Monday, November 12, 2012

Saturday Oct 23rd 1847

School this morning. Weather fine. Got P Money. Made out bills.

Friday Oct 22nd 1847

School once more. ? Fine weather. Eve at home.

Thursday Oct 21st 1847

No school. Went myself to train. Day delightful.

Wednesday Oct 20th

Training keeps scholars out of school. Day fine.

Tuesday Oct 19th 1847

The first day of general muster. School good for nothing only to drum and fife. Weather fine. Eve called with Morgan and Chustead on Coffin & Taylors.

Monday Oct 18th 1847

Scholars ready to commence their work. Day fine. Eve around.

Sunday October 17th 1847

Church all day. Feel better after rest. Dr. Hall preached two excellent sermons.

Friday, November 2, 2012

Wednesday Oct 13 1847

Convention proves to be more interesting than anticipated. More teachers arrived. Fine weather. Continued through the week and broke up on Saturday at 11 o'clock. An Association was formed on Thursday called the first Teachers Association of Fairfield County of which I have the honor to be Secretary. Am very much fatigued with my week's task but sincerely believe that this convention has done a great amount of good.

Tuesday, 12th 1847

The State Convention meets today. ? around to get five ?. Was ? in Office. Am secretary of Convention. Enough to do. Fine day. ? and Thomas are here.

Monday 11th 1847

Came home. Mrs. L M met me at the boat. Fine day but cool.

Sunday Oct 10th

Still in York. Went to church with Hall and the Scribners. Eve saw ? at the American Hotel.

Saturday Oct 9th 1847

Went to Ny. Bought globe and had likeness taken. Went around with Hall and Palmer.

Friday, October 8th 1847

Rained incessantly all day. Stons Hall called on his way to the Association. Wished me to go to N.Y.

Thursday Oct 7th

School as usual. Eve spent quite agreeably with MJL. The weather of today has been very fine.

Wednesday, October 6th 1847

Resumed our morning walk which made our appetite good for breakfast. School fine. Weather too.

October 5th Tuesday

Arose early and took a walk with Chustead. School very pleasant.

Monday, October 4, 1847

Commenced writing term this day. Stormy as usual. School of course ? C. Chustead (?) who by the way is a fellow teacher with whom I have had some acquaintance commenced boarding at our house. He seems to be a young man of comely principles and as we have our room in fine style I think we can enjoy ourselves.

Wednesday, October 31, 2012

April 6th 1847

At this time April 6th 1847 there commences a new era in my history. As above stated, I was employed in Main St. District.

On Tuesday I opened my school in said place with the clouds pouring down rain in torrents and a severe headache. I began with fearful foreboding of the future. Young and in my own town I could succeed. But I ? thought of this and fail, and with my motto: Whatever thy hands find to do do it with thy might" and my watchword: Excel, I pushed on.

I found the school in a very disorderly backward state. I first tried to make them love the schoolroom and spent the first six weeks in establishing my system. No inducements would make me quit the schoolroom. Thus the summer passed on amidst arduous tasks and feeble health.

My pen must here record the death of a lovely sister, dear to me as the apple of my eye. But she has gone to her rest. I must journey on. The summer of 1847 will long be remembered as one frought with scenes of lively interest. At this time I caught the first glimpse of future ?. People began to visit my school and before I was aware convers about my new system. This slated my boyish pride and made me more arduous. My heavy duties led me to neglect my diary and I have only recorded the general facts. But now I commence annus.

My labors have increased my wages $10 per month and I now have $25, another token of this approbation.

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Winter of 1846 + 47



The weather of each day of this winter can be found in my small diary. I will not spend the time to copy it into this. This long dreary winter the first that  ? staid away from my friends was spent in endeavoring to perform my duty towards my patrons and scholars, and in devising something new for governing a school.

Many, many an hour have I sat in my old chair after the echo of the last tiny footstep was hear in this old shanty thinking of my own loved home and devising schemes for future usefulness. In boarding around I had my share of the troubles attendant upon this ridiculous practice.

Thanksgiving day especially was a day of trial. Prevented by a storm from joining my friends I was compelled to remain in a miserable old shanty listening to the noise of 7 children -- the oldest 8 years of age. I went home once and spent a week when I ? the death of my little brother. My father came up for me. He also visited me once with my mother.

As a token of this approbation of my ? they hired me another month which they had not done before in 10 years. The inhabitants of ? District will ever be remembered by me with gratitude for the many favors which I have received at their hands. Through the increasing exertions of the ? of Norwalk the Main Street district have hired me to teach their school for the ensuing term for $10 [$15?] per month. I have written that I would take it on those terms. On the 31st day of March AD 1847 I closed my labors in Brookfield. This day I make to my Uncle's in a sleigh. Saturday ? found me in Norwalk.