IMH 74:4 357

"Chronicles of Upper Burnet" (1)

Tuesday, December 14th.

A mild spring-like day, clear and nice overhead; muddy under foot. We finished the Curtis field our
part of it I mean getting hardly 10 bushels then filled up the wagon in the creek end of the field below
the rye-patch (now Bill Hand's wheatfield). As we made many turns it was noon when we got to the
house. After dinner we got another load from the shortest rows on the "horse's head" and we got up here
in time to haul up a load of fodder. Will Bain sent me a note by John Foster requesting me to bring my
test speller when I came to the match. Riley Nosler came after the sausage-mill about sundown. The
"spelllin" drew a good crowd of youngsters who had lots of fun. At the first round I came out first best
through George Pearce85 missing "italisize". The second time Will Bain and I both misspelled "cannonade"
I through inattention and sleepiness. Drawn battle. Recess came and it was a long one in which a couple
of kissing games were all the rage. All but a few in which few I was included took part in them. After
recess I "gave out" and Pearce came out ahead. There was no use for the test speller as the expected
champions did not appear. I was in bed by ten o clock.

Teaching notes: When William writes "we made many turns," he is referring to the fact that the corn rows
were short and they had to turn the horse and wagon around at the end of each row.

A spelling "bee" .. in this case a "match" ...was one of the great social events of that era and today. You
might ask students to compare the differences. In 1880 it was a neighborhood event with the participants
being adults as well as students. You may have noticed as you read William Gregory's entries that William
Gregory's spelling is excellent. The kissing games were probably like our "spin the bottle" which no doubt
would be disallowed in today's matches where touching is frowned upon.