The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1883-06-23
A UNIQUE SCHOOL.

A UNIQUE SCHOOL.
An Educational Institution At Rust
Ier's Gulch. Tex.-Teaching the Young
Idea How Nos tn Shoot
YES" said the schoolmaster, as he
rolled a fresh cornhnsk cigaro, /" the
history of this school would no doubt
prove Interesting from newspaper
point of view. Its most startling incl
dents, however, seem commonplace and
tame to frontiersman. This school
was started five years ago, and am
the fourth teacher. l have been here
two years. About six years ago Mr..
Robinson. a great sheep man from the
lower country, located in the guich.
and established ranch here. Many of
his herders had families, and, being a
man of influence and wealth, he had no
difficulty in establishing public school,
and he built this house. The teacher
hung his hat up on the floor in one cor
ner and shelved his books in another.
The pupils brought sheep-skins to sit
upon, and every night rolled them up
with their books and piled the lot up in
the two unoccupied corners. Well, af-
ter Mr.. Robinson, the wealthy sheep
man spoke of, had completed his
school house he looked about for a
teacher, and finally secured the services
of an old fellow-an ex-stage driver,
who could barely read and write. This
country was full of Indians then, and
the teacher and larger pupils went
armed. He took his meals at Robin
sons house, but slept here on the mud
floor. He had a weakness for post
whisky, and got drunk on the slightest
provocation. One Sunday, while he
was lying. there before the school-room
fire in a drunken stupor, wandering
Apache happened in and carried away
the schoolmaster's scalp as an educa-
tional trophy. This catastrophe caused
the school to close, and it remained
without teacher about six months.
lone day very pretty and lady-like
young woman rode up to Robinson's
ranch and asked for that gentleman.
He invited her in and she made known
her business. She was school-teacher
and anxious to take charge of the Rust
ler's Galch school. She gave her name
as Miss Emma Graham, and entered
upon her duties the next day after her
engagement. Miss Graham was about
eighteen years of age. Robinson had
son year older. There were Indians in
the country still. and it fell to Young
Jack Robinson's lot to escort the pretty
schoolmarm to and from the school
house. He rather liked it, and being a
good-looking fellow and trihe more
polished than ranchmen's sons usually
are, Miss Graham rather liked it, also.
They became friends, and this friend
ship developed into very tender and
romantic passion. One night Jack
Robinson was missing. The school
marin disappeared, also. They were
both seen afterwards in chihuahua,
Mex, living together as man and wife.
Jack was running saloon and the
sometime schoolmarm was dealing
monte.
!" II was more than year when the
school was again opened. This time
the teacher was a woman from the
States. The board assembled and be-
gan the examination with great solem-
nity- They asked the most nonsensical
questions with the greatest possible
gravity, and received the most prepos-
ferrous answers
Connected with the examination in
mathematics is story which eventually
leaked out and gave the whole thing
away. One of the board, Mr.. Smith.
had q large flock of sheep, and they
were afflicted with the scab. He was
preparing to dip, and had purchased
many gallons of patent compound for
the purpose. This liquid was to be
properly diluted with water. Smith
had constructed big dipping vat, but
he did not know how much water it
held, and he was anxious to learn its
exact capacity, SO that he would know
how much of the patent dip to put in.
He gave the dimensions of the vat, and
the applicant for the school, after deal
Of figuring, told him how many cubic
gallons it would hold. Smith jotted
down this answer and turned the would
be teacher over to Jones. Now Jones
was building new house, and was 90
ing to finish it of in the most approved
manner. with doors. windows. a Single
roof and plank floors and ceilings. He
was about to order the lumber for this
house from FL Paso. but he didn't know
exactly how much to order. He gave
the dimensions, and the schoolmarm
consulted her little figures and told him
exactly how many feet OF plank and
toards and bow MANY bundles Of shin