James Reid Cole (1839–1917) was a Confederate officer, educator, college administrator, and state representative from North Carolina. In 1861 he served as a sergeant in his brother's Company M of the Second North Carolina Cavalry Regiment, Confederate Army, and in 1862 was named an adjutant for the Twenty-second North Carolina Cavalry Regiment. Cole remained with this unit for the duration of the war and was ultimately promoted to colonel.
In 1866, Cole moved to Texas where he was employed as chair of the department of ancient languages at McKenzie College in Clarksville. He married Mary P. King in 1868 and they moved to Grayson County, where he was elected to the Twelfth Texas Legislature (1870-71). In 1873 he served as enrolling clerk for the Thirteenth Texas Legislature and also joined the Grange, an agricultural advancement group.
Cole once more decided to focus on education, and in 1877 became president of North Texas Female College (later Kidd-Key College) in Sherman. He resigned only one year later, and in 1879 became chair of the English, Literature, and History departments at Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas (now Texas A&M University) in College Station. In 1885 Cole resigned to become superintendent of public schools in Abilene. He then moved to Dallas, where he formed and served as the conductor for Cole's Classical and Military School of Dallas (1889-1902). He returned to university life, serving as chair of the English, Literature, and History departments of Baptist University at Oak Cliff from 1902 until he retired in 1905.
Source: Handbook of Texas Online, s.v. "Cole, James Reid," http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/CC/fcole.html.
In 1883, with his wife Mary, James Reid Cole was raising a family that included five sons and four daughters on the campus of A&M College, including his 13 year old girl Ella. A mere 7 years after its founding, the campus was very isolated, with open countryside, farms and forests separating it from the nearest town of Bryan, 5 miles away. The campus was fairly self sufficient, including primary education provided by an on-campus teacher ("Miss Imogen" Burleson).
With the encouragement of her teacher, Ella began a diary on Tuesday, October 22, 1883. She wrote of daily experiences on the prairie and around the campus, concluding her writing on Wednesday, April 16, 1884. The diary runs 132 pages. Below are early excerpts from the Fall of 1883.
(p. 1)
Tuesday Oct. 22 1883.
Dear Journal,
We have at last succeeded in getting at our books. We got a teacher from Waco this time and we think we will like her very much. Mrs. Allen brought all of her children over. Papa and She looked over our old rusty books and decided what we should study. I will name some of the books I study. U.S. History, Clark’s Grammar, [Mental] Arithmetic, Writing, Written Arithmetic, Latin and Spelling. Elizabeth Wipprecht came down this morning, she is going to our little school. She is not up with me in my studies. Our teachers name is Miss Imogen Burleson, she has only four music pupils Florence Allen won’t take music lessons.
I will close this letter to you and try to write better next time.
Good bye, Ella Cole.
(p. 2)
Friday Oct 25 1883
Dear old Journal
Today we had a real hard Latin lesson but we pulled through with a very good lesson. I took a music lesson today but was cut out of my practicing by the workmen fixing the parlor. I do not know they spell it but I will pronounce it for you they are [calscuiming] it we had to cover the piano up. Mrs. Dinwiddie was down here yesterday evening. Miss Imogen had a spelling match this evening. Bertha, Clarence, James and myself were on one side and Jim, May, Florence and Addie were on the other. Our side beat. Bertha and I were the only ones to stand up till the last. All of the girls had compositions this evening but May, Bertha and Elsbeth.
Good day, Ella Cole
(p. 3)
Oct 29th 1883
Dear friend,
Today is the first of the week and I have started in to do a hard weeks work. I arose this morning about 20 minutes of six and helped Mama prepare breakfast. May took a music lesson today while I washed the dishes. Bertha wiped them for me. I knew all of my lessons today. Jim, Clarence and James had to stay in today. Elsbeth gave me a real pretty card to day.
Good bye, Ella Cole.
Oct 30th 1883
Dear Journal
We are kept real busy now studying. We practice two hours a day. Today was real warm. Miss Imogen went buggy riding with Prof McInnis. She
(p. 4)
is now over at Mrs. Dinwiddies. I knew all of my lessons today. None of the boys had to stay in today except Clarence. I think if they could all go one day without having to stay in , or stand up in the floor they would need a brass button. Old Journal I have not a bit of news so Good bye
Ella Cole.
Nov 1st 1883
Dear friend,
Arising this morning I helped Mama prepare breakfast. After breakfast I took a music lesson. I took nearly a page of my new piece. Papa was on duty today. When he went to the Mess Hall he got the papering. There have been three men here today they papered the parlor and it looks ever so nice.
We have
(p. 5)
the best joke on Florence you ever heard. I wish I was with you so I could tell you. The joke is about the “Boss” [painter]. You must excuse my short write but things are so dull now that we have to wait for something to turn up.
Your true friend, Ella Cole
P.S. I washed off a window this evening. Miss Imogen went to the [jursinnou] creek with Bertha and Addie. Gen. Hardiman was down this evening to look at our papering. I was perfect in all of my lessons today except my Latin. Dr. Reid was down to see Miss Imogen tonight. There has been a man here paining the [blinds]. This is a right long journal especially the P.S.
Good bye, Ella
(p. 6)
Friday, Nov 2nd 1883.
Dear Journal,
I arose this morning and made up my bed then went down stairs and made the coffee, set the table and swept the floor. May took a music lesson today while I washed the dishes. Bertha helped me wipe them. Florence carried my history home last night so Jim and I did not get to study it until they [went] to school. I knew it though. Miss [?] gave us a subject this evening and we had to write a composition on it in fifteen minutes. The subject was [Seasons]. We had a spelling match this evening. May, Bertha, Addie and I were the only ones to stand up until the last. Miss Imogen went up to Mrs. Wipprecht’s this evening she [?] [?] [?] Mrs. Dinwiddie’s. Papa has [gone] to Prof.
(p. 7)
McInnis’s tonight.
Good bye
Ella Cole.
Nov 6th 1883
Dear old friend,
It has been real chilly today. May took a music lesson today. I just did get through with the dishes in time for school. Jim went up to see Dr. Reid this morning. All of the boys had to stay in this evening. Miss Imogen is not feeling very well today. Addie got [sick] today at dinner. I got this nice journal book the other day at town. I am second head in the spelling. I reckon this is enough of my scribbling so
Fare thee well
Ella
Nov 7th 1883
Dear Journal,
Miss Imogen told us that
(p. 8)
all we told you was a [?]. I arose this morning and about the boys having to stay in, so I will try to tell you something else besides that. Miss Imogen makes new [rules] every day. Papa and Mama went up to Mrs. Wipprecht’s to night. They were gone nearly two hours. Lum amused us very much with his funny ways. Miss Imogen company tonight. Dr. Reid is the unexpected visitor. Elsbeth was not at school today she has the [nervous] head ache. Mrs. Wipprecht called this evening. Mama and Miss Imogen were going to Mrs. Hardiman’s but having company they did not go. We afterwards heard that she was not at home.
Good bye
Ella Cole
(p. 9)
Wednesday, Nov 14th 1883
Dear old friend
Bertha came to school this morning and the rest of them stayed at home to go to the show. While I was practicing Papa came home and told me if we could get ready in fifteen minutes he would carry us to the circus. I went immediately to the schoolhouse and got the other children. Papa told me to tell Bertha to come and go with me. Well we went and you may well know how we looked fifteen minutes to get ready but we did not go for looks. Papa carried every one of us except Mama, Katie and Bob. How we enjoyed ourselves, our trip is indescribable. It was the first show King and Lum were ever at. Lum was afraid to in at first, where the lions and elephants were. Excuse this blot on here but it was on it when I got it. Miss
(p. 10)
Imogen is going to let us write a composition our trip to the circus. Bertha did not see her Mama at the show. She is going to fool them about it. Jim went home with Bertha tonight. Harry Boyles was very excited over his trip to the circus and when asked what he saw he said I saw an elephant with a tail at both ends. It is Jim’s birthday today, he is eleven years old. There were four clowns at the show one of them told us to put some molasses on our nose to keep the flies out of our eyes. I got Katie a balloon today she is very much delighted with it. Mr. [Soober] brought us home.
Good bye
Ella Cole.
Thursday Nov 18th 1883
Dear friend,
Addie and Florence
(p. 11)
did not know that Bertha went to the circus until they came over here this morning. The clown at the circus struck Lum’s fancy and I think it struck almost everyone. I will try to describe him. He was stuffed with cotton (I suppose) he looked like he had a very large feather bed around him. His waist was so very large that his arms were almost covered he was one of the skaters he fell down once or thrice and could not get up. I got a headmark in my spelling this evening. Elsbeth told us today that about fifty cadets ran away to the circus. Elsbeth was down here this evening she helped me bring in wood this evening, Mrs. D wasdown here to see Mama this evening. Miss Imogen went to Mrs. Allen’s this evening.
Goodbye
Ella Cole.
(p. 12)
Nov 17th 1883.
Dear Journal,
It is Papa’s birthday today, he is forty four. Some of us had a birthday present for him. Today is Saturday.
This is a sort but sweet journal.
Ella
(p. 13)
Monday Nov 19th 1883
Dear friend,
Miss Imogen staid all night at Mrs. Dinwiddie’s last night to keep any thing from catching her. Maj. D was at town. Miss Imogen did not get back in time for breakfast. Delilah came this morning, she told Mama that she could not get the cadets clothes for they did not know but what they would have to go home on the next train. They were not expelled but the next thing to it. I have not known hardly any of my lessons today. I had to stay in for missing two words in my spelling. We had calisthenics today instead of singing. Mrs. And General Hardiman brought their little grand daughter to school her name is Mary Roberts. Mrs. Hardiman came after her this evening but she was taking a music lesson.
(p. 14)
Miss Imogen heard part of my music lesson tonight as she did not get home in time this morning.
Good bye. Ella Cole.
P. S. I have washed my face once and am so sleepy now that I can hardly hold my eyes open. So am (P?). Adieu!
Nov 2(5) th, 1883
Dear old Journal,
I have known all of my lessons today so I think. Mama went to see Mrs. Dinwiddie this evening. Papa did not get home until late this evening. Miss Imogen told us our grades the other day. I will tell you my grade. History 94. Grammar 94. Mental Arithmetic 100. Written Arithmetic 99. Latin Grammar 96. Spelling 99. Writing 96. Music 83. We had singing today. Miss Imogen gave me a demerit to day for not getting to the piano in three minutes. She makes us stand around and has so many different rules
(p. 15)
that we are almost afraid to turn around. I have got the blues to night.
Good evening –
Ella Cole
Nov 27, 1883
Dear Journal,
I suppose you think I write real often, but Miss Imogen requires us to write to you once a day. You must excuse my writing as I am in a big hurry. I have been studying my Latin about three hours and do not know it yet. Miss Imogen taught me these waltz steps tonight. We are going to have a concert the last week of January. Consider yourself invited. Florence had to stay in this evening. Mama and I washed up the dinner dishes while May practiced. I am fifth to head in the spelling. It is now eleven o’clock everyone has gone to bed except May and I. Papa corrected my Latin sentence to night. We had calisthenics out in the yard today. I took a music lesson.
Good bye,
E. C.
(page 16)
College Station
(date)
Dear Journal,
We arose this morning about 6 o’clock. It was dark and we had to light a lamp. I studied about a half an hour before breakfast. My took arithmetic lesson today. I got through washing and wiping the dishes at fifteen minutes after eight. Then I devoted the rest of my time tomy studies. We had singing to day. Mary had to stay in this evening. Mrs. Hardiman (was here) to see Mama this evening. Papa did not get home until the evening.
Adieu,
Ella