31 January 2019: I am working with one of my best (ever) and favorite students on her Honors capstone project. After our last meeting, I sent her off with a suggestion that she look into a popular Victorian writer (Sarah Stickney Ellis) for some leads on Victorian views of raising daughters. It was not much a lead--just a hunch and a name, but off she went. So imagine how much of a kick it was to get this nerdy email from her (and you know I say "nerdy" with all the love in the world):
"I just had a research moment that's too good not to share. Since you pointed me in the direction of Sarah Stickney Ellis, I looked through all of her instructional books, and found that she had two that looked particularly helpful: The Daughters of England and The Mothers of England. Both are available through Google Books, and The Mothers of England in particular has an entire chapter devoted to 'the training of girls.' I got so excited when I saw it in the table of contents that I actually gasped."
Oh, and the subject heading: "Stickney Ellis Jackpot."
Sometimes I see myself in my students (especially the academically-ambitious ones) and it is kind of startling. Sometimes it's disconcerting. But sometimes--like this time--it is a gosh darn nerdy delight.
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