September 1829

New Hampton Tuesday September 1, 1829. Weather very warm. George and I arose this morning about 5 o'clock and went down to the river a bathing before breakfast. We entered the Institution this morning. I am going to study Greek this term. George is [to study?] Grammar, Geography, History and Arithmetick.

Wednesday September 2, 1829. Weather remarkably warm. The wells are most all dry around here. Get along very well in reciting my Greek Grammar lesson this morning. It thunder[ed] and lightning[ed] tonight. I think we shall have a shower. Students come in very fast now. We went down to the village. George wanted to carry a letter down to Rev. Evans from Rev. Williams. We were very warm.

Thursday September 3, 1829. Weather has changed very much since last night and it's very cold this morning. It is cold enough to have a fire and it blows like a hurricane almost. It rained about one hour last night very hard. We arose this morning before 6. Re[s]cited my lesson very well this morning but Collins and Gould did not [do] very well. Our class has 4 in it: Burbank, Collins, Gould and myself.

Friday September 4, 1829. Weather very cold and windy. I believe they are burning up Bridgewater, for the mountains are all on fire and the wind keeps it a burning.

Saturday September 5, 1829. Weather windy but some warmer. George and I prepared to go up to the "pinnacle" this afternoon and went down after Rainsford to go with us. We did not go up but went over to see Rowe at Mr. Kelley's. He was not at home and so we came back and went down to the village after our newspaper but did not get it. I rode back along Capt. Hanaford. The Profs. read the By[e]laws this morning and made many remarks upon them, especially upon the yo[u]ng gentlemen's associ[a]ting with the young ladies. They have got on the window caps of the new building.

Sunday September 6, 1829. Went to meeting. Mr. Evans preached, had a good meeting. Had a good many students there. Mr. Farnsworth requested all the students of both apartments [departments?] to meet in the Chapel at noon and there he addressed us about half an hour on the importance of studying the Bible. There were a large number of young ladies from the village present. He did not give out our Bible Class lesson for next Sunday. Went to the prayer meeting in the P. M.

Monday September 7, 1829. Windy and cold long towards night. Get along in Grammar very well and we shall soon get through.

Tuesday September 8, 1829. Not so cold as yesterday but yet it's quite windy.

Wednesday September 9, 1829. Not very cold but windy. School did not keep this afternoon and 8 of us went down to the Missionary Field and cut the stocks [stalks], which was about 2 acres. This field is carryed on for the purpose of aiding the missionary cause of Burmah and by the students only. We cut the stocks in 2 hours. It was good exercise. We got some good apples.

Thursday September 10, 1829. Cool this morning but grew warmer towards night. We wrote off about warrants for the Capt. to warn his soldiers with because he had none printed. It took us about 1/2 day.

Friday September 11, 1829. Did not rescite my lesson yesterday on account of my writing. The class went through the book [to] the last lesson.We begin the Greek Reader this morning. I did not have time to get my lesson very well.

Saturday September 12, 1829. Weather windy and warm. Bridgewater is most all on fire and has been so for a month or 6 weeks. This wind makes it burn more fierce. George and I went down to the village last [evening?] to carry some letters to Prescott Durens bread man to carry to Concord. I wrote to S. Evans. We went upon the "Pinnacle" this afternoon but could not see much, it was so smok[e]y. We went down to the village.

Sunday September 13, 1829. Went to meeting. Father Crockett preached, liked him very well. He is an old-fashioned preacher. Went to the Bible Class. Prof gave out the lesson the other day. Mr. Smith took the lead because Profs. was not there. Went to the prayer meeting in the evening.

Monday September 14, 1829. Mr. Farnsworth mentioned this morning at prayers that he had been informed that G. W. Adams went down to Mr. Masons yesterday instead of going to meeting and that he would be punished for it. We got along very well in the Greek Reader.

Tuesday September 15, 1829. Weather very windy and the air very smokey on account of fires. George Dana from Concord came up to school today.

Wednesday September 16, 1829. Weather rainy this afternoon. There is a training down to the village, a great many of the students are obliged to go. Profs. divided off the students today for the Rhetorical Exercises as they are called. They consist of Written and Extemporaneous Debates, Dis[s]ertations, Reading and Speaking. This is a new a[r]rang[e]ment of this term only. He began with the names of [those?] beginning with the 3 first letters of the Alphabet, A.B.C., which will have to speak. D.E.F. will have to write disertations. G.H.I.J.K will have to write a Forensic. L.M.N.O.P.Q,R. have an extemporaneous debate. S.T.U.V.W.X.Y.Z.etc. will have a Reading lesson. These exercises will be performed on Friday because of the training on Wednesday.

Thursday September 17, 1829. Cool in the morning but a pleasant day. Tomorrow is the day for "Rhetorical Exercises" and I have a part in the Ex. Debate.

Friday September 18, 1829. Cool this morn!ng but fair day. We began the "Exercises" this afternoon with about 12 speakers and a number of Disertations, then a written Forensic, then a[n] Ex. Debate of which I took a part. We got along very well for the first time. The readers would have come next but they were excused because there was not time to hear them. The students will be divided into 2 classes who will perform every other week so that there may be time. Jewett arrived tonight. He will board here.

Saturday September 19, 1829. Very warm today. We went over into Bridgewater this afternoon to see the country. We went down to the village and crossed the river and went a mile or 2 into Bridgewater over hill and through woods &c. and found that the fire had done considerable damage. We came down to the mill dam whereá there is a new mill and just as we were going to cross we saw Esqr. Fletcher of Concord going to Plymouth. He said all the folks were well as common &c. We then crossed the river over the dam and the man that owns it says the water has not been so low before for 60 years as now. After we got across I killed 2 pigeons at one shot and did not see but one and another at one shot. When we got home at 6 o'clock we were very tired and I had to sit up till 1O to get my lesson.

Sunday September 20, 1829. Weather rather cool and rained this eve. Mr. Farnsworth spoke this A.M. because there was no one to preach owing to some disappointment. And in the afternoon we had a prayer meeting in the Chapel. I had the cholic some tonight.

Monday September 21, 1829. Weather pleasant in the forenoon but rain in the eve hard. Get lessons as regular as ever. They have got the Meeting House about all shingled. A. number of the boys broke the bell last Friday by taking the tongue, which fell out, and striking on it very hard. They or the Trustees will have to buy a new one. It sounds like a broken kettle.

Tuesday September 22, 1829. Weather pleasant but cold morning. We have to have a fire. It is very dry now about here. Went to the S. A. [?], had speaking and 2 Debates, all very good. I have declaimed this eve. Next eve that the soc[iety] meets I shall write a disertation. Bought***** and ring of Jewett and sold my flute for the same with 25 cents to boot. Tomorrow***** the "Exercises." Reading is my lot.

Wednesday September 23, 1829. Pleasant day. Began the Rhetorical Exercises this afternoon with speaking and then the written debate. Two of those chosen were absent and so 2 others were chosen to extemporise. After these were the Ex. Debate and Reading and speakers at intervals. All very good. Capt. Hanaford has gone to muster and all are in a breese [breeze] about it here. I shall not go. I had a letter from home yesterday. The folks are all well and my cloak is done &c. Sit up late.

Thursday September 24, 1829. Sat up late last night til 12 o'clock. George arose about 3 this morning and went to muster in a waggon which Esqr. Magoon fitted to carry a number. I arose between 6 and 7. Almost 1/2 the school have gone to muster or somewhere else. It is one of the finest days that I know of in the country. I studied all day. Jewett had the headache badly today. George arrived from muster about 8 o'clock this evening, tired and dissatisfied with it. He said he saw a number of Concord folks there. There has been a number of very heavy frosts along back.

Friday September 25, 1829. Weather hazy and some rainy. My lesson was pretty slim this morning. Four new students came yesterday and 2 today. Mr. Farnsworth gave out 2 questions to debate for next Wednesday. Five or 6 Boys went to muster without leave and they are going to be punished. I sold my Ancient map the other day to A. Brown for 2/. We went out to the barn a husking about 1/2 an hour tonight. Capt. Page talks of going home next week and I am going to send home by him.

Saturday September 26, 1829. Weather windy and cool. Went over to Capt. Norris's this afternoon and made me a cane. Came home and studied my Greek lesson till 11 o'clock at night. Dant like to get such long lessons as I have to get to keep up with the class.

Sunday September 27, 1829. Weather very cold and windy. Went to meeting. Mr. Carlton of Hopkinton preached, liked him very well. I did not wear a great coat in the forenoon but in the afternoon Jewett staid at home and I wore his cloak. It was very cold in the forenoon. We had a Bible class and well attended at noon. Went to the prayer meeting in the eve. It was better attended tha[n] I ever saw it before. Mr. Farnsworth was there and made some remarks. George did [not] go but Jewett did.

Worth took lead in speaking. There was a lecture at the Village at 7 o'clock.

Thine earthly Sabbath, Lord, we love,

But there's a nobler rest above;

To that our longing souls aspire,

With ardent pangs of strong desire.

No more fatigue, no more distress,

No sin nor hell shall reach the place;

No groans to mingle with the songs

Which warble from Immortal tongues

No rude alarm of raging foes;

No cares to break the long repose;

No midnight shade, no clouded sun,

Obscures the lustre of thy throne.

Around thy throne grant we may meet,

And give us but the lowest seat;

We shout thy praise and join the song

Of the triumphant, holy throng.

Extract

Monday September 28, 1829. Weather very pleasant. Rescited my lesson as usual. We get about 2 pages in the "Greek Reader" besides a lesson in the Grammar. The Brick Building does not go up very fast now.

Tuesday September 29, 1829. It was rainy most all day. Went into the L.A. [Literary Adelphi?] tonight, had 2 new members joined society. The exercises were very good. I read a disertation. Wet walking.

Wednesday September 30, 1829. We have had a variety of weather today, some times it rains and some times it is fair weather. It rains tonight. The 11 Rhetorical Exercises" were performed this afternoon and they were very interesting, I thought, especially the Extern. debate. The appointments for next week will be given out tomorrow morning. I had no part to perform. Went over to Capt. Norris' tonight to husking. There was a number there and we had a good supper but I did not eat any. I got home about 9. I have looked my lesson over once.