LATHAM, Oregon, February 6, 1902.
_Mr. Geo. H. Himes, Assistant Secretary Oregon Historical
Society, Portland, Oregon_--
DEAR SIR: Your letter of 3d received [asking for data on
early schools in Lane County.] In response would say the
first two schools I remember in our district were taught by
Mr. James M. Parker and Mr. H. Clay Huston, in a log house
on my claim in Lane County. The branches taught were A B
C's, spelling, reading, writing, arithmetic, grammar,
geography. I do not recollect which of these two gentlemen
taught first. I taught many terms of three months each in
various districts. In early days most districts were weak
financially, and but few could afford more than one term in
a year. Public money from school funds would not be quite
enough to pay the bill, and rate bill would be made for
balance and collected from patrons. The method of making
rate bills would be to average and find price per day per
scholar, and number of days' attendance per rate would be
each scholar's fee. Sometimes a subscription school would be
gotten [up] at so much per scholar for the term, the teacher
taking the subscribers for pay.
The houses were either log, frame, or box, principally log,
but as fast as district became able improvements were made.
Some had huge fireplaces where red hot coals assisted the
teacher's switch to keep the outer boy and girl warm while
he stored away his A B C's or fed his mind on ab, ib, ob.
Some were heated by stoves. Some would have long, narrow
windows, one on each side of the house, and under them long
desks fastened to the walls to write on, and long benches
for the writers to sit on; others would be constructed with
plenty of windows and reasonably comfortable seats and
desks.
The books principally used were Sanders' and Webster's
elementary spelling books, Sanders' first, second, third,
and fourth readers. I think Montieth's geographies,
Thompson's arithmetics, Smith's and Clark's grammars.
Teachers set most of copies for writers, but some copy
plates were used. Classes would be formed as much as
possible. A-B-C scholars would have to be heard singly, and
those just commencing to spell. Those in arithmetic would
have to be attended to singly except in general exercises on
blackboard. Four lessons a day in A B C's, spelling, first,
second, and third readers; two in the fourth reader,
besides closing spelling classes at noon and night. Often
these would consist of two classes, one class containing the
smaller, the other the larger scholars. One geography, one
grammar, one blackboard exercise for each class--about
fifteen or twenty minutes, set apart especially in fore and
afternoon for writers, so teachers could give them close
attention. Commencing with the A B C's first, after calling
school to order, then the spellers, next first, second,
third, and fourth readers; mingled with this would be the
necessary assistance to the arithmeticians, geographers,
grammarians. Classes having recited, then write geography,
grammar,--and blackboard exercise heard, usually in the
afternoon. Quiet could be better kept by requiring the
scholars to ask permission to speak when they wanted to
whisper, to leave their seats when wanting something in
another part of the room, or to go out when they wanted to
leave the room. Compositions would be better written,
speeches committed to memory, and read and delivered at
stated times; spelling schools in winter at night, and
sometimes examination or exhibition on last day. Christmas
times were apt to be jolly times. The scholars made it a
point to get to the schoolhouse before the teacher and
either bar him out or catch him before he got in, carry him
to a pond of water, and make him treat. Teachers would
sometimes board around among the scholars and sometimes
board at one place. The easiest, best way to control the
school was to make no rules only as needed; when
irregularity occurred, correct as required, with the
understanding that no such would be allowed the second time.
Patrons of the school furnished fuel, usually hauling wood,
wagon lengths, about ten or twelve feet long. Teacher and
larger scholars would chop it up for fires. Teacher or large
scholars did the sweeping.
Respectfully.