These letters were written by the daughter of New York farmers Harriet and Myron Blackmer while she attended Ohio Wesleyan University (OWU) in Delaware, Ohio. Bessie lived in Monnet Hall, the female dormitory and classroom building on the OWU campus.

Delaware had been the home of several female seminaries and the all-male college, Ohio Wesleyan, since the 1850s. The placement of female seminaries and male colleges in the same town was fairly common. The advantages of having men and women's schools in the same town were well known. It allowed college professors to give occasional lectures to the women, and men and women students socialized at civic and cultural events. Another factor contributing to the popularity of coordinate institutions was that sisters and brothers could travel together to and from school or live at the same boarding houses. Some women students at Oberlin sewed for their brothers and nursed them when they were ill. ¹

After the Civil War, the Methodists converted their men's colleges in Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, and Connecticut into coeducational colleges. In New York, each of the coeducational seminaries remained coeducational as they were upgraded to become colleges. Women earned the same bachelor degrees in these colleges as men--a 'scientific degree' for a three year course in practical subjects or a four-year 'classical degree' for the Latin/Greek course.

Many colleges at this time also offered preparatory courses that prepared students for college-level work. Bessie Blackmer was classified as a preparatory student.

Bessie belongs to a literary society. These societies were student-run, member-funded groups. They met weekly, conducted meetings according to Parliamentary rules, held elections, read their own essays and poetry, and orated or declaimed in front of the entire society. Literary societies were extremely popular in the East and West before the Civil War, and held their popularity in the West throughout the century. ²

The letters are transcribed literally to duplicate punctuation and spelling, except when to do so would obscure the meaning.

[Reed-Blackmer, Ohio Wesleyan University, Sept. 23, 1885, page 2 & 3]

I like all of the teachers first rate but one and him I like or would if he would not look or call on me. My Latin is the first thing in the A.M. at 7 3/4 oclock, Natural History at 8 3/4, Rhetoric 10 3/4, Natural Philosophy at 2 3/4 p.m. Latin recites every day, Nat. Phil. 4 times a week, Nat. History 4 times & Rhetoric twice. [continues about family acquaintances]

[end of page 2]

Every night I am in bed before ten with the exception of one or two nights & in the evening I stay in my own room. I rather then go racing around Study hours in the evening are from 7 till 9:30 o clock.

[continues about letter writing] [end of page 3]

[Reed-Blackmer, Ohio Wesleyan University, Nov. 1, 1885, page 1]

My dear mamma,
I will try and make out a letter to you now I am thinking it will be a rather slim affair. Well Fran went down to reception last night and I staid up here and finished or nearly as my first composition which is to be handed in tomorrow. I had an examination in Natural History Thursday and am to have one in Latin Friday morning. Since Miss Martin wrote to Mrs. Wilbur that I was doing as well I have not had my lessons at all good and after this I wish she would not write anything about me. By the way, she is sick today and I don't blame her either for it is rainy & [in right margin] I haven't the slightest idea what is [unclear word] down on a farm. [more in top margin transcribed after page 4]

[end of page 1]

[Reed-Blackmer, Ohio Wesleyan University, Nov. 1, 1885, page 2 & 3]

[discusses weather]

The boys were forbidden to go to the theatre Thursday night about 40 of them went. They put on mustaches and disguised themselves in every way they could and then the next day in one of their classes one of the Prof's asked them how they liked to play they said first rate. He was there and saw them but he is real jolly and as I guess he wont tell on them. Tomorrow P.M. all of the recitaitons are to be 20 minutes shorter and we are going to have a musical entertainment in the chapel or something of the kind. I didn't have the awfullest time over my compositon but I would rather write one every week than to recite in physics to Prof. Semans. I cant get my lessons in that and when at the end of the term we have [top of page 3] examinations I can't answer the first question. It is awfully hard. I never got ahold of any thing so hard before. You need not say I should study harder because I never studied as hard before in my life. Nell has just been in and we have been talking about the studies and I can get some out in the freshman year next term and the spring term. Next term I guess I shall have Latin 5 times a week, Rhetoric 3. Classical Mythology 1. and that will make 9 hours. In the Freshman year History of England 4 I should have to take something else likely to make up my 16 hours, but if I can only get through in Physics I guess I can manage the rest.

I will do the best I can in it and that will have to do. I just love Elocution. We had to get us some books for it and they were $1.75 but they are splendid because there is such good reading in

[end of page 3]

[Reed-Blackmer, Ohio Wesleyan University, Nov. 8, 1885, page 2 & 3]

[discusses clothing]

You know I wrote about all of those fellows going to the theater, well the other night in chapel Dr. Payne got up, after the exercises & we were all ready to go, and said that the roll would be called and each person would answer to his name & tell whether he went to the theater or not. It took 25 minutes to call that roll and 59 answered yes. Well they & the faculty staid and the Misses Martin, Conklin & Wheeler did not get up here to the Sem. till 11 oclock. I suppose they had the awfullest time that ever was. I don't know whether the boys know what is going to be done with them or not. I have not heard of it & guess they have not either. And that night was election

[end of page 3]

[Reed-Blackmer, Ohio Wesleyan University, Nov. 1, 1885, page 4]

night and a lot of the fellows came up & horned us & pretty near scared the life out of some of us new girls. And lots of the fellows walked up to the sem with the girls & there was a regular picnic all around because all of the faculty were up to the chapel. We girls view the [unclear word] way & nearly all of the girls did whether they had permission or not - so we saw all of the fun.

[letter continues with family greetings]

[signed B.S.B.]

[Reed-Blackmer, Ohio Wesleyan University, Jan. 24, 1886, page 1]

Miss Conklin said that I could rank Freshman before the end of this year --The only thing I would be behind in will be my Latin. You tell George that he musn't fail next time. Tell him I had a select reading in society Friday night and the girls said I did first rate but I couldn't lift my eyes off of my book to save my life. I tried to hard enough. [asks after her brothers' studies]

[Reed-Blackmer, Ohio Wesleyan University, Jan. 31, 1886, page 1]

Monnett, Jan'y 31, 1886

My dear mamma,

Your letter was received Wednesday night. . . [complains the boys do not write often enough] [end of page 1].

[Reed-Blackmer, Ohio Wesleyan University, Jan. 31, 1886, page 2]

I have just come from church. They are holding revival meetings here now and I went out to church to one Friday night and mamma, I am going to be a better girl. I am not converted yet, but hope to be a good christian girl before I go home. Clair is too. Fran and I are going to the St. Paul church now all together I like it ever so much better than at William St. church so I asked Miss Martin this morning and she said we could.

[Reed-Blackmer, Ohio Wesleyan University, Jan. 31, 1886, page 3]

[talks about odds and ends]I have been to the University lecture this P.M.

There isn't any news here nothing but eat, sleep, walk and study.

Last night was reception well I might just as well stop as I can't think of anything more to write. Not a very long letter, but there. [end of page 3].