The collection consists of Neel's student notebook which later became his diary. The notebooks contains notes from D.H. Hill's mathematics class, an account of textbooks purchased by Price, a list of his classmates and their class standings, a diary of his Civil War experience, 1861-1865, a diary of his teaching at Cool Springs Academy, 1866-1868, and a diary of his teaching at Bethel Academy, 1869. The school diary portions include lists of students and expense accounts.