RARE 1849 HANDWRITTEN PRE CIVIL WAR DIARY Boston West Newton Massachusetts

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RARE 1849 HANDWRITTEN PRE CIVIL WAR DIARY Boston West Newton Massachusetts :
$325.00

1849
HANDWRITTEN DIARY-------

This VERYRARE 168 year old Pre-Civil War diary was written by MARY TOWER, of West Newton, Massachusetts. She was attending the STATE NORMAL SCHOOL, where she was studying to become a teacher. She also did some assisted teaching at the \"MODEL SCHOOL\" before she graduated. Her home was in Boston, MA, which she loved.

This diary\'s entries are incredible! In detail, she writes about her teachers, including Miss Ball & Miss Lincoln, her studies, the classroom, classmates, and much more. She is intelligent and a wonderful writer, and shares her opinions,philosophies,feelings, innermost thoughts, and empathy for others. Her diary provides a very rare insight into life and the teachings of the schools that she attends, as well as into her personal life. Such an amazing look into her personal life and inner soul, as well as a look into school teachings and life as it was in the late 1840\'s! Diaries like this, from this era, are exceptionally rare. Her entries begin on September 12, 1849 when she is starting school, and her last entry is on October 11th, 1850.

Here are some partial excerpts taken from it:

Sept 12th, 1849: \" This morning at a quarter past seven o\'clock, I arrived at the depot. I found quite a large number of young ladies assembled, they looked as cheerful, as though nothing had ever crossed their path but sunshine, they were standing in groups waiting for the cars, that would carry them to West Newton; in a few moments the train was in readiness and the passengers took their seats (myself among them). The ride was very pleasant, the morning was delightful and nature seemed to have put on her gayest smile to welcome the School - girl. We arrived at West Newton at eight o\'clock and took our way to the School-room immediately. I felt rather unpleasant for a time at finding myself among so many strangers ...\"

Sept 13th, 1849: \"It is not without a feeling of embarrassment that I take my station as a scholar, for six years have lapsed since I subjected myself to the task of assigned lessons. When I had finished my studies, I felt glad to have escaped the restraint of the School room; Now it is with far different feelings that I __ it. I returned to school with the determination to improve the opportunity for my advancement in intellectual knowledge, which I am truly thankful to be permitted to receive ...

Oct 7th, 1849: \"What an amount of Happiness there is in this world if people would only take the right means to procure it ... The truly happy are those who feel grateful for the blessings which they receive, and who perform in all their allotted tasks with cheerfulness, even though they are unpleasant; their duty well performed gives them a clear conscience and a thankful heart ...\"

Oct 12, 1849: \" After I had been in school about ten minutes this morning, Miss Ames (one of the seniors) came to me and wanted to know if I would not like a seat, her companion had gone into the \'Model-room\' for a fortnight, and Miss Lincoln, gave her leave to invite some one to occupy the vacant seat. I was very glad she asked me for I have wanted a seat, this long while, and two weeks seems quite a long time to have a desk; It is so pleasant in that part of the room. I can look all over the school and see all the scholars at once, and the Teacher too .....\"

Oct 29th, 1849: \" The school was addressedthis morning by Mr. Richards, the principalof a school for the purpose of educating Idiots, or feeble minded children, as he termed them. The school is a state institution, and was established for three years, $2500 being the sum appropriated for the support of it. It is situated in South Boston, thus far has ten pupils, of boys only. Their ages are from six to fifteen years of age, they were all extremely deficient in intellect and took scarcely any notice of what was going on around them, some of them could not talk, others could not walk, he was obliged to watch them in order to gain any clue to their thoughts, vague as they were, there was only one boy so dull and stupid he could not roll a cent, and his teacher was obligedto get upon the floor to teach him to play (she goes on to describe other children) ..... He says he thinks these children have the intellect that we are all gifted with, but in a very slight degree, and that it must be brought out by very simple means .... One boy was so ignorant and stupid that he could not chew his food, his mother had always fed him, and put his food into his mouth, first chewing it herself, and yet she was not willing to acknowledge it herself, that he did not know anything. She said he did not seem to get along so well as other boys his age. He was 11 years of age. These children all have good appetites and it was by this means that he was able to make them understand ideas of numbers - (and she goes on to describe the means that he uses to teach these children, this is a 3 page entry) - He says that we must never treat a backward child unkindly, but endeavor to study its character, and find out what its capacitiesare, and improve upon them, that all are not constituted alike, neither in mind or body, and therefore they should not be classed together ....\"

Nov. 21st, 1849: \"Teaching exerciseswere excellent today, they showed a great deal of care in preparing. Miss Crocker gave us an account of paper making in a great variety of ways, it is made with shreds of cotton, carefully cleaned and prepared, and passes through a great many processes before we have it in sheets of a folio form. There is paper made from a mineral substance, called Asbestos, which cannot be destroyed. Writing may be put upon it and erased and it will not receive any injury .... Quite a large number of visitors were present today, a class of the Model School came up to visit us, and sat in the back part of the room.\"

Feb. 9th, 1850: \" Very unpleasant in Boston, how different from the country is the noisy busy city, such a day as today, with its muddy streets, and anxious faces, picking out the best places to cross, although there is not much in our thorough fares, but \"all is for the best\" and we must have some unpleasant walking to appreciate the good. I thought how much more complicated it is at Newton, such dull weather if you have to walk out, with its pure air and quiet streets, and no one to crowd you as you pass, but for a home, let me have Boston, with its crooked streets and crowded walks, for we have a Common to walk in in summer, when we grow weary of dust and noise, it almost seems like another town, so great is the contrast.\"

Feb. 13, 1850: \" This morning I saw an insane man on his way to Worcester, an object of pity to all around him,. He at first refused getting into the cars, but at least was compelled to by his companion. If there is anything in human nature to be pitied, I think it is a person who has been deprived of reason, for whom everything bright and beautiful has been shut out, as it were. His glaring eyes looked vacant, and he sat haggard and pale looking round, occasionally muttering to himself or asking his companion where they were taking him to ...\"

March 23rd, 1850: \" Have been reading Prof. Webster\'s Trial, and am deeply interested in it as is everybody. There is quite great excitement created about it, rather more than usual at such times ....\" (google \"1850 professor Webster trial Massachusetts\" for the details on this fascinating murder story).

March 26th, 1850: \"This afternoon a friend called and wished me to go and hear Rev. Mr. Chapin, but I concluded to remain at home. Sometimes I think it is just as well to stay away from Church if you do not really feel like going, and can employ the time at home to as good advantage, for I do not think going to Church really makes one religious. It may have a good influence upon a person, but when one goes and the mind wanders from one thing to another, and they are as ignorant of what has been going on, I think they had better be at home.\"

March 27, 1850: \" In the evening as I was studying, a fluid lamp caught fire, which alarmed me so much that I jumped from a window eight feet from the ground. I thought there would be no more danger in doing so than to stay and be blown up.\"

March 31, 1850: \" Professor Webster has been pronounced \"Guilty\". The verdict of Guilty pronounced by twelve fellow citizensupon Dr. Webster, has created a great, we cannot say, unexpected excitement and the streets in and around the Court House which have been thronged by hundreds of persons, exhibit a scene which was never before witnessedin this city. Crowds still linger in the streets pondering upon the events of the last few and eventful days, and the bitter feelings and animositieswhich a few hours since found vent in harsh invectiveor thoughtless gibes, are hushed and subdued at the overwhelming importance of this judgment. The prisoner, it is said,on receiving his verdict, \"was overcome and wept like a child\". Judge Merrick, his councel, whispered a few words to him and then he was again remanded to jail. What mockery to speak words of consolation then. What a Sabbath for the afflicted family, and the Convicted!\"

May 13th, 1850: \" I have been writing a note a Harriet Brown, she is in a rapid decline, and probably will not live more than three or four weeks at the longest. I called a few days ago at her Fathers office and he said she was failing rapidly but was prepared for the change. How pleasant must the thoughts of her be to those around her be, to know she is resigned to die, it seems a terrible thought to me, for death has not been a stranger at our home, it has come when least expected and taken those in the morning of life, those to whom the world promised, to the mind\'s eye had promised her best gifts, but \"Death loves a shining mark\" and the brightest and loveliest are after his earliest victims.\"

May 17th, 1850: \"An unlucky day for me. I was the bearer of bad news and I believe it had an unpleasant influence throughout the day. Miss E. Barney came with a message for Miss Bradley, before I started from home. Miss Nancy Barney\'s Father died suddenly on Monday, his disease was \"inflammationof the Brain\". They had believed for a time that he would recover, but the disease renewed and carried him off. Then just as I started for the depot, a note was given me by my brother for one of the pupils of the Model School. Her brother was very sick with the Small Pox. She knew nothing of the illness till I informed her. She did not say much, but her countenance and manner told what she felt. I did not dare alarm her by telling how dangerously ill he was. I could not help pitying her as she looked so sad, for she is a stranger here from the west. She has no parents and but two sisters, and a brother ...\"

June 1st, 1850: \" My brother has been dangerously ill since a week ago Friday, and I have had (no) time to think or do, but for him ... Our family has been increased by two nurses, who are in constant attendance upon him, and he is still no better. I have not seen him for a week, he will not allow one of us to come into the room. I sincerely hope that next week will be a pleasant week than the last one has been. His disease will soon come to its crisis now. We have been anxiously awaiting it for several days. His sickness is the prevailing epidemic (the Small Pox) and frightens away everybody from us at a time when we most need friends. If it had been anything else I presume we should have had plenty to sympathize with us. I shall be obliged to absent myself from school for a time, how long I am unable to state. Both on account of the alarm which I should be likely to create, and the necessity of my assistance at home. I regret it because I am in \"Model School\" and it will doubtless cause some inconvenienceto both schools, but I shall return as soon as I can consistently with the circumstances in which I am placed. I am at present laboring under some inconveniencefrom a weak eye, and being vaccinated a few days since to prevent catching this disease. Though as yet I have felt no effects from the latter, but expect to in a day or two.\"

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There is so much more to this diary, the few partial excerpts I\'ve quoted really do not do it proper justice. This diary is so interesting, and deserves more research than I have time to give to it right now.

Unfortunately, this diary/journal is in extremely poor condition. The pages all seem to be accounted for, but it needs to be rebound. The front cover is loose, the back cover is missing. The pages are in seven sections that have broke from the binding, and there is one loose blank end page.Someone who studied it prior to my purchase, put notes on loose white slips of paper throughout the diary. The pages have been numbered (not by me) in pencil, and there are 160 pages filled with diary entries. Some pages have faded spots, but I was able to read the whole diary without much problem and I have eye problems, although these faded areas may not scan very well. The entries though are so exceptional, that it should not be judged solely by its condition. It just needs to be rebound. It measures 6.75\" x 8.25\". Keep in mind, this diaryis168 years old !!! This is the only diary I have from this family.

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