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Title: J A Smyth, Ontario, to John Jas Smyth, Castledamph
ID2749
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileSmyth, James Alexander/28(2)
Year1903
SenderSmyth, James Alexander
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationschool teacher
Sender ReligionProtestant (Methodist)
OriginEssex Co., Ontario, Canada
DestinationCo. Tyrone, N.Ireland
RecipientSmyth, John J. and wife
Recipient Gendermale-female
Relationshipson-parents
SourceCopyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, castledamph@btinternet.com
ArchiveMr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge.
Doc. No.0310035
Date06/08/1903
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
LogDocument added by LT, 24:10:2003.
Word Count1057
Genre
Note
TranscriptEnvelope addressed to:-

Mr. John Jas Smyth
Castledamph
Plumbridge
Co Tyrone
Ireland

Postmarked on Front:-

ESSEX
Au6
03

Back of Envelope:-

Postmarked on Back of Envelope:-

NEWTOWNSTEWART
10AM
Au15
03

WINDSOR
Au6
03

Essex Ontario
August 6th 1903

Dear Father & Mother

It is now half past one at
night and I have spent the
last hour writing to Lizie
[Lizzie?] what I have called
a Subjective letter so now I
am writing the opposite. In
the first place I have now
about five week (sic) of my
holidays spent and although
I have been looking & wishing
for a letter or something to
keep my mind busy during that
time. Yet I never received any.
It is in reference to getting a
newsy letter and one now and
again that keep Willie Gilkinson
name fresh in my memory.
I really get tired writing home
and never get an answer or suggestion
in return. I don t be very long in
saying either there or here just what
I think right or wrong I get it out.
Some of them got mad years ago because
I made some remarks about mistakes in
their letters. It is much better to
have their mistakes pointed out by me
than laughed at by strangers who they
may happen to have correspondence with.
Probably Twenty times this Year the
assistants (sic) teacher have brought
in notes to me written by parents.
There were so many mistakes that you
would think the teachers would break
their sides laughing. I guess it is
better to have your mistakes pointed out
when young. Bella since her marriage
has sent me so many letters that I have
failed to answer any of them. It won t
surely kill you people to send a few
letters especially during holidays.
Well I am through on that line. School
commences on the first September this year.
We are going to have some changes. At
last nights board meeting Misses Arnold and
Raines resigned. I just wrote out an add
[ad?] for the paper to send tonight to
publish on Saturday for applications.
We had rather quite a [bit?] of [fun?] You
know we have promotion Examinations from
one Book to another at June. The teacher
next me (sic) did not do good work although
she was getting the highest salary $400 or
£84 about. I reported her work to the
Inspector and in the meantime a good many
people were complaining about their children
not passing. The result will be that the
trustee Board will ask her to resign or take
a lower room at a salary of £65 about. Of
course for my own part I think she can t do
the work.
Her uncle and cousin are on the School Board
but the uncle was not present last night.
However the cousin stuck up for her right and
left [ie?] the redoubtable Beaman that I have
mentioned before. Then a Mr. Francis said in
view of my work being so satisfactory he would
move that I get an increase of $25. This of
course Beaman did not like yet it was
carried. It is too bad that he cannot hold up
both hands when it comes to vote.
However I got the best of him at all times. Now
don t for a moment imagine that we fight with
each other or call names or anything like that.
In fact we speak etc as thought [though?] he was
all right. I got the raise in salary got Miss
Millar moved from Div 5 to Div 4 and I am pretty
sure Miss Pettapiece will get the bounce. So I
have manipulated things just to suit myself.
Inspector Maxwell sent a nice favorable report
as far as my work was concerned. I may ask the
Secretary of the Board for the report on the
pretense of reading it and copy it down and
send it to you so that you can see what he write
(sic) like. I am now getting $600 per Year
or for the ten month teaching (sic) $60 per
month $600 about £125 per year £10.10 a month
and two of those monnths [months?] I should be
running around the old country. We teach 200
days per year so I get about 10 shillings per
day.
Nine Years ago I was working for the Michegain
[Michigan?] Central Railway Co I have got up in
teaching just as quick or quicker than the most
of them. Yet I cannot thank anyone but myself.
I came here a perfect stranger 8 years ago.
Today they have me as principal of their
school. Certainly Uncle (sic) influence has
never helped me any. In fact they always thow
[throw?] out some sneering remark about Essex
and it s people when I am down there. No
wonder it make (sic) me mad. He could only
pay me $125 for a year and work day and night
for that. I also hate to see Mary stay so
much down there and ignore me and my associates
here. If she would stay always at my uncles
she and Sara [Duncan?] in time would make a
nice pair of old maids.
Where I am boarding now the people are gone to
visit friends at Niagara Falls. His brothers
children who live in the next house have been
gone three weeks and just got back. I am taking
my meals with them now. They are all going to
the Lake Erie where if you remember I camped
in 1898. I am also going with them and a few
other girls from London. We will be there all
August so I will have enough fun and sport
without reading or thinking of letters.
I was at Woodslee Sunday Charlie and Annie
were there and family. What do you think of
those pictures? As soon as I am settled at the
lake I am going to write Master James and a few
others. I must increase my correspondents at
home so as to get letters more regular. Well
I have written enough tonight. I am going to
[bed?] I am not going to re-read this to find
mistakes. I think I ll soon begin to count the
months to next year.

I have not heard Mary say yet what she intends
doing. What do you think about her going
another year to High School? I would like to
see her educated and then I ll guarentee
[guarantee?] she wont stay one
week at a time in Woodsee [Woodslee?].


J A [James Alexander?]Smyth


Transcribed by Elizabeth Prentice

Checked by Lorraine Tennant