Letters Project connected to A Volume of Friendship

50 points

As we discussed in class, the purpose of this project is to allow you to experience what was a daily activity for many women in the past:  writing letters.  Letters are a valuable and useful source for historians.  You are reading a book of letters between two powerful, interesting women and you will be able to see how those letters help historians to understand the women, their activities, and the era.  In this modern age of twitter and texting, letter writing is a dying art.  You will spend the semester writing (and hopefully receiving) letters to a friend.  These letters must be written on paper and mailed.  On 17 March we will discuss your letters, your friend's letters, and what the experience has taught you.  On that date, please bring to class all of the letters that you have received, and the originals or copies of all the letters you sent.  I will not read your correspondence.

The grade on this project will come from three sources:
1.  your simply having done the letter writing--and I'll know about that when you bring the actual letters in;
2.  your discussion over the experience in class on the 17th of March;
3.  a one to two page rumination on the experience that you'll hand in on the 17th.

Ideally, you will write and send your first letter immediately.  If you write once a week, you should be able to get six or seven letters written and received.  You'll have to find a friend who will promise to write back rather quickly to you.

Good luck, and have fun!