History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 38

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846-
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1928

USA > California > Santa Clara County > History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present > Part 38

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"This was in March, 1900. Prior to that time Mr. Hill had taken numerous pictures of the trees, spending days among them alone with his thoughts and his camera. Perhaps it was this association with the big things of the forest which added depth and breath and height to the idea which first came to him during the argument with Mr. Welch. Per- haps some part of that great strength of the forest was imparted to him, adding its pow- er to his, that he might the better fight his battle of preservation, and perhaps it was from the vastness of the forest that he drew some of that determination which withstood hun- ger and privation while the fight was on, en- abled him to surmount obstacles, accomplish the impossible and carry the Redwood bill through the state senate and assembly in spite of the determined opposition of the controll- ing element and the governor of the state.

"It was following his argument with Mr. Welch at the hotel near Felton that Mr. Hill inet John E. Richards, then an attorney, now judge of the Appellate Court, on the train. Mr. Hill told of his determination to get the big trees for a public park. Mr. Richards was impressed. That night Mr. Hill wrote out his idea in a letter to Mrs. Josephine Clif- ford McCrackin, whose home had been burned along with twenty-three others in the recent forest fire. Mrs. McCrackin forwarded the let- ter with her approval to the Santa Cruz Sentinel and it appeared in that publication in the morning. the first article ever published

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advocating public ownership of the trees. On the evening of that same day there appeared an article by Mr. Richards upon the same sub- ject in the San Jose Herald.

"Mr. Hill, upon his return to San Jose, called upon Judge M. H. Hyland and Judge A. L. Rhodes, Both were taken with the idea and Judge Rhodes urged that Mr. Hill should make the preservation of the trees his life work. In reply to a letter sent the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce, a resolution fa- voring the project was passed and Mr. Hill was asked by J. F. Coppe, secretary of that body. to have a like resolution passed by the San Jose Chamber of Commerce. This was done, Mr. Hill appearing before that body and was appointed chairman of a committee to work for the preservation of the trees.

"After some communication with Mr. Coppe of Santa Cruz, it was decided to throw the project into line with the educational institu- tions of the state so as to keep it out of poli- tics as much as possible and the first meeting was called to be held at Stanford University in April, 1900. Arrangements were made with Dr. David Starr Jordan, then president of the university, who lent his hearty co-operation to the movement. At this meeting there were present delegations from the Academy of Sci- ence. the University of California, University of Stanford, Sierra Club, San Jose and Santa Cruz Chambers of Commerce, Santa Clara College, San Jose State Normal School, dele- gates from the University of the Pacific be- ing invited but unable to attend.

"Up to this time those interested in line with the first idea of Mr. Hill, had been think- ing only of the Santa Cruz grove. Just at this time Mr. Hill received a letter from Mr. Coppe stating that Dr. Anderson. of Santa Cruz, a prominent botanist, had asked that the attention of the committee be called to the Big Basin trees saying: 'As your enthusiasm is for these smaller trees, so will it grow in proportion to the size, the grandeur and the vastness of those in the Big Basin.'

"The proposal was taken up with Dr. Jor- dan and it was learned that Professor William R. Dudley, of the Stanford botanical depart- ment, and Charles B. Wing, a young teacher of the institution, had made a complete survey of the Big Basin and that for seven or eight months attempts had been made to purchase the land for the university. The land belonged to a number of lumbermen, however, and the figure for purchase was too high. Professor Dudley, when informed of the proposition of public ownership hailed it with joy and en- tered with great zeal and enthusiasm into the proposed work.

"In order to learn more of the Big Basin possibilities a committee was appointed by Mr. Hill composed of W. W. Richards, Carrie Stevens Walter, Rollie S. Kooser, Mrs. Steph- en A. Jones and Andrew P. Hill. This com- mittee was joined in Boulder Creek on May 15, 1900, by a delegation from the Santa Cruz Chamber of Commerce, among whom were J. F. Coppe, secretary ; J. Q. Packard of the smelter trust; H. L. Middleton, representing some of the lumber interests and Charles Wes- ley Reed, a member of the San Francisco board of supervisors. The next morning the party went to the tie camp where they were cutting trees from five to twelve feet in diam- eter. About 300 acres of the basin had been cut in the three previous years during which a mill had been operating. Passing the camp they proceeded to Slippery Rock where they made a permanent camp and it was on May 18, 1900, while the committee was seated about the campfire that Mr. Hill suggested the organization of a club, the object of which would be the preservation of the trees. The club, known as the Sempervirens, was organ- ized and Charles Wesley Reed elected its first president and Mrs. Carrie Stevens Walter. secretary. The camp where the organization was affected, was named for the club.

"The committee traversed the basin in all directions and took numerous photographs. It was while they were driving along the China Grade road beyond the property owned by Mr. Tray, that Mr. Hill noted the ridge be- tween the San Lorenzo and Boulder Creek on one side and the waters of the Pescadero on the other. Pointing to this, he stood up in the carry-all and said: "We will build a road over that ridge from the Santa Clara Coun- ty." Some objection was raised immediately by some of the Santa Cruz members, but soon they saw that the construction of such a road would be of value to them and they became supporters of the proposal.

"Several months previous to this time a committee had been appointed to get a price on the land. No action had been reported by them. A railroad had already surveyed a way into the basin and preparations were being made to cut the whole area of 15,000 acres. Action must be taken quickly if the trees. were to be saved. In the face of some op- position Mr. Hill took the upper hand, met with Mr. Middleton, conferred with Dr. David Starr Jordan and Professor Dudley and the head of the Stanford law department and an option on the land was executed at Stanford.

"Up to this time everything had proceeded nicely. Steps were taken to have a bill in- troduced in congress for the purchase of the Big Basin, but, owing to the fact that there

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was another big tree bill before that body, go before the legislature and speak for the the action was withdrawn. Mr. Reed was bill. His address, made after a visit to the Big Basin, was one of the most powerful ever delivered upon a public project, and created a strong sentiment for the bill. appointed at a meeting held in the Palace Hotel in San Francisco as a committee of one to draw up a bill to present to the State Legislature. It was presented by Assembly- man George H. Fisk of San Francisco, but be- fore long it was reported back by the as- sembly committee on ways and means with the recommendation that it 'do not pass.' The senate finance committee returned a like rec- ommendation and another meeting was called at the Palace Hotel where it was reported that the bill was 'dead.' Mr. Hill refused to understand what the word 'dead' in this in- stance meant. He insisted that the bill could be passed no matter how 'dead' it was, and because of his enthusiasm and determination he was unanimously elected to go to Sacra- mento and take charge of the bill.

"Hardly had Mr. Hill reached Sacramento when he found that it would be a stiff fight to get the bill appropriating the needed $250,- 000 passed. He went to Alden Anderson, for- merly of San Jose, then lieutenant governor. Mr. Anderson suggested that changes be made in the bill in order to get it through the com- mittee and that the support of Grover L. Johnson be obtained. Mr. Johnson became a friend of the measure immediately upon its presentation to him by Mr. Hill, and called the bill from the table onto the floor of the house and had it reported back to the com- mittee. Mr. Hill was given a hearing and the bill was re-written and returned with the recommendation that it 'do pass.

"This was encouraging, but Mr. Hill soon discovered breakers ahead. He learned that a certain controlling 'push' would not let the bill pass and that it would cost him $5000 to get it through. He determined that there was but one way to swing this opposition in favor of the measure and immediately took train for Santa Clara. Here he called upon Fr. Robert E. Kenna, then president of Santa Clara College, and after outlining the situa- tion to him asked that the Catholic church be committed to the bill. Fr. Kenna made a trip to Sacramento with Mr. Hill to see for himself the actual conditions. Upon their return Mr. Hill spoke at a meeting of the Jesuits, gained their support and persuaded them to send a committee into the basin to examine the trees and report back whether or not they were worth saving. Upon the re- turn of the committee action was taken with- out delay and practically the whole power of the church was placed behind the measure for saving the trees. Mr. Hill returned to Sac- ramento with a new courage. Through a re- quest of Fr. Kenna, D. M. Delmas consented to

"Hope for the passage of the bill was strong at this time. Then came word that the gov- ernor was opposed to having the bill come up to him because of the size of the appro- propriation. New conditions were imposed which at first seemed impossible to meet. It was hoped that the conditions would prove an insurmountable obstacle to the advocates of the bill, but the opposition failed utterly in their estimation of Andrew P. Hill. They re- quired a new contract on the land. Although his funds furnished by the Sempervirens Club was growing low Mr. Hill left immediately for San Francisco. Opponents watched him go. They did not expect him to return.

"In San Francisco he met Mr. Middleton and asked for a new contract on the land. 'You cannot get it,' answered Mr. Middleton. 'It is not a question of whether or not I can get the contract,' replied Mr. Hill. 'The only thing is that I must have it. What are your conditions ?'

"The conditions named were that Mr. Hill secure a guarantor who would pay the sum of $50,000 in case the state should decide to purchase the property and not be in a posi- tion to make an immediate first payment. Mr. Hill hesitated but a moment. 'I will have that sum guaranteed to you before 12 o'clock to- night,' he said.

"At 8:30 o'clock that evening Mr. Hill called upon Dr. Jordan at Stanford. Dr. Jordan could not make the guarantee. Telephoning ahead that he was coming, Mr. Hill started for Santa Clara, where he outlined the situ- ation to Fr. Kenna and suggested that if he did not have the money it was certain that 'Jimmie' Phelan or his sister, Mrs. Sullivan, conld furnish it. For some time Mr. Hill ar- gued and planned and finally, with a laugh, Fr. Kenna agreed. Immediately Mr. Middle- ton was communicated with.

"The cars had all stopped running and Mr. Hill walked to San Jose, reaching the office of the San Jose Mercury at one o'clock in the morning. Going to the office of Harry G. Wells, then editor, he said, 'Mr. Wells, I want you to write the greatest editorial you have ever written.' 'You are too late,' re- turned Mr. Wells, 'the paper is already on the press.' Mr. Hill persisted, outlining his plan for laying a copy of the Mercury with the editorial on the desk of every senator and as- semblyman that morning. The request was granted, Mr. Hill writing the editorial, and

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150 copies were run off, Mr. Hill taking them on the 4:30 o'clock morning train.

"The appearance of the editorials on every desk at S o'clock in the morning created a stir in the legislature, because they showed that the 'impossible' conditions imposed for the passage of the bill had been met in every detail. Nor was this all of the plan of campaign worked out by Mr. Hill. At 11 o'clock that morning Fr. Kenna himself arrived in Sacra- mento. After visiting the church he went to the capitol building and was assigned a room in the Board of Education. For the greater part of the day Mr. Hill brought individual members of the senate and assembly to him for conference. A poll had been taken and it was found that there were only seven senators willing to vote for the bill.

"Just at adjournment time Senator Short- ridge, upon request of Mr. Hill, asked that the legislators remain to hear Fr. Kenna speak. They all remained and Fr. Kenna was ushered to the speaker's chair to address them. His plea for the bill was simple, beautifully worded, but determined. Out of the thirty- three senators there were eighteen Catholics. When the vote was taken on the bill, which had already passed the assembly, there were thirty-two favorable votes, the only one in op- position being that of the chairman of the fi- nance committee who stated that he hoped it would carry but that it would not be consist- ent for him to vote for it.

"There remained but one thing more: the securing of the signature of Governor Gage who had strong objections to signing. Mr. Hill worked ceaselessly. The money given him by the Sempervirens Club had long been exhausted. His own personal funds were gone with the exception of money he had care- fully saved for the last big play of his cam- paign, that of telegraphing to organizations in all parts of the state to bring pressure on the governor.

"For days he had been living in a dingy back room with no running water or other conveniences. Day after day he ate 15 cent meals, some days only one of them and upon one occasion his only food during the day was an orange someone gave him.

"Mr. Hill arranged with the governor for a date upon which a public hearing was to be granted when reasons why he should sign the bill could be presented. The date of the hearing was flashed over the state and the meeting was crowded with interested advo- cates. Among them were Prof. William R. Dudley of Stanford; Prof. Senger of the state university ; the grand president of the Native Daughters and the grand president of the Na- tive Sons, with J. Z. Anderson representing 14

the California Pioneers. There were many others making a determined stand for the measure.

"Then, as a master stroke, a thing which hitherto had been done upon but a small scale, Mr. Hill sent out his prepared telegrams to all parts of the state. Nearly all one day one man in the telegraph office . worked on these. All the next day he received hun- dreds of telegrams from organizations and in- dividuals /directed to the governor, urging him to sign the bill.

"The plans were a success. Governor Gage signed the bill and in March, 1902, 3800 acres in the Big Basin, one of the most wonderful groves of trees in the world, passed into the hands of the people of California; a park in which they might find refuge from the rush and dust of the cities; where they might rest from their toil and where they might find themselves among the truly great things of nature-the mighty redwoods of the forest. And for this the people have, more than any- one else, to think Andrew P. Hill."

After Mr. AAlbee's article was written, more land was secured, so that now the park consists of 14,000 acres. The Sempervirens Club also secured a state appropriation of $70,000 for building a road into the park. The road was built and now thousands of people visit the great redwood forest every year. A hotel has been erected and also many cottages and there are fine tenting accommodations for campers. In 1919, as a fitting climax to their efforts, the members of the Sempervirens Club pre- sented a beautiful forest play which will live in history a monument to the artistic, literary and musical talent of Don W. Richards and Thomas V. Cator, the author and composer of the play. Over 5,000 people were present at the production. There was a natural audi- torium and the talent was among the best in San Jose and vicinity. Vocalists from oth- er parts of the state also participated. The theme of the play, "The Soul of Sequoia," was carried on by aesthetic dances, vocal num- bers and spoken words. The unique features were memorable. The play consisted of a pro- logue, four episodes, each presenting a differ- ent form of dramatic expression ; and an epi- logue. The first episode was in the form of a dance pantomime typifying the awakening of life. The second was in the cantata form, showing the sowing of the seed of forest life. Grand opera was the third-Indian in theme-which told of the death of Sequoia, the spirit of the forest. The last was the saving of the trees from the axe of the woods- man. Among the leading actors was one of the mountain deer, which, lured by the calls

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of the assistant park warden, had been tamed sufficiently for the appearance in the play.

The production of 1920, held on July 3, out- rivaled that of 1919, both as to performance and number of spectators. This out-of-door spectacle, which will be given annually, will make San Jose the Oberammergau of Amer- ica. At the 1920 performance Dean Han- son was the musical composer, Mr. Cator hav- ing retired.

The officers of the Sempervirens Club are as follows: President, Andrew P. Hill; hon- orary presidents, Chas. Wesley Reed, Mrs. W. C. Kennedy: vice-president, Judge J. R. Welch ; secretary-treasurer, Dr. Charles Pease ; consulting attorney, Herbert C. Jones; de- pository, First National Bank. Directors- Judge J. R. Welch, H. L. Middleton, Rev. Z. Maher, Mrs. A. T. Herrmann, A. P. Murgotten, A. P. Hill, Judge J. E. Richards, Herbert C. Jones, W. R. Flint, Dr. James B. Bullitt, Mrs. S. A. Jones, Col. C. B. Wing, Judge Isaiah Hartman.

The following excerpt is taken from the pre- lude to "The Soul of Sequoia," written by Don W. Richards: "Through countless ages these redwood trees have stood, sublime, mag- nificent, their utmost branches sweeping the very sky, their feet carpeted by the virgin soil from which in long-dead centuries they sprang. They rise like pillars of a majestic temple, dedicated to the worship of their Cre- ator ; a sacred grove, where mortals may, with

reverent hearts, draw near to the Father of the Forest.

"So we came wandering here in these Cathe- (ral aisles, adventuring, seeking the Spirit of Romance, with wistful ear striving to catch the echo of some mystic melody from out the past. Here in this peaceful spot where dreams are born, strange fancies hovered to us. It seemed as if the spirit of the woodland whis- pered tales of immemorial lore. Perhaps it was the west wind sighing low in the branches, the stream weeping for days that are gone, the rustle of wood-folk in the thicket, but we heard-

"We shall try to lift the curtain for you, to people the woodland with nymphs and elves, to wake the Wild God and draw from him the ethereal strains that piped the dancers to Syl- van revelry. For you we have invoked the elements to reveal that solemn festival, the Ritual of the Sowers. From her long sleep Waona comes with Sequoia, her brave lover, her voice thrills through the forest but dies away in sadness o'er Sequoia's slain body. The Padres, intoning the Misericordia, enter in time to save the Indian Maid from self- inflicted death. And last, Brundel, the woods- man, meets his master, the destroying axe is broken and the forest is preserved for ages vet unborn. The spirits of the Forest gather to pay homage to the trees, and in song and in dancing to rejoice in their delivery from destruction."

CHAPTER XXI.

The Public and Private Schools of San Jose-The Growth of the High School-The State Normal School-College of Notre Dame-College of the Pacific-St. Joseph's School.

The first record of the establishment of pub- lic schools in San Jose is a document found among the old archives of the pueblo and purporting to be a contract made in 1811, be- tween the commissioners of the pueblo on be- half of the families thereof, and Rafael Villa- vicencio, for the instruction of the children of the pueblo. Having been sent to the com- mander at Monterey, it was returned with additions and modifications, and the document thus amended became the first school law of the city of San Jose. Following is the text : "I return to you, that the same may be placed in the archives, the obligation which the in- habitants of the neighborhood have made with the infirm corporal, Rafael Villavicencio, who transmitted it to me by official letter on the

thirtieth of last September, in which he obli- gated himself to teach the children of this pueblo and vicinity to read, write and the doctrine, and to be paid therefor at the rate of eighteen reals per annum, by every head of a family, in grain or flour. As in this obli- gation of both parties the conditions are not expressed, which 1 consider ought to be, I have thought proper to dictate them, that you may make it known to both parties in public. with their consent, and that it be signed by you, the Alcalde, the Regidores and the teacher, and registered in the archives. First. the pay, annually, of eighteen reals by each and every head of a family, 1 think is quite sufficient for the teacher, and as it is all they can give, in virtue of which the commissioners

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will be obligated to collect the same at the proper time in order to deliver it to the teacher. The teacher, in virtue of the pay that is to be made to him, will also be obliged to perform his obligation with the greatest vigilance and strictness, without giving his attention to any- thing else but the teaching. As the hours are not expressed in which the attendance of the children ought to be at school, they will be these: Six in a day-three in the morning and three in the afternoon; in the morning from eight o'clock until eleven, and in the afternoon from two until five, it being the duty of the commissioner to compel the fathers to make their children attend, and to see that the teacher in no instance fails. Every Thurs- day and Saturday afternoon the children will not write or read, but explanations will be given them these two afternoons, of the doc- trine (faith), at which the commissioner will attend and advise the teacher that he must answer for the much or little explanation which he may make. When the teacher ob- serves the absence of any of the scholars at the school, he will notify their fathers, who will give some satisfactory reason why they were absent on that morning or afternoon ; and if they should be absent a second time. then he will notify the commissioner, who will compel the fathers to send their children, with- out receiving any excuse or pretexts, partic- ularly from the mothers, because they will all be frivolous, since the children have sufficient time to do all that they are required to do. Lastly, during the time in which the children are at school, their fathers will be exempt from being responsible to God for them, and the teacher will be the one who is thus responsi- ble, as he will also, in consideration of his pay, be responsible for the education and teaching of the holy dogmas of the religion ; and the teacher is he who must be responsi- ble to God, the parish priest, and to their au- thority.

"It is also understood that the fathers are obliged to examine their children at home as to the advancement which they may make, and to complain to the commissioner when they see no advancement, in order that he may remedy the matter, if necessary. As the teacher is responsible in the divine presence for the education and good examples of his scholars, and as he must answer to the state for the fulfillment of his obligations, he has the right to correct and punish his scholars. with advice, warning and lashes, in case of necessity ; and particularly he ought to do it for any failure to learn the doctrine, for which he ought not to accept any excuse, nor to par- don anyone from punishment who fails to learn it, or who does not commit to memory the lesson which may be given him."

At the present day the parish schools of one hundred years ago have developed into such institutions as the College of Notre Dame and St. Joseph's School, presided over by men and women who have abandoned the world to devote their lives to this work.

The first American school teacher was Mrs. Olive M. Isbell. In February, 1847, she taught the children of families at the Santa Clara Mission.

The first Protestant school of which there is any record was opened by Rev. E. Bannis- ter in 1851, and was called The San Jose Acad- emy. In it were taught not only the English branches, but the classics. At first it was a private enterprise, but in the same year it was incorporated with a board of nine trustees.

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History of Santa Clara County, California, with biographical sketches of the leading men and women of the county who have been identified with its growth and development from the early days to the present, Part 38

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846- Publication date: 1922 Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co. Number of Pages: 1928

Author: Sawyer, Eugene Taylor, 1846-
Publication date: 1922
Publisher: Los Angeles : Historic Record Co.
Number of Pages: 1928