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Title: James A Smyth, Ontario to John J Smyth, Co Tyrone
ID2752
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileSmyth, James Alexander/30
Year1896
SenderSmyth, James Alexander
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationstudent
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.0410037
Date27/09/1896
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
Log
Word Count943
Genre
Note
Transcript[Front of envelope]

Mr John J Smyth
Castledamph
Plumbridge
Co Tyrone
Ireland

[Stamped]
ESSEX
SP 28 96
ONT.

[Back of envelope]

[Stamped]
HAMILTON
SP 28 96
CANADA

[Stamped]
NEWTOWNSTEWART
OC 9 96

[Written]
-----d [arrived?] October 9th 1896





[Page 1]

South Woodslee
Sept 27th 96

Dear Father & Mother
I received your
letter on Sept 16th so I
suppose I am long in
answering it. I had just
sent you one a short time
before giving you the discouraging
new [news?] of my failure
on my examination.
Well if I had knew what
I did in a few days [I?]
would not gave you so a
bad picture. The reports of
the examination came

[Page 2]
back on Monday 7th Sept. I
failed on Bookkeeping not
because I did not know it
but I done single Entry
and it should be done by
Double Entry (those of you
who understand Bookkeeping
know the difference between
Single & Double) So I got no
marks at all in Bookkeeping
except for Writing and the check &
draft which was the last
question on the paper. The
reason I did Single was
that it was much quicker
and I wanted to try & get
70 or 80 per cent. as the time
was only 2 hrs I got 15 marks
or 15% on it so that was my
failure

[Page 3]
Bookkeeping was the only
subject that I new perfect
so it makes me feel sick
[of?] myself to see I failed
on the subject I knew best.
The following is the marks I
got in the other three subjects
(100 marks being the maximum
in each subject) Botany 64
Geography 60 Drawing 59
Bookkeeping 15 and
reading 20/50 total 218 which
is only 7 mark short of the
required number.
From the above you see I
got honors in three subject
50% gives honors and if
I had done my Bkeeping [Bookkeeping?]
in the right way I would
passed with honors

[Page 4]
In the drawing paper the
last question on back of
paper I did not see it
untill [until?] after Exam was over
so on four question I got 59 rite [right?]
I thought when I last wrote
that I failed in the other subj [subject?].
When the Principal saw the
high marks I made & knew
the mistake I made. He
promoted me to II Form.
so now I am ahead of all
my last years pupils except
three which are even with me.
I am now studying for a
professional Teacher's Certificate
which I intend to try for
next year. He told me
to not bother about those
[four?] subjects untill [until?] next
May or June

[Page 5]
We had [first?] entertainment in
School on Friday eve [evening?] at 1/2 past three
I gave a piece on violin. I see it
published in Windsor Record yesterday
I think this is enough School news.
Our Annual Exhibition at
Essex takes place on Wednesday
Thursday & Tuesday of this week
There is a prize of $10 offered
for the best Address of Welcome
to Governor General Lord
Aberdeen (who is going to be
present) and limited to pupil [pupils?]
of Essex County who have not
attended High School or College
more than one year. I entered
for the above named prize
yesterday. If I am successful
which I am not in no way
sure I will send you (sic)

[Page 6]
paper in which it is published
and if not successful I may
send you a copy of the one
I wrote and you can compare
with the one that gets the prize
I dont know whether there
are many enteries [entries?] on it or not
It was after 9 oclock last
night before I entered
If I win it will be alright
& if I loose [lose?] I will be out
nothing thats about the short
& long of it.
We are all well here
at present Uncle has the wheat
all in. We had a few night [nights?] frost
this week. I dont know what
farming [news?] [with?] you

Mr James A Smyth October

[Page 7]
My pen has got so bad that I am
afraid you will not be able to read
it, so I have to finish this with a
pencil I am sorry to hear of so
bad luck with you [your?] pigs. I hope
some of them survive. I suppose
the boys have plenty to do now
between road work and everything
else. Willie Gilkison was telling
me you had a new surveyor and
that he was pretty sharp. I hope
he does not get too much in that way
as it would make it bad for you
folks with the road at such a low
[-----?]. Avez-vous votre avoine
all in I had a French letter from
Willie so I think he can translate
this little sentence. Dites lui that
I will write to him and give him
Part French I am not extra
good [at?] it myself I have not
study [studied?] it very long but I will give
him some in next letter


[Page 8]
which I will be sure to answer
this week. After this I will
answer all letters the day I
receive them and thus I will
not keep people waiting so long
Did James Houston get one from
me I sent one to him & also to
Uncle Charles. I suppose Mary
Keep (sic) going to School yet. How
does Miss Dunbar get along
with her School. The pupils
there have not half the amount of
lesson [lessons?] to get up as they have here.
I think they should add a few
subjects [on?] [there?] such as History etc.
How is Willie John getting along
I suppose he remember (sic) me yet,
could he write me a letter.
Can he sing & dance as good as ever
I think I have said enough but
perhaps it is not very interesting

James A Smyth

Woodslee

write soon with all news


Transcribed by Alan Houston