The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1889-08-09
IN EASTERN OREGON.
A VERY INTERESTING LETTER FROM Al
AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE PROFESSOR.
ONTARIO, Malheur Co., J
August 5th, 1889.

my memory serves me Wen,
brought us from Pendleton to La
Grande, Union county. This is a
town of about the size of Corvallis
with population of perhaps
1000. is divided into the old
and new town, the latter at some
distance from the former and con-
tanning the business portion of La
Grande, principally. The railroad
was the cause of this division, i. e.
the peculiar location of the station
buildings and repair shops. The
town supports two excellent pa
pers, the editors of which rendered
us very material assistance in our
work. AS l was walking along
the street, in search of new work,
some one called my name, and as
| looked about to see who was
taking such liberties | stood face to
face with Prof. Strange, the princi-
pal of the public schools of La
Grande. In very affable way he
made my business his own and
introduced me to perhaps over
half the population of this pleas
ant place. Without exception l
found them all manifesting great
interest in our institution. They
assured me, one and all, of their
cooperation and hearty support.
This Grand Ronde valley is one of
the most important agricultural
districts in eastern Oregon. 1t is
about fifteen miles wide and thirty
miles long, very fertile and pro-
ductive, and Inhabited by a thrifty,
wide-awake class Of people who
easily understand the great i'm
portance Of the kind of education
which we offer them in our insti-
tuition.
The evening of the first day was
pleasantly spent at the home of
Prof. Strange, where, in "mine
hostess" I met another acquaint-
ance. Mrs. Prof. Strange will be
remembered as the accomplished
daughter of Caleb Davis, Esq; she
is graduate of the college at
Corvallis and certainly a great
credit to it. The Grand Ronde
valley excellently agrees with both
Mr.. and Mrs. Strange and they
have indeed fine home here.
The next morning Prof. Strange
showed me his school house, which
is a commodious two-story struc-
ture with six rooms. On last
Arbor day the pupils planted seven
trees in the school house yard and
dedicated them to the following
noted and illustrious names: The
advanced high school class dedica-
ted theirs to Harriet Beecher
Stowe; b class high school to
Oliver W. Holmes; A class gram
mar school to Prof. FL S. Strange;
B class grammar to III. w. Long
fellow; intermediate department
to Ben. franklin; A.primary grade
to Geo. Washington; B primary
grade to State Supt. E. b. Mcklroy;
and another to the Carey Sisters.
At The foot of the beautiful
mountains in his fine home
also met ex-U. s. Senator Slater,
who is rapidly regaining his former
good health, and in whom our in
StlGuU1OIl udS SIduIlC1 #IIlSllu.
To judge the rest from what ex-
perienced at La Grande, Union
county, which is mainly an agri-
cultural district, will, if perhaps
not at present, though in the near
future, at least, be strongly repre-
sented in the Oregon agricultural
college, for we are sowing for the
future. as well.
AS l entered the car on my
journey onward, a commercial
man, whom I had met at the hotel.
slapped me on my shoulder, offered
me cigar and was, to judge from
his actions, in great state of ex-
element. On inquiring as to the
cause of such exuberance of spirits
he informed me that in the last
minute previous to his departure.
when he was already despairing of
transactlng any business whatever,