Author: RUTH M. PAU (RUTH MUI-KANG HSIA)
Title: 1930-1931 Diary of an ILL-Fated Chinese Educator and Newlywed, Educated in America, Settling Down in Shanghai to Support Her Husband’S Career and Have a Child
Description: New York, St. Paul, Minnesota, Singapore, Shanghai, China, 1930-1931. Hardcover. On offer is the two-year diary of Ruth Mui-Kang Pau of Foochow, China, who spent 13 years in the United States, completing her education in St. Paul, Minnesota and New York City. During that time she also met and married her beau, Dr. Jiu-Ching Hsia, before returning to China to start their adult lives. Ruth kept this diary during the first two years of married life, during which time the couple visited Singapore and settled in Shanghai. To learn more about Ruth and her husband, Dr. Jiu-Ching (J. C. ) Hsia, and their tragic love story, please see BIO NOTES below. The diary begins on January 1, 1930, with Ruth and her husband in Singapore visiting her parents: “Singapore early A. M. Very sick…Taxied to father’s. Hard time to find place. Tears in father’s eyes all day. Saw mother in back room…In bed all day. Called Dr. Hotel in P. M. ”Later in January, Ruth and J. C. Board a boat to Shanghai, China. They are hosted by a Dr. Wu and his wife. Dr. Wu sees patients in the front of the house while they live in the back. Ruth tours Shanghai with Mrs. Wu and other women. J. C. Gets acclimatized to his new job, and they go house hunting. Ruth does a nice job describing her first weeks in Shanghai: “Peking Rd. - dirty with furniture stores on both sides…shops so small and packed full. Furniture and no one to work…in P. M. We went to Ave. Joffre [Huaihai Rd] to look for cloth to make me a warm Chinese dress. No success…” [January 27, 1930]. By spring of 1930, J. C. Is thriving in his new job as Shanghai Sales Manager of American Aluminum Ltd: “$650 worth of foil! He’s taking orders quite often now. Am very glad for him. He…has persistence. Went to have Typhoid shot - 2nd one…” [May 17, 1930]Ruth consistently records J. C’s sales proudly throughout 1930, and often notes how much money he makes as well as the amount of aluminum he sells. Sadly, the heart condition that would ultimately kill Ruth is already causing issues: “...I became sick after they left. May be from working in hot kitchen. After lying down for 20 min, my heart was still beating 120. J. C. Carried me upstairs! ...” [May 18, 1930]. Ruth and J. C. Struggle with a problem many adult children who are educated abroad face: their parents asking for money. As Ruth and J. C. Are just starting out, this is a challenge for them: “...Letter fr. S’pore, still asking for money and said we must do it rt. Away. Made me sore. Father thinks we have the money and are just keeping it. Told J. C. To explain to Mr. Lee our condition and that I was trying to find work etc. ” [May 26, 1930]. The requests for money are compounded by relatives coming to stay with the newlyweds, such as J. C. ’s uncle, who stays for months and causes Ruth much financial stress. In July of 1930, Ruth writes that their bank suddenly closed - fortunately they did not have much money deposited - averting catastrophe for the family. Ruth works for the Wu family’s restaurant until she gets a job teaching, which is her chosen field. She and J. C. Both work and Ruth does the majority of the homemaking. In February of 1931 Ruth tells her diary she is pregnant. She is high-risk due to her pre-existing heart condition. Ruth spends most of 1931 feeling awful, and her physician is not comfortable with her pregnancy or the thought of her labouring: “April 13, 1931 - “Cold almost done. To sch. Again after [ ] vacation. Made appt. With Dr. Arllerton (? ) for 5: 30 [ ] J. C. Could go with me. Saw her. Tall, grey haired…woman. Not friendly. “We’ll let you go on with this pregnancy. [ ] she’d affect you. We can terminate it at any time. You’ll need artificial help in delivery. ” Not wise for me thru labor. Heart bad. Muscles of head strong. ” [April 13, 1931]. Early pregnancy is tough on Ruth. Her Memoranda for April 1931 reads, in part: “Heart very bad. Extra beats. Sometimes missed a beat or two. Even J. C. C’d [sic] hear my heart beat when lying beside me in bed”. Ruth continues working at the school as long as possible, but finds it challenging. She always keeps up with the news of the day and notes : “...Have to work now because I have to head home so often [] finding it hard to breathe. Usually I do nothing during 1st part of A. M. Paper today says [Thomas] Edison died yest. [sic]! J. C. Brot [sic] home package fr. Sarah- blankets [ ] etc. He also had $5.32 worth of paper, brushes etc. For this classmate of his who wrote him a long time ago that it was his duty to support the family! J. C. Sent $ in May” [October 19, 1931]. Ruth’s final entry is on October 22, 1931. Her son, John I-Sheng Hsia would be born four days later, on October 26. We know that Ruth dies of her heart condition in March, 1936. Ruth’s diary is a treasure. It is a treat to follow a young couple with such a rich Chinese-American history [See BIO NOTES BELOW] and experience the first two years of their newlywed life. Ruth and J. C. ’s story is one of enduring love, hard work, hope and perseverance. A must-have for anyone who studies the experience of international students moving back to their country of origin after graduation, as well as a deep look into the life of a woman with chronic illness who fights for a normal life against all odds. Ruth does not write every day, but when she does write it is in a tiny but legible hand and very descriptive. Ruth keeps this diary from Jan. 1, 1930 through Oct. 22, 1931. The 5-year diary measures 5.5"x4.5", has 365 pages plus memoranda sections and is about 25% complete. The cover is a soft leather and is intact with some signs of wear present. Pages have some age toning present. There is a clasp which has been opened and no key. The spine is in fine condition though the pages are pulling away from the spine but still intact. Overall G. BIO NOTES ON RUTH M. PAU & DR. JIU CHING (J. C. ) HSIA: Ruth Mui-Kang Pau (1901-1936) was born in Foochow, China 1901, and later lived in Singapore with her family. In 1916 she traveled to the United States with her teacher, Dr. Ruth E. Atkins, under whom she had studied at the Suydam School for Girls at Malacca in the Straits Settlement, China. Ruth and Dr. Atkins traveled on the SS Nipon Maru from Nagasaki, Japan. They arrived at a port in San Francisco, California and made their way to Dr. Atkins’ home in St. Paul, Minnesota and lived with Dr. Atkins. Ruth completed St. Cloud Teacher’s College in 1923, a Bachelor of Science from the University of Minnesota in 1927, and a Master of Arts in Education and Psychology from New York University in 1929. While in graduate school, Ruth met her future husband, Dr. Jui Ching (J. C. ) Hsia. Dr Hsia was also born in China. He came to New York for graduate school and completed his doctorate degree in education at Columbia University. On August 29, 1929, Ruth and Jiu Ching married in St. Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Hsia had an exciting job offer as the Shanghai Sales Manager of American Aluminum Ltd. Following their wedding, Ruth and J. C. Honeymooned in the United States and set sail for Asia in October, 1929. They would first stop in Singapore to spend time with Ruth’s parents, before heading to their final destination in China. In 1931, Ruth gave birth to a son named John I-Sheng Hsia. Sadly, Ruth suffered from a heart condition and passed away on March 6, 1936, before John I-Sheng’s fifth birthday. Ultimately, both John I-Sheng and his father returned to the USA, with the support of Dr. Atkins. John I-Sheng would become an engineer, graduating from MIT and would marry Constance Ross Turner, a Harvard graduate and architectural designer. Ruth would have been so very proud. ; Manuscripts; 24mo 5" - 6" tall; 365 pages; Signed by Author. Good with no dust jacket .

Keywords: Minessota


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