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Sylvester, Helen (Seymour) -- to father, Feb. 28, 1866
Creator
Sylvester-Seymour, Helen
Date
February 28, 1866
Text
Vassar College Feb 28th 1866. My dear father I received your very welcome letter to-day to-gether with James's and the paper. I was very sorry to see from your letter that you considered yourself neglected by me. I wrote you a good long letter in reply to your little short one and expected you would answer it, but it seems you think I am going to write three or more to your one. Now I could not do that even if I had ever so much to write, for want of time, and besides you know it is much...
Show moreVassar College Feb 28th 1866. My dear father I received your very welcome letter to-day to-gether with James's and the paper. I was very sorry to see from your letter that you considered yourself neglected by me. I wrote you a good long letter in reply to your little short one and expected you would answer it, but it seems you think I am going to write three or more to your one. Now I could not do that even if I had ever so much to write, for want of time, and besides you know it is much worse for me to miss getting a letter than for you for I am away from home. Prof. Knapp has resigned his professorship - It has created agreat sensation among the scholars for he was a great favourite. The real trouble was that there was not enough attention paid to his suggestions and wishes. The course of study is not high enough to suit him. They teach everything that can be studied here but some things such as Greek &c are not in the regular course but there is a Greek teacher and Greek classes. This does not suit professor Knapp and so he leaves for various reasons probably beside. I am very sorry he is going it will be such a loss for us - He says he does not wish to be professor in a young ladies Seminary— that this is nothing more than a Seminary. He says the young ladies have more than met his expectations, he has not had a student in Collegebetter than some of his pupils but it is nonsense to call this a college without having a higher course of study. He is a very peculiar man and very self-willed, though a man of very great genius for languages. He is a very fine linguist though only about thirty and looks even younger than that. I have written you a good deal about Prof Knapp but it happened to be the great subject of the day and was all I could think of. You will probably see something about it in the Independent though per- haps not. It is nearly ten o'clock and I must hurry or I shall not finish my letter. I will send you my bill If Henry is not coming very soon. Please write immediately and tell me for I want some money if Henry does not come soon as there are only 6 cents and a few stamps in the treasury and very soon I shall not be able even to write home. I hope he is coming. I am glad to hear you are all well and hope my letters will be frequent as you are all well again. We have had warm weather here too, corresponding exactly to the weather at home I should think - I am glad James is going to be at home for a while it will be pleasant for me There is the last bell and I must stop. Please write If you don't say anything but that Henry is or is not coming Just see what mis- takes I am making. Give my love to all and write soon. Your affectionate daughter Ella.
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Sylvester, Helen (Seymour) -- to father, Mar. 20, 1866
Creator
Sylvester-Seymour, Helen
Date
March 20, 1866
Text
Vassar College March 20th 1866 My dear father I wonder if it is any use to talk to Henry about his dreadful habits of unpunctuality. I feel the evil consequences of it more here than I ever did at home. I am almost afraid to say anything for lear he will not come for fear of the dreadful lecture he will get when he does come if he ever does- Sunday I went to Poughkeepsle to Church. There were no omnibuses engaged to come, and we walked both down and back. I was very tired after it though and...
Show moreVassar College March 20th 1866 My dear father I wonder if it is any use to talk to Henry about his dreadful habits of unpunctuality. I feel the evil consequences of it more here than I ever did at home. I am almost afraid to say anything for lear he will not come for fear of the dreadful lecture he will get when he does come if he ever does- Sunday I went to Poughkeepsle to Church. There were no omnibuses engaged to come, and we walked both down and back. I was very tired after it though and spent most of the rest of the day in sleeping. The girls have begun to play croquet and my set would be very acceptable. Why dont you send it? There has been a silence of nearly a week since the announcement that Henry was coming and I have been in suspense ever since. How does James do in the Office? Do things go on as usual at home in the garden? How many crops of tomatoes have you lost already? and how is your bump? You see I have given you a good foundation for a letter in answering the many questions I have asked you, and you must answer right away. It is not so much what I hear in the letter as Just the letter itself and the knowledge that it comes from home. If there is no news there is some consolation in knowing that. It does not grow warm very fast here but remains just about the same. It is nearly 10 o'clock and if my letter is suddenly cut short you will know the reason. I shall be so glad when summer comes and I can go home. I am getting quite anxious to go for I have been away so long. Are you going to put in new bannisters to the stairs this spring ? You must get all the improvements made before I come home so as to surprise me for it would indeed if you should. I must close this letter now and considering that you have had two letters in answer to yours I think you ought to answer soon. Your affectionate daughter Helen.
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Sylvester, Helen (Seymour) -- to mother, Nov. 17, 1865
Creator
Sylvester-Seymour, Helen
Date
November 17, 1865
Text
Poughkeepsie Nov 17- 1865. My dear Mother I have been waiting for a reply to my last letter but have concluded to wait no longer. I was very glad to get your letter and was glad it was so long. I think it is very fortunate the plastering and paint does not dry sooner for you will not have so good an opportunity to make yourself sick. I am glad on two accounts that Henry is going sooner to Norfolk. One is that you will have some help sooner and another that I shall see Henry sooner. Write to...
Show morePoughkeepsie Nov 17- 1865. My dear Mother I have been waiting for a reply to my last letter but have concluded to wait no longer. I was very glad to get your letter and was glad it was so long. I think it is very fortunate the plastering and paint does not dry sooner for you will not have so good an opportunity to make yourself sick. I am glad on two accounts that Henry is going sooner to Norfolk. One is that you will have some help sooner and another that I shall see Henry sooner. Write to me in your next when he is coming. There are about fifteen or more girls in school who live in New York or Brooklyn and my roommate is going so I am certain of having plenty of company. I shall have two weeks vacation at Christmas perhaps three so I shall have a good time in New York. There will be no trouble about keeping the apples from freezing or being eaten by others. They say apples are sixteen dollars a bushel in Poughkeepsie, are they high in Brockport? Mr Helmer has been here and wished to be remembered to me Emma said. The restriction on our correspondence is taken away now and we can write to whom we please. Your description of the house is very discouraging. It seems just as it did before I left - still I would like to see whether you are hurting yourself with work. Henry is coming to see me is he not when he goes to Norfolk? We have had our Indian summer for the last few days and I have spent a few hours outdoors every day walking about and studying. We have the most magnificent sunsets here I ever saw or imagined. They are actually beyond description and we have so many of them too. I believe this locality is famous for its sunsets and sunrises. Dr. Raymond our principal is a very fine reader and reads Shakespeare so that father would enjoy it I am sure. I hope they will have a reading class. Last Sunday Dr Magoon from Albany preached here. I enjoyed his sermon very much. He is a very original man, they say, and says very odd things. He was the one of whom they bought the Art gallery. He collected the most of it himself In Europe and many of the pictures have very interest- ing histories and are very valuable indeed. He has a neice here at school, she is in my German class. I do like Prof Tenney the professor of Nat History so much. We have splendid advantages for studying Geology and visit the cabinet once a week in groups of ten at a time so we have a good chance to learn to know the different rocks and minerals. They have quite a collection of stuffed animals and shells too. James has not written to me in more than two weeks When he comes home I wish you would give him a scolding on the subject. Give my love to father and Henry and James Write soon to your affectionate daughter Ella.
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