File:Coatney S. Arrington to Alice Mary Longfellow, 27 February 1908 (6b92ad26-8e72-442a-a518-7d615eb43909).jpg

Manuscript letter

Archives Number: 1007.001/002.003-001#103

[printed letterhead: The Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute / Hampton, Virginia]
February 27, 1908.
Dear Miss Longfellow:
This duty of writing to you, what we call, “a scholarship Letter," is a source of great pleasure to me.
Please accept my most sincere thanks for having paid my scholarship for this year. It means a great deal to me to feel and to know that I have such a friend whom I have never seen.
When I wrote to you a year ago. I was in the Junior Class. I am glad to say that at the end of last term I was promoted to the Junior Middle Class [p. 2] in all subjects.
I spent my summer vacation in New Jersey. I went with one of the teachers to her home and worked there in her home. My work was principally cooking. I helped about other things when it was necessary. I had a great deal to learn, as I had never worked in service before. In many ways I found things different from our Southern homes. But I learned to like it very much. I had a very pleasant summer.
I was at Chester, not very far from Newark. It is a beautiful country place with beautiful woods and hills. I love the out-life. So, I spent most of my spare moments out under the trees [p. 3] or walking through the woods, over stones, brooks, and hills. Most of the farmers around had nice patches of grain. One could but enjoy taking drives in the evening, or just about twilight, and looking across the country. We could see in the distance many small hills, each of whose sides were covered with a green coat of grain or grass for hay.
After my work in the summer I returned to "Dear Old Hampton, down by the sea" to take up my class-room work again. I tried to begin with courage, but now, as I begin to feel more [p. 4] strongly the interest the people of the north have in us, I am the more courageous.
Most of my subjects are the same as last year, only I am farther advanced in them. I have English, Arithmetic, Geography, Agriculture, Bible, Singing, Drawing “Current Events", and Domestic Science. Bible and agriculture, I did not have last year. I am very much interested in each. I like the Bible study because my teacher can explain it so thoroughly that I can easily take it in. After having studied it, I can remember it better by remembering the stories which she tells in connection with each lesson. I am interested agriculture be-[p. 5] cause I have always lived on a farm and I love the farm.
I often wish that I could make a specialty of the study of agriculture and then practice it, but then I think there is little good a woman can do by practicing agriculture.
No doubt you remember my telling you that I made rag rugs on my work day last term. This term I don't weave. The first half of the term I worked in the sewing room one day in each week. This half, beginning with February, I work one half day in the Laundry and the other half in the kitchen. I am trying to [p. 6] learn to cook. I enjoy working in the kitchen very much. We have cooking in the class-room, but in the kitchen we get used to handling large quantities.
In conclusion, please allow me to thank you again for the great kindness which you have shown me and for the interest which you have taken in me.
May this year be a prosperous. and happy one to you
Yours truly,
Coatney S. Arrington

• Keywords: alice m. longfellow papers (long 16173); long archives; document; education; hampton institute; correspondence; 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)