River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1895-04-04
CUR SCHOOLS---THEIR HISTORY.
The st. CrOix Collegiate Institute and
Military Academy.

years ago welcomed that institution as
/ a cOmmendable effort in the field Of
education, supported il with large
patronage and gave il merited credit
I for the excellent work accom- lished
/ in immediate results. and the
brOadened view of educational pros
poets.
In 1869 Jay r. Hinckley negotiated
with Jonathan Goodwin for lease of
the River Side House as the plOst
convenient building to be obtained i'm
town for a school. The first fiOor was
| fitted fora study and recitation rooms
by the removal and Encouragement
of partitions. Mr.. Hinckley con-
templated conveniences for boarding
nOn-residentS at the building. but the
students were free TO selecf a home as
their preference or convenience in
clined them The faculty of
instructors was strong In numbers,
ability and scholarship. Ii consisted
of JAY X. Hinckley. professor of civil
polity. mental and moral philosophy
and rhetoric. Martin +. Cady,
professor OF ancient languages and
mathematics. Henry ;. Baker, pro-
feSSOr of physical sciences and
elOcution. Edward u. Lord, professor
of English history, vocal music and
German. Mrs. Jay X. Hinckley,
Instructress in instrumental music.
Miss Mary \. Nakeman, inStructresS
In ornamental branches and French.
Miss Augusta Powers, assistant in
music.
The school was conducted by Mr..
Hinckley under substantially the
same faculty for two years. The
Institute was established To meet as
far as possible under the circumstances
the acknowledged needs of the locality
for the opportunity OF more extensive
conveniences for higher learning
than the public schools offered. The
curriculum of studies was sufficiently
broad TO accommodate the preference
and convenience OF any likely TO seek
its advantages: the faculty amply
equippei 20 give every assistance
desired Co needed.
A special feature 0f the school was
the organization OF classes in peda
gogy, for the benefit of actual and
prospective teachers The number
of this class OF students awaiting
themselves OF the advantages offered
by this department vi the Institute
was large, the esprit Ge corps was ex-
cellent, and the results eminently
satisfactory. The catalogue of
students attending this school indi-
Gates that the majority Of them had
passed the courses of study taught in
the district schools. Many of them
came here TO pursue the ordinary
branches of study with view to a
more thorough comprehension of
them under these teachers, with
better opportunities offered for re-
search, scope of work, extension of
time N class and recitation with
criticism and suggestion. Many
came TO pursue higher branches OF
study in mathematics, the physical
sciences, ancient and mCdern
languages, ornamental branches, in
Guiding music, vocal and instrumental.
The list of students was reasonably
large for young institution in au
openly settled country, one hundreu
enrolling themselves on the records,
coming from "A wide area OF territory.
From its inception the school COM
mended itself to the community,
unity composed So largely Of
Intelligent and public-spiritedci citizens.
1t was an important factor in elevat-
ing the standard OF popular education.
L. enlarged the area of facilities for
learning. 1t pervaded the community
With a more elevated tone Of refine
ment and intelligence. Its beneficial
effects upon the public school teachers
and the schools under their instruc-
ton was apparent in the better
qualifications, zeal and ability Of the
teachers, and the more thorough and
effective work accomplished by the
pupils.
The military feature was added at
| the beginning of the second year, but
il did not commend itself to the
students, the patrons or the COM
| munity at large. 1t was looked upon
| by all as something in the nature OF
joke. Young men coming from the
| lax discipline of modern homes were
not submissively amenable to the
! eXacting discipline and the dictatorial
| orders of military martinets. Neces-
| Sary restraint imposed upon the
individual student, appealing to his
| sense of right and justice. sufficient
| TO secure &c him his liberty but
| curtailing il at the point of inter
1 ference with the rights of Others was
| sufficiently difficult of effective APP
| plication, and anything further than
| this was quickly and stuDbornly
| resented as an unwarranted inter
| ference with personal rights. Con-
| sequently the ''army regulations"
could not be vigorously enforced, and
| every attempt in this direction that
assumed anything like superiority, or
dictatiOn, was met with good natured
| ridicule. The "guard-hOuse" excited
| considerable merriment, but was not
| a popular resort; reyeille was not
| relished: the squad drill" was a
| hilarious farce, and the pageant of
1 ''dreSs parade" was an occasion OF
II sa,rsr.r rid A in
+! this military rule of the serio-comic
/ nature is recalled. Albert Ames, a
pupil at the Institute, was considered
| by the faculty as one of those sheep
| of somber hue that is said TO dis
/ tinguish every flock. His versatile
talents were largely involved in
determining chow not to do it," He
4 seemed to be lost in the contemplation
of the maxim of the ancient
philosopher ''Uidm du Ue1lio din fdcio' TO
evade study. And il was remarked
that he usually found a way or made
oner out OF this ditficulty-intoan another.
On one occasion ne had been arraign-
ed before a court martial charged
with some "sin of omission or COM
mission against the peace and
dignity of the institution, and
summarily sentenced to the guard
| house IN the auto ana cOHl ptlleu 10
go without his dinner. Ames had
pleaded not guilty TO the charge, and
| stOutly asseverated in eXtenuation
that if he had omitted" any sin in
the decalogue OF the school code it was
done ignorantly and unintentiOnally
| A guard was set to watch the room in
which private Ames was ignominious-
~ confined. This guard was stationed
outside under a tree, as the only
avenue of escape was through the
attic window. The rest of the battal-
ion were at "hash," and the guard il
presumed to have been taking his sizes
Ia under the outrageous shadow OF
the Jack oak. A pOst-prandial detach'
Iment of the battalion leisurely saun'
! tering out on the campus, and casu
ally glancing at the window of the
, guard house were astounded to find il
open. although it had been securely
fastened with a door nail" Exam
ination of the premises discovered
thigh private Ames absent without
leave" The "long roll was sounded
the fish-horn bugler blew defiant
blast that called the men TO fall in
lin a confused huddle, and the an
, nouncement that Ames had made hi
f, escape from the guard house. occa
stoned considerable excitement. most
Inv indicated by a "hOrse laugh.