In Louisa's Diary, there is no mention of formal education. We are made aware of the numerous household chores that she is responsible for. In many entries Louisa mentions spending many daysspinning and carding?(1). Some other chores included washing, cooking, churning and making butter, picking currants and making wine, sewing, raking and making hay, and helping with the milking (2). Saturday was the day to clean the house and all the girls helped,This has been a very busy day with me and all-we had our house to clean all over after the rain,.-Papa has been to town today?(3). Although Louisa, being the second oldest daughter, had many household responsibilities, she did not question her role. She does these daily chores as routine, and it is everything else that is seen in a broader sense, I have not done much today except housework?(4). Although the majority of work can be described from Louisa's Diary, similarly Jane Sprott had also learned that children must learn to work. Jane and her siblings shared in the work. As the oldest at age nine, Jane had already learned to milk the cows and scrub the floors (5). One aspect of a child's life that was address through Jane's diary was schooling. Although it had not been mentioned in Louisa's diary, education, in the eyes of the Sprott family, was seen to be necessary for children, especially girls. In an August entry, Jane gives a description of what she understands to be the well-bred woman. She mentions the importance of education, but more so the importance of education that is based on religion (6). Both Louisa and Jane felt their responsibilities were important, and were what they were doing was expected from girls. .
Life in the nineteenth century was not a time of all work and no play. Play was very much included in each of the girl's life. Louisa spoke fondly of friends, reading and writing. Typically, if the weather was bad, and friends were not able to visit because of it, Louisa's entries were dismal.
