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.
JOS. H. SHARP.
THE MONTURES ON FRENCH PRAIRIE.
In his history, H. S. Lyman speaks of "Montour, a character considered fabulous by Bancroft, but said to have made a settlement on French Prairie."
Referring to notes given me by Mr. L. H. Ponjade, one of the old residents on French Prairie, I found the following:
My father, the old French doctor, had studied at Montpelier, and after receiving his diploma as surgeon and physician, was immediately taken into the service of Napoleon, and served three years as surgeon on the army of France, mostly in Spain. He naturally did not wish to serve in the army again, so came to America, found his way to Oregon, and from force of associations, made his home on French Prairie.