August 9
Dear Charlie --
Thank you for both of your letters concerning Peterson. Both of them were very thoughtful. From your first letter, I concluded you were not in much of a position to take any action and I really did not want to ask unless you felt such a person might be useful in some way to you. I am not at all sure of Peterson as a student but know he would make an excellent assistant for cytogenetic work even if he did not work out well enough as a graduate student. In the meantime, Peterson heard from the University of Illinois that they would accept him as a grad. student on probation -- because of his rather poor undergraduate work. I had not spoken to Marcus about him at the time I wrote to you and Marcus was in Paris. I have not mentioned it to him as yet, but Peter went over to see Marcus and after the interview decided to go to Illinois. He has G.I. funds for 5 terms to carry him along. No one is under obligation except Peterson to prove himself. I suspect he may make a good plant breeder if he does not do too well in original research. Anyway, his future is settled
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for the time being. It was nice of you to respond so generously in thought and I appreciate your consideration so much.
Have been working like hell on an exciting over-all problem in genetics with wonderful results. It gets me up early and keeps me up late! Hope the body hangs together until the scare [?] is over.
[M---nt] and quite thoroughly your relation to Andy. It is difficult and has caused me much hesitation about working on maize at Cal. Tech. I can take only so much of it without blowing my top.
Have a good trip home. You will be glad to be back, no doubt.
And, many thanks again,
Barb.
Tell Roman I appreciated his letter and will send a reply to it as soon as my time is free which should be in a few days.