Or Current Resident

August 9th, 1907

My dear Norman,

You must indeed think that Miss Fay(?) has forgotten all about you, but she really has not. You are quite often in mind and I always think of you as one of my boys. I have a confession to make to you. Way last xmas I had a little package all done up for you with the others for the rest of the boys, hoping that possibly you might be at our xmas entertainment.

You were not and I was most careless for I have never sent it to you. If you can only forgive me and just enjoy the ??? Peter(?) little pencil I shall be glad indeed.

Will you kindly remember me to your mother and never forget that you are really trully one of my boys.

With love,
Elizabeth Fay

84 St. Boltoph St
Thursday ?

October 2nd, 1906

Keene N.H.
Sept. 29, 1906

Dear Norman,

I had 16 presents. Wednesday I fed the hens and chickens with melon and apples. Yesterday I went to the mill-pond with Aunt Grace and Paul.

Oct. 2.

Yesterday I went to ride with Uncle Ed and Aunt Grace and Paul and Aunt Hannah in Uncle Ed’s Automobile

Dear Grandma Bigelow sends her love.

I just got your letter. I guess I would rather live in Stoneham. I wonder what Aunt Alice is going to send me.

Paul sends his love.

Your loving sister,
Constance E. Grigg

September, 4th 1906

Keene Sept 4th ‘06

My dear Norman,

I was very sorry that you were not able to come here today and I hope you will soon be well. I hope your birthday will be a very happy one and you will be able to enjoy your grandma’s visit.

Please accept this little gift with love from your aff
Aunt Hannah

July 20th, 1906

Keene, July 20, 1906

Dear Norman,

Your letter was very pretty indeed. Was it the printing-press or the typewriter that you used? I received the peral pin today with the sack. Thank you for writing about it. The train I took went at four o’clock. I think I sent word to you that Paul was much pleased with his book. He had a page open where there was a boy, but when his mother said “where is the boy?” he would turn to the colored one on the cover. You have no idea how much he uses the little rocking chair. He has a cracker or piece of bread sometimes on the tray. He was on the piazza alone in it two hours the other day. His mamma was in the kitchen and went out every little while to see he was all right. He has it out there a good deal. The other day he untied the two knots that tied him on each side and was standing up over the foot of the crib. He walked in to see Dear Grandma this afternoon. He likes to walk, I wrote a little about him to Constance, and you must let her know what have written in yours. You must give my love to Cousin Phronie, I wish I could see them all, and that I could have a chat with her. Did you get the tent done? Dear Grandma’s flowers came up nicely, and kept in water three or four days; by taking out the ones as they withered, there was one of the nasturtiums and one of the Ladies’ Delights, or tiny pansies left till this morning. I wrote to Mamma that Dear Grandma was pleased with them and the box. My love to all the family, and a kiss for you.
Your loving Grandma Bigelow

Unknown, 1906

76 School St
Keene NH

Dear Norman,

I was very glad to get your letter this afternoon, and Mamma was kind to be your amanumensis. I did not know what you meant by a “picture of a book,” unless it is something you meant to send. Nothing came with your letter today, and I do not remember hearing of it before.

You did not tell me whether you liked the flower story well enough to want a fairy one. I want to know because it takes some time to write it, and if you do not care for it I will let it go.

You have a picture of Paul, I supposed and still it does not give the color of his eyes or anything of that kind. He looks out of blue eyes, which are round and bright, — looks up something as you did in your picture standing in a chair. He has no teeth yet, and they do not feel comfortable. He has not much hair, but it is growing. His eyelashes are quite long, and his eyebrows even. They are not very dark, and I think his hair is going to be light and bright. He has a white skin and often red cheeks. He is a pretty baby, not over fat now, but he weights about the same right along. He grows other ways, and is rather large of his age.

He can creep a little, and he rolls over, and gets over the floor some in that way. He sat in a rocking chair today, with a braid around his waist, while we ate dinner. He talks in his way, but I didn’t hear him say what I think are words that he means anything by; but he knows when we ask if he wants to go to Mamma, and tell him to look out the window, and he laughs aloud very heartily indeed when he thinks anything if funny, like my hopping toward him; though after two or three times he gets used to a thing, and needs something new to make him laugh aloud.

I suppose you mean the mate to the tooth-

(Missing pages)

unknown , 1906

Dear Norman,

The example I send is, to
Explain why the division is inverted in the example 5/6 / 3/4. Do the example, and write out the explanation.

II. Suppose you had 7/8 / 4/5. You remember we told what the answer would be if we divided first by 1; then what the answer would be, compared to it, if we divided by one _fifth_; then what the answer would be compared with that, if we divided by _four_fifths instead of _one_ fifth. Where the numbers are put to make the answers right, depends on the principles you explained to me before,* (*about doing certain things to the numerator or denominator) and some of the explanation depends on what it will do to a quotient if you divide by some thing smaller than you have divided by; and what it will do to a quotient if you divide by something larger than you have divided by, and both these principles you told me when you were here.

I would think it all right if Mamma would read this letter slowly to you, to see if you understand me, as we explained it that morning, and also if she lets you do the 7/8 / 4/5, and talkes that over a little with you. But when you are examined in 5/6 / 3/4, I want you to do it and explain it all by yourself, and without this letter or any paper you have worked on. if you get 90 or over, I shall give you 25 cents. If 80 or over, 20 cents. If 70 or over, 15 cents.

I have a letter to write to you about other things, and in answer to yours, but have not time now. You may have a week, until another Saturday if you need it, to do this in. I was very glad to get your letter. Love to all. Kiss Constance for me. With one for you
from Grandma Big

(part of the math lesson in the spring of 1906)

January 28th, 1906

Keene Jan 28th, 1906

My dear Norman,

I was very much pleased to receive a letter from you and I wish to thank you for it. I am very sorry you have been sick but you know they say if you look for it whatever happens you can find some thing to be thankful for and I am sure you can be thankful that you are so nicely through with one disagreeable thing that most children have to have.

We have been having a sort of hospital for the last week or so. Bertha had a very severe cold but is better now. She only missed one half day at school but for several day she hardly felt able to go. She is better now, your uncle Fred has also been having a severe cold but Thursday when the Dr. came to see May who was sick in bed he thought uncle Fred better go out door and Friday morning he asked him if he would not like to go up west hill with him and he said he would so the Dr. told him to put up a lunch and the would stay as long as they wanted. They went at half past ten and did not get back till five. Was it not funny to (???)
(???) the 26th of Jan uncle Fred’s birthday. They chopped down trees and built hot fires around some big rocks that Dr. Faulkner wanted to get rid of. Your papa can tell you how they crack rocks when there is frost in them by heat. We wanted to have some company at home for uncle Fred but he was so hoarse he could not talk with out making him cough but the out doors air made him better I think but he is not well Mary is better but will not go to the store for a few days I think. Your grandma Bigelow was sick in much the same way Friday but was better yesterday. Do you know who John Ripley is. He is engaged to be married and yesterday afternoon from three till five his mother gave him and (?)(?)ward a reception which was very pleasant. There were twelve went down from Keene and there were a great many Fray people. Nathan when down with his mama and said it was “very beautiful” I do no know whether he meant the young lady who was very pleasant or the pink and white candies. Will you please thank Constance for her nice letter and when you can I would love to hear from you again. Please give my love to all the family and accept this with love from
Your aunt Hannah.

January 19th, 1906

January 19, 1906

My dear little Norman,

I received your nice little letter as was very much pleased with it. Your printing was very nice in the card. I do not quite understand how you do it. I found this little card which is used in erasing, when I was looking over the drawer in my machine, and I thought perhaps you might like it. Your mama can show you how to use it. I am very glad to hear that you and Constance enjoy going to school, so much, and hope you always will like it.

I expect you had a pretty nice time at the Lake last summer.

I suppose you are in your “little bed” now, and it is time I was in mine, for I am very tired, so I think I will say goodnight and ask you to give my love to all in the family. I am glad I have such a nice little cousin as you.

With love to all, I remain,
Aff’ly your cousin
Phronie A. Earle

Brooklyn, N.Y.

(these next few were all found in the may 14th envelope, as you can tell by the matching mice nibbles)

January 14th, 1906

76 School St.
Keene, NH

Dear Norman,

I was glad I wrote to you when I did to Constance, because a letter came to me afterwards, which had been delayed, and which you had written several days before to me.

I thank you for the recipe, and for telling me about the Sportsman’s Show. It was interesting, and especially because we went together once.

Do you remember the room up stairs, and the hunter after the big stuffed bear that looked just like a live one?

Aunt Grace was very much pleased to get Constance’s nice letter today. She showed it to Dear Grandma and me, adn we were very glad to hear from her.

Please tell her so. I have written the story of the plant for you and Constance, so I will not stop to write a longer letter now.

With love to all,
Your loving Grandma Big.

January 14, 1906

May 14th, 1906

Keene, April 11, 1906

Dear Norman,

I have thought of you and Constance a great deal since you were here, and wish I could see you.

If you will send me the answers to the six questions, Why?, but studying the lines I have drawn, and the sentence I have written under each, and remembering how I explained them to you, I will send you a prize of twenty-five cents. Then I will give you another question to answer, and if you can explain that, I will send you another prize of twenty-five cents.

You may have to think and study on these quite hard, but if you can answer the six questions, you will be surprised to find how much good it will do you afterward in Arithmetic.

Your loving,
Grandma Big.

Take them patiently, one at a time, and look well at the lines. They are drawn better than before.

Paul has a new sound that he makes with great glee. You would laugh. It is a hard “K” sound, much prolonged, and he looks rogue-ishly at us when he says it.

1.
Multiplying the numerator multiplies the fraction. Why?

2.
Dividing the denominator also multiplies the fraction. Why?

3.
Multiplying the denominator also divides the fraction. Why?
(Over)

(math continued)

5.
Multiplying both numerator and denominator by the same number does not change the value of the fraction. Why?

6. Dividing both numerator and denominator by the same number does not change the value of the fraction. Why?

(math - Norman’s responses)

I. Multiplying the numerator multiplies the fraction because you get more pieces of the same size. (100)

II. Dividing the denominator also multiplies the fraction because you get twice as much and the same number of pieces. (80)

III. Dividing the numerator divides the fraction because you get less pieces of the same size. (100)

IV. Multiplying the denominator also divides the fraction because you get just as many pieces of half the size. (100)

(math responses continued)

V. Multiplying both numerator and denominator by the same number does not change the value of the fraction because you get just as much in smaller pieces. (80)

VI. Dividing both numerator and denominator by the same number does not change the value of the fraction because you get just as much in bigger pieces. (80)

Av. 90

Read this before the regular letter under it.

Dear Norman,

You did _so well_ I thought it was too bad for you not to know exactly why the ones marked 80 were not marked 100, and I think it is probably too much for you to read such a long letter, in writing, and at the same time understand exactly what I mean, when I explain, and want you to look at your paper and mine at the same time, because I remember that you are eight years old. But if Mamma will let you take the papers, and read to you slowly just what I have written, in correcting

II., V, and VI. I am sure you can understand it and it will do you a good deal of good. If you understand what I have written about correcting II., then V. and VI. will be very easy to understand, as I have explained the correction of each in almost the same way.

I think it will pay to see just why one way is E and the other not quite that, so I have taken some pains to explain it clearly,
Your loving Grandma Big

You will want to read the letter as far as the marks across the 3rd page, and the rest when you can sit down and look at the papers perhaps with Mamma. The letter looks long but what I have written is really very easy after what you have done so well and will not take much time.

Keene, May 14th, 1906

My Dear Norman,

I take much pleasure in sending you the report of your examination paper, which was very good indeed. It is not quite correct in every case, but each one shows that you have the right idea, and as the paper is marked 90 on a scale of 100, I am very glad to send you the 25 cents. The work you did on it will do you more good in your study of Arithmetic than the prize. I will send 10 cents to Constance at the same time, although I did not have an examination paper from her, to show her that I was pleased to hear that she is getting to be a good speller as well as a good reader at school. I hope she will be good in Arithmetic too when she gets older.

now I will tell you just how your paper stands, and I want you should look at it carefully and see just why there are three of the

answers that I marked 80 instead of 100. I will send back your paper and mine, but I want you should return them to me, because I want to keep them and see how they compare with work you do when you are older. Was it 10 cents I said I would offer you for one other example, which I will send soon?

Explan. of Correction:

Numbers I., III., and IV. are marked 100, E, because you remembered, in explaining, to mention the effect on the _number_ of parts and the _size_ of the parts, as I suggested.

Now I will take up the others separately, and tell you why what you said was not _quite_right, that is, why you needed to speak of the _number_and _size_ both, and why what you did say was not just the same thing. I want you to look at II. now on both papers.

II. you said “Dividing the denominator also multiplies the fraction because you get _twice_ as _much_ and the _same number_ of pieces” G.
You should say “because you get _larger_ pieces and the _same number_ of pieces”. E.

5.

What you say is true, you do get _twice as much_ and the same number of pieces, but that is saying about the same that I said, that dividing the denominator _multiplies the fraction_; that is you were speaking of the fraction _as a whole_ and the _no. of parts_ instead of mentioning the _size_ of the parts, and the _number_ of the parts, as you did in I., III., and IV.

It is the same in number V. You said “You get _just as much_ in _smaller pieces_”. Good, but for Excellent you should say,

You get _more pieces_ but they are _smaller_. (Enough smaller to make up for there being more.) _Number_ and _size_ of the parts, you see, out to be mentioned each time. To explain this particular example, you could say, you get “twice as many, half as large”.

VI. You say “Because you get _just as much_ in _bigger_ pieces.” Good, but Excellent would be: “You get “_less pieces_ but they are _bigger_.” (Big enough to make up for there being less.) Again, _number_and _size_ of the parts (Half as many, twice as large).