Ohio History Journal




School and Other Days, 1859:

School and Other Days, 1859:

Selections from the Diaries of

Robert and Sylvester Bishop

 

Edited by JOHN WEATHERFORD*

 

 

 

ROBERT WAS ELEVEN and Sylvester nine when they began

their diaries in the Christmas season of 1858. They kept them

with fair regularity during 1859, except for summer vacation.

Their father, Robert Hamilton Bishop, II, encouraged jour-

nals among those of his twelve children who were the right

age. Professor of Latin at Miami University and son of its

first president, he spoke with gentle authority in and out of

home. He was "kindly," which is nineteenth-century for

being in control. He was able, for example, to tell his children

that if they were good he would listen to their catechisms.

He may have promised the boys something to keep up their

diaries. Their sister Kate, fifteen, began her own diary for

1859 with the explanation that her father would buy her a

present worth ten dollars if she kept it up for a year. Instead,

Kate died. Her last entry reads, "I am thinking I not goin [to

get] the handsome present Pa promised me on condition that I

would keep a journal for the whole year."

As historians of their own world, the boys are sometimes

intuitively concise, but more often prolix. This selection is

perhaps a fiftieth part of the manuscript diaries (which were

recently given to Miami University by Mr. Robert H. Mont-

gomery). I have supplied periods (which the boys did not

trust) and capitals (which they enjoyed promiscuously), but

 

* John Weatherford is assistant to the director of libraries at Miami University.



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SCHOOL AND OTHER DAYS              59

have kept their spelling. Many of the proper names could

have been identified, but local history is not the purpose of

these selections.  A   footnote or a sic in these breathless

tales would be an adult impertinence.

 

[January 3, 1859, Sylvester] School began and I had to go to school

and we had V knew scholarers and Fill Moore went to and me and

Robrt had to go and me ... and Thedore Moore set on the chairs and

Fill Moore and Rob set on the back seat. John Stern got a whiping the

first morning and John Bron got tie to Mis Smith dress.

[January 12, 1859, Robert] . . . Albert Bradford ask M Ana Smith

if me and he coldent go up town and get a pen holder. When I came

back Georgy Keely and Mary Gage was up stars. Georgy Sterns struck

Mary Gage and Mary Gage kick Georgy Sterns. She went up stars and

told Smith and Mrs Smith was going to suspend her from school but

he dident do it....

[January 14, 1859, Robert] Nothing to say abot today very perticular

as I now except at school our room went up stars to her the schollars

read ther comtons compotions and here them spekes ther peases.

[January 15, 1859, Robert] . . . Syl was sick all day. Then in the

after noon I went to sin[g]ing school. It was about half past one when I

started. I got there in time this time as I have been there in time before.

Fil More was up in town. I met him there by Billings. He got five cents

worth of penuts. He bot them at Miss Cooper. She gave him a sack for

five cents. He got his pocket full. He dident give me one of them. He

gave Albert Shuey his hand full and he gave Charles Crimes a hand

full to. Then I ask him for one or two but he said he woldent be cas he

hedent many. Then he wanted me to cary his book while he put his

hands in his pocket but I told him I woldent do it for him. He woldent

give me any penuts so I wasant a going to do eny thing for him. Then

after a while he wanted me to go over to the post office for him. He said

he wold give me to or three penuts.

[February 4, 1859, Robert] . . . John Keely came down stars from

Mis Kerwood room for he couldent keep up with the classes. He sit

with me in the morning but in the after noon Anna Smith made him

change his seat. He was mad and threw his books down on the flor.

He had to seat with James Keely.

[February 4, 1859, Sylvester] . . . Albert Bradford left school and

as he went out the door he said I be back to morrow. Mis Smith said



60 THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

60    THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

 

No you wont. He said Yes I will. But he ron home. And ous boy said

Wasent that rich. We said Yes it tis rich.

[February 22,1859, Robert] Thursday the 22 of Febraary was Wash-

ington birth. The students celebrated it very mutch. They dident hav??

know school. The students dident have know colledge. The students

got up a company and got the band and march a rond town. They went

to MacFarland and hollard for him to come out to give them a speach.

He said he couldent come out to give them a speach. Then one of them

hollard Give three cheers for MacFarland. Then they went to Prof

Bishop and hollard for him to come out but he dident. He was sawing

wood and he woldent come but then they went to Stodard and hollard

for him. He come out and gave them a speach. Then they hollard for

Prof Killen to come out and he came out and gave them a speach. Then

they said Three cheers for Killen. Then they went to Prof Swing and

hollard for him to come out on the poarch and give them a speach but

he was siting up stairs loking out the winder and he said he was very

mutch oblige to them. Then they said Three cheers for Swing. Then

they went to Doc Goodritch and he told the students to meat at the

chapel this after noon a bout half past one. They met ther and then they

went down to the Western [Female Seminary] to give them sight of

them. They shot ther gun of and one of the men in a carriage his horse

broke loose and ron a way. Then they went up a peace. Then they fire

ther gun of and then when they had got up by Sariless they charge on

some girls. Then they said Let ous go up to Bob Bishop. Then they

came up to our house and hollard for Pa. Pa wasant at home un lest he

wold have gave them a good speach. Then they fire of ther guns and a

parsel of girl was on the poarch and when they fire they fel dodn. Just

then a old Irosh man come along and towo student was in a bugy and

that old Irosh man hit them on the head. Then Ross therd his cane at

him. He jump out of his bugy and hit him with a stone. Then all of the

students ron after him. They ron out to Smith then they got him and

Ross threw a ston at him and hit him in the head and knock him out

his waggon.... So that ends Washing Birth day.

[February 27, 1859, Robert] George gets breakfast and I help get

dinner. I went to Sunday school and church.... Mister Steuart preach.

I forget what his sub jeck was. Miss Munel gave me a card to learn

by hart. He gave me last Sunday to learn. I lernt it. None of the others

lernt thers but me.

[February 28, 1859, Robert] I went to school as usal. Ma had her



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SCHOOL AND OTHER DAYS              61

 

washing done to day. Mis Smith was as cross as a bear to day. I and

John Keely fil the ing bottle up at school....

[February 28, 1859, Sylvester] I went to school and John Stern got

[hit] with a rular. He holer Och och that hurt. I guess it dose.... She

sent him up stairs and slap Charley Poter in the face and he holer Ouch

and Mis Smith sent him up stairs for it and send him up to him to get

whip and George Stern to tell Mister Smith to whip him. Pret soon he

was out playing marble and then he came [to] the back doors and said

he had been up stairs....

[March 1, 1859, Robert] . . .John Sterns spoke a peace this after

noon. Him and John Keely and Syl and I did. We all spoke the same

pice. When Stern soke his they stomp. Mis Smith stay there then he

soke it a gen and they stomp him a gen. Then Mis Smith told the first

one that stomp she whip then they shallnt a gan. Then they stomp him

a gen then Mis Smith said they--- Then the bell rang and she said we

might go home. We went home and John Sterns treated to ginger cake.

He got three cents worth....

[March 2, 1859, Robert] . . .After recess some of the scholars went

up stars in Mis Kenwood to sing. Only them that belong to the after

noon singing school. And after they went up stars the room was very

still for the bad boys was gone. John Sterns John Keely was absent.

And after they was gone up stars a good while Mis Smith said me

and Georgie Keely might cheos up a class to see which could spell the

other down. Georgie Keely side beat.... Mis Smith whip John McGuff

for throwing wads and she whip Charles Ferguson for making a face

at her. She whip them with a rular but John Sterns broke her rular

when he was in the class. He fond it in the chalk box. Then Mis Smith

hunted for the rular to whip him with it. Then he said he was glad she

dident get it. Mis Smith [said] he better be.

[March 3, 1859, Robert] . . . Mis Smith set John Sterns on a char

by his self. He made faces at her and Mis Smith fan him agen to day

and he held out his hand and she coldent hurt it. H said his moth told

Mis Smith that she coldent hurt him. He said his father whips him with

a rope and his mother whips him with a shoe on his hand. Magy Ring-

wood ask Mis Smith to if she cold choos up a spelling match but Mis

Smith was as cross as a bear and said No you shant and shut up.

[March 8, 1859, Robert] . . . Mis Smith blind foled John Sterns and

she whip Louis Hayden for making faces. She whip him with a whale

bone....



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62     THE OHIO HISTORICAL QUARTERLY

[March 9, 1859, Sylvester] I went to school and we had fun and

came home and got our dinner and then we went school again and

then I was tardy. And she said Go back and get your excuse. I said

I will bring it in the morning. She [said] Well take your seat and I

took it. And then Mis Smith said You know enything about my

rithimetic. I said No I dont know. And then John Keelly said I know

where it is and he said In the stove. And said that Charley Fereson

told him last night as he was bringing up his milk and he said Let

take her dionary and burn it up and let take her excelison book and

that will break her up. And her sister was going up and Charley said

he wold kill her if she come up to school again....

[March 19, 1859, Robert] I went to gymnastic in the morning and

staid till 10 oclock. I saw them fence and box with gloves. Great big

gloves twice as big as their fist.

[March 29, 1859, Robert] . . . Pa bought a rat trap and Syl set it

and the next morning ther was three rats in it and we had some fun

a killing them. Pat Comeway cane over to see ous drown them. He cut

the tail of and gav them as much pain as he cold. He said he was hard on

rats   ....

[April 1, 1859, Sylvester] Robert said Look out their and I said

No. You wont do it. I wont. Fool me will you. And Pa said Dont you

must not fool the boys that way. It is lying....

[April --, 1859, Sylvester] . . . Their was a visitor come to our

house and he said Do you go to school and Do you get your lesson well

and Did you ever get whiped hard and Did it hurt bad when she or he

whiped you and Did you cry hard so Wold you like writing in a book or

Did you ever expect to be rich and get as much money as you wanted.

... A Diu.

[May 22, 1859, Robert] Kate is very sick to day. The doctter cupt

her in the eving. I sat with her a little while.

[May 23, 1859, Robert] When I waken up in the morning Pa was

up and was in a hurry a bout sonthing. I got up and Kate was pretty

neer dead. She was as white as snow. ... Pa told ous to go over to

Docttor Hills and he cone down with me and Syl. Then Pa came out

and [told] Syl and me to go up to Mister Huston to get some corn for

the chickens. We went up ther and got it and when we got back Kate

was dead. O how I cried. My dear mother hart was broken. O I cried

like every thing. Sister Emly takes it very hard but not as hard as Ma.

Granny and all of her family came in. Mrster Stodart tray to bring her

to life a gain . . . but all in vain. Miss Brooks come in and all of the



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SCHOOL AND OTHER DAYS             63

 

kind nabors came over to try to comfort Ma and tend to Sister Kate.

I had a great many errons to run.

[May 24, 1859, Robert] . . . Dear Kate is gon is gone is gone to

heven before us but I hope we will all be ther soon. I am trying to be a

good boy so I can meet her in heaven....

[May 27, 1859, Robert] Syl nor I dident go to school for three or

fore day. Ant Clary came in her to see ous and brought Henry in with

her. We had lots of fun a playing a bout.

[May 28, 1859, Robert] In the morning we work a little.... In the

afternoon Syl and I went a fishing and Syl coght for suckers and I

cought for sun fish. Pa said Syl was a ging to b a fisher sone o th day.

[May 29, 1859, Robert] I went to Sunday school but when I got ther

and sat down I begin to cry. I thought if Kate was ther but she wasant.

She was last Sunday. I dident go to church ...

[May --, 1859, Robert] . . . I have stop going to school and go to

Ma and learn more going to Ma a week than I wood a month at school.

Syl still go to school to Miss Haywourth.