Eli and Sibyl Jones, Their Life and Work

by Rufus M. Jones

At the close of the session he called to thank the governor for his kindness to him and his help in different ways, and he remarked to the latter that he had been in rather a peculiar place during the winter and had felt somewhat like a "speckled bird." The governor said, "Mr. Jones, what you call being a 'speckled bird' has given you more influence than anything else could possibly have done." Whatever he may have accomplished in other lines during his term of office, he gave powerful testimony in favor of peace and temperance and against the use of oaths, and he went back to his quiet farm in China thoroughly respected by all with whom he had been associated.

OAK GROVE SEMINARY.

It may be a fitting place to speak of his connection with Oak Grove Seminary, as he was at work for its interests not long after this time. As I have in my possession a letter written by him in regard to the beginning and early days of the school, I will insert it here:

"Oak Grove Seminary was started about the year 1850 by John D. Lang, Samuel Taylor, Ebenezer Frye, Alden Sampson, and Alton Pope. They had in view the guarded and religious education of the children of Friends. It was to be a 'select' school. William H. Hobbie was the first principal. I visited his school and thought him a wonderful teacher. He stood before his class without a book, and seemed to be himself the book. Up to that time I had never seen the like. Franklin Paige, the present publisher of the Friends' Review, followed William Hobbie in the principalship. Financially, the undertaking after a while proved a failure, and the school was closed.

"At a meeting of the yearly meeting's committee on education, held in China in the autumn of 1856, I advocated an effort being made to open Oak Grove Seminary again. It was opposed by some on the ground that we needed primary schools more than high schools: to that idea my answer was, We must first have high schools to prepare teachers for the primary schools. A meeting of the original proprietors of the seminary was called, and the question put to them, 'Are you willing to have other Friends join you in opening the seminary?' Samuel Taylor replied, 'We want to know first what you will do; we do not want to depend upon a rope of sand.'—'What are the conditions on which we can join you?'—'Do as much as we have; give $2500.' To this Alden Sampson replied, 'It is useless to think of opening the school with $2500; we must have $15,000. If you will raise that amount I will give $1000.' Ebenezer Frye responded as liberally. A committee was appointed to raise the fifteen thousand dollars. Eli Jones, William A. Sampson, Joseph Estes, and Thomas B. Nichols were the chief workers in raising the proposed sum. They were successful. It was nearly all subscribed by six hundred Maine Friends. They constituted an association for the opening and management of Oak Grove Seminary.

"In the summer and autumn of 1857 the boarding-house was built. James van Blarcom was chosen principal, and Sarah B. Taber of Albion teacher. It was found that James van Blarcom's engagements would not allow of his occupying the place for one year, consequently Eli Jones took this position for the first year. The school opened in the 12th month, 1857. The season had been wet, and the building and preparation for the school proceeded slowly. Much hard work devolved upon the principal and teachers. The pupils were numerous, and the spring term brought 140. A case of scarlet fever, resulting in the death of a lovely girl, rapidly reduced the number, which has not been reached since.

"At the opening of the second year Albert Smiley became principal and James van Blarcom governor and boarding-master.

"Albert Smiley was followed by Augustine Jones, and he by Richard M. Jones.

"Oak Grove has furnished principals for Friends' School at Providence for nearly a quarter of a century, and to the Penn Charter School of Philadelphia for about thirteen years. Ten or twelve of its pupils have been or are ministers in the Society of Friends; some are to-day leading business-men.

"The writer of this notice has been connected with the management of the institution for the last thirty years, sometimes influentially, sometimes wellnigh powerless. As the record has been made, so it will stand. I have rejoiced in the times of its prosperity; I have wept over the ashes of its fine buildings, its library, its geological museum. I now see the second temple rising from the ashes of the first with an unlooked-for splendor. May it long stand for the benefit of our race and the glory of God!"