Search

This book contains two editions of the Boys' Excelsior Lyceum's magazine Excelsior, containing essays and poetry by students in Cohoes, New York. Topics explored in the issues include morality, intemperance, and slavery. The volume also contains an insert of 30 pages, which seems to be another edition of the magazine.

This book contains two editions of the Boys' Excelsior Lyceum's magazine Excelsior, containing essays and poetry by students in Cohoes, New York. The bound volume, third in a series, contains manuscript copies of two issues from the magazine's 4th volume, numbers 15 (March 26, 1861, pp.1-62) and 16 (April 9, 1861, pp.63-97), edited by Charles Francis Doyle and Lizzie L. Giles. Each begins with a lengthy essay addressed to the editor, reflecting an ongoing debate between "John Brown, Esq.," and "Dick" on the merits of slavery and temperance. Both authors utilized Biblical quotations while offering lengthy moral justifications for their positions. Additional essays address a range of topics such as war, gambling, and truth, and a number of poems reflect more lighthearted topics, such as ice skating and kissing. What appears to be a third edition of the magazine, dated May 15, 1862 (30 pp.), is inserted into the volume and tied together with red, white, and blue ribbons. Its topics are similar to those in the previous volume, though the debates on slavery and temperance are not addressed. One essay in this edition, attributed to "Alice," pertains to a visit to "the Washington Hospital" and a discussion with a convalescent soldier.

Charles H. Davey received this pre-printed daily pocket diary from his mother Ella Chamberlain Davey on Christmas Day 1901, at which time he was 13 years old. Davey kept daily entries throughout 1902, documenting his school attendance, almost daily reading (though he almost never mentioned book titles), visits to the library, and recreation such as skating on the river and swimming in the creek. He also documented his chores, which included sawing wood, cutting ice, planting, and harvesting. Laid into the back endpapers are one invitation to a gift-giving party, and three pencil illustrations of railroad engines and cars.

Charles H. Davey received this pre-printed daily pocket diary from his mother Ella Chamberlain Davey on Christmas Day 1901, at which time he was 13 years old. Davey kept daily entries throughout 1902, documenting his school attendance, almost daily reading (though he almost never mentioned book titles), visits to the library, and recreation such as skating on the river and swimming in the creek. He also documented his chores, which included sawing wood, cutting ice, planting, and harvesting.

Near the beginning of the volume, Davey wrote down identifying information, such as his age, height, and clothing sizes (hat, hosiery, collar, cuffs, shoes, shirt, and drawers). He also identified his mother as an emergency contact. Laid into the back endpapers are one invitation to a gift-giving party, and three pencil illustrations of railroad engines and cars. One similar pen illustration of a train is on the rear pastedown. Two of the coal cars are marked, one reading 700 and the other 4004.

Nelson W. Winton kept this diary between 1843 and 1847, at the ages of 14 to 17, while living with his aunt and uncle (a physician) in Havana, Chemung County, New York. Winton wrote about his attendance at district and select schools at Havana, taught by Rufus Burr and James H. Gage, and at the Owego Academy. He attended Episcopal, Methodist, and Presbyterian religious meetings, as well as temperance gatherings. Winton wrote regularly about helping with labor, such as killing and butchering cows and pigs, and chopping wood. He documented leisure activities, such as sleighing, skating, sledding, attending picnics and concerts, spending time in nature with his friends, interacting with young women, and other activities. On multiple occasions, he traveled to Geneva, Oswego, Syracuse, Binghamton, and other areas in New York State. Winton regularly recorded information about events that took place on holidays, including George Washington's Birthday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year. At the end of the diary (pages 106-108, 118-157), Nelson Winton copied his compositions and speeches on subjects such as a dream, Greek and Roman history, pin making, the deleterious effect of reading novels, slavery, and other topics.

Nelson W. Winton kept this diary between 1843 and 1847, at the ages of 14 to 17, while living with his aunt and uncle (a physician) in Havana, Chemung County, New York. Winton wrote about his attendance at district and select schools at Havana, taught by Rufus Burr and James H. Gage, and at the Owego Academy. He attended Episcopal, Methodist, and Presbyterian religious meetings, as well as temperance gatherings. Winton wrote regularly about helping with labor, such as killing and butchering cows and pigs, and chopping wood. He documented leisure activities, such as sleighing, skating, sledding, attending picnics and concerts, spending time in nature with his friends, interacting with young women, and other activities. On multiple occasions, he traveled to Geneva, Oswego, Syracuse, Binghamton, and other areas in New York State. Winton regularly recorded information about events that took place on holidays, including George Washington's Birthday, July 4th (Independence Day), Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year.

At the end of the diary (pages 106-108, 118-157), Nelson Winton copied his compositions and speeches on subjects such as a dream, Greek and Roman history, pin making, the deleterious effect of reading novels, slavery, and other topics.

A selection of entries include:

• 1843 November 20: Gathered a group of boys together to whip his cousin Henry on his birthday.
• 1843 November 28: Attendance at the Youth's Washington Temperance Society.
• 1843 December 2: Went to see Tom Thumb (paid 6 pence to see him).
• 1844 March 10: Heard Samuel Parker (1779-1866) preach on his missionary work in the West.
• 1844 July 8: Did not attend the circus as he "does not approve of them."
• 1844 August 22: Attended a caravan at Jefferson; description of the animals he saw (elephants, tigers, panthers, wolves, monkeys, leopards, camels, etc. etc.).
• 1844 August 30: Fire at Mr. Down's Woolen Factory.
• 1844 September 6-23: Traveled by boat and railroad to Syracuse and Oswego, and returned to Havana (description of Oswego, Oswego River, and Fort Oswego).
• 1844 October 2-3: Chemung County Agricultural Fair.
• 1844 October 18: Mass meeting of Jefferson Whigs.
• 1844 December 12: "Gov [William C.] Bouck appointed to day Thanksgiving"; description of the day.
• 1845 January 24: Temperance Exhibition at the "Brick House"; presentation of George Lovell and his decline into drinking, gambling, murder, and prison.
• 1845 March 4: Village boys organized a "Franklin Association" for speaking and debating. Winton is a member.
• 1845 March 15: Tapping trees for maple sap/sugar.
• 1845 March 27: Edward Hazen visited the school to instruct on grammar.
• 1845 April 10: District School House sold at public auction; trustees and voters allocated $2,500 to build a new schoolhouse and playground.
• 1845 July 17-21: Travel to Owego and Binghamton.
• 1846 May 12: Attended a concert comprised of a mixed race cast, with one Native American woman; visited Mr. Holden who let them use his telescope.
• 1846 May 19: Opening of new schoolhouse, with speeches.
• 1846 June 3: Co-edited a newspaper devoted to Literature, Science and the Fine Arts, titled "The Pioneer."
• 1846 June 17: Lengthy description of examinations, orations, and acting.
• 1846 August 24ff.: Lengthy description of travel by steamboat to Geneva, New York, by railroad and packet to Oswego, then Syracuse. The packet was delayed because the crew got into a physical fight with the crew of another packet. Entertained on the packet by a black singer.
• 1846 December 24: Examinations, orations, and acting.
• 1847 February 1: Attendance at Emily Walker's party, comments on the women present.
• 1847 March 18, 25: Debating and topics of debate.
• 1847 July 3-4: Travel to Geneva, New York, to celebrate Independence Day.
• 1847 August 3: Elaborate picnic event, marching in procession from the "Temple of Science" to a glen, with a brass band, exhibition of paintings of sacred history, and lectures.
• 1847 August 29: Fourth time shaving; cut himself, preventing him from attending meeting.
• 1843-1845 (Pages 106-108, 118-157): Compositions and speeches for the school, the Owego Academy, the Owego Young Men's Lyceum, and the Havana Juvenile Washington Temperance Society.
• 1846 September 18 (Pages 141-142): Nelson Winton's reflections on his future prospects as a clerk and on his apprehensions about leaving the home of his uncle, aunt, and cousins.

This slim volume contains lists of Willard S. Niles' students at various locations in New York State, scholars' attendance, and other records between 1841 and 1849. The attendance rolls are divided by commencement date and each student's name is followed by a row of hash marks. Niles' children used most of the pages' margins and blank spaces to practice penmanship, jot their address, repeat student names, and in one case copy a letter from Hiram Niles in Iowa. The letter copy reads "It is very loathsome and mean and disgusting in you not to write once in a month if I get down." The blank book has tan, paper covers. Printed on the front cover is WRITING BOOK. THE PROPERTY OF MANUFACTURED AND SOLD BY B. MAYNARD... Hamilton, N.Y.: Imprint of G. R. Waldron & Co., with images of a patriotic eagle and shield, small oval depictions of a woman with a ship in the background, and decorative borders. The back cover bears a printed multiplication table.

This slim volume contains lists of Willard S. Niles' students at various locations in New York State, scholars' attendance, and other records between 1841 and 1849. The attendance rolls are divided by commencement date and each student's name is followed by a row of hash marks. Niles' children used most of the pages' margins and blank spaces to practice penmanship, jot their address, repeat student names, and in one case copy a letter from Hiram Niles in Iowa. The letter copy reads "It is very loathsome and mean and disgusting in you not to write once in a month if I get down." The blank book has tan, paper covers. Printed on the front cover is WRITING BOOK. THE PROPERTY OF MANUFACTURED AND SOLD BY B. MAYNARD... Hamilton, N.Y.: Imprint of G. R. Waldron & Co., with images of a patriotic eagle and shield, small oval depictions of a woman with a ship in the background, and decorative borders. The back cover bears a printed multiplication table.