| Title: | James A. Smyth, Ontario to John James Smyth, Co Tyrone |
|---|---|
| ID | 2693 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Smyth, James Alexander/5(3) |
| Year | 1900 |
| Sender | Smyth, James Alexander |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | school teacher |
| Sender Religion | Protestant (Methodist) |
| Origin | Essex Co., Ontario, Canada |
| Destination | Co. Tyrone, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Smyth, John James |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | son-father |
| Source | Copyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com |
| Archive | Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge. |
| Doc. No. | 0410203 |
| Date | 06/01/1900 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | EMG |
| Log | Document added by LT, 28:10:2004. |
| Word Count | 828 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | Front of envelope Mr John James Smyth Castledamph Plumbridge Co Tyrone Ireland STAMPED ESSEX JA 6 00 ONT Postage Stamp Canada Postage Two Cents Back of envelope POSTMARK NEWTOWNSTEWART JA 19 00 Handwritten arrived January 19 1900 Essex Ont, January 6, 1900 Dear Father I received your letter last night and I am pleased to hear you are all doing well. I sent you a letter some time ago stating that I had passed my examination and at that time I had not much prospect of getting a school. However when I thought that all chances were gone. I got the offer of a school. It came about in this way. I came to Essex on Friday a week ago yesterday and after being in town[ a while the Teacher who had charge of this division in the public school got a telegram offering her a position on a High School Staff. She accepted thus causing a vacancy here. I happened to be pretty well acquainted with several members on the school board. W D [Beamer?] J.P. being one of them. He sent for me to go down to his office (I am there quite often as he and I have some good games at checkers) and then told me of the vacancy and I said that if I got it that I would accept it as I had no other. So he said he would try and and (sic) get it for me, so I got the school. I think I shall only get about $170 from now until June, but that is as much as I could get doing anything else. I have just two classes a Junior 3rd and a senior 3rd class and in the two there are about 50 pupils. School opened on Wednesday so that was my inition [initiation?] day. I did not say very much but yesterday I made a few of them stand around. There are some very bad boys and with Lady teachers they have being doing just as they please, but there is going to be a transformation very soon. They all or a good many of them know me on account of being herr [here?] for over 4 years and some of them are a little familiar. One of them said to me the first morning "how are you Jim" another said " Hello Jim." I think I have that taken out of them now. You see I am a teacher now so they must say Teacher or Mr Smyth just as they please. There [Their?] last teacher was a Miss McPherson B.A. and none of these that I am teaching ever had a male teacher before. My greatest trouble I think will be in making them have order. I don't allow no noise of any kind and when I ask a question I make all that know stand or raise hands and then answer when I ask them. This is a graded school. There are 5 teacher [teachers?]. Principal & 4 assistants I am next the Principal. If I can make a success of this school it will be easy for me to get another one after I leave herr [here?]. The salary herr [here?] is only about $300 per year. In fact there [they?] were giving Miss McPherson only $375. In regards to money I cannot say I have very much but I borrowed $30 which I think I can pay back when payday comes. Of that $30, I took part of it to pay for my suit of clothes and $10 of it to buy an overcoat. If you have plenty you might send some and I could send it back by May. You see I have a good many things to buy. Four years since I left home and I had a full stock on hand. It took $37 to fix me up. ie my suit $22 shoes $3.50 Coat $10 shirt $1.00 and then collars neckties and underwear So when is dressed (sic) there is about $40 worth of clothes on. In your letter you ask if there could be no post got in surveyor's that would pay as will [well?] as there. Do you mean as would pay as well as staying in this Country? Are these places easily got with you? I am not particulary [particularly?] struck on this country. As I have said before, if I can save enough money to take me back I might go over in June and have a look around. There are two months holidays in public schools in towns and cities. I forgot to tell you I had to buy a watch as I must have some regard now for the time of the day. so that is more money. This paper which so [is?] I think 3 pages will make the half ounce. So good Bye [goodbye?] for the present. James A Smyth Address James A Smyth Essex Ontario Canada Box 234 This Address is quite sufficient. Canada brings it to canada. Ontario brings it to province of Ont [Ontario?]. Essex brings it to Essex P.O. and when there Box 234 put in in that box and I can look through the glass and see if there is any mail without always asking. |
