Dear Enemy

In Short

Written as a lively sequence of letters, Dear Enemy follows Sallie McBride as she reluctantly assumes the superintendency of the bleak John Grier Home. Tasked by her college friend Judy and Judy's husband with modernizing the institution, Sallie confronts neglected records, outdated staff, and poor physical conditions. Alongside her efforts to introduce proper nourishment and affectionate care, she navigates a stormy working relationship with the asylum's brusque Scottish doctor, Robin MacRae. Through endless administrative crises, personal growth, and shifting romantic attachments, Sallie transforms the orphanage into a warm, cottage-based home while discovering her own true calling.

The Story

Sallie McBride, a carefree college graduate living in Worcester, receives an astonishing proposal from her friends Judy and Jervis Pendleton: take charge of the John Grier Home and manage its total overhaul into a model orphanage. Though initially declining the position—protesting that she is utterly unqualified and suspecting her friends of trying to distract her from a charming politician named Gordon Hallock—Sallie ultimately accepts the challenge.

Upon arriving at the institution, Sallie encounters a bleak, regimented environment shaped by its previous superintendent, Mrs. Lippett. The children are physically neglected, the staff is resistant to new ideas, and the administrative records are in utter disarray. Undeterred, Sallie initiates immediate reforms. She hires a competent nursery head, commissions an economics expert to track the children's family statistics, and sets strict guidelines that children must only be placed in vetted, loving foster homes.

Throughout these changes, Sallie relies on the institution's resident physician, Dr. Robin MacRae (whom she nicknames "Sandy"). Though a brilliant scientist dedicated to the children's health, the doctor is stern, taciturn, and perpetually gloomy. Their relationship begins in conflict over administrative authority and personality clashes, but as they collaborate to dismiss incompetent workers, handle medical crises, and improve child welfare, a deep mutual respect forms. They even develop a playful dynamic, trading banter in exaggerated Scottish and Irish dialects.

Meanwhile, Sallie balances her grueling work schedule with her personal life. She continues to see Gordon, though his political ambitions and dislike for her institutional work slowly highlight their growing incompatibilities. Sallie's own perspective shifts as she becomes intimately involved in the lives of the orphans—such as Loretta Higgins, a neglected girl with behavioral issues, and Sadie Kate, a mischievous youngster. Sallie's letters to Judy document her evolving conviction that children thrive best in small, family-like units rather than massive institutional buildings.

When a disastrous fire destroys the main building of the John Grier Home, the crisis brings long-simmering emotions to a head. No lives are lost, but Dr. MacRae suffers severe injuries while rescuing children from the flames. During his recovery, misunderstanding and pride keep the two apart until Sallie realizes the depth of her feelings for him, breaking off her engagement with Gordon. Freed from the constraints of the old facility, Sallie embraces the opportunity to rebuild the asylum on a cottage system, fully committed to her work and to a future with the doctor.

How It Unfolds

A reluctant appointment Sallie McBride responds with incredulity to Judy Pendleton's offer to manage the John Grier Home, suspecting a plot to keep her away from politician Gordon Hallock. Despite her initial refusal and preference for a life of social leisure, she accepts the challenge and takes charge of the institution.

Tackling institutional neglect Facing poorly kept records, malnourished children, and an inflexible staff, Sallie begins sweeping reforms. She collaborates with the stern Scottish doctor, Sandy MacRae, to improve medical care, overhaul the menus, and establish strict standards for placing orphans in foster homes.

Managing staff and suitors Sallie asserts her authority by discharging uncooperative employees while managing visits from Gordon Hallock, who struggles to understand her devotion to the orphanage. Meanwhile, Sallie and the doctor establish a cautious truce, punctuated by dinner parties and shared efforts to help troubled children.

A shift in perspective As Sallie grows increasingly attached to the orphans, she realizes she no longer desires her old, lighthearted social life. Her letters reveal a growing maturity as she advocates for the cottage system of child care over traditional institutional living.

Trial by fire and resolution A devastating night fire consumes the main orphanage building, but the children are saved thanks to the heroics of Dr. MacRae, who is injured in the process. Realizing her profound affection for the doctor during his recovery, Sallie ends her romantic tie to Gordon, embraces the rebuilding of the home into cottages, and pledges her heart to Sandy.

The People

• Sallie McBride: The spirited protagonist who transforms from a frivolous socialite into a fierce, capable advocate for orphan welfare. She wants to bring warmth and happiness to the John Grier Home, but her initial inexperience and complex romantic ties stand in her way. Ultimately, she discovers her life's work and finds true love.
• Dr. Robin "Sandy" MacRae: The asylum's dedicated, dour Scottish physician. He wants the best scientific and medical care for the children, but his gloomy home life, defensive exterior, and rigid moral sense initially create friction with Sallie. Through his heroic devotion and shared work with Sallie, his warm core is revealed.
• Gordon Hallock: A handsome, ambitious politician pursuing Sallie. He wants Sallie to leave her institutional work to join his worldly, conventional life. His inability to appreciate the orphans or Sallie's dedication eventually drives them apart.
• Judy Abbott Pendleton: Sallie's close college friend and former John Grier Home orphan, now married to trustee Jervis Pendleton. She funds the institution's overhaul and serves as the primary recipient of Sallie's candid, humorous letters.

In Its Own Voice

"The problem that keeps churning and churning in my mind is: How can I ever instil enough love and warmth and sunshine into those bleak little lives?"

Sallie grapples with the emotional limitations of purely scientific reform shortly after arriving at the institution.

"There is something hypnotic about this working with children. Struggle as you may, it gets you in the end."

Reflecting on her inability to abandon her post, Sallie acknowledges how deeply the orphans have captured her heart.

"I try to be the cheerful, carefree (and somewhat light-headed) Sallie you like best; but I've come in touch with a great deal of REALNESS during this last year, and I'm afraid I've grown into a very different person from the girl you fell in love with."

In a letter to Gordon, Sallie acknowledges the profound personal growth she has experienced through her work.

What It's Really About

Dear Enemy explores the transition from traditional, cold institutional charity to empathetic, individualized care. Beneath its lighthearted, epistolary surface lies a serious argument for recognizing the humanity and emotional needs of dependent children. The novel contrasts rigid, bureaucratic record-keeping with the vital necessity of love, proper nutrition, and family-style living. It also examines female self-actualization, tracing how a young woman moves beyond the superficial expectations of high society to find meaning, autonomy, and genuine competence in professional service. Finally, the story examines the nature of true partnership, demonstrating that deep affection grows from shared values and mutual respect rather than mere charm or conventional courtship.

Why Read It Today

Dear Enemy remains a delightful, engaging read for lovers of classic epistolary fiction, early 20th-century humor, and stories of social reform. Sallie McBride's voice is instantly captivating—witty, sharp, and thoroughly authentic—making her administrative struggles and personal growth feel remarkably modern and relatable.

Modern readers should be prepared for period attitudes regarding heredity and intelligence, as well as occasional references to outdated medical and social theories common to the era in which it was written. The novel's length is sustained entirely through letters, which requires the reader to piece together certain off-stage narrative events through Sallie's lively reports.

Despite these historical artifacts, the book's genuine warmth, sparkling banter, and clear-eyed advocacy for children make it a deeply satisfying experience. What stays with you long after reading is the satisfying evolution of both the John Grier Home and Sallie herself, offering a heartening celebration of practical compassion and hard-won personal fulfillment.