penmanship books – Past is Present

The Acquisitions Table: Augustus Gill’s Penmanship Book

Gill, Augustus.Penmanship Book [1830s]. A new addition to our ever growing Penmanship Book Collection is a volume kept by a student named Augustus Gill, who was probably born in Canton, Massachusetts around 1820. What is most striking about this particular item is its cover, which features an African leopard and the phrase “Be just and fear ...

The Acquisitions Table: Nancy Snow’s Account Book, 1844-1847

Snow, Nancy. Account Book, 1844-1847. An example of repurposing of books, Nancy Snow’s account book was composed within what was at one point a penmanship book, published in 1832. Nancy wrote her name on the inside cover, indicating she used this book as a student the Clapp School when she was 14 years old. Twelve years ...