Delaware gazette and state journal., 1884-01-24
A OENTENARI DEATH.

Nearly Eighty Years Spent in
Teaching-Instructe Three GEN.
erations.
Miss Eiizabsth Richards, q member OF
the Orthodox Friends meeting, died at
her home, No. 802 West Seventh street,
Monday, at an advanced age, Of general
debility. The deceased was . we'll
known instructor of youth and spent
nearly 80 years In teaching schools.
After receiving what at that time was
an exosilent education, she spent 25
years at teaching in Phllsdelphis, when
she came to this oity and followed
her calling for ID years. During
her career as teacher, she taught the
children Of many of the older families,
and then instructed the children of her
former pupils, and again their grand
children, continuing her work through
three generations OF main families. For
many years she kept school at the
southwest corner OF Sixth and King
streets, where the CITY engineer 8 office
now stands, in q quaint old building
part OF whicn WAS occupied as a store.
Mrs. Augusta DeBubns, in sketch
upon the aged teacher published in the
Sunday Star November 10th, 1882, under
the heading of "Mizzsbbuth, ''as her name
was frequently lisped by some of her
small pupils, says:
"To the few who have known and loved
the little Quaker lady who many years
ago taught ;he iniantile idea how to
shoot, out Of Comly's speller, the familiar
childish appsllatiOn Will at once awaken
tender and pleasant memories.
.'In the second story of the old edifce
at Sixth and King streets was kept
Little Children's SCHOOL, Girls pre-
fsrred, but good little boys with sisters
allowed Upon dais at the uoulhern
end of the room stood the throne of the
gentlest, sweetest queen that ever ruled
q school room. This throne was all old
fashioned leather bottomed arm chair,
with an attached writing desk at one
side, where first hounderings In
ink were disastrously accomplished
under the immediate supervision
Of 'Mizzibbuth ; Under her desk
was kept great bandbox, in
whose depths lay the plain Quaker poke
OF the mistress, and her black silk bag,
and mitts, and feather ian; and near by
stood the umbrella and gums, without
which she seldom ventured forth. A
couple of green painted chairs for
VISITORS tlsnked either eide of the desk,
and little three-legged green stool stood
conspiouously alone and ready for any
disobedient child to BIZ placed upon it, il
needs be.
"The window fronting westward was
the only one kept closed; this overlooked
the green grass s1d tall trees in the
Town Hall yard; although it's shutters
were always kept tightly closed, through
them sometimes 1t was possible to see, as
as we'll as to hear, the poor black writh-
Ing creatures who dhrieked below uuder
the iashes they received, according to
the law Of the land.
"Desks and stools were ranged around
three sides of the room upon the fourth
were pegs for suubonnets and caps,
Jackets and oapes underneath these ran
the woodpile, the laying Of whose orderly
barricade was effected BY aid of the
bigger scholars when the load came.
1.-THE love the children felt for their
teacher was displayed at all times, and
at recess in the generous sharing Of their
best with her always, and he or she who
brought the reddest apple or the fairsst
cookie, WAS envied the pleasure of be-
slowing it upon 'Mizzibbuth.'
"The keeping of this school was sd-
mirable. Although Fr@bel and his
pretty, simple system had not bsen heard
OF at that day, this little Quaker lady
then held his principles in her head and
in her heart.
"Moral sussion was the power that
prevailed. 'Mizzibbuth' was never known
to either scold or whip a gentle reproof,
spoken in firm, but sweet, low tone OF
voice had the desired effect always.
'She awarded pupils prizes for good be-
hayior and aimed to promote neatness
among her children. Aside from their
text books the pupils were taught to sew
As she appeared then over quarter of a
century ago, to the eye OF the children,
she was slender and delioately built; her
hair WAS brown and worn in deep
scallops with side combs, her eyes were
large and mild, and blue in color; che
WAS fair skinned and had pretty little
white hands. Her manners were gentle,
her carriage quiet aud graceful, her whole
character lovely, strong and self-reliant.
So powerful WAS her mild mode Of govern
men that mere word from her lips once
quelled an Imminent panic
"Her dress was quiet and appropriate
to the sect of whiou she was mem ber-
plain drab or brown 'irock,' as she
called it, Q laker grey little silk hand
kerohiei about her Deek, black apron !;
aud on ber white hands, the only bit of
worldly attire she wore, AID most PROB
ably the reason for the ron antic story
circulated concerning love affair OF her
youth and the death of her lover, two
gold rings"
A particularly sensitive point with
Miss Richards was the question of her
age, concerning which po person, 1t is
believed, knew definitely. She always
studiously avoided answering any in
quiries upon this point, and never gave
any intimation regarding the date OF her
birth. On Sunday last, when she WAS
rapidly sinking, she avoided telling her
yesrs by turning the conversation to
smother channel, and probably her zeal
ously guarded secret will never be known.
She last taught school on Orange street
above Sixth, but gave 1t up about four
years ago, since which time she has been
living In retirement. An intimate
acquaintance and pupil of the teacher
is Of the opinion that on her last birth
day che was 104 years old. Latterly she
has been supported by her meeting and
relatives in Philadelphia, dome OF whom
are quite wealthy. Her aocumulationf
were loaned to brother many years age
to help him through some financial diff
GUILTY, and the obligation WAS never
repaid.
She will be buried from the Orthodox
meeting house this afternoon at O'Clock
in the Wilmington and Brandywins