Chapters


• Chapter 2: The Pioneer Farm Boys' Occupations and Interests
  Sheldon speaks about his childhood and family life. It goes on to explain of how his mom makes candles, and the importance of "butchering" food.
• Chapter 6: The Domestic Life of the Boy on the Farm
  Sheldon speaks of obedience and his parents. He explains how life was as a child, and the transition of building a new house. Moving into the new house, Sheldon explains the new luxuries.
• Chapter 13: The Ragged School: 1848-1849
  Includes a letter from Sheldon to his sister, information about the creation of the Oswego school, Sheldon's pay rate, and extracts from Sheldon's diary.
• Chapter 18: The Work and Results of the First Year
  Sheldon explains his experiences of the new school system. He explains how the new school system works, and how the Oswego community interacts with the school.
• Chapter 22: Our Home
  Sheldon talks about his small home, and how he cherishes it. He explains the geography of which it was built on and how he acquired the land. There is a part of a letter to his sister Dorliska written in 1856.
• Chapter 23: Oswego Training School for Primary Teachers: 1861
  Sheldon tracks the progress of the Oswego Training School and plans to visit Toronto to pursue his new course of study. He explains how he has structured the school for teachers, and the transition from students to teachers.
• Chapter 24: Extracts from 8th Annual Report of Board of Education
  Sheldon reflects on the past of the school. He finds that the school has focused too much on the mind being made up of memory and reason and ignored the aspect of understanding. He continues to talk about teaching strategies and flaws.
• Chapter 25: An Educational Symposium
  Includes some correspondences from the Board of Education from December of 1861, and some letters that Sheldon wrote.
• Chapter 26: Recognition As a State Institution and Acquirement of New Building
  Talks about a new building and recognition as a State institution.
• Chapter 30: Activities of Sheldon's Last Years: 1887-1897
  Includes some letters that Sheldon wrote in his last years, and extracts from Sheldon's diary.
• Chapter 32: Family Life
  Sheldon talks about the home relations of the Sheldon family and how it touched all who came in contact with it. The Sheldons were not shy people, and invited every student to their household. Sheldon goes on to explain about the Sheldon family and its heritage.
• Chapter 33: Devotion to the Oswego Work
  Sheldon talks about his loyalty and devotion to his work in Oswego. There are letters to and from Dr. Woolworth concerning a job offering to Sheldon for a principalship in Albany.

Pictures


• Shady Shore
  From Chapter 22. Picture taken during the Fall of 1856. Sheldon purchased this as his home because he liked the woods, lake, and open country.
• The Family Group
  From Chapter 32. Sheldon's family.
• The Old Home at Perry
  From Chapter 2. Sheldon's childhood years were spent at this home.
• The New Home at Perry
  From Chapter 6. Sheldon and his family build a new home.
• First Normal School Building
  From Chapter 18. School took place in this building under the new system.
• Oswego State Normal & Training School (old building)
  From Chapter 33. The old building during the Oswego work of Sheldon.
• Oswego State Normal & Training School (new building)
  From Chapter 24. The new building during the Pestalozzian System.

This digital library was created by Robert Rogalski, Brad Duerr, & Brett Hogan at SUNY Oswego, Oswego, NY.