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Walter C. Battice to Alice Mary Longfellow, 12 January 1886
Manuscript letter
[printed letterhead: Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute,]
Hampton, Va., January, 12.1886.
Miss Allce [sic] Longfellow
Dear Friend.
Last I wrote you a brief history of my life. This time I shall with great pleasure, indeavor [sic] to write you a letter relating to what I have done since I first wrote to you. I stayed in school until the 23rd of May, then went Massachusetts for a summer’s vacation.
I spent my vacation in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. For the first five weeks, I painted and the remainder of the time I was there I worked on a farm. While in Great Barrington I had the pleasure of going to Pittsfield, Mass. to visit a friend of mine there, who kindly took me around the different parts of the town.
[p.2] While there met with Miss Carrie Gilman of Jamaica Plain, a former teacher of mine here, we had a very pleasant time, and I also had the pleasure of seeing where the Old Clock came from. which I saw on the stairs in your house on my return to Hampton. In September I started for Hampton. I came by the way of Boston, and stayed there a few days at Mr. Gilman of Jamaica Plain. The family treated me as a friend. During my stay at Mr. Gilmans [sic] I had the opportunity of visiting various places. on one occation [sic] I had an opportunity to visit Cambridge. Knowing your home was there I was anxious to go. Miss Carrie Gilman having a cousin in Cambridge that she wanted very much to see, she thought it would be good chance to see the one who [p. 3] has done a great deal for me and my race. The base I take in saying you have done so much my race, is that I was informed that you aided Thomas Wild Cat to get an education and he has done excellent work ever since he returned home. When we went to Cambridge, we first had the pleasure of viewing the grounds and building of Harvard University. then we made our way to Mr. Gilmans. [sic] having been there some time we asked Mr. Gilman to take us to your house. which he kindly consented to do. But to my greatest disappointment you were not at home. because I was wishing very much to have a long talk with you about Indian Territory.
When Mr. Gilman knocked on the door, a lady came and said you were not at home and that, [p.4] “No one was allowed to enter but friends" We were very thankful that Mr. Gilman was a friend of yours, and we were allowed to enter the house. The first thing I saw the Old Clock on the stairs. It was a grand treat to look around in Mr. Longfellow’s Study Room. I came away from your house with a thought in my mind which shall always be remembered and that was, if a stranger is willing to do so much for me, than [sic] I will try and help my own race.
When the time came for me to start for Hampton. I commenced to think how long and lonely trip I would have. But it happened that Mrs. Howe and son were coming down on the same boat.
We got on the [Beard] at Boston [p. 5] Saturday afternoon and arrived here Tuesday morning. I was glad to get back to Hampton, though at times wished, I were in Mass.
When I first came back from Massachusetts. I worked in the carpenter shop. But the officers of this school thought it would be well to make an Indian Janitor of Wigwam, “The Indian boys Cottage"
They concluded to try me and my work has been very satisfactory. I am in the A. Section Middler [sic] Class and doing very well.
I intend to go to school until I am capable of teaching, then I think I shall go home and show to the world that an Indian can teach as well as the whites.
I thank you very much for aiding me to get an education.
Yours respectfully,
Walter Battice.
Hampton, Va., January, 12.1886.
Miss Allce [sic] Longfellow
Dear Friend.
Last I wrote you a brief history of my life. This time I shall with great pleasure, indeavor [sic] to write you a letter relating to what I have done since I first wrote to you. I stayed in school until the 23rd of May, then went Massachusetts for a summer’s vacation.
I spent my vacation in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. For the first five weeks, I painted and the remainder of the time I was there I worked on a farm. While in Great Barrington I had the pleasure of going to Pittsfield, Mass. to visit a friend of mine there, who kindly took me around the different parts of the town.
[p.2] While there met with Miss Carrie Gilman of Jamaica Plain, a former teacher of mine here, we had a very pleasant time, and I also had the pleasure of seeing where the Old Clock came from. which I saw on the stairs in your house on my return to Hampton. In September I started for Hampton. I came by the way of Boston, and stayed there a few days at Mr. Gilman of Jamaica Plain. The family treated me as a friend. During my stay at Mr. Gilmans [sic] I had the opportunity of visiting various places. on one occation [sic] I had an opportunity to visit Cambridge. Knowing your home was there I was anxious to go. Miss Carrie Gilman having a cousin in Cambridge that she wanted very much to see, she thought it would be good chance to see the one who [p. 3] has done a great deal for me and my race. The base I take in saying you have done so much my race, is that I was informed that you aided Thomas Wild Cat to get an education and he has done excellent work ever since he returned home. When we went to Cambridge, we first had the pleasure of viewing the grounds and building of Harvard University. then we made our way to Mr. Gilmans. [sic] having been there some time we asked Mr. Gilman to take us to your house. which he kindly consented to do. But to my greatest disappointment you were not at home. because I was wishing very much to have a long talk with you about Indian Territory.
When Mr. Gilman knocked on the door, a lady came and said you were not at home and that, [p.4] “No one was allowed to enter but friends" We were very thankful that Mr. Gilman was a friend of yours, and we were allowed to enter the house. The first thing I saw the Old Clock on the stairs. It was a grand treat to look around in Mr. Longfellow’s Study Room. I came away from your house with a thought in my mind which shall always be remembered and that was, if a stranger is willing to do so much for me, than [sic] I will try and help my own race.
When the time came for me to start for Hampton. I commenced to think how long and lonely trip I would have. But it happened that Mrs. Howe and son were coming down on the same boat.
We got on the [Beard] at Boston [p. 5] Saturday afternoon and arrived here Tuesday morning. I was glad to get back to Hampton, though at times wished, I were in Mass.
When I first came back from Massachusetts. I worked in the carpenter shop. But the officers of this school thought it would be well to make an Indian Janitor of Wigwam, “The Indian boys Cottage"
They concluded to try me and my work has been very satisfactory. I am in the A. Section Middler [sic] Class and doing very well.
I intend to go to school until I am capable of teaching, then I think I shall go home and show to the world that an Indian can teach as well as the whites.
I thank you very much for aiding me to get an education.
Yours respectfully,
Walter Battice.
Archives Number: 1007.001/002.003-001#014
U. S. National Park Service
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Courtesy of National Park Service, Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site; Archives Number 1007.001/002.003-001#014
Public domain
Manuscripts (1007.001), (LONG-Subcollection)
, Correspondence (1007.001/002), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Scholarship Student Correspondence (1007.001/002.003), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, Letters to Alice Longfellow (1007.001/002.003-001), (LONG-FileUnitName)
, Correspondence (1007.001/002), (LONG-SeriesName)
, Scholarship Student Correspondence (1007.001/002.003), (LONG-SubseriesName)
, Letters to Alice Longfellow (1007.001/002.003-001), (LONG-FileUnitName)
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Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Code: LONG
Longfellow House - Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site, Middlesex County, Massachusetts
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
Latitude: 42.3769989013672, Longitude: -71.1264038085938
NPS Museum Number Catalog : LONG 16173
Title: Finding Aid to the Alice Mary Longfellow (1850-1928) Papers, 1855-1965 (bulk dates: 1873-1928)
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#AML
URL: https://www.nps.gov/long/learn/historyculture/archives.htm#AML
20200811
01/12/1886
Manuscript letter in Alice Mary Longfellow Papers, Series II. Correspondence, C. Scholarship Student Correspondence, 1874-1925
Public Can View
Organization: Longfellow House-Washington's Headquarters National Historic Site
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
Address: 105 Brattle Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
Email: LONG_archives@nps.gov
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