God is our Father, and He takes care of us. He made everything 'twas made and everything He made was good. He didn't make anything to hurt us."

As I said before, even little children can help themselves with this truth and perhaps next time I may tell you how she did.

Well you know I ought to write to Mamma and the others and I have been so long with my morning duties that there isn't much time if I get this in today's mail, for it is now Monday forenoon.

I am always glad to hear the nice things from Rochester.

Lovingly,

Grandma Warren.