The late Mr. Willis Judson has frequently joked about his fear of chastisement, when, Mr. Towers being sick, I assumed authority in his room for a few days, while another young lady filled my place. Only a few months since, Mr. Archibald Finlay told his recollections of the time I was his teacher. And the year of "The Columbian Exposition" Mr. Oscar Forsythe, who has been a hardware merchant in Bay City for many years, stopped in this place, when returning from the world's fair. He called on me saying: "You may not know me, but I went to school to you 54 years ago." He had not been here for more than 40 years. Therefore it was not to be expected I should recognize the young lad in the prosperous elderly gentleman.
Two young ladies, nieces of Mrs. L. H. Stone, followed Mr. Towers and myself in this school. They were good teachers. Later a few years, our schools were taught, sometimes by competent teachers, and sometimes by those less so. About 1843, Mr. Eaton, a Baptist minister, opened a private school, in one of the school rooms, by permission of the school board. He was a college graduate, and his school was of great benefit to our village. When he left, Mr. Dwinell, a graduate of Yale, took his place, filling it with satisfaction to his pupils.
In 1846, through the generosity of Rev. William Taylor, "Cedar Park Seminary" was opened. For some years that was one of the most popular schools in western Michigan. The rapid growth of Kalamazoo enabled her citizens to establish schools with superior advantages, and Cedar Park Seminary was sold to this district.
The worth of the present high school and of the lower departments are too well known to render any remarks concerning them necessary.
THE YOUNG PIONEER.
BY E. LAKIN BROWN.
Written to be sung at the Pioneer meeting at Kalamazoo, August 31, 1876.
Set to music by Jonas Allen.
Oh, bright were the hopes of the young pioneer,
And sweet was the joy that came o'er him.
For his heart it was brave, and strong was his arm,
And a broad, fertile land lay before him.
And there by his side was his heart's chosen bride,
Who want and privation knew never;
From kindred and home he had borne her away.
To be guarded and cherished for ever.
A drear home for a bride is the wilderness wide,
Her heart to old memories turning,
And lonely and sad and o'er burdened with care,
For kindred and sympathy yearning.
Then stern was the task, and long was the toil,
Vain longing for all that was needed,
Yet bravely their toils and privations were borne,
As the wilderness slowly receded.
But the years rolled away and prosperity came,
Wealth and ease on frugality founded:
Now the husband and wife tread the down hill of life
By brave sons and fair daughters surrounded
And the young pioneer has grown stooping and gray,
And he marvels his limbs are no stronger:
And the cheek of the bride is now sallow and thin.
And her eye beams with brightness no longer.
All honor and praise to the old pioneers:
You never may know all their story:
What they found but a desert a garden became,
And their toil, and success is their glory.
THE TRANSPLANTING OF A BOY.