USA > Washington > Spokane County > Spokane > History of the city of Spokane and Spokane County, Washington : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 70
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CHAPTER LXXIII
EARLY DAY HISTORY OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
FIRST SCHOOL HOUSE AT CHEWELAHI IN 1869-HOW THE PIONEER SCHOOL WAS BUILT
IN SPOKANE-JAMES MONAGHAN COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT IN 1875-ONLY ELEVEN CHILDREN OF SCHOOL AGE IN SPOKANE DISTRICT-J. J. BROWNE FIRST SU- PERINTENDENT OF NEW COUNTY OF SPOKANE-FIRST TEACHERS' INSTITUTE-RECOL- LECTIONS OF A PIONEER TEACHIER-BENJAMIN P. CHENEY ACADEMY, AND STATE NORMAL AT CHENEY-GROWTH BY YEARS.
"Let the soldier be abroad if he will; he can do nothing in this age .** The schoolmaster is abroad, and I trust to him, armed with his primer, against the soldier in full military array." -Lord Brougham.
A CCORDING to W. P. Winans' diary, the first schoolhouse in the Spokane country was built of peeled round logs at Chewelah, in 1869, by Thomas Brown and others, and was used until 1884. Thomas Brown moved to Chewelah in 1866, and school was taught in his dwelling until this house was built.
At the meeting of the Inland Historical Association in December, 1908, J. J. Browne spoke of the location in 1878 of the first schoolhouse in Spokane. "At the time," said Mr. Browne, "the school district covered about a third of Spokane county. The people with families wanted a schoolhouse, but there was a larger number of settlers who were miners and bachelors. They owned the most of the taxable property and could not sec why they should be taxed to educate children that had no elaim upon them. The opposition developed to an alarming extent. I had been superintendent of schools in Multnomah county, Oregon, but had reached here to spy out the land. I was brought to the meeting to aid in the fight and made a speech in which I set forth the advantages of the school. The matter was voted through and all seemed well. The meeting had voted a ten mill levy and wanted to raise $200. The law required $20,000 worth of assessable property in the new school district. The district here lacked just $550 of coming up to the total of $20,000. I wrote the officials of the county seat at Colville to give in $550 worth of personal property in my name and that I would pay the taxes on it.
"This was done and the school was located at the place where Davenport's restaurant now stands. This school district comprised the territory laying south of the Spokane river and east of Hangman Creek and running back to the Idaho linc."
The first Spokane school distriet was organized in 1874. James Monaghan
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was then superintendent of schools in Stevens county. It was school district num- ber 8, and was hounded as "Commencing at the month of Hangman creek, follow- ing up the creek to the Idaho line; thence north along said line to Spokane river; thenee to place of beginning." The first report on record is by C. F. Yeaton, clerk, dated November, 1875: Number of children of legal age, 11 ; average attendanec, 4; months taught. 3: amount paid teacher, $67; books principally used, Pacific Reader and Speller, Cornell's Geography. Davis' Primer and Arithmetic, and Greene's Grammar.
Although Clerk Yeaton's report for the following year showed an increase of 47 of the number of children over 4 and under 21, no school was taught that year.
In 1877 S. G. Havermale was clerk. and his report showed a falling off of 10 in the number of children of school age, probably the result of the Indian war scare of that year. Mr. Havermale reported "school in session."
As a vivid contrast to the splendid educational equipment of the present day, we here quote the annual report of James Monaghan, sehool superintendent of Stevens county, for the year ending December 31, 1875:
"Number of scholars, 319 (in territory' then embracing the greater part of eastern Washington) ; number of schoolhouses. 5; number of schools kept. 7: num- ber of scholars attending. 105: amount of fund apportioned, $850.57: amount raised by subscription. $94.49; amount paid teachers, $945. The principal books used are Sanders' series and Davis' geography : branches taught are reading, writ- ing, spelling. grammer, geography. arithmetic and history.
"Some of the districts are so thinly settled, and the school fund so small, that it is diflieult to give all the children the advantage of the public schools, hence the small attendance of scholars. But the desire to promote the cause of education is steadily growing stronger amongst the people of this county, and there appears to be a disposition at present to increase the school fund by private contributions and special taxes, especially in the sparsely settled districts, that will. if persc- vered in. give better facilities for all the children to attend school than at present exist. I have prepared a school map of the county, with district boundaries plainly defined. In the altering of boundaries and establishing new districts, I have, to the best of my ability, arranged the lines for the benefit of all the scholars resid- ing in the county. I would respectfully call your attention to section 7, page 124, school law 1873, requiring county superintendents to visit all the schools in the county once a year, and state that there is no provision requiring clerks or directors to notify the superintendent during the time the schools are going on. In a county like this, having a large territory and very little mail facilities, it is difficult to know when a school in a remote district is in active operation. I have the honor to he. very respectfully.
"Your obedient servant. "J. MoxAmMAN, Superintendent."
When Spokane county was cut off from Stevens in 1879, J. J. Browne was ap- pointed school superintendent, and at the first county election in 1880, Mrs. Maggie M. Halsell was elected to the office. She conducted the first teachers' institute, held in the public school building in Spokane. November 5. 1880, and opened the pro- gram with a paper on "Education." Miss Belle Spangler read a paper on "Gram-
SPOKANE'S FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE It stood near present site of Davenport's restaurant
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INTERIOR OF FIRST SCHOOLHOUSE IN SPOKANE
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mar." At a county institute in this eity in 1892, Mrs. Halsell read a reminiscent paper.
"Many were the times the war-songs were heard at dead of night, bringing the thought of horror and despair to the unprotected pioneers. Spokane county at that time was about three times its present size. The broad prairies abounded with wild animals and savages. There were no eities or railroads, few roads and only two or three villages within the limits of Spokane county. Most of my work was in the field. Filled with vigor and enthusiasm when I accepted the county school superintendeney, I did not realize (although dismayed by parental opposition), the dangers abroad to be any greater than those at home. Being surrounded by painted Indians, armed with bows and arrows, singing their war songs, was a living horror to be endured by the pioneers.
"Spokane county's first surveyor, while on duty in the Coulee country, was severely wounded and left for dead by the Indians, who mounted his horse and disappeared in the woods. On the same day, while returning from visiting a school. when within four miles of home, I was startled by two drunken Indians, one of whom elutehed the bridle rein of my horse, which, taking fright, reared frantically. loosening the hold of the fiendish captor. No time was lost in making good my eseape. With fear and caution many miles were traveled across the broad prairies. only to find myself at the door of a little log cabin called a schoolhouse, in which the teacher had from four to twelve urchins seated on hewed slabs which were laid npon sawed euts of logs.
"On one occasion, while visiting a school. I was surprised to find two teachers partly employed in teaching seven children. I decided that the teachers, (an elderly man and his wife) also boarded and lodged in the same apartment in which they taught. Although it was small, they seemed to find room for all, seating thiem on trunks, boxes and the bed. Nothing had the appearance of order. The children were accustomed to talk aloud, and it did not seem to be any part of their program to devote their time to study."
The second eounty superintendent of schools, says Jonathan Edwards, was A. J. Stevens, who started a private school at Medieal Lake, and was also principal of the Cheney school. Mr. Stevens conducted a teachers' institute at Cheney, Septem- ber 27 and 28, 1881, with fifteen teachers in attendance. Miss Nellie Muzzey of Spokane Falls was made secretary. Miss Waterhouse and Miss Nash of Spokane, and Miss Gilkey of Medical Lake were the committee on arrangements. The pro- gram ineluded a discussion on "Organization of Schools," and the following paper,: "Primary Arithmetie," Miss Gilkey: "Teaching Notation," Mr. Thrall; "Numera- tion," Misses Waterhouse and Nash: "Sehool Government." Superintendent Stevens ; "Language." Rev. Cushing Eells: "Reading,", Mr. Doolittle and Mrs. Bentley. "Among the superintendents of this time," adds Historian Edwards, "we find, after the ones mentioned. A. J. Warren, who was one of the early teachers of Spokane Falls, and died here a few years ago; Mrs. Lizzie (Ilalderman) Foraker, and Mrs. W. C. (MeMahon) Jones, now the wife of Ex-Congressman W. C. Jones, residing in Spokane. They proved themselves devoted and efficient officers."
On another page is reproduced a photograph of the first publie school building in Spokane. So slow was the growth of the town through those early years that this building was not erected until 1878. It stood on or near the Northern Paeifie
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right of way, about the intersection of Lincoln street. Subsequently it was moved to a site near the corner of Post and Sprague, and later, when a better school building was provided, the oldl structure was occupied by Frank M. Dallam, and there the Review was first published.
"Miss Whitehouse is the teacher, and has twenty-two scholars," chronicled the Times of April, 1879; and the issue of September 18, the same year, contained this item :
"School was opened last Monday by Captain Tobias, who speaks very flatter- ingly of his pupils. We are pleased to learn that the Captain is favorably impressed with his school. He is the right man in the right place. He has had fifteen years' experience in the schoolroom."
On the honor roll of the school for the two months ending November 7, 1879, appeared these names: Marie Clark. Alice Post, Willie Smiley. Julia Post, Nettie Piper. Gracic Gray, Charley Smiley. Eddie Nosler. John Masterson, Katie Clark, George Clark, Gertie Goodner. George Glover, Hattie Warner, Fred. Lowery, Sarah MeGourin. Seventeen boys and eighteen girls were enrolled, and the average daily attendance was 27.
Rev. W. H. Stratton and A. J. Warren taught the school in 1880-81. "I secured the position of teacher of the higher grade pupils in this school at forty dollars a month," said Mr. Stratton shortly before his death. "I had about forty-five young men and women in my room, which was about 16x22. We were so crowded that there was hardly room to seat the class reciting at the time. Prof. A. J. Warren, Mrs. Lamona's brother, taught the lower grades in a somewhat larger room. Among my pupils were the Ellis girls-Ida, now Mrs. S. Heath, Ollie, who married A. E. Keats, since dead. Perry Lamona and Winnie, she who is now Mrs. Fruit, Belle Dawson and her sister Eva. Ed Whinery, Frank Waterhouse. Minnie Morgan. now Mrs. Josie Clark, Judge Nash's son Frank, E. Hyde. Julia Post. Alice P. Wagner and her sisters, Eva and Edith, James Stafford, Ed Robinson, and Luella, Zillah and Lue Parker. The school continued to grow, so that in the fall of 1883 there was an enrollment of 200 scholars, necessitating four teachers."
The fall and winter term, 1882-83, was taught by Miss Mattie Hyde, (now Mrs. J. B. Blalock ) and Ella E. Davenport, and school closed April 5. 1883.
October 22, 1883, school opened in the new four room building, on the site of the present Lewis and Clark high school, with W. W. Johnsen principal, and Mattie Hyde, Stella Mariner and Lizzie Haldeman assistants. When the high school build- ing was erected, this old structure was moved several blocks to the east, and used as a Catholic parochial school under Father Held.
Says Jonathan Edwards' history: "Prof. L. H. Prather. afterwards judge of the superior court, succeeded W. W. Johnson as principal, and continued until 1886. The Judge took up a ranch six miles east of the city, and often walked both ways from his place to the schoolhouse. During his principalship an addition was built to the schoolhouse, making it a six room building. During the last year it be- came necessary to hire a separate room for the primary department. Miss Rose Rice, now Mrs. W. B. Turner, tanght the primary grades a part of the time in the Congregational church, on Sprague and Bernard, and also in a frame building on Post street near Second avenue. During the last year of Judge Prather's adminis- tration, the ninth grade of study was pursued.
NORTH CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL, SPOKANE
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NEW LEWIS AND CLARK HIGH SCHOOL, SPOKANE
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"In the fall of 1886, Prof. W. B. Turner, afterward principal of the state normal school at Cheney, became principal. At the close of the fall term there was an enrollment of 523 pupils, with seven teachers. In the following April the enrollment reached 618. Prof. Jonathan Heaton succeeded Turner as principal in the fall of 1887. At the opening there was an enrollment of 715, with thirteen teachers.
"The population was increasing rapidly. The district was divided. A school was opened on the North side, and several churches were used. In the fall of 1888 Prof. Bruee Wolverton was elected superintendent of schools. The high school sys- tem having been fully inaugurated, Prof. Heaton was made principal thereof, with Miss Kate North as assistant. The number of scholars increased rapidly, passing the thousand mark before the close of the fall term."
Then followed a period of demoralization, too often the hateful handmaid of sudden growth. Reviewing those times, one of the daily journals said: "Polities, selfishness and poorly concealed corruption erept into the public schools in those booming years of 1888 and 1889. Quarrels, plots, counterplots and startling charges eulminated at last in the open charge of bribery-the plain statement that teachers had bought their places and secured high salaries by paying a commission to certain trustees. It was the first ery of 'boodle,' the beginning of that disgraceful era when extravaganee, carelessness, frand, theft and bribery ran riot in the public offices of Spokane. The whole town was in ferment. Old pupils withdrew from the schools in disgust, and new ones declined to enter till peace should be restored. The teaeh- ers were angry and discouraged; the high school was so nearly deserted that some thought it might as well be abandoned as a needless expense."
The source of all this trouble lay in the bad citizenship of the "good citizens" of the town-in their negleet of eivie duty, their failure to take interest in the pub- lie schools or in the elections where directors were chosen. At the election November 5. 1887, when P. D. Michael was elected director and Richard Miles clerk, only 28 votes were cast for director and 99 for clerk.
"But the following year," says Edwards, "there was a revival of interest and the election was a lively one. The women turned out in large numbers, so that 581 ballots were east. F. M. Spain was elected director and Richard Miles clerk. For- tunately an experienced educator passed through this city, who was known to some of the teachers. He was called to the position of superintendent and accepted it. In the fall of 1889 Prof. D. Bemiss took charge of the schools. Then was ushered in a period of reorganization, harmony and progress. There were many difficulties to be faeed and great obstacles to be surmounted. There were nearly 2,000 pupils, with a seating capacity for about 600. ; The superintendent took hold of the work with commendable courage. The studies were systematized and made more thorough, and the corps of teachers increased. The needs inereased with the population. Major E. A. Ronthe, president of the board of edneation, in his 1890 report, stated the needs to be four large ward schoolhouses and a large central building for the high school. It was found that $250,000 over the tax levy was needed to provide the necessary accommodations. The people voted to issue bonds for that amount. The central building for the high school, costing $90,000, and six ward buildings, costing $29,000 eaeh, were ereeted. They were all given historieal names-Lincoln, Franklin, Logan, Bryant, Baneroft, Irving."
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STATE NORMAL AT CHENEY
The state normal school at Cheney is an outgrowth of a privately endowed academy. Thirty years ago. when the Northern Pacific railroad was under con- struction across the Inland Empire, Benjamin P. Cheney of Boston, its president, for whom the town had been christened. donated $10.000. and the company gave a site of eight acres, for the establishment of the Benjamin P. Cheney Academy. The first board of trustees organized in 1881, comprised the pioneer Congregational minister, Rev. George H. Atkinson, the pioneer banker. D. F. Percival, and Gen. J. W. Sprague, then superintendent of construction of the Northern Pacific. School opened April 3, 1882, in a building erected especially for the academy. The in- stitution enjoyed encouraging growth, and when Mr. Cheney visited his name-town in 1883, the citizens tendered him an appreciative banquet.
At the session of the legislature in 1890 a bill introduced by Representative S. G. Grubbe of Spokane county was enacted and approved by the governor to locate a state normal school at Cheney. provided the building and grounds of the academy were conveyed to the state for normal school purposes. We are advised by a recent official report of the board of trustees that the first board consisted of L. Walter, A. F. Suksdorf, S. A. Wells, W. II. H. McClure, and W. E. Weygant. It met on August 18, 1890, and organized with Mr. Walter for chairman, and Mr. Weygant for secretary. The deed for the transfer to the state of the property of the Cheney Academy having been approved by the attorney-general, the board of trustees ac- cepted the gift in behalf of the state. The building then accepted answered the purpose of the board, and on October 13. 1890. the State Normal School was opened, with W. W. Gillette as principal. There were present on the opening day nineteen applicants for admission, sixteen of whom were admitted. By the close of the first half year the enrollment had reached twenty-five. and by the end of the first year, fifty.
In the spring of 1891 a two-story addition, 10 by 60, was constructed for use as an assembly room, library, and laboratory. These were newly furnished and equipped when. on the night of August 27. 1891. just a week before the opening for the new year, the entire building and contents were destroyed by fire. The board met the misfortune by sceuring a business block on First street, and here for two years the State Normal was housed. During these two years the attendance increased and the accommodations became so overtaxed that the newly erceted public school building was secured for the Normal School, and here the State Nor- mal remained for three years. The legislature at its session in 1891 provided for the maintenance of the school for the following biennium, but no further appropria- tion was made until 1895. During the interim the school continued its work, the principal and instructors receiving but a portion of their salaries, and this from the generosity of friends of the school.
The phenomenal growth of the institution under such circumstances, and the high character of work done by the faculty and students won the approval of in- thiential people in the state, and the legislature of 1895 not only appropriated.money to pay the expenses of the preceding biennium, as well as the following one, but also appropriated $60,000 to ercet a new building. This was expeditionsly and carefully built and the class of 1896 was the first to graduate from the new building.
GONZAGA COLLEGE, 1912
SPOKANE COLLEGE, 1912
PIONEER SCHOOL IN THE PEND D'OREILLE WOODS
OLD HIGH SCHOOL, DESTROYED BY FIRE IN 1910
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STATE NORMAL SCHOOL AT CHENEY
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
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r THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ANIUM LEMOS TOLIA ILINCATIONE
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In 1897 the governor vetoed the appropriation and the school elosed its doors. But in the fall of 1898 it was opened again and was maintained by tuition and the aid of local friends, and during this year the attendance reached 101. In 1899 the legislature again made an appropriation for the following biennium, and since that time appropriations have regularly been made each biennium.
In the 22 years of its existence the normal school has been directed by the fol- lowing principals: W. W. Gillette, W. J. Sutton, J. J. Rippeteau, W. B. Turner,- Miller, Lewis B. Alger, H. M. Shafer, H. C. Sampson, C. S. Kingston and N. D. Showalter. It has taken high rank as one of the strong, progressive normal schools of the United States.
CHAPTER LXXIV
ORIGIN AND DEVELOPMENT OF POLICE FORCE
E. B. IIYDE TOWN MARSHIAL, WILLIAM KOHLHAUFF NIGHT WATCHMAN-JOE WARREN JOINS THE FORCE IN 1884-LOCKUP ON SITE OF AUDITORIUM-WARREN CAPTURES BILL JACKSON, A "WICKED CUSS - INDIANS MURDER GEORGE RUSK ON DEADMAN CREEK-WARREN KILLS A BAD INDIAN IN PEACEFUL VALLEY-WHEN "WILD BILL" CRIED-INDIAN LYNCHED RY CITIZENS AT CIENEY.
E B. HYDE was town marshal in 1884, the only paid officer on the "depart- ment ;" but William Kohlhauff served as night watehman under an ar- rangement with the business men. Joel F. Warren was added to the force in the spring of 1881. The lockup was on ground now covered by the Auditorium building, and police headquarters were at first in the council chamber, at Front and Howard, but afterwards were moved to the hose house of Rescue company No. 1, corner of Railroad and Howard. James Glispin was elected marshal in 1885, and the next spring the office of chief of police superseded the marshalship and he was reelected.
A noted pioneer peace offieer was Joel Warren, who came to Walla Walla with his parents in 1865 and to Deep Creek, Spokane county, in 1879. "It was praeti- cally an accident that I beeame a peace officer," said Mr. Warren, recalling early day experiences in Spokane. "It was in 1884 that Bill Jackson, a half breed, killed the Indian Chief 'Three Mountains,' and had nearly everybody in the county afraid of him. Jackson defied the whole county and seemed to be making good. He was what they called a 'wieked euss' in those days. I wrote to Sheriff Patrick Dillon from Deep Creek that I believed I could capture Jackson. Meantime Lane Gilliam, who was deputy sheriff, arrested Jackson, but he got the drop on Gilliam and there was nothing for Lane to do but let Bill get away. The sheriff recalled my offer and gladly sent word to me to capture Jackson if I wanted to. He deputized me on March 23d, 1884, to make the arrest.
"I employed old Curly Jim, a lame old Indian around town, to tip off the movements of Jackson to me. Jackson came back to Spokane and on the evening of March 24th I went out and found him. Two Catholie priests and Henry Preusse the architect, were a few feet away, but did not know the identity of Jackson until I hollered for him to surrender. At the sound of the command and sight of the gun play, Mr. Preusse jumped astride a cayuse and started over the hill at breakneck speed, the two fathers keeping up with him. It was so ludierons a raee that I be- gan langhing, although I had my man covered. I brought Jackson into town and
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surrendered him to the authorities. There was much excitement following the arrest.
"Daniel Drumheller met me in Cheney shortly after and insisted that I come to Spokane and be the first policeman. They offered me $65 a month, but that was not enough. Finally Mel Grimmer, the truckman, said he would add $2.50 a month. if I would come. Engene Hyde. ex-receiver of the land office, who was the town marshal, agreed to contribute $5 a month and I took the position when they raised the pot to $75 a month. I was sworn in April 13. 1881. Since those days I have often remembered the advice that Eugene Hyde gave me. He was a man 1 always liked to work with. because you never had to ask him to come along, he was always in the lead when there was trouble. He carried a 14-caliber double-action revolver and was quick with a gun. When I was sworn in, Eugene said to me, 'Read the ordinances, Joe, and never lose a fight : if you lose, it will have a bad effect upon the community and cause you lots of trouble." I have always tried to follow that advice.
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