Josiah Gardner Bassett (1851-1915) was born in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, to Josiah L. Bassett and Selina G. Bassett. He was a student at the West Newton English and Classical School in West Newton, Massachusetts, in 1864. He married Annie Howland Taylor in 1874 and owned a brickyard and automobile garage.
This notebook was kept by Josiah Bassett as required by Nathaniel T. Allen, founder and principal of the West Newton English and Classical School. Bassett mentions the daily schedule at the school, which includes a gymnasium, dancing school, singing school, and drawing classes as well as academic lessons. Bassett mentions playing baseball, attending the funeral of a classmate, and taking trips to Boston. He also recounts the story of two Black men who visited the school to entertain the children with songs. The notebook includes teacher notes and corrections and a list of students, some of whom hailed from Cuba, New Orleans, and Virginia.