LEROYPENNYSAVER&NEWS -OCTOBER 12, 2014
Coincidence?
byLynneBelluscio
High school student Elizabeth
Bolton has been working this
year at the Jell-O Gallery and
has become a great asset to
the team. Her personality and
enthusiasmenchantsourvisitors.
Next weekend she will become
one of the “ghosts” of LeRoy
House. Shehasagreed toportray
fifteen-yearoldAnnerPeck from
East Bethany who was a young
student at Ingham University.
Anner has come for tea with
MaryCox,whose family lives in
LeRoyHouse, andwhose father
is the university’s chancellor.
(Youmay rememberMary from
lastyear.She told thestoryof the
peacocks - - left behind by the
formerresidentsofLeRoyHouse,
theBartows.)
I gave Elizabeth a copy of
Anner’s diary and she started
reading it last week. “Mrs.
Belluscio, you’re not going to
believe this. My birthday is the
same day as Anner’s! January
18.” “I guess youweremeant to
tell Anner’s story. I think you’ll
find her diary very interesting.
She was only 15 when she
came toLeRoy tostartherstudies
at Ingham.Shewashomesickand
she hated the food. She didn’t
like her room because it was on
the back of the building and she
missed out on all the activity,
especially the soldiers when
they came to serenade the girls.
She wasn’t very impressed by
MaryCox’s father,who tended to
droneonat lecturesandsermons.
I think she was quite a typical
young college student.”
Sunday,February4,1862–We,
that is,Father,Motherandmyself,
started for Ingham University
early thisafternoon. Onarriving,
after an excellent sleigh ride,
we looked at the rooms, and
chose one in LeRoy Hall which
is up but one flight of stairs, and
occupied by a Miss Merle who
is to be my roommate. We then
wentdown town togeta few little
things that I shall need, so that
it was after four, I should think,
when I came for good. Father
and Mother staid a little while
to arrange different matters, but
when they left Ididnotknowwhat
to do, so I commenced usingmy
handkerchief vigorously. Soon
MissMerle came and tookme to
my room, and I took off my hood
and shawl, openedmy trunk, and
had commenced arranging my
possessions in the bureau when
a bell rang which she told me
was for supper, so I went down
with her and was seated at one
of four tables, while she went to
another The supper consisted of
biscuits and butter, applesauce
with nutmeg (which I detest)
cookies with caraway seed, tea
and water I did not mind that,
howeveras Ihadpreviouslymade
upmymind to be starved. After
teawewent to the schoolroom to
attendprayers,and thenupstairs
again. When it came to study
hours, I readoneofMissMerle’s
bookswhileshestudied,and thus
endeth the first lesson.”
Anner continued to keep her
diaryduringher freshmanyear - -
knownatInghamasher “Novian”
year.OnApril9thshewrote
“The
Physiology class ranged itself
upon therostrumpreciselyat two
o’clock this afternoon. Part of us
did very well but part did not. I
was questioned six times anddid
not fail once exactly although
there was a very little I did not
sayquite right. If Iwas everglad
to see the clock point three it
was today. After us the Geology
classwas examined.We received
moregoodnews tonight from the
seat of war. Another great battle
(The Battle of Shiloh) has been
fought in which from thirty-five
to forty thousand of the rebels
were killed and from eighteen to
twenty thousandof our troops. It
is good news in one sense of the
word but it is terrible to think of
suchanumber of lives sacrificed
over fifty thousand. I was tardy
for breakfast this morning for
the first time.”
The next day
she went to a baptism and had
a cryptic remark to make about
Mary Cox’s father:
“Dr. Cox
performed the ceremony and as
inhis lecturesTuesday evenings,
did not knowwhen to stop.”
June3rd–1862–WeReceived
sadnews today, especially so for
those at the college. There was
a report that Colonel Stanton
was wounded in the battle (Fair
Oaks) thathasrecentlyoccurred,
whether slightly or mortally we
cannot tell. They say that Mrs.
Stanton fainted away when she
heard itbut Idon’tknowhow true
it is. Shewill start tonight to go
to him. . . .”
Wednesday Sept 24 – 1862 -
My roommate is practicing on
the guitar in the room
because she is afraid
to go alone into any
of the music rooms. It
makes studying a rather
difficult occupation forme.”
FridayOctober 10 I have had
the blues terribly today the chief
cause I guess but hardly know
myself that I failed inone or two
of my classes and this noon I
cried so hard that I was obliged
tostayoutof theschoolroomand
one recitation this afternoon.
Father made arrangements
I expect for me to go to the
dentists tomorrow. I dread to
think of it but Imust do it or I
will have a worse time soon
besideabad looking smile.”
Anner Peck graduated in
1866and then taughtmusic
inBataviabefore teaching
in Chicago. She married
Robert McWilliams
in 1875 and moved to
Detroit.
