The Life of Eliza Baylies Wheaton; A Chapter in the History of the Higher Education of Women (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1907 Excerpt: ...her to Norton as her own companion, and very soon many of the housekeeping cares were transferred to her capable and intelligent management. Mrs. Beane's ideas of neatness and order and thrift were entirely in harmony with those of Mrs. Wheaton, and she had had experience in managing both a large and a small family. Mrs. Wheaton could leave all details to her with the certainty that nothing would be neglected. She needed such a helper, for outside interests claimed more and more of her attention. Mrs. Beane had no special aptitude for business, --the bent of her mind was towards literature rather, --but Mrs. Wheaton, at this period of her life, was not a woman who could have left her business to the care of, another, in any case. She felt too great a responsibility for the right use of all her possessions. Mrs. Hewins writes: "As a business woman she was very clear headed. If a tract of land was to be ploughed, she knew how much grass seed was necessary to sow it with. She knew how much grass should be cut from certain lots. When a house was to be shingled, she would sit down at her desk and calculate how many shingles it would be necessary to order." It was often said of her by business men that her judgment in regard to investments was seldom at fault. But she had other responsibilities besides her farm and her investments. These brought her money, but it was equally important to her that the money should be well spent. It may be doubted whether she ever spent even a dollar without asking herself whether she was spending it in the wisest possible way. Miss Mary B. Briggs, for many years a Seminary teacher, writes: "First and foremost, the school was to be kept up... for was not that the answer to her own prayer and her own timid suggestion? (...