"OLIVE'S BRANCHES"
The 19th Century Writings Of
Olive A. Wadsworth
aka
 |
Katherine Floyd Dana
January 21, 1835 - April 6, 1886
Because it was not deemed proper for a woman of Katherine Floyd Dana's social position to be known as a "writer"(apparantly not an approved avocation for a modern 19th Century Woman, according to the leading 12th century minds of men of the day) Kate had to write under a pen name. She carefully chose the name Olive A. Wadsworth and often signed her manuscripts and letters O. A. W. which to her inside circle really stood for "Only A Woman" One had to wonder how many leading financial moguls of the gilded age would of had a stroke if they only knew she was secretly helping her husband William B. Dana write his Commercial & Financial Chronicle . The "Chronicle" was the leading paper of the day for all things that dealt with commerce,business and BIG money. Many large financial decisions those titans of industry made, were based on what appeared on the pages of the Chronicle ............ and Buck & Kate's thoughts!!!!
On these next pages I am proudly presenting some samples of her writings for both children and adults that undoubtably had their roots in her birthplace and in her later years..... Mastic, Long Island, New York . I also find it fitting that the original location in 1948 for the proposed first school in Mastic (William Floyd School) was on her "Moss Lots" estate on the Forge River. Although the school was eventually built in 1950, just a stones throw westward on donated land from developer Walter T. Shirley, I tend to think that "Olive's Branches" spread the spirit of K.F.D. and resided quietly in our school library.
A NURSERY RHYME CLASSIC THAT LIVES ON TODAY
Kate Is Still Teaching Little Ones How To Count To Ten Based On Her Own Images
Of Mastic Childhood ....... One Hundred and Sixty Five Years Ago
| Over in the meadow, In the sand in the sun Lived an old mother toadie And her little toadie one "Wink!" said the mother; "I wink!" said the one, So they winked and they blinked In the sand in the sun Over in the meadow, Where the stream runs blue Lived an old mother fish And her little fishes two "Swim!" said the mother; "We swim!" said the two, So they swam and they leaped Where the stream runs blue Over in the meadow, In a hole in a tree Lived an old mother bluebird And her little birdies three "Sing!" said the mother; "We sing!" said the three So they sang and were glad In a hole in the tree Over in the meadow, In the reeds on the shore Lived an old mother muskrat And her little ratties four "Dive!" said the mother; "We dive!" said the four So they dived and they burrowed In the reeds on the shore Over in the meadow, In a snug beehive Lived a mother honey bee And her little bees five "Buzz!" said the mother; "We buzz!" said the five So they buzzed and they hummed In the snug beehive Over in the meadow, In a nest built of sticks Lived a black mother crow And her little crows six "Caw!" said the mother; "We caw!" said the six So they cawed and they called In their nest built of sticks Over in the meadow, Where the grass is so even Lived a gay mother cricket And her little crickets seven "Chirp!" said the mother; "We chirp!" said the seven So they chirped cheery notes In the grass soft and even Over in the meadow, By the old mossy gate Lived a brown mother lizard And her little lizards eight "Bask!" said the mother; "We bask!" said the eight So they basked in the sun On the old mossy gate Over in the meadow, Where the quiet pools shine Lived a green mother frog And her little froggies nine "Croak!" said the mother; "We croak!" said the nine So they croaked and they splashed Where the quiet pools shine Over in the meadow, In a sly little den Lived a gray mother spider And her little spiders ten "Spin!" said the mother; "We spin!" said the ten So they spun lacy webs In their sly little den |
