A Letter From Winston Churchill’s Disappointed Mother

A Letter(ˈletər) From Winston Churchill’s(ˈCHərˌCHil, ˈCHərCHˌhil) Disappointed(ˌdisəˈpointid) Mother

Winston Churchill was 15 years old and a student at Harrow(ˈharō) School when his mother, Jennie Churchill, wrote him the following letter from London on June(jo͞on) 12(twelv), 1890.

Dearest(ˈdi(ə)rist) winston,

… I have much to say to you, I’m afraid(əˈfrād) not of a pleasant(ˈplezənt) nature. You know darling how I hate(hāt) to find fault with you, but I can’t help myself this time … Your report which I enclose(enˈklōz) is as you will see a very bad one. You work in such a fitful(ˈfitfəl) inharmonious(ˌinhärˈmōnēəs) way, that you are bound to come out last—look at your place in the form! Yr(year or years.) father & I are both more disappointed than we can say, that you are not able to go up for yr preliminary(priˈliməˌnerē) exam(igˈzam): I daresay(ˈderˌsā) you have 1000 excuses for not doing so—but there the fact remains …

Dearest(ˈdi(ə)rist) Winston you make me very unhappy—I had built up such hopes about you & felt so proud of you—& now all is gone. My only consolation(ˌkänsəˈlāSHən) is that your conduct is good and you are an affectionate(əˈfekSHənit) son—but your work is an insult(inˈsəlt) to your intelligence(inˈtelijəns). If you would only trace(trās) out a plan of action for yourself & carry it out & be determined(diˈtərmind) to do so—I am sure you could accomplish(əˈkämpliSH) anything you wished. It is that thoughtlessness of yours which is your greatest enemy(ˈenəmē) …

I will say no more now—but Winston you are old enough to see how serious this is to you—& how the next year or two & the use you make of them, will affect(əˈfekt,ˈafekt) your whole life—stop & think it out for yourself & take a good pull(po͝ol) before it is too late. You know dearest boy that I will always help you all I can.

Your loving but distressed(disˈtrest)
Mother

https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2018/10/winston-churchill-mother-letter/568285/