Provenance

The Stillwell Family Ciphering Book was donated to Historic Huguenot Street by Richard Ordway in 1978 and is part of a bigger collection of 24 ciphering books that were hand-written. Those ciphering books were part of an even bigger collection of Stillwell/ Johnson Family papers which dates range from 1789-1943. I was unable to find any more information on the provenance of this book specifically on the Sojourner Truth Database but the collection of books was represented by a multitude of families including the DuBois and the LeFevre families, some of the most influential families known to Huguenot Street. (“Ciphering Book Collection (Ca. 1730-1849)”).

The Stillwell Family Ciphering Book includes various economic concepts like  ‘Reduction’ and the values of currencies based on location. I know, riveting. But beyond that, this book offers a look into the academic and philosophical world of the Stillwell Family and gives us a look into the mind of the wealthy in the 1800s (New York Heritage-Digital Collections).

Physical Description

This book has a brown exterior with pale yellow pages on the inside. When given a closer look the seemingly semi-bendy exterior of the book has multiple shades of brown featured in small bubbles that look similar to a petri dish of bacteria under a microscope or multi-shaded stone pavement. The edges of the exterior of the book are rounded and a lighter shade of brown. The spine of the book looks scratched fairly consistently and has a small rip towards the bottom that exposes the pages of the book. The pages of the book are written in medium brown ink and most of them look like they have some type of liquid spilled on them that seems like it could be coffee. The handwriting is a neat cursive that varies in size depending on if the writing is a title or not. This book included mathematical concepts relating to international trade and the value of the dollar in different US states in the 1800s. Additionally, more specific topics included reduction, or simplification of mathematical expressions, measurement, and direct and indirect proportion. (“Ciphering Book Collection (Ca. 1730-1849).”).

The Mind of the Stillwells and the Persistence of Human Nature

When you think of the objects surrounding the history of psychology and philosophy in the US, what do you think of? Maybe it’s quills and feathers. Maybe it’s discussion tables and grand rooms. 

One object that isn’t typically considered for its influence on Western thinking is the ciphering book.

A ciphering book is a textbook-like, handwritten booklet that was used frequently in the 1800s to teach people about mathematical concepts ranging from fractions and geometry to economics and applied math. These books also covered spelling, handwriting, and other English topics (New York Heritage Digital Collections). They often included examples, problems, and exercises and were used by educators as their main form of reference. Ciphering books’ often became students’ personal reference books to use later in their lives as well. (Library, Rauner). 

The Stillwell Family Ciphering book, in the Historic Huguenot Ciphering Book Collection, mainly deals with the application side of math in this time period and was used by the Stillwell Family for answering what they deemed to be “practical questions”. This book was also part of a bigger collection called the Stillwell/Johnson Family Papers that included documents and photos from many wealthy families in the New Paltz area (“Stillwell/Johnson Family Papers (1789-1943)”).

Wealthy families have always had more ability to expand their educational horizons through ciphering books in the US, but what stuck out to me about this ciphering book in specific was the philosophical takes featured towards the end of the book. The more practical and direct mathematical guidelines were very common for these ciphering books, but the addition of big-picture takes on philosophy and psychology was not as common. The description of this book on the Huguenot Street website features a quote from the author. It states, “Commendation commonly animates the mind” (“Ciphering Book Collection (Ca. 1730-1849).”). The anonymous author of this book believed that praise would help people think more effectively. Even though ciphering books aren’t used today, that concept still remains in education and society in general. Two more quotes that were even more shocking to see in a ciphering book, in my opinion, were first, a take on happiness that reads, “He who cannot be happy without great pains will always find his pains greater than his happiness”, and second, a take on ownership that reads, “The possession of enjoyment is better than the enjoyment of possession” (“Ciphering Book Collection (Ca. 1730-1849).”). This last quote portrays the belief that having many belongings isn’t completely fulfilling. This is interesting to hear considering the wealth that this family had and leads me to believe that the author could’ve felt like their lifestyle, although lavish for the time, wasn’t enough in terms of real happiness. Maybe they were using their wealth to fill a void that otherwise wouldn’t have been acknowledged if not for the resurgence of enlightenment principles that was apparent in this time period.

This ciphering book, in specific, could’ve been written anywhere from 1829-1842. Throughout this time period, US philosophy started to lean more toward moral concepts and was often regarded as a continuation of the European Enlightenment. Ideas that aligned with the intentions of philosophers like Francis Bacon, René Descartes, and John Locke (Hoeveler, David J) came into the forefront of society. Locke, in specific, explored the concept of happiness in a political context and deemed it a catalyst for liberty. He also believed that pursuing happiness is a core aspect of human nature (“John Locke & the Pursuit of Happiness”). This, like the Stillwell Family Ciphering Book, explores the practical applications of happiness and the more philosophical reasoning behind the pursuit of happiness. 

The proverbial language used in this book to make these claims on happiness parallels the language in the aphorisms of “commonplace books” used frequently throughout the Renaissance. Commonplace books were similar to ciphering books in that they were both an early form of the non-oral transfer of ideas and feelings. These books were used more as journals or even what we’d now use our notes app for, whereas ciphering books were used more in education, however, these books could be seen as a continuation of the tradition of these early informational outlets (Norris, R).

These perspectives on happiness are not only discussed today but also widely agreed with. It’s often hard to stop yourself from slipping into a mindset that regards history as just history-A time and place that’s separate from the here and now. But it’s important to remember that although the physical elements of history change, the human condition and the search for happiness remain constant. 

References

Library, Rauner. “Rauner Special Collections Library: Ciphering Books.” Rauner Special Collections Library, 14 Nov. 2014, raunerlibrary.blogspot.com/2014/11/ciphering-books.html.

“Ciphering Book Collection (Ca. 1730-1849).”Historic Huguenot Street, http://www.huguenotstreet.org/ciphering-book-collection.

“MSS208_001_002_p001.”Nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org, nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll153/id/1899/rec/1.

Hoeveler, J. David, Creating the American Mind:Intellect and Politics in the Colonial Colleges, Rowman & Littlefield, ISBN 978-0742548398, 2007, p.11

“John Locke & the Pursuit of Happiness.” http://Www.pursuit-of-Happiness.org, http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/history-of-happiness/john-locke/#:~:text=He%20 points%20 out%20that%20 happiness.

‌Patkus, Beth. 5 May 2023.

“Stillwell/Johnson Family Papers (1789-1943).” Historic Huguenot Street, http://www.huguenotstreet.org/stillwell/johnson-family-papers.

Norris, Rachael. “10 Fascinating Facts about Commonplace Books.” The Reader, 29 Jan. 2021, http://www.thereader.org.uk/10-fascinating-facts-about-commonplace-books/#:~:text=Commonplace%20books%20are%20a%20tool. Accessed 9 May 2023.
‌

Provenance- The Stillwell Family Ciphering Book was donated to Historic Huguenot Street by Richard Ordway in 1978 and is part of a bigger collection of 24 ciphering books that were hand \written. Those ciphering books were part of an even bigger collection of Stillwell/ Johnson Family papers which dates range from 1789-1943. I was unable to find any more information on the provenance of this book specifically on the Sojourner Truth Database but the collection of books was represented by a multitude of families including the DuBois and the LeFevre families, some of the most influential families known to Huguenot Street. (Ciphering Book Collection (Ca. 1730-1849)).

The Stillwell Family Ciphering Book includes various economic concepts like  ‘Reduction’ and the values of currencies based on location. I know, riveting. But beyond that, this book offers a look into the academic and philosophical world of the Stillwell Family and gives us a look into the mind of the wealthy in the 1800s (New York Heritage-Digital Collections).

Physical Description- This book has a brown exterior with pale yellow pages in the inside. When given a closer look the seemingly semi-bendy exterior of the book has multiple shades of brown featured in small bubbles that look similar to a petri dish of bacteria under a microscope or multi-shaded stone pavement. The edges of the exterior of the book are rounded and a lighter shade of brown. The spine of the book looks scratched fairly consistently and has a small rip towards the bottom that exposes the pages of the book. The pages of the book are written in medium brown ink and most of them look like they have some type of liquid spilled on them that seems like it could be coffee. The handwriting is a neat cursive that varies in size depending on if the writing is a title or not.

Narrative– *I submitted a ticket to the research department of the library to find out more about the specifics of the family and their relation to New Paltz so I can go more into depth for my final draft*

When you think of the objects surrounding the history of education in the US, what do you think of? Maybe it’s quills and feathers. Maybe it’s one-room schoolhouses and long rulers. The history of education in the US is a bulky one filled with arguably more good than bad, but nonetheless, the influence of the objects and materials that once shaped young minds is irrefutable. One object that is often overlooked in its influence on Western education is the ciphering book. A ciphering book is a textbook-like, handwritten booklet that was used frequently in the 18th century to teach people about mathematical concepts ranging from fractions and geometry to economics and applied math. Along with math, these books also covered spelling, handwriting, and other English topics (New York Heritage Digital Collections). These books often included examples, problems, and exercises and were used by educators as their main form of reference and handy teaching tool. Ciphering books’ use didn’t end in the classroom, though. These became students’ personal reference books to use later in their lives as well. (Library, Rauner). 

One ciphering book that offers an in-depth view of the peak of their use, the 1800s, is the Stillwell Family Ciphering book in the Historic Huguenot Collection. This ciphering book deals with the application side of math in this time period and was used by the Stillwell Family for answering what they deemed “practical questions”. These practical questions included mathematical concepts relating to international trade and the value of the dollar in different US states at the time (Ciphering Book Collection (Ca. 1730-1849)). 

What stuck out to me about this ciphering book in specific was the family’s philosophical takes intertwined within the pages and pages of applied math. The more practical and direct rules and guidelines were very common for these ciphering books but the addition of big-picture takes on education as a whole was not as common, and more telling in my opinion of the headspace of the author of this book. The description of this book on the Huguenot Street website features a quote from the author of this book. It states, “Commendation commonly animates the mind” (Ciphering Book Collection (Ca. 1730-1849)). The author of this book believed that praise would help people think more effectively. As much as ciphering books and that way of learning has changed drastically compared to today, that concept still remains in education and just society in general. Two more quotes that were even more shocking to see in a ciphering book, in my opinion, were first, a take on happiness that read, “He who cannot be happy without great pains will always find his pains greater than his happiness”, and second, a take on ownership that read, “The possession of enjoyment is better than the enjoyment of possession” (Ciphering Book Collection (Ca. 1730-1849)).

 These perspectives on concepts are not only discussed today but also widely agreed with. It’s often hard to stop yourself from slipping into a mindset that regards history as just history-A time and place that’s separate from the here and now. But it’s important to remember that although the physical elements of history change, the human condition of the inevitability of pain and the search for happiness remains constant. 

References–

Library, Rauner. “Rauner Special Collections Library: Ciphering Books.” Rauner Special Collections Library, 14 Nov. 2014, raunerlibrary.blogspot.com/2014/11/ciphering-books.html. Accessed 30 April 2023.

“Ciphering Book Collection (Ca. 1730-1849).”Historic Huguenot Street, www.huguenotstreet.org/ciphering-book-collection. Accessed 30 April 2023.

“MSS208_001_002_p001.”Nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org, nyheritage.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll153/id/1899/rec/1. Accessed 1 May 2023.

For my item for Assignment 4, I chose the philosopher’s stone to focus on. To fully describe what a philosopher’s stone is, I first have to explain what alchemy is. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica, alchemy is “…a form of speculative thought that, among other aims, tries to transform base metals such as lead and copper into silver or gold and to discover a cure for disease and a way of extending life”. Alchemists did this by “…heating and refining the metal in a variety of chemical processes” (Encyclopedia Britannica). Alchemy is also referred to as “a seemingly magical process of transformation, creation, or combination” (Oxford Languages).

The philosopher’s stone is a substance that was often used by alchemists to “..transform base metals into precious ones, especially gold, and silver”. It is often portrayed as a red, jagged, translucent stone and has shown its face in various forms of media in pop culture.

For example, Harry Potter, Fullmetal Alchemist, The Flash, and Honey I Shrunk the Kids, all pretty well-known movies and TV shows, have all featured the philosopher’s stone at one point or another. Along with its ability to transform metals, cure disease, and extend life, this stone has also been known to symbolize the creation of life and ascension into Godhood (tvtropes.org). Alchemists also believed that an “…elixir of life could be derived from it” and many times these phrases are used interchangeably. An elixir of life oftentimes alludes to a liquid that can grant someone eternal life when paired with the philosopher’s stone (Encyclopedia Britannica).

The idea of this stone came about soon after alchemy first started being practiced. This pseudoscience originated in Egypt and remained a prominent feature of society in reference to early endeavors in chemistry. These concepts and practices not only remained relevant for centuries, but spread in influence all throughout Arabia, Greece, Rome, and eventually Western and central Europe, where the story of Frankenstein takes place. (Www.rsc.org).

In the early 1800s, Mary Shelley wrote the novel Frankenstein which we just recently completed in class. The main character of the book, Victor Frankenstein, is a scientist that has an obsessive fascination with the work of, at that point outdated, alchemists. By this time society had transitioned from the practice of alchemy to the practice of something more reminiscent of modern-day chemistry, but Victor was nonetheless fixated on the concepts related to alchemy such as everlasting life. We see the catalyst for this fascination on pages seventy-five and seventy-six of the novel. Victor quotes his natural philosophy professor at the University of Ingolstadt who explained how the ancient teachers of this science “…promised impossibilities, and performed nothing”. He then goes on to compare them to the “…modern master…” who “promises very little”. He talks about how they “…know that metals cannot be transmuted, and that the elixir of life is a chimera”. But they nonetheless have “…performed miracles…” and “…have acquired new and almost unlimited powers…” (Shelley, 75-76). This was an invaluable moment in Victor’s life in that it unleashed this unwavering determination within him. “Thus ended a day memorable to me; it decided my future destiny” (Shelley, 77). The study and implication of these concepts, such as the elixir of life, became Victor’s call to action in reference to him creating his creature.

Work Cited 

The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica. 

“Philosopher’s Stone | Alchemy.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 2 May 2018, www.britannica.com/topic/philosophers-stone.

Multhauf, Robert P, and Robert Andrew Gilbert.

 “Alchemy | Definition, History, & Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 6 Mar. 2019, www.britannica.com/topic/alchemy.

Oxford Languages. 

“Oxford Languages.” Oxford Languages, Oxford University Press, 2023, languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/.

‌“What Is Alchemy?” 

Www.rsc.org, www.rsc.org/periodic-table/alchemy/what-is-alchemy#:~:text=The%20art%20of%20 alchemy%20was.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. 

1818. Beverly, Ma Rockport Publishers, 1 Jan. 1818.

“Philosopher’s Stone.”TV Tropes,     tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/PhilosophersStone#:~:text=Examples%20of%20the%20 Philosopher%27s%20 Stone%20in%20 media%3A%20 open%2 Close. Accessed 10 Apr. 2023.

For this assignment, I decided to shop for a top that I need for one of my costumes for a dance show that I’m in. The choreographer of this dance described the top that she wanted us to buy as a burgundy, v-neck, crop top and sent everyone in the dance a direct link to amazon for the exact one that she wanted us all to get. But I decided instead of just clicking the link right away and purchasing the item, my roommate and I would take a trip to the Target in Poughkeepsie to not only find the burgundy, v-neck, crop top but also to run the experiment that this assignment asks us to do.

The first thing I noticed when we arrived at Target was the smell of coffee from the in-store Starbucks directly to my right. As we began to browse around the store I noticed just how much Target really caters to its customers and values their shopping experience. The store is accessible and has a nice warm feeling when you walk in, and I’ve never once met a Target worker that wasn’t extremely helpful and accommodating. I feel like this is one of the reasons that, despite the immense increase in online shopping over the last decade, Target has remained a busy hub for all things shopping-wise. 

Another aspect that I noticed while I was browsing around for my shirt was the autonomy I had over myself. There’s a sense of freedom that comes with in-person shopping that online shopping just doesn’t have. The ability to mosey around the isles and choose what I specifically want to look at, rather than being automatically recommended a bunch of other items, is a good feeling that more people should experience regularly. 

As I looked around the workout section for a top that fit the description I was given by my choreographer, I noticed that it was hard to find a top that checked off all of the boxes. I found a few shirts that were cropped and had a v-neck but were more magenta than burgundy. I never got to find the exact shirt that I wanted but I wouldn’t consider the trip out to target a failure in the slightest. I got to spend the day out with my roommate, I got Starbucks, and I even found a cute little porcelain bunny that I saw in the one-dollar section that I ended up buying.

On the bus ride home from Target, I found the text from my choreographer and opened up the amazon link for the exact shirt I needed. It was extremely easy to buy because I had my debit card info automatically in the app. 

My final thoughts are that online shopping is quicker and better at condensing the process of shopping, but doesn’t make you feel anything. Browsing isn’t as good as streamlining the process of shopping and is not helpful when you’re looking for an extremely specific item but allows you to take in your surroundings and feel freer in your venture. Even Though finding specific items and buying them efficiently is an important aspect of shopping, I definitely do see the value in browsing and further appreciate the fun day that I had because of my decision to browse rather than scrolling.

The object I chose for this assignment was a Nazi war medal that my dad has had since 1997, and in our garage since 2004. This medal is about four inches long, not including the ring at the top, and about a fourth of an inch thick. I would say it has a diameter of about 3 inches and an oval shape. This medal is made out of bronzed brass and has the german words “FÜR ARBEIT ZUM SCHUTZE DEUTSCH LANDS” inscribed on the back of it. On the front side of it towards its bottom, is a depiction of a World War ll bunker along with a cross sword and shovel making an ‘x’ shape above it. Above that, is a depiction of a German eagle looking to its right with its wings stretched out, standing on top of a small circle with a leaf border and a swastika in the middle. The leaf design that is featured on the border of the small circle I mentioned, mirrors the border of the entire front and back of the medal. At the very top of the medal is a small hole with a bigger ring attached to it. The ring is circular and about one inch in diameter. This ring is also asymmetrical and slightly bent. This ring also has a spot where the bronzing on the brass chipped off revealing a dark gray color underneath the finish.

According to valleyviewcoinsandcollectables.com, these medals are known as West Wall Medals and were considered a military decoration of Nazi Germany. These medals were awarded to specific Nazis in World War ll hence the German inscription on the back translating to “FOR WORK ON THE DEFENSES OF GERMANY”. When interviewing my dad, I learned that he was left this medal when his grandmother, Augustus DelRiccio (AKA Nanny), passed away. He was always fascinated with this medal ever since he was a young boy. He felt as if seeing this medal really made the tragic history of World War ll real to him. When he would visit Nanny and ask her about it, she would tell him about how both of her brothers died in World War ll fighting the Nazis. But before Herman DelRiccio, one of the two brothers, died he killed a Nazi soldier, ripped this medal off of his corpse, and sent it back home to her and the rest of the family. According to Nanny, this is why the ring at the top of the medal is worn down and bent. She told him that the reason he sent this back was to show that he was alive and doing what he set out to do in war. She told him that she kept the medal inside her jewelry box because she believed that leaving it out would release some type of Nazi curse into the air. This was passed on to my dad instead of Nanny’s children, my grandma Diana and my great uncle John, because they were mostly just disturbed by the story whereas my father really appreciated the history behind this object and was able to put himself in the shoes of Herman to really understand its significance without being scared away. I think Nanny saw that ability to appreciate the story behind objects and decided that it’d be best to stay with him. To this day my dad keeps that medal in our garage with a cross on top of it just in case the object is really cursed. 

Works Cited-

“WWII German West Wall Medal.” Www.valley view coins and collectibles.com, http://www.valleyviewcoinsandcollectibles.com/wwii-german-west-wall-medal-p/715.htm. 

Carta, Raymond. Interview. 2023

For this assignment, I decided to describe my great-grandmother’s Lladro which was left for my mother when she passed away.

This Lladro is made of porcelain and the cream-colored, stone-like base is about half an inch in height and six inches in width. From a straight-on view starting from your far left, you would first see a human-like figure sitting on what seems to be stacked stone slabs holding a small white lamb with dark brown eyes and pink hooves. She seems to be female and has her right hand paused mid-caress of the lambs head. Her other arm is holding the lamb on her lap. This lamb is laying down with their face pointing toward the inner bend in her elbow. The woman holding the lamb is wearing a white headdress with warm-toned brown hair sticking out and a light gray polka dot pattern. This headdress is tied in a knot under her chin. The top half of her dress is a wide strap tank top-like shape and is a cool-toned brown color. She is wearing a high-neck, long-sleeve top under her dress which matches the color of the polka dots on her headdress. The skirt portion of her dress is loose, touches the ground, and is light brown in color. Half of each of her feet peek out from the bottom of the dress and she is wearing what seem to be simple gray flat shoes, with no visible openings. Her skin tone is almost the same color as her dress skirt but with more of a yellow tint to it and her facial expression seems content. She has brown eyes and black pupils, similar to the lamb, and her eyebrows are not intensely arched but resemble a slightly widened rainbow. She is gazing to her left at a wheelbarrow whose wheel is pointing in that same direction while the handle is pointing in the other. Inside of the wheelbarrow is what looks like a spherical cabbage surrounded by many big leaves with pale yellow coloring towards their middle and light green coloring towards their edges. The cabbage has some texture to it and is a yellow-green color. 

This Lladro was made in Spain years ago and was bought by my great uncle Bobby about 40 years ago. It was a gift from him to my great-grandmother, and when she died her other son, my grandpa Fred, found my mother’s name taped to the bottom of it. He then gave it to my mother Laura which was touching for my mom considering how much this Lladro meant to her grandmother. 

This object acted as a piece of house decor in my great-grandmother’s house and then also in our family home. We had it placed on a wooden shelf in our living room next to any other similar decor pieces we had. I would say this object is pretty unique in the US since it is from Spain but I’m not exactly sure how unique because my mom doesn’t know where in Spain my uncle bought it and for how much. This piece I always thought of this as very beautiful and serene and after hearing the story behind it, I appreciate it even more.