months (July and August) there were no school sessions because all the boys and girls were needed in the farm work.
In this school, among other studies, Jonathan Palmer taught English, French, Latin and mathematics—including geometry, trigonometry and surveying.
Of the Baldison boys in the school at this time, John—a year older than Isaiah, and his special comrade—was fond of mathematics, and gave particular attention to surveying; his brothers made a specialty of French. Isaiah, also, had his predilections; while he took the general course right through, his favorite studies seem to have been mathematics in various forms, surveying, and French—the latter being kept up in later years after he went to Philadelphia, where he took private lessons from a good French teacher. Isaiah is spoken of as having been "a bright student" while in the Friends' School. It may be assumed that his lively and fun-loving spirit would enter into the sports and pastimes and good-natured joking that every wholesome schoolboy shares. But that he was faithful to
