Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1860-12-29
lFrom the Prairie Farmer.l
Teaching IN Texas.

j The following letter from a lady teacher
in Texas to a lady friend in this State, may
interest some of our readers who have
thought Of "going South to teach"
My Friends: Do you remember tho
promise we made each other year ago, to
write Of our whereabouts this vacation
You see where / am: in the "Sunny
South" what is called Western Tex
as" 1t IS a long way from and
assure you that | realize every mile of the
1 distance came down here last winter
with our friends Mr. A. and the Misses w.
Miss go was also one Of our party as far
as New Orleans. Misses w. have a fine
school together in RI, very pleas
ant village, and the county seat. They
have very high reputation as teachers.
! People here ssneyer saw anything likeit be-
fore, and reckon nobody else ever did"
/" They have all the scholars hold up their
hands when they know tie answer to 4
question, and heap of Other tricks"
| am in country neighborhood, ten
miles from 49,, on the --- river.
teach in building that would not pass for
respectable barn at home. 1t neye, was
anything but frame, covered with clap
boards, with wooden shutters, and not a
pane Of glass, and now it would tumble
down if it was not propped up with logs
on the sides, and when the doors and win
dows are shut as tight as possible, there is
plenty of light to study by, coming in from
above, below and the four sides. | had
thirty scholars at the close O. last session
from four to sixteen years-and ! shall
have more next session. / have closed one
term of five months, and commence again
next Monday. Ny hours will be from Z
to II o'clock, and from 2 to s.. Many o.
the people think that too short, but flesh
and blood cannot stand any mere in this
climate. For the last two months the heat
has been almost uniform-the thermom-
eter ranging from 96 deg. to los deg. in
the shade, during the warm hours of each
day, but most of the time standing at l0o
degrees. After o'clock one dry when
the thermometer was 100 degrees in the
house, put it out in the sun, and it i'm
madiately ran up TO l3l degrees. Suct
weather was never known in Texas before
bv the Oldest settlers. There have beer
but two or three slight showers, which die
not wet the ground to any depth, since the
J god Of April. We all bear the heat won
derfulIy well. / never had better health
/ L. saws if she continues to grow strong Al
fast as she has, she will soon be a Sampson
/ = You will want to know how
much money we are making: | tn nix En-
cline has $500 per year; Lucy, $3.50;
had at the rate of $3.50 last session, bu
expect to have more next. | have from
1 81 to 81 per month for each scholar.
was very home-sick for good while
/ the state Of society, everything was SC diff
ferent 10 what was accustomed to; but
am quite content now. ! have learned tc
live en- hoecake and bacon, to ride OF
horseback, and to fall in with the othel
customs of the country. | have seen al
alligator, two taranhsles, and two moccasir
snakes. have heard plenty of hardshel
preaching, some that is not surpassed BY
the /" harp Of thousand strings" ! have
often been reminded Of things that you
uncle said about the South as he saw j
.lsome years ago. Texas is SO new that
presume it is about as the old States were
when he travelled in them. | have some
warm friends here, some to whom ] an
much attached. They seem SO diferen
from what they did at first, that | dom
know whether | sow straight then or now
j Let me hear from you soon.
Your friend, J. l.. G.
/ Texas, Aug. 8, 1860.