Nannie's Early Path 1899

At this point, I’ll track Nannie from her earliest days, or at least the ones I have in my archives. Her apparent early writing prowess began with this document, her graduation essay from Mrs. Trimble’s School for Girls in Montgomery. She had attended the school for her entire school life.  She is pictured (center bottom) with her class.
I quote in part:

Graduation Essay

Mattie Gilmer Bibb

Graduation from Mrs. Trimble’s School for Girls

Montgomery, Alabama

1899

Class Valedictorian

The Bloomy Flush of Life

"Youth is like a bright, tropical island in the sea of life, the fresh verdure, the rippling blue waters, the hills looming in the distance, and even the scintillating stars seem ever young and fair, for they are a part of the roseate dawn of life. Now comes the inspiration which never entirely dies out of the heart, not even after the joys of childhood are flown. The ways of the world are new to us, we have faith, and courage, we try to brave the troubles in our path, we grasp our staff, and begin to climb the mountain of difficulties which confront us, we strive for the goal of happiness on the high summit, which towers heavenward...

When the aural light of youth shines round us, we fix our hearts on some one object, which when we could clasp it, eludes us like the will-o-the-wisp, and we see the flickering light go deeper into the darkness; we gaze searchingly back through the closing gate of childhood, but it is not there; we seek to question the future but from the laughing winds and the echoing hills, we hear only the word hope. Again we see it shining before us, and we rush onward eagerly, but it fades like the beautiful mystical mirage of the desert. It is now we must lay the foundation stone for future years, when the bloomy blush of life has faded into a different but grander beauty..."

Nannie's conclusion included these words:

Now comes the sad unwelcome task of bidding farewell to the only teacher I have known, doubly sad because it was she who led me through the mysteries of the alphabet and steered me successfully through the whole scholastic course. Words cannot tell how grateful I feel for her patient training of heart and brain. We bid her farewell but only for a short time.."

Obviously, Nannie revered her long-time teacher and the group of women with whom she'd shared her formal education until her 17th year. More on Nannie's pilgrimage toward the southern bypass in the next post.