The record-union., 1895-10-07
AGED AND INFIRM.
John G. PeIton's Last Words to the
Children.
The Founder of the Public School Sys-
tenn of California Tells the Story
of His Life.
From the san Jose Mercury. I

Aged and inirm, John G. Pelton, the
father of the public school system of Cali
fornis, stood before the pupils of the High
School in this city yesterday and told the
story OF his life. The speaker said that he
felt his words were in the nature of fare
we'll address, and he had tervent desire
to appear personally and impress as
many as he could of the young people
with something of the am bition that ami
mated him when he came to California to
lay the foundation of the public school
system here.
Il know that many of you will ask :"
said Mr.. Pelton, why it is that am so
poor as almost to be called beggar when
l have lived SO active life in this land of
gold. l scorn any insinuation that l am
beggar, and as for being poor in my old
age, feel that | have good company in
many benefactors of humanity who have
been allowed tn die poor and neglected
and many of them prosecuted besides.
must say that, Notwithstanding the fact
that | have had hard tight for existence,
| have been treated kindly by every one
with whom l came in contact from one
end OF the State to The other. l came to
pose OF founding school system here. l
had been connected with educational
matters almost from my cradle, and had
no thought OF seeking gold. which was
the motive that animated thousands who
rushed here at that time. When l did
make money il was for the purpose of in
vesting it in the upbuilding of the cause
of education.
1.-The first school in California was in
tf, oil ist
street, near stockton, in San Francisco.
| had brought with me TO the State a
number OF textbooks and maps and was
much better equipped for teaching than
might have been expected under the cir
cumstsnoes. The first day had three
pupils, who were attracted by all adver-
tisement of my objects and aims that
put i'll a paper called the Pacific Net0S. In
a week / had thirty pupils, in month
100, and i'll three months there were over
800 pupils in tie school.
~ had no means 10 keep up the work,
and had 10 take jobs and labor outside of
school hours TO support myself. The
first money l earned In san Francisco
was in rolling pork barrels up steep
bank at 81 an hour. Before the city or
State came TO the support of the schools
l made considerable money at various
ventures, and invested IL ali in the work.
/ hired An old lighter at $40 day, aud, with
a crew of 'Iongshoremen, went out night
after night TO engage in lighlering various
kinds OF merchandise from the ships.
Sometimes this work was very profitable.
one night [ made S400 by taking cargo
OF sugar from leaking vessel. Often |
got through with this work barely in
Time 10 get my breakfast and go TO my
teaching III The morning. L also founded
the second ana third schools in san L ram
cisco-tne Happy Valley, now the Dem
man, and the spring Valley school,"
The speaker al some length gave an in
terestlng account OF his lie In California.
After The lecture Mr.. Pelton, in an inter
view with q reporter of the .Nercu4u
gave all account OF the very disiressiul
situation in which be is at present In-
vol we'd. " lln tears III his eyes the vet
eran III educational work in California
told OF now his little homestead in San
Diego is about TO be taken from him OH
account OF mortgage for 500. Upon
this small sum ile has paid $500 in inter-
est Ia attempting TO hold on, but no has
never been :,plo 10 lit the debt. His only
means OF subsistence is the sale OF some
OF his books of poetry and biography OF
his own compos!Iion. Mr.. Peliou claims
that the books arc worth what he asks for
them. and ic does not consider himself
III any sense beggar when he solicIts
their sale. Himself and vile and three
|
heads except small beach cottage at
Capi;ola that !hoy have kindly been
granted the use OF temporarily by Mr.
! Ii ihn. Before they were told TO take up
| quarters IN this cottage they were occu-
| pying a tent, which WAS very uncomiort-
| able during the ioggy and wet weather Of
! a fow wao.ts ago.
Mr. PeltOn and his wife still have some
! lingering hope that he will not lose his
| little home In San Diego. During the last
session of the Legislature relief bill of
! pccketed by Governor Budd. Since that
/ time the Governor has reiented, aud ir he
! agrees, as he has promised, TO help a
/ similar bill through The next Legislature,
/ some parties may be induced 10 advance
sufficient money to pay the interest, w hich
will staye OIL; the foreclosure OF the mort
/ gage for u time.
In closing the interview Mr.. Pelton
spoke in terms of much grstitute OF some
aid thai he received several years ago from
! G.. +. Huntington. The railroad mag
nate, through his nephew, Ii. L. Hunt
! ington, sent him check for $3.50. This
| supplied him with the necessaries OF life
| for time.
In a few days Mr.. Pelton will speak be-
! fore the pupils of the State Normal
/ School, and next week, Ii his strength
permits, he will address the County
| Teachers Institute at Santa Cruz.
Moscow was first lighted by gas in 1866.