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Letter from Alfred University, Apr. 26, 1850
Reed-Blackmer Family Papers

This letter from Joseph(?) Bigelow, as student at Alfred University in Alfred Center, western New York, to his friend W. Scott(?) Hicks describes the writer's experience of being taught by women at a coeducational seminary. The spelling is transcribed verbatim to offer insight into the writer's background.

Alfred University offered equal educational advantages to men and women, based on their religious beliefs. They also employed women to teach the higher studies at a time when most men's colleges held that women teachers or even women students lowered the standards of studies colleges. Seventh-Day Baptists were one of many small denominations that defied mainstream religious and educational views to open coeducational colleges in the 1850s. Seventh-Day Baptists opened coeducational colleges in New York and Wisconsin. An excellent source of information about Alfred University is Susan Strong's dissertation, "'The Most Natural Way in the World:' Coeducation at Nineteenth-Century Alfred University." 1

Bigelow Letter, page 2

[Reed-Blackmer, Alfred University, Apr. 26, 1850, page 2]

[First page of letter not transcribed.]
This morning which is my Sabath while waiting for meating I again resume my pen to talk to you about matters here You wished me to inform you what kind of People they were here. I can say as far as I am aquainted with them that I never was among a better set of People. they seam to take a considerable notice of me and try to make me as comfortable as pasable So you see I have a reason to say they are good. I have got aquainted with three of the Professors wives and they gave me an invitation to call on them at there rooms which I did that is I caled on two of them the other I have not found time to butt shall soon the first one I caled on was Profeser Kenyons wife and lett me say she is as fine a woman as I ever saw she was Educated at Schenachtida [Schenectady Female Academy] where she resided and for some reason she takes a great deal of pain to show me (as she is one of my teachers) and has often told me if I got in to dificulty with my leson, if I would call at her room she would asist me with the greatest plesure. The other one was Profesor Stilmans wife She is my teacher also she is a New York lady and a nise one two. I have got to call on her again that is if I full-fill my promise made to her [end of page 2 of the letter ]
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Bigelow Letter, page 3

[Reed-Blackmer, Alfred University, Apr. 26, 1850, page 3]

[mentions other students briefly]

My studies you wished to know they are Grammar Algebra Analyces Arithmetic and Vocal Music with drawing each day and writing every other day the last I doe not improve mutch in for the reason I doe not pay atention enough to it. butt the rest I am just getting an idea of. they say that in two terms they will make a good Grammarian of me as ever spoke. In Algebra I gett along nice for I like to work it. we have just got through fractions this week and comense the equation of the first degree next week and [unclear word] this term to the equation of the second and next term through Davis first lesens. 28th Again this morning I take my pen to write and as you wanted to know how mutch I have to work I will tell you I arise the first day go to the shop after breakfast which I have at 6 Oclock and there work after a fashion untill dark and not working any through the week my hands are tender and they blister and gett sore so you see it is not easy. Second day I arise half past four studdy untill breakfast and then hury to school for I have a recitation at 6 Oclock return at 7 and back again at 8 Oclock to atend chapel and then I have a recitation at 9 Oclock and from 11 1/2 to [end of page 3] [end of page 1]
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Bigelow Letter, page 4

[Reed-Blackmer, Alfred University, Apr. 26, 1850, page 4]

12 1/2 oclock then I have 1/2 an hour to come down and gett my dinner for I have a recitation in Grammar from one untill two then I have from two untill three to studdy then a recitation in Algebra from three to four and Music from four to five so it is every day through the week and all the time for play is a minus quantity. [Letter continues about mutual friends, money problems, and his difficulty paying for the postage to send the letter.]

[Signed] Brother Jos. B. Bigelow
[to:] W. Scott Hicks
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Reading Between the Lines

The spelling is atrocious. What do you assume is the cause of this?

What explains the fact that he introduced his women teachers as wives of his Professor's and only later noted they were teachers?

How does his course of study and schedule compare with that of women students at other institutions?

Does religion seem to be an important element of Bigelow's education at this denominational college?

Select Bibliography and Sources Cited

1Information for this page has been drawn from Strong, Susan Rumsey. "'The Most Natural Way in the World:' Coeducation at Nineteenth-Century Alfred University." Ph.D. diss., University of Rochester, 1995.