Letter from Female Seminary in Lexington, Kentucky, March 27, 1858
American Education Collection, C. Smith

This letter is written by a mature teacher, probably educated at Troy Female Seminary. She now teaches in a private boarding school in Lexington, Kentucky. Lexington was one of the largest cities in the trans-Appalachian West and the home of many female seminaries. This letter shares news and gossip about the school with a friend, and offers many insights into teaching routines and the network of teachers as they moved across the country.

This letter is transcribed literally, duplicating the punctuation and spelling, except when to do so would obscure the meaning.

[American Education: Smith, March 27, 1858, page 2]

I might leave then and go immediately. It would be very difficult for them to do without me. I think I shall go in three weeks even if no teacher can be procured. It is as you say. I have that strength that Janet has lost. I am cheerful and hopeful too. I feel that if I can do her good I ought not to mind the temporary inconvenience here, nor the sacrifice of a quarter's salary. This will be no sacrifice, if I can do her good. If I cannot do my friends good with my money, or time, which is the same, I might as well be without either. It is true that I want now to help Delia and Allan, but they must wait a little longer. [crossed out section] I wish Janet could travel but I do not know as she is or will be able to do so. Do not permit Helen to say that I go home on her account. She might mention it in writing home.

If I come I shall see you certainly.

Jane comes to see us each week,

[American Education: Smith, March 27, 1858, page 3]

usually staying over night. I am pleased with her deportment, her prudence, her efforts to do well and her success. She is dignified and thoughtful, indeed, I am almost relieved of anxiety as to her success.

Her deportment at the Sem, last year did cut me to the quick, and you may judge how much I am relieved, and how glad I am to find this was not a normal state of the child, but the result of peculiar circumstances. She will never be brilliant, but she will [crossed out] grow stronger and more faithful. Do tell Miss Manwarring of this, Miss Hudson also and even the great head of the establishment herself, [Emma Willard] if you find a fitting opportunity. She took lessons on the Piano from Mad. Longchamp while she was here and did well. I regret on her account that the Mad. left. She would take lessons now if I thought our teacher excellent.

[American Education: Smith, March 27, 1858, page 4]

We were at Kirksville to see Ann and Rodney at Christmas. We there met Wm. You may guess we had a pleasant visit. Miss Wells went with us, Jane and (?) For a particular account of this visit see Ruth's letter also of the visit of Ann and Rodney to Wm.

A. and R. are doing well. They have a large school and work hard. They are popular and for a wonder Anne suits herself to the people. I think she is improving too and that the school is good for her. The Austins write every week and she is as much under their influence [as] she can be so far distant from them. Rodney is considerate, and she is attached to him. I hope for the best. Wm had made an engagement near or in the same place where he taught the first of the year. He was thoroughly disgusted with Kentucky teaching, but has thought best to bear it longer for money's sake. I have not had a letter from [him] since he began his new school, so I do not know of his success. They all have good health, though Jane is suffering with a kind of nervous toothache beginning about as she commences to sleep. I have about coaxed her to have two out of ten bad double teeth extracted and I hope to get more out.

[Text written vertically in the bottom margin is transcribed at the end of page 8]

[American Education: Smith, March 27, 1858, page 5]

It may have surprised you to know that Anna Welles was teacher here. It happened thus. Private remember. She had had some lovers quarrels, and had broken her engagement with Wm Hoyt, Clare Hoyt's cousin, some two or three times and mostly, she says, through Clare's interference. Well, he came to see her and there was a return of letters &, &, and she feeling unhappy and restless, having lost appetite, sleep, and Wm, declared to herself she would take a change Thereupon, she wrote to Mrs. Willard that she wished to teach. This [position in Lexington] was offered. She then laid the thing before the father and mother and they consented. She started to come alone, and who do you think she found at Springfield, but this same William who was going down to Hartford and then West to Fond Du Lac, where he at present resides. Hartford was left behind and William and Anna came as far as Cleveland together.

[American Education: Smith, March 27, 1858, page 6]

They "made up" as far as this, that William has been here and staid a week and learned a great deal of Miss Ellen's (?). How the matter will terminate I cant tell, but I guess she will marry him some day. She is very proud. This is just now stronger than her love. He is her equal, her superior, but she looks for a richer and a more remarkable man. She scarcely knows this herself, but she will find it out sometime. She rooms with me and I like her much and she likes me and we get along well together. She teaches Painting and Drawing and the Primary branches. I think she is as good and faithful in these a teacher as are teachers on the average, and in Painting and Drawing very successful.

She used to get shocking fits of homesickness but she does not have these now, her health is better and although she dreads the school room often, she will be better

[American Education: Smith, March 27, 1858, page 7]

and stronger in character at the end of the year. She is not fond of such books as I like, nor are any of our teachers so I have these all to myself.

I was glad to hear from your other letter that you had been able to take a little journey and see something besides the four walls of the Sem. Teaching is a kind of treadmill, mental treadmill, the monotony of the labor wearies as much as the labor, and the mental nerves and muscles must rest. I know how keenly you feel this treadmill existence and I know well too how it rests you to get out of it. You must tell me of Miss (?) when I see you.

I am glad too to hear that Ruth is as well as usual and now that I have taken my "pen in hand" again it seems queer that I have not written to her. I have not one excuse. I shant try to make any, but I know it happened

next

[American Education: Smith, March 27, 1858, page 8]

I knew it all along and yet I did not write. She will be conjuring up all kinds of reasons, when there are none. I dont know as she will ever forgive me fully, but I hope so. The thing strikes me a little more singular that she has not written except a note asking me to send her things. I sent (I think) a wire telling her that they were on the way, but as I never heard about them, I suppose she got them. I dont know why she should wait for a letter from me--and yet everybody does, I think.

I have not had a letter from Mannie Allen, but she writes to Mrs. Sayer and is well. Carrie (Weakes) Brown, we heard was about to be confined and no bad health. I hope to hear from her soon. That brother that had been sick so long, (George) died at Saratoga last Autumn.

Of myself, things go about as usual. My health is good except a touch often of dyspepsia. Our food has been rather better than usual this winter. We have plenty of potatoes well cooked and this makes our dinner always palatable. The school is as full as usual. Miss Jackson talks of reducing her school next year--limiting it to boarders. If she does so, she wont want me for she will prefer to keep the sister in the Church, Miss Hayman, and she is a Southerner too.

Monday noon
The robins are singing this morn. I hear them for the first time this year. Oh home comes to me as did the Orient to the husband of "Prue". The grass is very green and the peach blossoms fill the air with fragrance. Good-bye C.