Ann E. Shannon: Journal, 1847 | 39.2

Historical Sketch:

            Ann E. Shannon was born on July 11, 1820 and was was raised in Salem, Massachusetts. She was a member of the Class of May 1847 when she graduated from West Newton Normal School. Immediately after graduation, Shannon started a small private school in the Franklin building. On September 29,1849, Shannon married Dr. William Arnold Sanborn, a dentist, who had previously been married twice before. Shannon and Sanborn had two children together: Arthur, born June 21, 1855; and Helen, Born May 17, 1863. In addition, Sanborn had a daughter, Delia, from his first marriage. Shannon died December 15, 1896.

 

Scope and Content:

            This collection consists of one volume, containing 117 pages, that was written by Shannon from January 18, 1847 to April 12, 1847. Journal keeping to record events was part of the curriculum at the Normal School during these years. In her writing, Shannon discussed Cyrus Peirce; classroom assignments and lectures, especially those on geography and moral instruction; church sermons; visits by Horace Mann, Mrs. Mann, Mr. Gilbert, Catherine Beecher (who was recruiting teachers for the “Far West”), Mr. Calhoun, The Board of Education Visiting Committee., Mr. Tillinghast, Laura Bridgem, the Rev. Mr. Hooker; sleigh ride with Cyrus Peirce who took the students to Fresh Pond to watch ice cutting and then to Harvard University to visit the library, picture gallery, and the cabinet; an evening at the home of Horace Mann; student teaching efforts; faculty members and their lessons; a meal at Warren Castle; the weather; and a poem by classmate Elira Grader. There are notations in pencil by Cyrus Peirce on pages 9, 30, 31, and 43. The remainder of the volume contains poems, quotations, and miscellaneous writing.

 

Provenance: Gift of Lillian Ordway Twichell [Class of 1889], Maude B. Gerritson [Class of 1904], and Louie Ramsdell [Class of 1902], 1939.

 

Amount: 1 volume

Container List:

            V.1      January 18, 1847-April 12, 1847