THOMAS EDISON SUGGESTS AN INTENSE STUDY REGIME TO HIS BRYN MAWR COLLEGE-EDUCATED DAUGHTER: “… YOU SHOULD STUDY EIGHTEEN [HOURS PER DAY] … WITH 5 MIN RECESS FOR EACH MEAL. THEN TAKE A NARCOTIC TO GET TO SLEEP QUICK…”

THOMAS EDISON (1847-18931). Edison was an American inventor and businessman known for his pioneering work in electric power, sound communication, industrial production, and motion pictures.

MADELEINE EDISON SLOANE (1888-1979). Thomas Edison’s daughter from his second wife Mina, Sloane studied at Bryn Mawr for two years, later ran for Congress, and eventually joined Western Union’s board of directors.

ALS. 1pg. N.d. Glenmont, Llewellyn Park, [New Jersey]. An autograph letter signed “Daddy” on letterhead from Edison’s Llewellyn Park, New Jersey estate. Edison wrote to his daughter Madeleine, probably during her two years at Bryn Mawr College outside of Philadelphia.  Despite praising her intellect, Edison, known for his workaholic ways, satirically chastises his daughter for not studying enough, suggesting an intense and alarming strategy for maximum intellectual achievement: “I see you are only studying nine hours each day when you should study eighteen, how can you ever expect to know anything. You should get up at 6 am study till 2 am, with 5 min recess for each meal. Then take a narcotic to get to sleep quick, with an Automatic gong to awaken and be thrown out of bed. Modern methods of getting educated are too slow. To my highly intellectual daughter with No 11 feet from Daddy”. Edison wrote a line in what looks like Chinese at the bottom. The letter is in fine condition.  An unusual letter from Edison with personal and family content with a dose of humor.