USA > California > Monterey County > History of Monterey County, California : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery, farms, residences, public buildings, factories, hotels, business houses, schools, churches, and mines : with biiographical sketches of prominent citizens > Part 20
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THE INDIAN SWEAT-HOUSE.
"About the only thing common to all the Indians of the Pacific coast was the sweat-house. This great sanitary institu- tion, found in every rancheria or village, was a large circular excavation, covered with a roof of bonghs plastered withi mud, having a hole on one side for an entrance, and another in the roof to serve as a' chimney. A fire having been lighted in the center, the sick were placed there to undergo a sweat-batlı for many hours to be succeeded by a plunge in cold water.
"This treatment was their cure-all, and whether it killed or relieved the patient depended upon the nature of his disease and the vigor of his constitution. Their knowledge of the proper treatment of disease was on a level with their attain- ments in all the arts of life. Roots and herbs were sometimes used as remedies, but the 'sweat-house' was the principal re- liance in desperate cases. A gentleman who was tempted, some years ago, to enter one of these sanitary institutions, gives the following story of his experience :-
" 'A sweat-house is the shape of an inverted bowl. It is gen- erally about forty feet in diameter at the bottom, and is built of strong poles and branches of trees, covered with earth to pre- vent the escape of heat. There is a small hole near the ground, large enough for the Diggers to creep in one at a time ; and another at the top of the house, to give vent to the smoke. When a dance is to oceur, a large fire is kindled in the center of the edifice, the crowd assembles, the white spectators crawl in and seat themselves anywhere out of the way. The aper- tures, both above and below, are then elosed, and the dancers take their position. Half-naked Indians and squaws join in the festivities. Simultaneous with the commencement of the daneing, which is a kind of shuffling, hobble-de-hoy, the music
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THE TEMESCAL, OR INDIAN SWEAT-HOUSE.
bursts forth. Yes, music fit to raise the deadl. A whole legion of devils broke loose ! Such screaming, shrieking, yelling and roaring was never before heard.
"'Round about the roaring fire the Indians go capering, jump- ing and screaming, with the perspiration starting from every pore. The spectators look on until the nir grows thick and heavy, and a sense of oppressing suffocation overcomes them, when they make a simultaneous rush at the door for self-protection, and find it fastened seeurely; bolted and barred on the outside. The uproar but increases in fury, the fire waxes hotter and hotter and they seem to be preparing for fresh exhibitions of their powers. The combat deepens, on, ye brave ! See that wild Indian, a newly-elected captain, as with glaring eyes, blazing face, and a complexion like that of a boiled lobster, he tosses his arms wildly aloft, as in pursuit of imaginary devils, while rivers of perspira- tion roll down his naked frame.
"' After hours of suffo- cation in solution of hn- man perspiration, carbon- ic acid andl charcoal smoke: the uproar ceases and the Indians vanish through an aperture, opened for the purpose.
" 'The Indians plunge headlong into the iec- eold waters of a neigh- boring stream, and crawl out and sink down on the banks utterly exhaustedl. This is the last act of the drama, the grand climax, and the fandango isover.'"
INTERIOR OF THE TEMESCAL, OR INTHIAN SWEAT-HOUSE.
FIRST INDIAN MISSIONARY OF CALIFORNIA
Junipero Serra landed in Monterey June 3, 1770.
Among the records which exist of Rev. Father Junipero Serra, there is none so affeeting and so suggestive as that which relates to his death, and the inendents attending it. Preserved at the parish church is a record of the deaths that have occurred at this place and the neighboring mission of Carmelo, from the year 1770 to the present hour. This is a custom of the Catholic Chureli, and the record in question was commenced by Junipero Serra himself, his successors regularly observing the same rule. The record, of course, is in manu- script, now numbering several volumes, bound with leather, and in fair characters, which have singular distinetness, eon- sidering the length of time.
The entries made by Serra run through fourteen yeurs,
from 1770 to 1784, the last being the year of his death. He wrote with a bold hand and very legibly, attaching his signature to each entry thus-Fray Junipero Serra. On the 30th of July, 1784, he made his last entry. On the 29th of August, his sne- cessor, Fray Francisco Palou, entered npon the same reeord the faet of his death, and with it a brief recital of his life's performances, together with the circumstances of his death. It appears from that record that Serra was born in the prov- ince of Majorca, Old Spain; that he was a scholar and divine of the first order, and, prior to coming to California, that he had filled in Spain and Mexico positions of great distinction. He took the habit of the order of San Francisco at the early age of' nineteen years and some months; graduating in the schools of theology and philosophy, he was promoted to the professorship of each in a royal university, in which he pre- sided with great honor to himself. Associated, there- fore, with men of the first distinction, all the honors of the Church open to his ambition, and in the re- eeipt of ample revenues, his heart was touched by God, says this simple rec- ord, to abandon all those worldly distinctions, and. leaving pomp and luxury behind him, to engage in the work which inspired the pure spirit of Las Cases, devoted himself to the conversion of Indians. Animated by benevolence and thoroughly pervaded by Christian charity, he resolved to devote his tal- | ents to the propagation of the gospel and to the amelioration , of the savagery in which were phinged the American aborig- ines.
At the time of his death, according to this record, Serra was aged 70 years and 9 months, less three days. In the morn- ing of the 27th of August, 1784, feeling himself very ill, and conscious of the near approach of death, he com- meneed to prepare himself for dissolution. First confessing himself to Palou, he went through the church offices for the dying. Those concluded, he repaired to the church on foot, for the purpose of receiving the sacrament. The edifice was then filled with gente de racon (whites) and Indian neophytes. At the commencement of the ceremony, the hymn tuntum ergo being sung, he joined in its performance with "vos altet y sonora," [elevated and sonorous tones] and, says the record, the congregation, who were thus hearing him intone his death
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PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF MONTEREY COUNTY.
chant, found their own utterance to fail from emotion, and the dying man's voice alone concluded the performance. On his knees he received the sacrament, as given to the dying, and then in a distinet voice recited the thanks, as prescribed by the ritual.
The ceremony over, he returned to his cell, but did not lie down or take off any part of his clothing. In the night he asked Palou to administer to him the holy unetion and then to join with him in the recital of the penitential psalins and litaniex. The rest of the night he passedl in giving thanks to God, sometimes seated on the floor. Early the next morning he requested Palou to give him the plenary indulgence, con- fessing himself again. Shortly thereafter the captain and chaplaiu of a Spanish vessel lying in the harbor came in. Serra received them, as when in health, cordially, and taking into a close embrace the chaplain. He thanked God, he said, that these visitors, who had traversed so much of sca and land, had come to throw a little dirt npon his body. After a little while he told Palon he felt some disquiet, and he asked him to read the recommendation of the soul. This Palou did, and he then expressed himself as comforted thereby, exclaiming from time to time that he thanked God he felt no fcar. Presently he askedl for a little broth, and supporting him, he entered the kitchen where he sat down at the table. Having taken some of the broth, he said he would like to lie down. They assisted him to his bed, but he had barely rested upon it, when he fell back and expired.
In anticipation of his death, he had ordered his own coffin to be made by the carpenter of the mission. This was now pro- duced, and his body was placed in it without changing the clothing. It was then placed in the church to await burial. Meantime the solemn tones of the church bell had apprised the people of the sad event, and all now congregated within the walls to look their last upon the features of him who was in their eyes the most revered of mortals. They clustered around the coffin, and all would have a piece of his clothing as a relic. With great difficulty the people were prevented, and only by promising that a certain tunic worn by him in life should be divided among them. A guard was placed over the body, but, nevertheless, during the night, in spite of every precaution, some part of its vestment was taken away.
The funeral ceremonies were conducted with all the state possible, people being assembled from far and near to take part in them, amidst the tolling of the church bells and the thunders of a General's salute fired from the vessel in the harbor.
The above is the substance of Palou's account, as entered in the parish record. The simplicity and circumstantiality of its details are very striking, and in reading them one feels that Palou had truly no occasion to employ other than the plainest words of truth, such best becoming the heroic spirit which had just passed away .- Californian.
Public Schools of Monterey County.
THE people of California, from the inauguration of the State Government, manifested a commendable interest in public edu- cation. The first constitution of the State made it the duty of the legislature to provide for a system of common schools, by which a public school should be kept up, and supported in each district at least three months in every year.
The system first provided was imperfect, and it took several years to remodel it, and render it efficient.
Notwithstanding the many obstacles with which she had to contend, California has made a grand educational record. She has, in a very few years, developed and put into successful operation a system of public schools which rivals the systems of older States, and which places a good education within the reach of every child in the State. No State in the Union has, in so short a time, made greater progress in popular education than California, and with wise legislation and judicious man- agement of her schools and system of public education, it is confidently believed that California "will yet be hailed as the pioneer in paving the way for the sure coming of the golden age of education."
SCHOOLS OF MONTEREY CITY IN 1843.
There was but little chance for children to go to school, says " Pioncer." when I first came to Monterey in 1843. Now how different ! Many parents, native as well as foreign, if they had the funds, sent their children to the Sandwich Islands to be taught by the Protestant missionaries, as there were but few facilities for them to be taught near home. Among those thus sent away were Romualdo and Mariano Pacheco, step-sons of Captain John Wilson, of San Luis Obispo, Felipe Gomez, John B. H. Cooper, Thomas O. Larkiu, Jr., David Spence, Jr., John Kinlock and his sister, at present Mrs. Bird. Books were scarce then in Monterey, as well as in other parts of California, and newspapers were generally several months old before they reached here from the East. Few people had many books. W. E. P. Hartnell had the best library, next was that of Thomas O. Larkin. A few books were occa- sionally procured from whalers, men-of-war and merchant ves- sels that called. Then, with the exception of the foreign popu- lation from different parts of the world, Spaniards from Old Spain anl a few of Spanish blood from Mexico, Peru and Chili, there were not many here could read or write much, not from want of ability, but from the few facilities they had of learning to do so. Now many of the schools in the county have better libraries than any of the large land-owners pos- sessed. Children now, whether their parents are rich or poor, have achirable opportunities of learning if they will try to do so, and have no excuse for signing their name with a cross, as many of their parents had to do.
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LAS AROMAS RANCHO, RESIDENCE OF P.E.G.ANZAR, 4 MILES WEST OF SAN JUAN SAN BENITO CO. CAL.
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GROVE COTTAGE FARM, RESIDENCE OF R.W. CANFIELD, 1% MILES NORTHWEST OF SAN JUAN, SAN BENITO CO. CAL.
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AN ABLE REVIEW OF THE COUNTY SCHOOLS.
FACTS AND FIGURES ABOUT THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
The following able article on the schools of the county we take from the Salinas Index :-
The varied interests involved in the maintenance of a gene- ral and efficient system of publie schools are so important, vast and far-reaching, that no apology is needed for bringing the subject prominently before the readers of the Index. Ax the best bulwark of our republican institutions, and the most effective means of perpetuating and improving them, the edu- eation of the young cannot be too highly prized or exalted to too high a place; and, indeed, this faet is perceived! so elearly and so generally that our people think no sacrifiec too great to secure it. They support the public schools from ocean to ocean with a generosity unexampled in other lands, and they rejoice when the harvest is in any way cominensnrate with the toil and treasure expended. This liberality is really enlight- ened, because it not only brings in a ten-fold return, but ren- ders many disastrous consequences impossible. So long as our citizens are the possessors of cultivated intelligence and con- seientious morality, just so long may we expect this nation to endure, and to pursue its upward and onward career of civili- zing and ennolding development, On the other hand, should we ever negleet or ignore the signal advantages which our schools and their adjunets may bestow, and sink into the depths of ignorance and depravity, then might the workl behold with anguish the quenching of our glorious beacon-light, and the vanishing of one of the brighest hopes of humanity. With an illiterate or vile people, monarchy, despotism, anarchy, frat- ricidal strife or equivalent evils are possible-everything, in faet, but the continued possession of " happy homes and altars free."
The broad foundations of our Republie were searcely begun, and but a small clearing in the forest primeval had been made by the settler's ax, when the common schoul arose. It was then the glory of New England; it is now the glory of the nation. The wise men, who " builded better than they knew," declared that poverty should no longer be ostraeized, and shonkl no longer be an insuperable barrier to a sound education. This country may proudly boast that throughont its whole extent a system of free publie instruetion is now maintained; and in many of the States, as in our own, the way is elear from the primary school to the State University, and elear, too, for the ebildren of the poorest. In this grand work of beneficence, California takes the place of honor among her sister States for her large-handed generosity. In proportion to our population, we pay more for the support of our publie schools than is paid in any other scetion of the country; but, taking into consider- ation the time we have been at work, it is gratifying to know that our educational progress is considered a marvel elsewhere. Whether under the old Constitution or the new, the represen- tatives of the people, assembled in the State Legislature, have
shown and will continue to show a spirit of extreme liberality in making appropriations for the dne support of the public schools. In this they have been ably seconded by the emumties, and it is not unworthy of notice that, however much hard times may have disposed some of us to grumble at the taxes in general, no one worth consideration has been found who does not pay the school tax cheerfully. This is as it should be.
As a general thing, the condition of the public schools of California is imminently satisfactory, thongh, of course, there is room for some improvements. Outside of San Francisco, there are only a very few counties that can give a better account of themselves than Monterey, and those few have far greater wealth and population. Our teachers are almost all distin- guished by ability, and by a zealous and efficient discharge of their duties. While willing to eoncede to our county all the merit which may justly be its due, it is well to note, also. a few of our short-comings. These things can, perhaps, be best done by giving a brief notice of the
COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT'S ANNUAL REPORT,
Now lying open for inspection at his office. The first faet which probably strikes the reader is the''east of running the schools of the county. Omitting eents, as u'ningcessary for the purpose of illustration, our schools, last year, spent, $337,591, of which the State contributed $23,756. The number of eensus children (between 5 and 17 years), is 3,336, and of these 1;062. attendled no school last year, public or private, even for a day.
On the registers of the schools of the county, there are 2,473 names enrolled, which are thus distinguished: Advanced Grade, 52; First, 256; Second, 563; Third, 1,602. Practically, low- ever, the pupils enrolled number but 1,613, and the average attendance is but 1,448, or less than 44 per cent. of the whole. In other words, more than half of the boys and girls of the county do not attend school regularly or attend at all. This is a grave matter, and furnishes a rather strong argument for the advocates of compulsory education. This subject will be a good one for consideration hercafter.
It is safe to say that if, in another connection, there were close on $40,000 to expend (say on a publie building), the peo- ple would be keenly alive to the advisability of having it spent in snel a way as to secure the best possible results. Common sense would dietate a similar course of action in regard to the school fund, and yet the people show in too many places the ntmost indifference as to who shall or shall not be its guardians. That is, they do not generally take sufficient interest in the welfare of their children to see that the very best men be seleeted as school trustees, although they must observe that in every distriet, where the trustees take an active and intelligent part in school affairs, the edneational progress there made is decidedly marked, especially when compared with districts dif-
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AN ABLE REVIEW OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
ferently circumstanced. And it is something decidedly serious that so many trustees should solemnly swear to discharge the dluties of their office, and then proceel to give a new and con- tinued illustration of " How not to do it." The 144 trustees of the county made, last year, 260 visits to their schools, and of those a large number must be credited to Salinas City and a few other places. This seems to be very poor superintendence and very limited encouragement to cither teacher or pupil. The Connty Superintendent made 47 visits during the year, some districts being visited more than once, and several not at all. The uew Education Act has a very plain provision on this head, and for the coming year at least 96 visits (two to cach district) must be made. Otherwise somebody may be hurt. Eveu the parents and friends of the pupils show an unaccountable remissness in visiting the schools, a matter which we hope shall be amended hereafter.
A SCHOOL-HOUSE DANCE.
Though it is sufficiently ludicrons, let it be recorded that at least one lady-teacher was determined to maintain the honor of her district. This is how she set about it. With a liberality not much countenanced by even our liberal school law, the trustees handed, over the school-house to the tender mercies of a social party; at which young people assembled. After the dance was"over, the school-marm procceded to register the 115 namjes, and not content with that, she sent them in officially the other day to the County Superintendent, as visitors to her school. She probably made the not uncommon mistake of confounding the school and the school-house, and may, there- fore, be expected to turn out some astonishing pupils.
SCHOOLS IN SALINAS CITY.
It is gratifying to know that Salinas City has made an edu- cational record during the past year which is not only first in the county, but among the first in the State. Though there has been a falling off since last year in the census number from 529 to 480, the average attendance was 299, and it would have been larger were children under six years of age admitted, as they are elsewhere. School was maintained for nine months and three-fourths, at an expense of $5,428, and from this might be deducted the $1,611 voted to purchase the lot and build the new school-bouse. The teachers here know that their work is under constant and intelligent supervision, and cannot but feel that if their pupils do not make satisfactory progress, they themselves may prepare to progress out of employment. The school officers do their whole duty, and the results may be pointed out with legitimate pride.
Gonzales may be set down as having done well for the children attending. Though its census number even now is 121, the average for the last year was but 44. Two teachers
were employed, at $90 and $60, respectively, per month, and school was kept for eight months at a cost of $1,286. Other schools must be held over for future notice, but it would border on injustice not to give due credit to the artistic taste of certain trustees who paid $40, not out of their own pockets, but out of the public money, for a sketch of their school-house. The artist drew on his imagination for the beauty of some of the surroundings, and then, of course, drew the coin with a quiet conscience. Another district, where cleanliness is evidently ranked next to godliness, paid $43.62 for washing towels during the eight months' session of its school. This is another striking example of California liberality; but in this and kindred cases where fancy prices are paid out for work done or goods deliv- ered, the question may well arise, is it not time to stop the leak- age and apply the money, as was intended, to promote the legitimate instruction of the cluldren?
THE COST PER MONTH
Of cach pupil in actual attendance at school is a matter of some consequence. Passing over extreme cases and districts peculiarly situated, there seems no good reason why such dis- crepancies should exist as are shown by the following figures. Taking into account only schools of some importance, the cost per meuth for each pupi!, according to average attendance, isas follows: Natividad, $5.12; Santa Rita, 83.65; Gonzales, 83.65; Monterey, $2.55; Carrolton, 81.98; Lindley, $1.85; Castroville, $1.67; Salinas City, $1.23.
CALIFORNIA LIBERALITY
Could not be better illustrated than by the fact that our school law provides an education for children in such sparsely settled districts that were they similarly situated in any other part of the Union, they would be deprived of all instruction, at least at the public expense. As an example of this, in one district in the southern portion of the county, where there is a census of 46, but where the people are so indifferent to their advan- tages that the average attendance during the seven months' ses- sion of the school, was but 3.6 pupils, 8558 was drawn from the funds; that is, the cost of each pupil per month was $22.14, or more than sufficient to board its father. Eleven schools, with au average varying from 5 to 9, spent $5,450 of the public money, and did so in strict accordance with law.
IN CONTRAST
With these, it may be well to notice briefly a few of the other schools, and to direet attention to some of the anomalies which their management presents. The Monterey district has a cen- sus number of 372, and an average attendance of only 126. Four teachers are employed, one nt $100 per month, and three at
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REPORT OF SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS.
865 cach. School was maintained for eight months and some days at a cost of $2,665. Castroville, though much smaller, has a better attendance. Its census number is 256, and its average 138. It ran school for eight months on $1,845, which shows that its teachers are neither underworked nor overpaid. The Lindley district had an average of 66, and ran nine months on $1,100. Carrolton, with a census number of 89, had an aver- age of 52, and maintained a seven months' school on $721. This is a very creditahle exhihit. Santa Rita has done well, in several respects. Its trustees set an example of liberality which, per- haps, might be profitahly followed in some other places. They pay their teacher $110 a month and spare no expense in keep- ing their school-house well supplied and in artistic repair. The census number of the district is 116, and the average attend- ance 35, which shows that either the locality has an expert census marshal, or, that many of the parents are culpahly neg- ligent of their duties in regard to their children. School was kept open ten months and a half at a cost of $1,342. The sister village, Natividad, was equally liheral, if not more so. With a census number of 119, the average attendance was only 20, hut this may he to some extent accounted for by the fact that, in consequence of had times, many of the old residents moved, last year, to " fresh fields and pastures new." School was maintained ten months at an expense of $1,025, of which sum the teacher received $950.
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