Nellie Vic Shoemakker     ( August 13, 1894 )

Nellie Vic Shoemaker

Page 1

*****************************************

Letter: 6 pages, one side of first 5 pages.  Both sides of the last page.  The front of the last  5 pages are numbered 2, 3, 4, 5 & 7.  The back of the last page is numbered 8.  Page 6 is missing.

Paper: Lined paper 5” wide by 7-7/8” high

Envelope: 4-1/2” wide by 3-3/4” high addressed to Miss Elizabeth Golden, Dennison, Mich

The front is postmarked Spring Lake Michigan, Aug 18, 1894, 9:00 A.M.

The back is postmarked Dennison, Mich. Aug 18, 1894

The envelope is stamped with a 2-cent stamp

*****************************************

Spring Lake, Mich

Aug 13^th, 1894

Miss Elizabeth Golden

Dennison, Mich

 

Dear Friend Lizzie:-

Some time has elapsed since the Normal closed and I have not written you, but have thought of you a great many times.  I rec’d a letter from Mae Dimock.  Also one from Mr. Burtt last eve.  He said he wrote several letters Sunday so I expect you was the happy recipient of one.

 

Oh, how I did want to say “Good Bye” to your girls when I left the Court-House.  No doubt you are rejoicing over your Third Grade Certificate e’er this.  I did not get Second Grade.  Failed to pass in Philosophy.  I can’t understand it.  The Philosophy questions were so easy.  I was sure I passed.  You may know I was very much disappointed.  I think I will try again in March.  If I can write on just the two branches.  All the rest of the girls here rec’d their Second Grade except Julia Brady and Jennie Lundberg.  They have not heard yet.

 

Well, I will give you a little of my history since I returned.  On the Friday eve after we came home we had a musical entertainment for the benefit of our church.  I went to it not feeling very well and all tired out, but had to come home and was sick in bed two days.  On Wednesday a party of young folks were going camping up the river and teased Mamma to let me go.  It would be such a rest for me and do me so much good.  She finally consented to let me go.  We had a most delightful time.  I came home on Saturday Eve. As I did not want to miss Mass.  Think I missed it enough while in Holland.  The rest of the party expect to return home today.  It being a Holy Day, Mamma and Papa drove over to Gd Haven to Mass and after drove out to their camp so I am alone with the children.

 

By the way after I came from the Camp Saturday eve. I went to a party (dance) up the Lake and had a very nice time.  I asked brother Johnie if he would drive out to your place some Sunday and he says he will but not very soon as the horses are quite busy at present.  Maggie Clark is here but expects to go to Grand Rapids every day.  I was down to call on her Sunday eve. but she was not at home.  Have you forgotten the electrical building and all our…

This is the end of page 5

Page 6 is missing

This is the start of page 7

I will write to them all.  Sunday when I get a good pen.  Is Mary Nixon’s address Coopersville?

I Remain

Your Summer Normal Friend,

Nellie Vic Shoemaker

 

My dear girl here it is Saturday and your letter not mailed.  Am on the go so much forget to mail my letters.  Thursday P.M. was out sailing with Jennie Lundberg and her gentleman friend and a young man from Grand Rapids.  In the eve, they were all up to our house and yesterday P.M. we took our supper and went over to Highland Park returning home at 10 o’clock.  This eve I am going to a party (not a dance).  I rec’d a lovely letter from Miss Goodenow.  Wish you could read it.  It did me as much good as a Second Grade.  Think I would rather have the letter.  Oh, it is lovely.

 

Well, Lizzie, pardon me for this kind of letter.  I will try and stay at home more and will promise you the best kind of a letter next time.

 

Be sure and write soon

With love {Nellie Vic}

 

************************

“Mae Dimock”   “Julia Brady”   “Mary Nixon”

Mae Dimock, Julia Brady and Mary Nixon’s names appear on a party napkin that also had the following date on it: - June 29, 1994

 

Normal school - From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

A normal school or teachers college is an educational institution for training teachers. Its purpose is to establish teaching standards or norms, hence its name. The term normal school is now archaic in all but a few countries. In New Zealand, for example, normal schools are affiliated with Teachers colleges. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, normal schools in the United States and Canada trained primary school teachers, while in Europe, normal schools educated primary, secondary and tertiary-level teachers.

 

In the United States, the function of normal schools has been taken up by undergraduate and graduate schools of education; the schools themselves were upgraded to universities focused on meeting the needs of the region in which they were located. Many famous universities, such as the University of California, Los Angeles were founded as normal schools. In Canada, such institutions are typically part of a university as the Faculty of Education offering a one- or two-year Bachelor of Education program. It requires at least three (usually four) years of prior undergraduate studies.

************************

 

 

 

Click here for a PDF version of the above.

Page 2

Page 3

Page 4

Page 5

Page 6

Page 7

Envelope