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Boontown Feb 1863
Mr. Matthew Vassar Esq.,
Sir
I shall open my letter with an appology [sic] for writing to you; I am afraid that it is a very bold step for young girl to write to a person she knows nothing about, without the knowledge of her parents. Having heard from a schoolmate of mine such glowing descriptions of Vassar College that is to be opened next fall, for which she is now preparing, and having read an article in Godey’s Lady Book upon the subject, a great longing seized my mind to go there. I think it is very strange indeed; it shows what great assurance I have: the idea of entering a boarding school I never dreamed of, not because I would not liked to have gone, but simply because I know that my parents were not able to afford it. But now that something grand is about to be developed in the world, something that I have every reason to believe
will eclipse all boarding schools and every other kind of school, I have at once formed the idea of going there: and my audacity rising to such a degree that I actually find myself sitting down and writing to its founder upon the subject. I never did such a thing before in my life, and I hardly know whether I am writing or dreaming. I am at once an orphan and the child of adoption; my mother died when I was an infant, but I have not been permitted to feel her loss, for God in his great mercy has given me another that cannot be excelled. My parents are both well advanced in life and the only means of sustenance they have, is the rents the obtain from some property of theirs which is barely sufficient to support us comfortably. Therefore it is utterly impossible to look to them for funds to send me to college or anywhere else. They laugh at the idea, and if I had spoken of such a thing as writing to you they would have considered it a mere childish whim unworthy their notice. In speaking
of the college the other day, I said to my Father- Father I want to go to this college and if there is any way for me to get there, I am going; at which he just laughed and said- go- go. I’ll not hinder you.- But the money Father, I replied. I cannot go without that- Oh! the money that’s another consideration I have nothing to do with that, you said you were going so I supposed of course you had everything ready. I then told them I would be willing to lie on bread and water, or even board myself that I would get a large box and fill it with all kinds of crackers, putting some cheese and a few red herrings in for a variety, if by these means I could at least effect an entrance into the much wished-for-college. But I got nicely laughed at for pains in suggesting them; the idea of me turning (…) seemed to give them food for mirth: to add to the laughter my suggestions appeared to have produced, a gentleman who is boarding with us said that a person wishing to go to such a place must not only be wealthy, but must have some influential friend or friends connected with the college, before
they could hope to obtain admission. Now I am not wealthy, for I do not own a penny that I am aware of; and if I have any influential friends I have not yet made their acquaintance. But notwithstanding all that was said to discourage me, I still adhered to my stubborn resolution of going there, provided I could get there, and so I told them. Then Mother said when I got ready to start she could safely promise me a gold watch, and the aforesaid gentleman thought he would then be able to buy me a pair of skates; and father added that which would be the most suitable present for so foolish a girl. And this they kept on joking and laughing at my expense, although I tried not to notice them. Now Mr Vassar would you not suppose that all these difficulties combined, would drive all thoughts of college out of my head? But no, on the contrary so perverse am I, that the greater the difficulties the greater is my desire. My mind has been dwelling upon the subject ever since I heard the name of Vassar College, and at last some good fairy (or some evil one I am not sure which) suggested
the idea of writing and laying the case before you: you see I concluded to take her advice but not without sundry misgivings for I feared that it would be improper, and more especially so by doing it without my parents knowledge: but I was afraid Iif I let them know that it would apart all, and my fine air castle (for such I fear it is) would come down to the ground in merely less time than it took to rear it. But the desire has so burned in my mind that I cannot put my fairy’s suggestion away. I have been thinking it all carefully over, and I see no wrong whatever in my simply writing to you and explaining my situation. Now I will come to the point at once. Mr Vassar I want to come to your college; you know all the particulars, you know that I have not a penny with which to pay my tuition, nor have I any prospect of ever having one. But I have heard of manual labor colleges where students no wealthier than I have worked their way through I thought probably this might be something of the kind, and if so I am willing to do anything in my power that is perfectly right for me to do. I will
submit to any little inconveniences, I will do any kind of work that I am able to, provided you will admit me to the college, and let me have all the advantages other students have. If you will only grant my request Mr. Vassar, I do not think you will ever regret it, for if it ever lies in my power I will surely repay you twofold; and if I am not permitted to show my gratitude, God will not suffer you to go unrewarded. I think I am old enough to go, for I shall be seventeen in March but I am afraid that I am not far enough advanced; I am very deficient in arithmetic and algebra, but I shall try my best to master both. The friend I mentioned as going to your college in the first part of my letter, although several years younger I, is much farther advanced in those two studies. She is a very smart girl and promises to make an excellent scholar: indeed I always feel ashamed of myself when I think of her, she so much younger than I, yet so much smarter. I am now studying French and like it very much I should like to study if possible several other languages. But of all the accomplishments that I have the
greatest desire to learn is music, instrumental music, I am excessively fond of the beautiful art, but even this my parents have been compelled to deny me, not being able to pay a music teacher. What I feel the most anxiety about is (as I mentioned before) my deficiency in mathematics I have almost despaired of ever being able to understand them as I should; others have no difficulty in clearly comprehending what to me is incomprehensible. I really feel afraid that when I see the end of my arithmetic and algebra, I shall be an old woman somewheres on the road to ninety. But I intend to try my best and see if I cannot get through both this evening sum ones. I hope Sir I have not done wrong in this writing to you; I feel confident my parents will forgive me when I tell them all, and if it should please you to return me a favorable answer you can easily imagine the astonishment it would produce in the home circle. I should not then be considered quite so childish, and I could call upon my Mother for the gold watch and make like
demands upon the others. But if you think Sir that I have done wrong, then please do not answer my letter for I would rather forfeit the best education in the world than obtain one in a wrong manner. If I had not written to you the idea would always have haunted my mind that perhaps if I had asked for an education I might have received one. An education is a great thing, and if so great a thing can be obtained by merely asking, I thought I would ask: forgive me if I am mistaken and do not reply to my letter.
I simply remain
Florence H. Condit
Boonton Morris Co
N. Jersey
Mr. Matthew Vassar Esq.,
Sir
I shall open my letter with an appology [sic] for writing to you; I am afraid that it is a very bold step for young girl to write to a person she knows nothing about, without the knowledge of her parents. Having heard from a schoolmate of mine such glowing descriptions of Vassar College that is to be opened next fall, for which she is now preparing, and having read an article in Godey’s Lady Book upon the subject, a great longing seized my mind to go there. I think it is very strange indeed; it shows what great assurance I have: the idea of entering a boarding school I never dreamed of, not because I would not liked to have gone, but simply because I know that my parents were not able to afford it. But now that something grand is about to be developed in the world, something that I have every reason to believe
will eclipse all boarding schools and every other kind of school, I have at once formed the idea of going there: and my audacity rising to such a degree that I actually find myself sitting down and writing to its founder upon the subject. I never did such a thing before in my life, and I hardly know whether I am writing or dreaming. I am at once an orphan and the child of adoption; my mother died when I was an infant, but I have not been permitted to feel her loss, for God in his great mercy has given me another that cannot be excelled. My parents are both well advanced in life and the only means of sustenance they have, is the rents the obtain from some property of theirs which is barely sufficient to support us comfortably. Therefore it is utterly impossible to look to them for funds to send me to college or anywhere else. They laugh at the idea, and if I had spoken of such a thing as writing to you they would have considered it a mere childish whim unworthy their notice. In speaking
of the college the other day, I said to my Father- Father I want to go to this college and if there is any way for me to get there, I am going; at which he just laughed and said- go- go. I’ll not hinder you.- But the money Father, I replied. I cannot go without that- Oh! the money that’s another consideration I have nothing to do with that, you said you were going so I supposed of course you had everything ready. I then told them I would be willing to lie on bread and water, or even board myself that I would get a large box and fill it with all kinds of crackers, putting some cheese and a few red herrings in for a variety, if by these means I could at least effect an entrance into the much wished-for-college. But I got nicely laughed at for pains in suggesting them; the idea of me turning (…) seemed to give them food for mirth: to add to the laughter my suggestions appeared to have produced, a gentleman who is boarding with us said that a person wishing to go to such a place must not only be wealthy, but must have some influential friend or friends connected with the college, before
they could hope to obtain admission. Now I am not wealthy, for I do not own a penny that I am aware of; and if I have any influential friends I have not yet made their acquaintance. But notwithstanding all that was said to discourage me, I still adhered to my stubborn resolution of going there, provided I could get there, and so I told them. Then Mother said when I got ready to start she could safely promise me a gold watch, and the aforesaid gentleman thought he would then be able to buy me a pair of skates; and father added that which would be the most suitable present for so foolish a girl. And this they kept on joking and laughing at my expense, although I tried not to notice them. Now Mr Vassar would you not suppose that all these difficulties combined, would drive all thoughts of college out of my head? But no, on the contrary so perverse am I, that the greater the difficulties the greater is my desire. My mind has been dwelling upon the subject ever since I heard the name of Vassar College, and at last some good fairy (or some evil one I am not sure which) suggested
the idea of writing and laying the case before you: you see I concluded to take her advice but not without sundry misgivings for I feared that it would be improper, and more especially so by doing it without my parents knowledge: but I was afraid Iif I let them know that it would apart all, and my fine air castle (for such I fear it is) would come down to the ground in merely less time than it took to rear it. But the desire has so burned in my mind that I cannot put my fairy’s suggestion away. I have been thinking it all carefully over, and I see no wrong whatever in my simply writing to you and explaining my situation. Now I will come to the point at once. Mr Vassar I want to come to your college; you know all the particulars, you know that I have not a penny with which to pay my tuition, nor have I any prospect of ever having one. But I have heard of manual labor colleges where students no wealthier than I have worked their way through I thought probably this might be something of the kind, and if so I am willing to do anything in my power that is perfectly right for me to do. I will
submit to any little inconveniences, I will do any kind of work that I am able to, provided you will admit me to the college, and let me have all the advantages other students have. If you will only grant my request Mr. Vassar, I do not think you will ever regret it, for if it ever lies in my power I will surely repay you twofold; and if I am not permitted to show my gratitude, God will not suffer you to go unrewarded. I think I am old enough to go, for I shall be seventeen in March but I am afraid that I am not far enough advanced; I am very deficient in arithmetic and algebra, but I shall try my best to master both. The friend I mentioned as going to your college in the first part of my letter, although several years younger I, is much farther advanced in those two studies. She is a very smart girl and promises to make an excellent scholar: indeed I always feel ashamed of myself when I think of her, she so much younger than I, yet so much smarter. I am now studying French and like it very much I should like to study if possible several other languages. But of all the accomplishments that I have the
greatest desire to learn is music, instrumental music, I am excessively fond of the beautiful art, but even this my parents have been compelled to deny me, not being able to pay a music teacher. What I feel the most anxiety about is (as I mentioned before) my deficiency in mathematics I have almost despaired of ever being able to understand them as I should; others have no difficulty in clearly comprehending what to me is incomprehensible. I really feel afraid that when I see the end of my arithmetic and algebra, I shall be an old woman somewheres on the road to ninety. But I intend to try my best and see if I cannot get through both this evening sum ones. I hope Sir I have not done wrong in this writing to you; I feel confident my parents will forgive me when I tell them all, and if it should please you to return me a favorable answer you can easily imagine the astonishment it would produce in the home circle. I should not then be considered quite so childish, and I could call upon my Mother for the gold watch and make like
demands upon the others. But if you think Sir that I have done wrong, then please do not answer my letter for I would rather forfeit the best education in the world than obtain one in a wrong manner. If I had not written to you the idea would always have haunted my mind that perhaps if I had asked for an education I might have received one. An education is a great thing, and if so great a thing can be obtained by merely asking, I thought I would ask: forgive me if I am mistaken and do not reply to my letter.
I simply remain
Florence H. Condit
Boonton Morris Co
N. Jersey
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