WOMAN'S EDITION THE DALLES TIMES-MOUNTAINEER
..Our Public Schools..
The first schools of the village Wasco
pum were those of the missionaries, ami
the private schools maintained by the
soldiers, stationed in the village to de
fend the white settlers against the
Indians. In the spring of 1834 the first
school of the post, a small log building,
was erected a little south-west of the
place where the Academy Park school
now stands. In the summer of 75,
Chas. Meigs taught a private school in
the same buiding, but he left the school
in the fall to join a company of volun
teers organized by Nathan Olney to
fitrht the Indians.
One of the early schools was taught by
Miss Scounee, a sister of Mrs. Put Brad
ford, and in later years the wife of Col
onel Ebie. This school wa taught in a
private house on Fourth street between
Court and Union. In November, 1859,
the school district was organized, and
this foundation of the public schools of
The Dalles was strengthened by build
ing a public school house, or better, a
public school room, as the school house,
which was erected on the site now occu
pied by Dr. Sid lall's cottages on fourth
and Laughlin street, had but one room ;
another was added a few years later,
and in 1803 two more rooms were built,
giving to the whole the form of a T.
The desks of the first two rooms gave
pad proof of the fact that young America
is anxious to make his mark in the
world; profiting by experience, the
directors furnished one of the new
rooms with desks two inches thick to
give the boys sufficient material to
Avhittle! In later years the part built
in '03 was known as the litt le blue school
house. In 1888 it was moved to Union
street, ami is now called the Union
street annex.
Union street school was erected in
1873. It first stood in the street, just
below the "cut," the main entrance
being from the north. The grounds
were ample, and boys and girls found
room for out door games. Many flowers
and beautiful mosses grew on the bluff
near the building less than fifteen years
ago, and great was the children's delight
when they were allowed to decorate
their desks with the mosses. The little
blue school house was not used for a
time ; by 1880, however, the attendance
of the schools had increased so that
every room had to be used, and then
not all of the pupils were accommo
dated. In the lower grades half day
sessions were maintained, and a room
J. W. Miller, Dr. O. D. Doane, Levi
Walker Patton, S. C. Barrett, (i. W.
(irubbs, W. L. Worthington, J. S.
Brown, Chas. Davidson, Nap. Davis,
Price and M. W. Smith.
There were no grades, no examina
tions, no "passing," no graduation in
the early schools. The modern system
was worked out slowly, and sometimes
painfully. But shall we s.iy that the
pioneer schools were not efficient be
cause they lacked all the modern machin
ery? By no means. All work must be
iudsred from its results. The bovs and
girls of the '60's, who attended these
schools, are the active men and women
of today, and many of them are most
successful. Indeed, the very crudeness
of the time enforced many lessons of
sturdy independence. Mistakes were
made then as mistakes are made now,
but we find more to commend than to
ciiticize. The pioneer school lost much
by making arithmetic the test of a
child's ability. It was a mistake of the
time and not limited to The Dalles.
"Your grades and methods serve you
well," says a successful teacher of our
early schools, "but we older teachers do
1 ( .
not regret our lactc ot tne present sys
tem ; but could we have given more
time to language our work would have
been stronger."
It was impossible to grade the school
successful ly when there were but few
teachers, and as late as 1880 there were
but five teachers employed. Instead of
the written examination of the present
time, the teacher promoted the pupil
when he thought best. No pupil asked,
"Did you pass?" It was instead, "Can
you'do these sums?" We are told that
the first examinations were used in the
schools in the early '70's, and from that
time they were employed as best suited
the teachers. The plan now used of
monthly examinations in every grade
has been followed since Chas. Davidson
1884.
is entitled to forty-five credits; sixty
two, practically four years of high
school work, being required to make
him a freshman in the University.
In an ideal system of education there is
no break between the secondary school
and the college, but at the present time
the graduates of The Dalles and of most
of the high schools of Oregon, entering
college are compelled to make up much
language work. This deficiency is a
common one in the schools of the state,
and the work in the sciences and in
English classics is weakened by the
loss. Still, if there must be deficiencies
let them come in the secondary school,
rather than in the common school,
where the rank and tile of our citizens
are educated.
At the present time the public schools
are under the able management of .John
(Savin, assisted by a corps of sixteen
teachers. Mr. (ravin has been princi
pal of the school during the last six
years, and their growth under his super
vision bespeaks his success. Much
credit is due, also, to Assistant Principal
J. S. Landers, lie is a man of high
ideals, and his work in the classroom is
characterized by its thoroughness in
every detail.
According to the school census of '98
there are in the school district 1351
children from four to twenty years of
age. There are 760 pupils now enrolled
in the schools. The largest attendance
for any one month was reached in Feb
ruary, 1898, the reports showing a total
enrollment of 799 and an average daily
attendance of 715.
During the last four years the work of
educating the children of The Dalles has
been aided by a private kindergarten
taught for two years by Mrs. Ketchum,
and now by the Misses Taylor. They
receive children at the age of three, and
prepare them for primary work. The
kindergarten pupils who have entered
trie puolic school have been well pre
pared for their primary work.
Melissa Hill.
The Dalle? Commission Co.
WHOLESALE
Fruits and Produce
Fish, Vegetable, Coal, Fruit, Poultry, Eggs, Groceries,
e aim to give our customers the lowest prices at which the best quality of
goods can Ik sold.
The Human Eye
The human eye is a most jerfectly constructed optical instrument
and is one of the'inost delicate organs of the human bodv. Never
let an inexperienced person advise vou or sell vmi Eve (.lasses
ketraetion is a science and can on'lv be obtained b"v hard and
careful study, (.lasses not properly fitted is an injury to the
IZV yru,r l'yts im' tr,,u,,1,V you go to W E. OAKKKT
y.V and have them properly fitted on scientific principles.
His prices are reasonable and in the reach of all.
Sign of the Red Watch, Second Street, The Dalles
Watchmaker and Jeweler. Watches made to run when others
have tried and failed.
The
Best
In the
Time
World
To buy Jewelry is now.
our goods so high, that
any danger of
Our trices are so low and the class of
no matter what you buy there is never
THAT TIRED FEELING
Sterling Silver Novelties, Kings, Watches and everything that can
be found in a first-class Jewelry Store at
HARRY C. LIEBE'S
In the Vojrt Block, The Dalles, Oregon.
J
took charge of schools in Sept.
Closing exercises at the end of a term
were not common in the 'GO's. The fol
lowing is in part the account of a school
exercise of 1870. "The exercises in
Miss Anna Pentland's department of
the Public School last Friday afternoon,
constituted a very pleasing entertain
ment. The speatkers were prompt in
their recitations, and the declaiming
was very good considering the age of t he
scholars. Two papers were read, com
posed of original contributions by some
of the pupils, one entitled "The Bud"
THE NEW W03IAN.
A MTTLK RYTHMICAL DISSERTATION
THK OLD MAN.
BY
That "Man must work
And woman must weep,"
Is a discarded old song,
That's been long put to sleep.
For the woman of now.
Has done simpering and sighing
And if tpara must be shed,
W y, the uuin does the cyinf .
We find her in law,
Wise, learned, sagacious,
And in politics, sure
Her manner's pugnacious,
in the Methodist church was rented to by Miss Clara Humason, and one "The
provide for a primary class. Such were Atom." The essays were very good
the conditions when the citizens voted considering the age of the pupils." From the pulpit her voice
a tax to erect a brick building of four (Times-Mountaineer.) Literary exer
rooms. The building was com .let ed in cises in the schools must have had the
1882, and is now occupied by the eighth approval of the public, if we are to
grade and the high school pupils. judge from their frequency in later
A building of two rooms wa- erected times,
at Kleventh and Union street? in 1881). In 1884 a year of high school work
This building is now known as the East was added to the schools, and the first
Hill Primary, and was mowd to its graduating class received their diplo
present site in 1894. In the same year mas in June, 1885. Classes completed
the Wasco Independent Academy, with the same studies, in '86 and '87; but as
all the property of the Academy Associ- the course was extended in '87, there
was no class the next year. In 1889
five girls completed this longer course.
The high school department was not
maintained during the succeeding five
years, as it was thought impracticable
to maintain the high school, when the
Wasco Independent Academy offered
much the same as well as a more extend
ed line of work. When the property
ation, was purchased by the school dist
rict. Academy Park schoo lias re
placed the term the Wasco Independent
Academy.
Today the school district wns ten
acres of land, and five school buildings,
the whole valued at $53,000, and a high
school building is now beinjr built in
the Academy Park grounds, at the cost
Urges man to repent:
From the rostrum she thunders,
And to congress 9he's sent.
In athletics she'9 great;
She can ferice, 9he can box;
Chase an aniseed bag
Or the spoor of a fox.
And when war is declared
Will she beat a retreat?
Not. on your tin type
She'll be there with both feet.
With red fire in her eye,
Hat pin in her hand,
What degenerate Don
Could her onslaught withstand.
The male tyrant's a sham
And a myth are all Bowsers
We're wearing her collar
And she's wearing our trousers.
Wilder Photo (jailer)
All kinds of work in our line done at reasonable;
prices Enlarging in Crayon and Water Colors.
Developing and Finishing for the trade. Chemi
cals compounded and lessons given.
f MRS. L E. and MR. D. D. WILDER
Opposite Mays & Crowe, The Dalles, Oregon.
When Your Molher Is There!
But a home without a piano is almost as
dreary as "home without a mother." A
Ludwig piano can make you forget your
troubles and cares by its sweet and soothing
influence. It is the great refiner of modern
life, and the magnet that attracts the
household at eventide. If you wish to keep
your family together try a Ludwig piano.
For sale only at
Jaeobsen Book & Music Co.
170 Second St., The Dalles
J. M. FILLOON & CO.
DEALER IN
But in our attire
There's one thing she won's use
The dear creature dtill scorns
To get into our shoes.
of tiy.000. Little debt has hew: allowed of the Academy passed into the hands
to accumulate; the liabiltnes being of the school district the public high And with mind ever constant
$7,000 in Feb., 1897. At that lime the school was revived, and the following For the rest of her days,
..... . . o i in : i . i
tax mvers voted to bond th distnVt course was adopted bv the school board "wuuuubiuuuj mum
for $20,000 to provide fund- lor the in 1894. For the ninth grade, algebra,
building now Under erection. rhetoric, civil government, physiology,
S. much for the exterior, mit we Physical geography ,and English classics ;
must know more of the dovh. irirls. .md for the tenth, higher arithmetic, book-
From the great Pease & Mays.
P. S. Pease & Mays sell the
BROWN SHOE CO.'S celebrated St.
Louis shoes No other make, for either
the NEW WOM N or the OLD MAN
of the teachers if we would under- keeping, physics, and English classics; equal these for style, comfort and
stand' the real growth of the schools.
Mr. Hathaway taught the district
school in 1856-57, when the public
school was all the "grades in mit-fradr."
II. J. Waldron was another pioneer
teacher. We are not able to find just
when he took charge of the school , but
the fact that a man of so mm t ability
shaped the destiny ot our ;u i v K-hools developing rapidly. In 1896 there were
is worth more to us than any taTr date, twenty four schools in the state which
He. was the last person who taught were accredited work by the State Uni
school alone. Other principal .f the versity, in 1897 there were forty three,
school were J. R. Robh, K. 1 . KoWts, A graduate of The Dalles High School
for the eleventh, geometry, English lit
erature, general history, geology, po
litical economy, and a review in the
common branches. A class of nine
completed the course of study in '97, the
next year a class of thirteen, and the
class of '98 numbers seventeen.
The secondary schools of Oregon are
wear.
They pinch neither foot
nor pocket-book.
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& GIVE US A CALL
Gttetttion, Sfyeepmen
We have large tracts of laud in Wasco, Sherman, Crook, Grant
and Malheur Counties, suitable for sheep pasture, which we are
ready to lease or sell to you on reasonable terms. If you are
looking for a first-class sheep range for little money, it will pa)' to
call at the office of the
EASTERN OREGON LAND CO. O
On Washington Street, two doors South of Freneh's bank. Come
in and see lis. We may possibly .have the very thing you are
looking for. Our range lands extend from The Dalles to Snake
river, a distance of 300 miles through the best sheep country in
Oregon.
T. A. HUDSON, Agent