Florida’s Featured Author ~ Julia Daniels Moseley

The first time I moved to Florida, after spending the first three decades of my life in Midwestern farming communities, I quickly fell in love with the state’s golden sunshine; the mid-afternoon showers (that didn’t block out the sun’s rays); the complicated history of a harsh, unforgiving land; and the celebration of multiple peoples—including pirates, Florida “crackers” (cowboys), conquistadores, Seminoles, tycoons, inventors, crazies, and quite a few more.

While settling into our new home with our young family, I read all kinds of books—nonfiction and fiction—about Florida’s past. This was one of my favorites.

The Book

“Come to My Sunland”: Letters of Julia Daniels Moseley from the Florida Frontier, 1882-1886 is about a 19th century Midwesterner—a sophisticated writer and artist—who falls in love with her new home despite the isolation and hardship she experiences.

Here’s an excerpt from the back cover copy:

“A frontierswoman of culture and refinement, [Julia] made Florida not only a home, but a canvas on which she painted old scrub lands east of Tampa in the 1880s, with their wild fields and hammock oases, their passion flowers and butterflies, mockingbirds and larks, lake vistas and flaming sunsets.”

Quick Bio

• Born ~ August 7, 1849 in Illinois
• Parents ~ Carlos and Elizabeth Daniels
• Married ~ Charles Scott Moseley on May 18, 1876
• Children ~ Carl “Karl” and Hallock Moseley
• Died ~ August 7, 1917 (68 years old)
• Buried ~ Limona Cemetery, Brandon, Florida

The book’s introduction says this about Julia:

“The embodiment of great personal charm and fancy, she put her roots firmly down into the Florida soil. She was a Renaissance woman and a cosmopolitan in the wilderness” (p. 5).

The Legacy

Julia’s granddaughter, Julia Winifred Moseley, was the co-editor of the collection of letters along with Betty Powers Crislip. Both were officers of Timberly Trust, Inc., the organization tasked with preserving the Moseley homestead.

On March 21, 2019, the younger Julia’s 100th birthday was celebrated as Julia Moseley Day, The mayor of Brandon, Florida, read a proclamation that included this accolade: 

“Julia Moseley is the personification of a protector of Florida history.”

At that time, Julia Winifred Moseley still lived at “The Nest,” the home built by her grandparents in the 1880s. The fourteen-acre property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

“When you pull into the property, it is as if you have been transported back in time. Most of the buildings on the property are original to the period of ownership. The main house still has the original wall covering which consists of palmetto fiber on painted burlap. This unique wall covering was taken down and exhibited at the World’s Fair in Chicago in 1893” (Osprey Observer).

Home Again

Last April I became a Florida resident for the third time. I’m home again, back to where sandhill cranes stroll through the neighborhood, a family of wild turkeys sometimes scamper across the road, and at least one alligator lives in the pond behind our house.

As a tribute to my adopted state, my posts over the next several months will highlight a few of Florida’s historic authors, artists, and architects.

A virtual tour of the Moseley Homestead can be taken at the University of South Florida’s Digital Heritage & Humanities Collections site.

The latest edition of “Come to My Sunland,” with an updated cover, is available on Amazon.

Johnnie Alexander is a bestselling, award-winning novelist of more than thirty works of fiction in multiple genres. She is both traditionally and indie-published, serves as board secretary for the Mosaic Collection, LLC (an indie-author group) and faculty chair for the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference; co-hosts Writers Chat, a weekly online show; and contributes to the HHHistory.com blog. With a heart for making memories, Johnnie is a fan of classic movies, stacks of books, and road trips. Connect with her at JohnnieAlexander.com.

Photo ~ Moseley Homestead (“The Nest’) ~ Photo taken by Ebyabe; used under CC BY-SA 3.0license. File:Brandon FL Moseley Homestead dwy01.jpg. Created: 9 July 2011. Uploaded to Wikipedia: 12 July 2011

Sources

Osprey Observer ~ https://www.ospreyobserver.com/2019/04/julia-moseley-celebrates-100th-birthday-at-her-family-home-known-as-the-nest/

USF Digital Heritage and Humanities Collections ~ https://dhhc.lib.usf.edu/moseley/

Blizzards of the 19th Century - Guest Post by Jodie Wolfe

Perhaps not many are aware of the great blizzards of the 19th Century, particularly from December 1885 to March 1888. The eastern United States and Great Plains suffered the most. It’s believed that a huge volcano explosion in the South Pacific in August 1883 was the cause of the huge snowstorms in the following few years.

A couple years before this storm, Laura Ingalls Wilder chronicled the effect of blizzards in her book The Long Winter that hit the Dakota Territory in 1880-81. Old photos show a train track cleared of snow and 8-12 feet of snow on either side in Minnesota. 

It’s reported in towns the drifts were as high as the buildings and people had to dig tunnels to be able to get around. Some folks were caught out in the storm because of the fierce wind and snow. People became lost and disoriented, sometimes dying a few yards from their home. Some prepared as the storm hit by tying a rope between their homes and a barn so they wouldn’t become lost in the blinding winds and snow.

On January 1-3 and January 6-8, 1886, a set of blizzards swept across the plains in what would become known as “The Great Blizzard of 1886.” Temperatures dropped to 30 degrees below zero with negative

wind chills. Drifts as high as twelve feet or more were common throughout the state of Kansas.

Before the storm hit, temperatures had been quite warm and rainy. One report I read from a Kansas farmer commented about how much his cows drank because of the heat.
An estimated 100 lives lost in the Kansas storm, were attributed to freezing to death. Over seventy-five percent of the livestock were decimated during this storm in some areas – over 100,000 cattle. Wildlife also lost their lives by freezing to death.

Train travel stalled with 12-foot-high drifts covering the tracks.

A storm that hit March 11-14, 1888, was often referred to as the ‘Great White Hurricane’. Warm temperatures were followed by plunging temperatures and wicked winds. The East Coast was blanketed in 50 feet high drifts. Boston, New York, and other cities were hit hard by snow blocking roads, knocking out telephone, telegraph, and rail service for several days. Many lives were lost in this storm.

What an incredible time in history, particularly if you’re a snow lover like me. :) I enjoyed utilizing the information from these blizzards in my upcoming book release, Convincing Lou.

Jodie Wolfe creates novels where hope and quirky meet. She is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW), and Faith, Hope, & Love Christian Writers (FHLCW). She's been a semi-finalist and finalist in various writing contests. A former columnist for Home School Enrichment magazine, her articles can be found online at: Crosswalk, Christian Devotions, and Heirloom Audio. When not writing she enjoys spending time with her husband in Pennsylvania, reading, knitting, and walking. Learn more at www.jodiewolfe.com.

Convincing Lou 

How hard can it be to round up one delinquent groom? 

Ellie Lou Williams will do just about anything to save her ranch, even going undercover as a man to round up a fella who is late to his own wedding. The reward will more than cover the money she owes the bank and solve all her problems.

Caleb Martin agrees to one final job as a deputy U.S. Marshal before he starts his new life away from the trail and tracking criminals. What he isn’t counting on is a mysterious bounty hunter who’s determined to undermine his every step.

Will one reach their goal first? Or will they learn to lean on God and work together?

*Winter images royalty free use from Pixabay.

A Wild West Icon: The Traveling Medicine Show

What did folks do for entertainment in the Wild West? Well, yes. A certain element of society occupied themselves with gambling, drinking, and ladies of easy virtue. What about everyone else? I’m talking about the homesteaders, merchants, and school teachers who forged a life for themselves by honest labor. These townsfolk might meet at religious observances or socialize at occasions like barn dances, weddings, and harvest parties. However, most of the time they stayed home and were content to take care of household chores. That changed whenever the Medicine Show rolled into town.

A Wild West Icon: The Traveling Medicine Show by Janalyn Voigt

From the mid-1800’s to early in 1900, a uniquely American extravaganza promoted intriguing products offered by patent medicine companies. Based on the performances of traveling charlatans who stepped into the gap after circuses and theaters were banned in 14th-century Europe, the Medicine Show featured acts usually found in a circus. Jugglers, muscle men, magicians, singers and dancers, and ventriloquists were among the performers. Wild West and Native American themes abounded, although the shows also appeared in others parts of America. Sometimes the shows took on Indian names due to the Indian-named medicines they offered, a variation called a traveling Indian Medicine Show.

"Indian tonics occupied a special niche in old medicine shows, and the Kickapoo Indian tribe salesmen were extremely successful in selling theirs by putting on an impressive show to draw in customers. “New Nationalism” (drum) was Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive platform in the 1912 presidential election. This 1910 lithograph depicts an Indian medicine show performer trying his best to sell “Outlook Tonic” to a crowd of skeptics." FDA

Smooth-talking “medicine men” billed as “doctors” or “professors” extolled the virtues of elixers, medicines, linaments and ointments from the back of ornate wagons. The slick salesmen convinced their audiences that their potions could remedy almost any ailment, including veneral disease, tuberculosis, colic, digestive ailments, female complaints, and even cancer. Many of the linaments contained snake oil, which gave rise to the term “snake-oil salesman” to describe the dishonest salesman of an ineffective product.

Many of the supposed miracle cures did not pass muster, but buyers wouldn’t realize this until after the show moved on. A few were laced with alcohol, morphine, opium, or cocaine and marketed for children. Actual doctors and medical scholars objected to patent medicines, complaining that they didn’t work, created drug and alcohol dependencies, and kept sick people from seeking professional treatment, In the late 19th century, temperance adherents objected to the use of alcohol in medicines.

This product contained cocaine. Visual motif: Shows young woman emerging from behind a pillar on which is written Brown's Iron Bitters.

Responding the the prevailing pressures, in 1881 drug manufacturers founded “The Proprietary Association” and fought the calls for regulation. They were aided in the mission by the press, which enjoyed advertizing dollars from medicine makers. Despite their efforts, the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 demanded that ingredients appear on medicine labels. It also cracked down on false advertising.

"This is one of five printed, gummed labels for patent medicines marketed as cures for Cholera Morbus, a historical, obsolete term for a gastrointestinal ailment characterized by fever, diarrhea, and vomiting. Each label includes specific medicine names, such as Cholera Balm and McLaughlin's Magic Relief, as well as dosage instructions." Science History Institute, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Not all medicine-show products were “quack medicine.” Some, like Pepto Bismol, Listerine, Bayer Aspirin, Milk of Magnesia. Ex-Lax, and Richardson’s Croup and Pneumonia Cure Salve (modern-day Vick’s Vaporub) withstood the test of time.

I had fun researching traveling medicine shows for The Promise Tree, part of the Montana Gold western historical romance series. In the story, young Liberty Hayes' search for answers to her identity leads her to an unexpected surprise at a medicine show. 

About Janalyn Voigt

Janalyn Voigt fell in love with literature at an early age when her father read chapters from classics as bedtime stories. When Janalyn grew older, she put herself to sleep with tales "written" in her head. Today Janalyn is a storyteller who writes western historical romance and medieval epic fantasy. Romance, mystery, adventure, history, and whimsy appear in all her novels in proportions dictated by their genre.

Learn more about Janalyn Voigt and her books.

  

Unsung Heroes - Our Local Museums

When was the last time you visited a hometown historical museum? Did you ever wonder where the funding comes from or who keeps them running? If it were not for generous individuals with a love of history, who would preserve the past? To the men and women (and sometimes children) that give of their time, energy, and resources to impart your combined knowledge, I for one am grateful.

One such venue, the Tabor House in Ellijay, Georgia recently 

hosted an Open House. Volunteers dressed in period clothing, and shared information about life in bygone times. From an explanation of the history of Cherokee in Georgia to a demonstration by two enthusiastic young children about toys of the time, it was an eye-opening event. I learned bits and pieces about the area and era that I had never heard of before. I was able to envision what life was like in the mountains of Georgia in the late 19th/early 20th century. 

The Tabor family and its many branches inhabited Gilmer County from near its inception. Early Tabors built a home near the center of Ellijay. They supported the local Oakwood Academy private school. Before government funded public schools, families paid for their children to attend classes. Neat tidbit, the first woman to graduate college in Gilmer County emanated from Oakwood Academy. Miss Emma Tabor attended Wesleyan College and received her degree in 1889. 

One descendant, Herbert, was known as “Tall Tabor.” A graduate of Young Harris College, Herbert began a career in banking and later founded the first insurance company in the mountains. With a reputation of honesty, he served his local community. He was the father of the Mountain Fair that began in 1950. 

A serious liver condition sent Herbert to the hospital. Unable to work or walk, he read about hydroponic gardening. A newspaper article titled, “One Man’s Garden Started in a Bottle… at Hospital,” explains how Herbert inquired of the local dentist to drill holes in glass bottles. He hung these receptacles on his front porch (see photo above) to grow vegetables. A lengthy convalescence helped Herbert expand his knowledge and produce. The article exclaims of his mammoth, juicy tomatoes, and yard squash. Yes, thirty-six inches long! His hobby became a passion, and he eventually took his prized produce to the Mountain Fair.

This son of an Ordinary, Judge Thomas Tabor, was known for his storytelling prowess. While healthy, he made rounds to the local stores and sat at the "Liar's bench" outside the courthouse. He gathered gossip and tall tales to share at future gatherings. He could weave a yarn with the best of them is part of his legacy.

The Gilmer County Library archives feature a book entitled, The Mountains Within Me, by none other than Zell Miller. The inscription inside this copy reads, "To Herbert Tabor, the most eloquent spokesman our mountains have ever had. Thank you for your friendship. - Zell Miller"

We can imagine this gentleman walking to the hardware and general stores, sitting on his porch, and tending his plants. Can we picture what it was like inside his home? Thanks to those preserving the past, we can get an idea of his daily life.

We step onto the porch, go through the door into the parlor. We look to the tin ceiling tiles and hear the wood floors creak before we even notice the wide and weathered planks. The pipe organ with its hidden bellows rests just beyond in the living room. The kitchen in the early days of this home would have been outside as a separate building to prevent fires. 

One volunteer explained the use of carbide in houses. Much like people have propane tanks to fuel various appliances in their homes today, carbide tanks supplied energy to light the sconces and ceiling light fixtures in some homes of this time.

For our education, a mock kitchen displays wares of the past. A wood burning stove, hand irons, brooms, cast iron pots and pans are a few of the items on display. Canned goods, hand beaters, a grinder and Ball Mason jars flank the shelves.

Narrow stairs lead up to the bedrooms. As feet were noticeably smaller in that period, the depth of these steps is roughly the size of a woman's US size six shoe.

At the top of the stairs the children's bedrooms allow visitors to comprehend a bit more of daily practices. The bed shows why we hear, "Sleep tight." The ropes tied along the pegs were often tightened to keep them taught and support the weight of the people sleeping on the tick (mattress).

There is a "toilet" in the corner. An outhouse did exist on the property. This convenience, however, served a purpose at night. Sears catalogues met needs instead of toilet paper. This I learned long ago on my uncles' farm. However, on this trip to the Tabor House, the docent explained that families in the area used corn cobs as well. That is a fact I did not learn at home or in school. Did you?

There is a room honoring those who served and serve in the United States Armed Forces. Enlightening exhibits in this room give a glimpse into life as a soldier. One item is a bullet used during surgery. In the absence of anesthesia, patients would bite down on an item to bear the pain. One object used was a lead bullet. Hence the phrase, "Bite the bullet." 

Resurrection Morn hangs on the wall. This story is from November 1863 when Rev. Willie Ragland baptized Goodwin of Company A in the Rapidan River. The Northern Army was just across the water. As the Southern soldiers approached the bank, they began to sing the old hymn, "There is a Fountain Filled with Blood." The Northern soldiers joined in and sang from across the river. War stopped for a time and peace ensued as one soldier said goodbye to his old body and welcomed in the new through Jesus.

If you would like to visit the Tabor House or support their efforts, the museum is open to the public mid-March to mid-December. 138 Spring Street, Ellijay, GA 20540

As a child, Rebecca loved to write. She nurtured this skill as an educator and later as an editor for an online magazine. Rebecca then joined the Cru Ministry - NBS2GO/Neighbor Bible Studies 2GO, at its inception. She serves as the YouVersion Content Creator, with over 100 Plans on the Bible.com app.

Rebecca lives near the mountains with her husband and a rescued dog named Ranger. If it were up to her, she would be traveling - right now. As a member of ACFW and FHLCW, Rebecca learns the craft of fiction while networking with a host of generous writers. She is working on her first fiction novel. This story unfolds from the 1830s in Northern Georgia.

Connect with Rebecca: Clubhouse Facebook Goodreads Instagram Pinterest Twitter

American Colloquial Sayings from History + Giveaway

By Tiffany Amber Stockton

In December, I wrapped up a year of featuring Kentucky frontiersman and notable settlers. If you missed last month's post, you can read it here.

Today, it's a stroll down the language lane of history with some catch phrases coined for specific times, but they have since developed a meaning slightly different than originally intended.

AMERICAN COLLOQUIALISMS

Shotgun!

The best seat in the car is shotgun — AKA the front passenger’s seat. The term was inspired by America’s Wild West stagecoach days. That "shotgun" seat was occupied by the man holding the shotgun to protect the stagecoach driver and the contents or people being transported. It often meant U.S. Mail or in some cases payroll prior to the train being used for such transportation. If you ever see a group sprinting toward a vehicle while yelling “shotgun,” chances are they’re just trying to lay claim to this coveted spot, and not necessarily looking to protect anyone else's interests but themselves. :)

Take a Rain Check

If you’re looking to politely turn down an offer for drinks with colleagues, or a last-minute dinner invite, you might tell someone you’ll “take a rain check.” This charming Americanism comes from baseball. If a game was rained out, ticket holders were given a ticket — or rain check — for a future game. Originally hand-written, they shifted to being typed and eventually computer-printed. Since this sport has often been played in the spring, when rains are abundant, games getting rained out is a common occurrence. Where I used to live in Colorado, they have always had shorter seasons due to spring rains.

John Hancock

America’s colonial history pops up in American slang. If you ask for someone’s John Hancock, you’re asking for their signature. John Hancock was a real man, an American revolutionary patriot who made a literal name for himself with his flamboyant signature on the Declaration of Independence in 1776. He is known for his audacious action, saying if he was going to put his name on such a treasonous document, there would be no doubt whatsoever that it was him! He was just one of many bold and determined founding fathers who forged this great nation.

Freshmen / Sophomores / Juniors / Seniors

Whether you’re in high school or university, American students typically progress through these levels, based on their year of study — a practice not followed outside of America. Interestingly, these terms originated at the University of Cambridge in England, only to fall out of favor until they were revived by Cambridge graduate John Harvard, when he, you guessed it, founded Harvard College. Today, these distinctions belong solely and uniquely to students attending higher learning institutions in the U.S. In other countries, studies are classified by "first year" followed by the degree path.

More Bang for Your Buck

This American expression refers to getting a good deal, but the origins are a little more nefarious. President Dwight D. Eisenhower coined the phrase in the 1950s, with the aim of expanding America’s armed forces while decreasing military spending. He believed a strong economy was just as important as a strong military presence, but he also believed the United States shouldn't get involved in some of the more petty and smaller skirmishes and wars with what he considered insignificant countries. Instead, he felt the U.S. should engage with the nuclear weapons and utilize its power to threaten rather than demonstrate its strength through the free enterprise system and individual liberties.

In the Ballpark

While a professional ballpark is defined by the baseball diamond, the outfield, the stands, the concessions, and the walls around it, neighborhood fields might not have the same boundaries. Even the original fields where baseball was first played had rather loose boundaries. Sometimes, it might be a copse of trees, a fence, town buildings, or even a barn or body of water. What made this sport so appealing is it could be played anywhere, including in the street, an open field, or in a yard behind a house.

So when the word "ballpark" is used off the field, it usually means you're in the right general area, but maybe not within specific and exact boundaries. You can ballpark an estimate, hit something out of the ballpark, or meet someone’s guidelines by being in the same ballpark. It's similar to horseshoes. You'd be "close enough" to win.

NOW IT'S YOUR TURN:

* What phrases above do YOU use on a regular basis?

* Do you know of a colloquial phrase with origins in American history that is still popular today?

* Share some of your favorite phrases, even if you don't know their origins.

Leave answers to these questions or any comments you might have on this post in the comment box below. For those of you who have stuck around this far, I'm going to start a new pattern of sending a FREE autographed book to one person each and every month from the comments left on this blog. You never know when your comment will be a winner!

Come back on the 9th of February to learn about .

For those interested in my "fictional" life as an author and industry news about other authors, subscribe to my quarterly newsletter. Receive a FREE omitted chapter from my book, A Grand Design, just for subscribing!

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BIO

Tiffany Amber Stockton has been crafting and embellishing stories since childhood, when she was accused of having a very active imagination and cited with talking entirely too much. Today, she has honed those skills to become an award-winning, best-selling author and speaker who is also an advocate for literacy as an educational consultant with Usborne Books. She loves to share life-changing products and ideas with others to help improve their lives in a variety of ways.

She lives with her husband and fellow author, Stuart Vaughn Stockton, along with their two children and four cats in southeastern Kentucky. In the 20 years she's been a professional writer, she has sold twenty-six (26) books so far and is represented by Tamela Murray of the Steve Laube Agency. You can find her on Facebook and GoodReads.

Maryland, My Maryland, Part 6

Today is our last stroll through my native state of Maryland. I hope you’ve enjoyed the journey as much as I have. For this last post, we’ll be visiting the town of Laurel where my recent release, Estelle’s Endeavor, is set. Laurel also happens to be where my mom was born, and I’m pleased to be honoring her in this small way. If you missed last month’s post about the Central Region, you can visit it here: https://www.hhhistory.com/2022/11/maryland-my-maryland-part-5.html.

Laurel’s beginning hearkens back into the 1600s when the Calverts arrived, then a short time later a man named Richard Snowden who was known as “The Immigrant.” He was a wealthy Welshman who served under Cromwell before coming to Maryland. He and his descendants would continue to find success in the fledgling colony, first in the iron business, then with textile mills.

On April 4, 1870, Governor Oden Bowie signed the Act that incorporated “Laurel Factory” as a town, so named for the copious mountain laurel trees and manufacturing facilities in the area. Five years later, the town dropped “Factory” from its name.

Because of its proximity to the fall line of the Patuxent River, Laurel was the perfect location for mills. A stone flouring mill was constructed in 1811, then converted to the production of cotton duck in 1824. The Patuxent Manufacturing Company followed in 1835, then Avondale Mill in 1845. As a mill town, the population exploded, and a building boom followed as over 700 workers and their families descended upon the area.

Like much of Maryland, Laurel was divided during the Civil War. Union soldiers patrolled the railroad

Courtesy Laurel Historical Society

and there was a Union hospital that was associated with a larger facility in Annapolis, but the town had its share of Southern sympathizers. After the war, the community continued to grow and was the site of several firsts for Prince George’s County: first public library, first public high school, and first national bank (Citizens National Bank where my grandfather banked until he passed away in 1991). The town also is home to the oldest continuously operating volunteer fire department (started after a devastating that occurred in 1899).

The Laurel Sanitarium opened in 1905 on a 163-acre farm, and in 1911, the Laurel Park Racetrack was constructed. Still operating today as an important thoroughbred horse racing venue, the track also hosted harness racing from 1948 to 1990. In February 1913, Rosalie Gardiner Jones led a Suffrage hike through the town on her way to see President-elect Wilson.

By World War I, the cotton mill had closed, so it was used as a staging area for soldiers from Fort Meade (where my mother worked as a secretary in the early years of her marriage, and where a young Lt. Dwight D. Eisenhower was stationed. As with the rest of the country, the Depression hit Laurel hard. Stores shut their doors and families moved in together. Stories abound about the hobos that got off the train to ask for food or clothing.

Pixabay/David Mark

Fort Meade came into play again during WWII, and the town and its residents were deeply involved in wartime activities. The Laurel Women’s Club sold war bonds and stamps from the lobby of the Laurel Theatre, and a large USO facility located on Lafayette Avenue served thousands of troops. The city held blackout drills, and the cupola at the top of the high school was converted to an air raid observation post where more than fifty residents took turns working as plane spotters.

Today, Laurel is home to more than 25,000 residents as well as several Department of Defense facilities such as Fort Meade, NSA, and Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, a far cry from its humble beginnings. Click here to take a walking tour.

_________________

Estelle's Endeavor

Will a world at war destroy a second chance at love?

Estelle Johnson promised to wait for Aubry DeLuca, but then she receives word of his debilitating injuries. Does she have the strength to stand by him in his hour of need?

Aubry DeLuca storms the beaches at Normandy, then wakes up in the hospital, his eyes bandaged. Will he regain his sight? Will the only woman he’s ever loved welcome him home or is he destined to 

go through life blind and alone?

Purchase Link: https://amzn.to/3yMc1QQ

Linda Shenton Matchett writes about ordinary people who did extraordinary things in days gone by. A volunteer docent and archivist for the Wright Museum of WWII, Linda is a former trustee for her local public library. She is a native of Baltimore, Maryland and was born a stone’s throw from Fort McHenry (of Star Spangled Banner fame). Linda has lived in historic places all her life, and is now located in central New Hampshire where her favorite activities include exploring historic sites and immersing herself in the imaginary worlds created by other authors. Learn more about Linda and her books at http://www.LindaShentonMatchett.com

Normal Schools

"Wanted Immediately: A Sober diligent Schoolmaster capable of teaching READING, WRITING, ARITHMETICK, and the Latin TONGUE... Any Person qualified, and well recommended, will be put into immediate Possession of the School, on applying to the Minister of Charles Parish, York County."
The Virginia Gazette, August 20, 1772

If you’ve read historical fiction or watched Little House on the Prairie, you’ve probably heard of the term “normal school.” But what exactly is that?

Early schoolhouse. Note that some of the children are barefoot

A normal school is an institution created to train high school graduates to be teachers by educating them in the norms of curriculum and pedagogy (most commonly understood as the approach to teaching, refers to the theory and practice of learning, and how this process influences, and is influenced by, the social, political and psychological development of learners). That’s quite a mouthful. It simply means they were taught how to teach primary school. Normal schools were intended to improve the quality of the burgeoning common school system by producing more qualified teachers. 

From colonial times and into the early decades of the 19th century, most teachers were men. There were, of course, career schoolmasters, but, especially in smaller and rural schools, the people who stood in front of the classroom might well be farmers, surveyors, even innkeepers who kept school for a few months a year in their off-season. The more educated and ambitious schoolmasters were young men who made the schoolroom a stepping-stone on their way to careers in the church or the law. The connections they made with local ministers and school committees in securing teaching jobs often helped them when they moved on to their real professions.

"The grammar schoolteachers have rarely had any education beyond what they have acquired in the very schools where they have to teach. Their attainments, therefore, to say the least, are usually very moderate." 

James Carter, Education Reformer, 1826

Horace Mann

Reformers like Horace Mann had agitated to make schooling more democratic, universal and non-sectarian. But as new public schools, called Common Schools, sprang up everywhere, there simply were not enough schoolmasters to staff them. Mann and his fellow reformers like James Carter, Henry Barnard, and Catharine Beecher saw that the schools needed not only more teachers, but better teachers. Many of the most promising young men continued to be siphoned off by more prestigious professions, as well as by new industries and the lure of the western frontier. So where would the army of new teachers come from? There was, of course, another ready source of labor, if reformers could convince the public to accept it. Women were poised to take over the schoolroom.

  

The inside of a Normal Schools looks much the same as a regular school room

The first public normal school in the United States was founded in Concord, Vermont by Samuel Read Hall in 1823 to train teachers. Sixteen years after Columbian School had been founded in Vermont, the first state-funded normal school was founded in the neighboring state of Lexington, Massachusetts on the northeast corner of the historic Lexington Battle Green. It later evolved into Framingham State University, and it is recognized as the oldest, continuously operated public normal school in the United States.

Lexington School

The State normal school in New Britain was founded in 1849. It was the first training school for teachers in the state of Connecticut. The school is now Central Connecticut State University.

The first normal school west of the Appalachian Mountains in the United States was the Michigan State Normal School, now Eastern Michigan University. It was created by legislative action in 1849 and opened in Ypsilanti, Michigan.

Salem Normal School, now Salem State University, was founded in 1854 as the fourth Normal School in Massachusetts. In 1853, the General Court authorized the founding of a normal school in Essex County. Prior to the founding of the normal school, Salem women had few opportunities to receive teacher training and the Salem school system was replete with funding, attendance, and teacher compensation problems. It was assumed that by training women as teachers, they could be hired at a lower salary than male teachers, thus alleviating the city's public school budget and teacher compensation challenges.

First graduation class Kansas State Normal School

One of the first Normal Schools in the Midwest was founded In 1863, when the Kansas Legislature passed an act to establish the Kansas State Normal Schools, starting with the first in Emporai, KS, which eventually became Emporia State University Teachers College. From 1870 through 1876, Leavenworth Nornal School operated in Leavenworth, KS, and from 1874 through 1876 Concordia Normal School operated in Concordia, KS, but the "miscellaneous appropriations bill of 1876" caused Leavenworth and Concordia to close and consolidated operations at the Emporia location. Other normal schools were opened in Kansas including in 1902 the Wstern Branch of the Kansas Normal in Hays, KS, eventually becoming Fort Hays State University.

Bowie State University

In 1865, established by The Baltimore Association for the Moral and Educational Improvement of the Colored People, School #1 opened on January 9, 1865 in the African Baptist Church in Crane's Building on the corner of Calvert and Saratoga streets. In 1867, with the aid of the Freedmen's Bureau, the Quakers of England and others. The Baltimore Association purchased and renovated the Old Friends Meeting House at the corner of Saratoga and Courtland streets to house the Baltimore Normal School for Colored Teachers. The school moved to Bowie, MD in 1911, changing its name to the Maryland Normal and Industrial School at Bowie in 1914. Today, this school exists as Bowie State University.

Many other normal schools were established all across the United States and in other countries. These schools were a critical part of settling the western states in the U.S. and educating teachers, who in turn, taught a multitude of students. Maybe one of your ancestors attended normal school. If so, please tell us about him or her.

The Hand-Me-Down Husband

Vickie McDonough

Ellen aims to take her sister’s baby back to St. Louis to raise as her own. Tessa’s father isn’t about to let that happen.

Ellen Stewart despises Lance Garrett. If not for him dashing into Isabelle’s life and stealing her heart and filling her head with his dreams, her little sister would still be alive and safe at home. When Ellen receives Lance’s letter requesting help with one-year-old Tessa, she rushes to Silver Springs, intent on taking charge of her young niece. A rugged ranch in the wilds of Texas is no place for a motherless baby. But Lance may not be so willing to let his daughter go. 

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Vickie McDonough is the CBA, EPCA and Amazon best-selling author of 50 books and novellas. Vickie grew up wanting to marry a rancher, but instead, she married a computer geek who is scared of horses. She now lives out her dreams penning romance stories about ranchers, cowboys, lawmen, and others living in the Old West. Vickie’s books have won numerous awards including the Booksellers Best and the Inspirational Readers’ Choice awards. When she’s not writing, Vickie enjoys reading, doing stained-glass projects, gardening, watching movies, and traveling. To learn more about Vickie’s books or to sign up for her newsletter, visit her website: www.vickiemcdonough.com