Mary Thacher Higginson, Thomas Wentworth Higginson: the story of his life

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IV: the young pedagogue

Shortly before graduation, Wentworth Higginson began looking about for employment, and in June, 1841, was engaged by Mr. Samuel Weld, of Jamaica Plain, as assistant in his school for boys, at six hundred dollars per year. In August he wrote Parker, ‘I succeeded in getting a good room [at Jamaica Plain] for $25 the year and board from $3 to $4 [per month].’ Settled in this new room, he began at once another journal. He was at first in a quandary as to whom it should be dedicated to, but finally decided on three girl friends and added, ‘Now to business.’ Homesickness assailed him at first, but after a few days he ‘got rather more comfortable, reading “The Flirt” and those beautiful poetical passages in the “Devil's Progress.” ’

Apparently the ‘young pedagogue,’ as he calls himself, had no trouble in teaching the boys or making friends with them. He took them with him on his long rambles in search of flowers, and describes a tramp around Jamaica Pond in cloth boots in ‘a pouring rain and furious cold gale,’ adding, ‘these ’