Letter from Jerome Buckingham to his sister

Authors

Jerome Buckingham

Files

Description

PF2.2.36

Date

10-13-1839

Transcript

W.R. College Oct 13th 1839

Dear Sister

I received your thrice welcome letter last evening, thrice welcome because I do not think I was ever so anxious & impatient to hear from home as I have been for the past week and I confess that I never before have had feelings so nearly allied to homesickness as have troubled me since my arrival here, though they are nearly or quite passed away by this time. I have not been homesick, indeed, but I have missed home and my old classmates at Kenyon a good deal. As long as this feeling exists the last [se?] from home will be a great consolation, so you must not fail to send a newspaper often if you cannot write so often as is desirable. ----- Some of the news in your letter was rather melancholy, but it is not our [past] to complain for “the Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away” and let his will be done, for we know it is all for the best. I hope to hear that those who are yet [spaud] are enjoying little health, when you write again. Uncle Henry’s troubles must be a great affliction to him, but I cannot but feel that good is [get] to arise from them, at least this should be our prayer.

You seen to doubt whether I would find time to read all of your letter at once, but if you had seen me when I got it you would not think so. I was sitting by my lamp reading when I heard the stage horn blow, and off I started for the post office and when I got hold of your letter I assure you I was not tardy in getting to my room and instead of reading part of it at a time I read the whole three or four times. -- But you must not think that these feelings arise from any dislike of the things or persons here, for on the contrary! I like almost or quite everything extremely well ,as far as my experience will permit me to judge of them. But you desire, no doubt, to know more particularly how I am pleased with the college - recitations - professors, [so on]. If I should endeavor to point out all the differences between here and Kenyon my sheet of paper would not be large enough to contain them. But [thus] for I am well satisfied with my change. The Faculty here seem to be more of much more activity and rigor, and they seem to be determined that nothing, on their [half], shall be left undone which will promote hard study and [correct morals]. The recitations in mathematics have are carried in such a manner as to require a great deal more study and hard thought than at K-. If you were up at the black board here you could experience the difference though I cannot well point them out to you here. The teachers (one excepted) all stand high, as teachers, in the estimations of the students, which is one good sign - they did not sta[?] so at K. Our professor of Latin or rather teacher in Latin (Prof. Borrows) has not yet returned from the East but is expected every day. He is said to be remarkably strict to be the fact with all the teachers, in all the recitations of all the classes, and this too is one of the chief things in importance and perhaps the thing of the most importance in a teacher and college or any school. This of itself would be almost or quite enough to satisfy me for coming here, since I feel as though I could do, myself and all to whom I am indebted for my priviliges, a great deal more justice; for though I always did wish to make the best use of my priviliges, yet sometimes I am satisfied, I took a wrong course and at other times was led away by custom to neglect my studies not always to engage in things unprofitable indeed, but not so profitable as other things would have been, I say led by custom because it was the custom at Kenyon to neglect the regular studies, for reading [?] (which was entirely subversive of the objects to be gained by a college education) and you know that when one sheep jumps the fence the whole flock will follow!

The advantages to be gained here from superior apparatus (if they will only use it and most likely they will) and from lectures will be very considerable. We have just commenced [Almstead’s Nat] Philos[bly] and we will probably have lectures from our professor occasionally. I know not how often - we had an excellent lecture from Prof. Hickock last Wednesday the substance of the subject was the worthlessness and danger of superior talents without moral goodness be. The subject is said to be different from that of any lecture delivered here before (being so strictly moral) yet I think the lecture was excellent and one that should do a great deal of good. The habits of the students here are generally more studious and their manners much more polite and gentlemanly then at K. The state of religious [feeling] here is about as good, I should think, as at almost any place around, though not quite so warm as is desirable yet I think it is improving - the general morals, or the impenitent, I mean more particularly, is far - far better than at Kenyon and on this account, for a young person, Hudson is a [much] more desirable place. --- With regard to your enquiries, I do enter the same class here that I was in at K- without having to make up anything, but I guess it was hard work!! Prof. Hickock was not at home when I arrived here but I gave the letter to him when he came back and he appeared very friendly [?], promised to assist me in anything he could if I would call on him. That music I will send if I can, if not; I will carry it myself when I can - I have no doubt you practice quite faithfully on your Piano but do not worship it. I am very glad to hear that the [Norwalk] Seminary prospers, that your geraniums grow and last but not least that Cliff is married. Oh! Yes and that your box of books is so near home. I should think that by the time you get it it will be worth more from the trouble it has [?] than from what it contains.

My health is very good thus far, but my eyes are getting weak again and I am afraid they will be too bad to admit of my studying [any] in the evening this winter. It hurts them to read long at at a time even by daylight. -- I talk of trying to learn to sing this winter. There is a Handel Society connected with the institution, but they do not admit any but those who are experts both in the theory and practice of singing. I have a very good roommate now - he is not very smart but seems to be a good fellow and [?]eauath his name is Burton from [Fredonia W.S]

We are not very hard pressed with studies now on account of the absence of Prof. Borrows our teacher in Latin - but as soon as he returns we probably will be - we have a great plenty of apples, such as they are, there is a large orchard across the road from the college to which we make free access, but our fare is what the hogs leave for thy being in all the time have the first choice. Give my best respects and love to all our friends and relatives and as not forget to write often to

Your affectionate brother

Jerome

Recommended Citation

Buckingham, Jerome, "Letter from Jerome Buckingham to his sister" (1839). 19th Century Correspondence. 52.
https://digital.kenyon.edu/correspondence_19thc/52