Philopoena Album

Ellie Stoneroad, student at the Harrisburg Female Seminary, passed around her Philopoena Album in 1857 for her classmates to sign. On the album’s pages, her classmates wrote inscriptions to remember them by–words of good tidings and immortal friendship, wistful remembrances of youthful times passed. They signed their names, and over the years, Ellie made further notations–where they were living, whether they were married, whether they had died.

The writing is faint in many places and difficult to read. All pages with written inscriptions are posted here; a few selections are transcribed below.

To Ellie
“Oh! prize thou not too found to high;
The passing scenes of earth;
For many a bitter tear and sigh
Proclaims their transient worth.
And the wild heart that stoops to bind
To earth its hopes supreme
Will find, by sad experience find,
Its promise but a dream.”
Frank.
Social Hall
Harrisburg 30 Jany 1857

To Ellie
Swiftly our pleasures glide away,
Our hearts recall the distant day
With many sighs;
The moments that are speeding fast
We heed not, but the past, the past–
More highly prize.
Delia A. Slocum
Harrisburg, Jan 31, 1857
Married

To Ellie,
Remember me I only ask,
This simple book of thee,
And may it be an easy task,
Sometimes to think of me.
Your school-mate
Jane Elder
Harrisburg, Feb. 12. 57.

To Ellie,
“May your life be one of peace
May your pleasures never cease
May your cup be one of joy
Overflowed without alloy.”
Beckie

Forget not Ada R(utherford)
Harrisburg
Married

To Ellie
May the snowy wings
Of love and innocences protect thee
Emma Heck
Althea Grove
Dead