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Title: [?] [?], Ontario to Bella Smyth, Castledamph
ID2767
CollectionIrish Emigration Database
FileSmyth, James Alexander/38(2)
Year1897
SenderSmyth, James Alexander
Sender Gendermale
Sender Occupationstudent
Sender ReligionProtestant (Methodist)
OriginEssex Co., Ontario, Canada
DestinationCo. Tyrone, N.Ireland
RecipientSmyth, Bella M.
Recipient Genderfemale
Relationshipsiblings
SourceCopyright Retained by Mr & Mrs J Smyth, Castledamph, Plumbridge, Co Tyrone, Castledamph@btinternet.com
ArchiveMr & Mrs J Smyth
Doc. No.0604162
Date15/08/1897
Partial Date
Doc. TypeEMG
Log
Word Count607
Genre
Note
Transcript[Front of envelope]

Miss Bella M. Smyth
Castledamph
Plumbridge
Co Tyrone
Ireland

[Stamped]
SOUTH WOODSLEE
[---?]

[Postage Stamp]
[Majority torn off]
[Canada Postage]
5 [Cents]

[Back of envelope]
[NEWTOWNSTEWART?]
AM
10.45
AU [26?]
97







[Written at top]
Arrived
Aug 25th 1897


South Woodslee
Aug. 15th '97

Dear Sister
I am able now
to give you all the news
concerning my examinations
but I am sorry to say that
it is not as good as it might
have been. You have likely
received the paper I sent you
in which you see I passed the
first examination or the
Commercial that is Geography
Botany, Book-keeping, Drawing
and Reading. I passed this
exam with honours (i.e. 67% or
over on each subject)

[page 2]
the other examinations were
published last night and I
did not pass for a third class
but I passed 1st part of
Matriculation that is on the
following subjects Grammar
and Rhetoric, History, Physics
and Arithmetic.
Now if I had got the required
no of marks on the eight subjects,
Grammar and Rhetoric Physics
Arith., History, Algebra, Euclid,
Composition, Literature. I
would got 3rd class so that
I have either failed on Comp.
Euclid or Lit (but not on
Alg. as I know I have
about 65% on that subject)
or else I had not enough

[page 3]
marks on the total. The languages
goes for a bonus if you get
over 33% on each subject.
However I passed two exams
out of three and one with honours
and I did not intend to
teach so it makes no difference
as I do not have to try this
examination over again.
The reason why I want to try
and get a second is that
before you can teach on a 3rd
you would have to go to Model
or training school to Xmas
and then it would only last
three years. So I intended to
go on for a second any how
that if I got the means
and I passed the necessary

[page 4]
subjects for that. Just
the same as if I had passed on
all. I will know when school
opens what I failed on and
perhaps I may be only a few
marks behind if so I will
appeal the exam. It will
cost two dollars for the appeal
but if I win I will get the
money back. I was the only
one that failed on primary and
passed the 1st part, the others were
total failures. If you have [today?]
list I sent Willie Gilkison [Gilkinson?]
you will see the names of
the passed, Annie [Caslon?],
Sybil Cunningham,
John B. Moran, Kathleen Miller,
Marie Jane McHugh, Maud
MacRae (honors.) Renee Raines,
Gertie Reannie, Mabel Rorke [Rourke?],


[Page 5]
5
The following only tried
1st part of form II, W.E. James,
Chas E. [Kunster?], Chas [Charles?]
J. McHugh and these three and myself
are the only ones got it.
I think I have given you
enough examination news
and I may say in conclusion
that I am pretty well satisfied
with the results, of course if I
had passed on all three it
would been [sic] better, but I did
fairly well for the time.
I have some of last weeks
papers I will send them
this week along with the
papers giving an account
of last night's exams.

[Page 6]
6
We have all our harvest
in now so I don't think
I will have much more
to do unless I work somewhere
and earn some money; I
have spent quite a bit
during holidays [sic]. I took
12 of July and on Aug 4 I
went on a pic-nic at Belle
isle near Windsor on Aug 11
I took in a pic-nic at the
[puci?] 11 miles from here
and on Aug. 12 went to a
pic-nic at Belle [Rivers?],
all these were Sunday school
pic-nics. Tomorrow I
intend going to Detroit
to see barnums & Bailays [Baileys?]
circus and then on
Thursday there is a

[letter incomplete]


Transcribed by Liam Boyd