Attending Brackett Street School

It was probably in the autumn of 1833 that Ellen started school, just before her sixth birthday. It could have been earlier, for at that time children could be in school at 5 or even a bit younger. The school was conducted in a frame building on Brackett Street, some four or five short blocks from the Harmon home. In 1836 the wooden building was replaced by a two-story brick structure, and it was doubtless in this building that Ellen spent her last full year in school. School was conducted during both summer and winter in Portland, and once the grind began it was merciless on small children. But Ellen loved it, and she had great ambitions in obtaining a good education and making something of herself.1BIO 25.3

As for textbooks, Samuel Worcester's first, second, and third books of reading and spelling were prescribed, but there were never enough books to go around. Ellen advanced rapidly, and soon the teacher was calling on her to read the lessons for the rest of the class. She moved upstairs with the more advanced pupils, but was sometimes called down to read for the little ones in the primary room.1BIO 25.4

Years later, when she was traveling on the train with her husband, James White, she was reading to him an article he had written, and together they were correcting it. A lady leaned forward and touched her shoulder, saying, “Aren't you Ellen Harmon?”1BIO 25.5

“Yes,” she replied, “but how did you know me?”1BIO 25.6

“Why,” said the lady, “I knew you by your voice. I attended school on Brackett Street in Portland, and you used to come and read our lessons to us. We could understand them better when you read them than when anyone else did.”—DF 733c.1BIO 25.7