Sew till 4. Practice till 5.
Hear Lizzy recite German and French till 6. Supper.
This will keep me pretty busy, but I find I accomplish so much more when I have a plan and certain times for certain things. I never can do things without order. I like to have something planned for every moment of the day, so that when I get up in the morning I may know what to do. I wish I could be learned.
An entry in Louisa's diary during the Fruitlands period gives this insight into one of her average days, when a child of eleven:
I rose at five, and after breakfast washed the dishes and then helped mother work. I took care of May in the afternoon. In the evening I made some pretty things for my dolly. Father and Mr. Lane had a talk and father asked us if we saw any reason for us to separate. Mother wanted to, she is so tired. I like it, but not the school part or Mr. L.
Note, too, that when it came to a conference concerning family affairs, the father asked the advice of his eleven-year-old daughter, instead of following the more customary method of withholding from her the family confidence and deferring discussion of plans until the children had gone to bed.
"Know Thyself," was ever the aim of Bronson Alcott in the training of his children, and Mr. Lane at Fruitlands followed this same line of mental development. This is one of his sample lessons which Louisa Alcott has copied into her journal:
Sample of our Lessons
"What virtues do you wish more of," asked Mr. L. I answer:
| Patience | Obedience | Industry |
| Love | Generosity | Respect |
| Silence | Perseverance | Self-denial |