“Popular Education in the West by Female Teachers from the East.”
New Englander and Yale Review, November 1849
[These two letters were written by female teachers who had been recruited in New England and sent to what was then the frontier of settlement, now the American Midwest. ---ZMS]
1. (no place or date)
“At the first sight of this place my heart sickened, and I thought I could never make it my home; but after a few days’ reflection and acquaintance with the people, I became quite reconciled, and now I think if it is the will of God that I should remain here, and I can be useful, I shall be contented. There are a few here who prize education; but most of the parents have permitted their children to grow up in ignorance. I find, indeed, many women and even men who can not read.
“One rule I made when I began to teach was—never to punish a scholar in presence of the school. At the commencement of my last quarter, a boy of about sixteen came to my school. I hesitated about enrolling his name, as he had turned one of his teachers—a man of about twenty-seven or eight—out of the school-house. But I thought that perhaps Providence had sent him to me for some good, so I took him. Once he rebelled; I kindly reproved him, telling him that, upon a recurrence of the act, I should be obliged to detain him after school. He rebelled again, and when dismissing the school, 1 told him he might remain. Lie took off his cap with an air of conscious superiority, at least of strength, and sat down. Need I be ashamed to own that I trembled and 0-rew faint for I knew not what to do. But God was my refuge and strength. When alone with him, I took him by the hand, arid knelt down, and with one arm around him, carried his case and mine to God in fervent prayer. He was melted; and after a moment of conversation with him, he asked my forgiveness. I never had occasion to keep him after school again. I mention this to show not my skill, but the efficacy of prayer.
“I am deeply interested in the Sabbath School. My pupils all attend. My class consists of fifteen young ladies, mostly from among my pupils, and they seem to be deeply interested in the study of the Scriptures. This interest has increased, of late. At my request the Sabbath School in my native town have sent me a very good library, and some of Newcomb’s questions. Our number has been thereby increased, and I trust greater good will be done. I also meet my pupils at a stated time for religious instruction and prayer, and each season increases the interest. There are some praying pious hearts among them, and sweet it is to hear them pour out the fullness of their souls to our Father in heaven. I have reason to believe this number to be increasing. I find many in a very interesting state of mind.
“I have commenced a Sabbath School, which is attended by both parents and children, and occupies a part of the Lord’s day usually spent by them in visiting and pleasure. It has been the means of convincing the people that my object in coming among them was not for gain, but a sincere desire to do good. At first they were very suspicious, and my movements were narrowly watched; but I invited them to visit my school, and several of them having done so, have expressed entire satisfaction with my proceedings. Through the blessing of God upon my labors, I have succeeded in gaining the confidence of the people, and awaking an interest in the cause of education, so that they have promised to support my school as long as I will stay among them.
“The Sabbath School organized the past summer was first proposed by a son of Catholic parents, a young man of about fifteen years of age. They are surrounded almost entirely by Catholic families. His first step was to obtain a room, which was done by occupying the only one in his father’s house. His parents have been active in sustaining the school, and it now numbers over forty scholars. The Catholic priest has visited them several times, and tried to persuade them to give it up. He says it is the work of the devil, and it must he given up. But they tell him they see nothing but good resulting from it, and therefore mean to have it continue.”
2. Letter from “Falls of St. Anthony. Territory of Minesota, [present-day Minneapolis] July 23d, 1849.
“To the Committee for selecting teachers, Hartford, Conn.
“RESPECTED FRIENDS :—Among my privileges, that of addressing you holds a prominent place.
“The personal favors shown me, during my sojourn among you, are precious mementoes, in this far off land. The counsels of Mr. Gallaudet, and the instructions of Miss Swift, are in memory’s store-house, like apples of gold in pictures of silver. The literary and scientific lectures of Messrs. Grant, Beecher, Barnard and others, have already been of service to me, and the school at St. Anthony, never pleases me so well as when I discover in it some- thing which indicates that the model was brought from the schools of Hartford, Connecticut. You will be gratified to hear that I succeed quite beyond my own expectations, in carrying out the suggestions, and transmitting to others the instructions, which were so freely given.
“I am. at the Falls, instead of being the successor of Miss B. at St. Paul’s, because Miss S. preferred stopping there; and as I had cast all my care on Him who cares for me, I had no preference. * * * One year ago there were but three white families here; now there are sixteen families, and a number of men, and some women, without families. Mr. G., the pioneer, from Maine, arrived October 1st, 1847, and endured “Missionary” hardships, while building the first saw-mill, which now furnishes timber with astonishing rapidity. His family had been here about three weeks, and were living in very close quarters when I came, but after I had promised to he more useful than three Irish girls, through the day, and to sleep almost any where, they consented to take me under their roof, which was the best part of the house, though that was unfinished.
“I had been at service hut two days, when Mrs. G. became the mother of the first white daughter, ever born in this place. In addition to my other duties, the honor of being the nurse, was conferred upon me, so that instead of sleeping ‘any where,’ I was obliged to leave the sleeping to others. But the promise, ‘As thy day so shall thy strength be,’ sustained me, while my Father’s hand led me by a way which I knew not, and in paths that I had not known.
“My school commenced June 21st, with twelve scholars, in the skeleton of a building which had been used for a dwelling house, and the proprietors certainly deserve credit for fitting up so comfortable a school-house at so early a day, while they are so full of business in building their own dwellings.
“The scholars have increased until we number forty, from three to twenty years of age. Some of them are as well instructed as those of their age in New England, for that was their home a few weeks ago. One boy of twelve from Maine, is fitting for college, and is quite a prodigy in scientific attainments. Another portion of my school have learned what they know at ‘Western schools,’ and Western schools must he on a par with ‘Western hotels.’ It had been better for them, and easier for me, had they never seen a school-house, for their bad habits are hard to overcome. The French and ‘half-breeds’ are very teachable, and they make astonishing progress in reading, spelling and repeating from memory. Every child, of every color, age and grade, hastens to school; and we are as happy a company as need to be.
“The new school-house is large and well planned, and will he ready for use by the first of October. It is uncertain whether I occupy it or not, for we think it may be necessary to divide the school, and if so, I shall choose the little ones, and those of stammering tongue for my charge.”
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