A small card dated Saturday, April 14, 1866, showing that E. Johanson had achieved a week of industry and good conduct at the Bowdoin School in Boston, Massachusetts.
Hopefully a reader will share the identity of student E. Johanson.
D. C. Brown was Daniel C. Brown (1814-1884), born in Kingston, New Hampshire on 28 October 1814, the son of Benjamin and Mary Brown. After graduating from Middlebury College in Vermont, he accepted a teaching position at Arlington, Massachusetts. Eventually he became Master at the Bowdoin School in Boston and served there for twenty-nine years.
He married Rosetta Jane Prescott, born 25 July 1841 at Deerfield, New Hampshire, daughter of James Prescott. Daniel and Rosetta had a daughter Rose Prescott Brown, born 28 June 1881, who, in 1905, married Henry Spaulding Coffin of Brookline, Massachusetts.
Daniel died 3 July 1884. A Memorial booklet with a sketch of his life and eulogies of friends and colleagues is online.
An excerpt about Daniel C. Brown, alluding to an intended's tragic death [not Rose, as she survived him], from The History of the Bowdoin School 1821-1907, by Leah L. Nichols-Wellington, Class of 1846, printed in 1912.
"With the departure of Master Andrews, disappeared
the inconvenient custom of the pupils occupying one room
in the morning for reading lessons and another in the af-
ternoon for writing lessons, which necessitated the con-
stant carrying of books forth and back. In preparation for
the coming of his successor, Mr. Daniel Colcord Brown, A.
M., previously sub-master of the Brimmer school for boys,
a partition was made in the upper room and the seats
throughout were turned around that the light might be be-
hind the scholars. The new master brought many novel
ideas, which he at once began to use for our benefit, espe-
cially in the matters of map drawing and composition writ-
ing. He had a large ledger-like book, into which the very
best of 'our monthly effusions were copied and then read
aloud to the class. I recall the longing I had, that one of
mine might be so honored, but cannot recollect that any
work of my brain was ever there. Mr. Brown tolerated
nothing that interfered with study; taught us to use books
of reference; gave us the idea that the world was larger
than our little community, and tried to show it to us by
'Familiar Science' readings, by papers prepared from the
'Commercial Encycolpaedia' and by 'Imaginary Travels.'
72 HISTORY OF THE BOWDOIN SCHOOL
Under his instruction the Bowdoin School became re-
nowned for their excellent penmanship. He loved the
earnest scholar, regardless of social standing, and knew how
to impart knowledge. He rejoiced in every success of his
pupils, but earnestly discouraged all strife for position, aim-
ing to send to the High School those who would maintain
the reputation of his school for high scholarship, whether
or not they should enter with the highest percentage of
any school in the city. In this he was so successful that
the high rank of the Bowdoin School in this particular was
unquestioned, while but one school ever excelled in the en-
trance examinations and that not invariably. The curricu-
lum was not so bound by authority as at present, and Mr.
Brown found opportunity to teach us English, French and
Ancient History, with all the departments of Physics, af-
terwards taken up at the High School.
"One day an attractive young lady visited the school,
and after she had gone a whisper was started by the assis-
tant, Miss Marcy Ann Smith, and eagerly circulated among
the girls, that this was Mr. Brown's 'intended.' Although
she never came again, the topic of our master's approach-
ing marriage was a favorite one. Early one afternoon, a
message came for Mr. Brown, which called him away for
several days. On the morning of his return, as he was
about to conduct the devotions, he opened the Bible at
random and read the passage upon which his eye fell,
'What man is he that liveth and shall not see death ? ' Ab-
ruptly closing the book he left the room, followed by Miss
Smith, a deep awe hushing us all. After a long time she
returned alone and told us, with tears, that the young lady
had died, and that it was her illness that had caused the re-
cent absence of Mr. Brown.
View Larger Map
No comments:
Post a Comment