The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1883-05-03
AN UNIQUE SCHOOL.
Teaching the Young Idea How Not
to Shoot,

1eaCulnS INC 1OuDG 1Oe8 HOW MOI
to Shoot.
RUsrLEE's GuLciI, TEx.-"Yes," said
the schoolmaster, as he rolled a fresh
cornhusk cigaro, "the history of this
school would no doubt prove interest
ing from newspaper point of view. Its
most sta rtling incidents, however, seem
comm ohplace and tame to a frc nteirs.
man. This school was started five years
ago, and am the fourth teacher. ]
have been here two years. About six
years ago Mr.. Robinson, great sheep
man from the lower country, located in
the gulch, and established ranch here
Many of his herders had families,
and being man of influence and wealth
he had no difficulty in establishing q
public school and he built this house.
The teacher hung his hat up on the floor
in one corner 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, aft
er Mr.. Robinson, the wealthy sheep
man I spoke of, had completed his
school house he looked about for a
teacher, ana finally secured the services
ofan oil fellow-an ex-stagc driver '"oo
could barely read and write. This
country was full Of Indians then, and
the teacher and larger pupils went
armed. lie took his meals at Robin
sons house, but slept here on the mud
floor. He had q weakness for post
whisky, and got drunk on the slightest
provacation. One Sunday, while he was
lying there before the school-room fire
in drunken stupor, wandering
Apache happened in and carried away
the schoolmaster's seal as ar education
al trophy. This catastrophe caused the
school to close, and it remained without
a teacher about six months.
One day q 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 q school teacher and
anxious to take charge Of the Rustler's
Gulch school. She gave her name as
Miss Emma Graham and entered upon
her duties the next day after her en-
gagement. Miss Graham was about Is
years Of age. Robinson had a son
year older. There were Indians in the
country still, and it fell TO young Jack
Robnson's lot to escort the pretty
schoolmarm to and from the school
house. He rather liked it, and being a
good-looking fellow and a trlfe more
polished than ranchmen's sons
usually are Miss Graham rather liked it
also. They became friends, and this
friendship developed into very tender
and romantic passion. One night Jack
Robinson was missing. The schoolmarm
disappeared also. They were both seen
afterwards in chihuahua, Mexico, living
together as man and wife. Jack was
running a saloon and the sometime
schoolmarm was dealing monte.
school /" was va i again opened. This time the
teacher was a woman from the states.
The board assembled and began the ex-
animation with great solemnity. They
asked the most nonsensical questions
with the greatest possible gravity, and
received the most preposterous 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
a large flock of sheep and they were af
tlicted 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 Mater. 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
a new house, and was going to finish it
of in the most approved manner, with
doors, windows, a shingle roofand plank
floors and ceilings. He was about to
order the lumber for this houae from Ell
Paso, but he didn't know exactly how
much to order. He gave the dimensions.
ana the school marin consulted her ut
tie figures and told him exactly how
many feet of plank aud boards and how
many bundles of shingles it would take
to build a house of the dimensions given.
Well satisfied with his shrewdness, Jones
dotted down the answers and passed the
applicant to Brown. Brown is the cat
ticking of the county and had just stalk
cd off ground for a bis corral. He had
employed an lrishnan who had been
a NAVY on the railroad to dig the ditch
for the pickets, at so much per cubic
yard OF earth excavated. He wanted to
find out exactly how much his bill woulu
be and he asked Miss Green. She told
him, This closed the examination.
and gave her the school.
s.Nho (actDH a month Smith nivor.
his sheep dip accordingly to her figures
and ran through his flock. The next day
the herders reported sheep dying and,
despite every effort to save the woolly
animals, they continued to drop of I'M
til his flock was diminished one-third.
He learned then that the dip had been
made about three times the requisite
strength. The schoolmarm's figures had
lied and Smith was furious. Jones made
out his lumber bill and sent the order to
the merchant. The amount ordered
was large one, but Jones was good and,
after some little delay, his order was
consigned to him. 1t took whole train
of cars to transport it, and he nearly
weiSS Tray when he found that there
were enough shingles alone in the con-
signment to cover half the houses in the
county and joists and planks for the new
State Capitol.
1.-TWO years ago was employed and
have been here ever since. I like the
place and the people, ard, if ! say it my
self, have school to be proud off,
The children were beginning to arrive
as he finished speaking and he invited
me to stay and inspect the school.
There were about fifty pupils, varying in
age from 7 to 20. All over Is were pay
scholars. Two-thirds Of the school were
Mexicans or half-breeds. The latter
were the brightest and quickest to learn.
Many of the children could not under
stand word of English when they first
entered the school and were unable to
read and write Spanish. For my benefit
several of the scholars recited little
memorized speeches in both languages.
I thought the performances very cred
table and told the sChoolmaster so that
night: ;,
well. Did you notice that large boy
sitting at the further left-hand desk?"
''The one who recited The Burial of
Sir John. Moore in English and then
repeated it in SPANISH"
-; Yes ! T NO years ago he did not know
'He must be 20 years DID,"
"Just 20, and at Is he was as large a.
he is now. His father is wealthy cat
tie owner and this boy is the only child.
He had been petted and spoiled from
birth. In the states that would make q
sap here it make desperate. He