Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1896-02-07
CASUAL OBSERVER

Il CASUAL OBSERVER
SasS81slxz1zszz@sx1|Ezsls1z
l sometimes sit and ponder
Over the days Of long ago;
Ofthe schoolmates of my boyhood,
OF the joys / used to know.
And find myself depicting
The lives of them / knew
When we went to school together
Way back in seventy-two.
1t is pleasant sometimes to dwell in the
past, to think of the old school house, the
school teacher and the schoolmates. 1t is
a period that comes but once in lifetime,
and it is all too brief.
In the year 1857 there was started a
seminary in the pretty village of Mt Ver-
non, Iowa. Itwas started by the Metho-
dists, and was, therefore. sectarian
school. The4 AIcthodist church believed
in education and believed in or were ac-
cessory to the institution of slavery. It's
history has been made and written on
these two questions and can be read of all
men. To believe in education and slavery
was paradox. The former will of neces-
sity destroy the latter.
There was but one building needed for
all the demands made upon the seminary,
This building sat upon a hill which nature
had adorned with great care. A beautiful
valley extended to the north, and then
arose to the vision another hill of gradual
ascent and several miles in length. Nature
had charge of the sanitary regulations and
it was perfect. To this day the Greek and
Latin scholars call it the Athens of Iowa.
Time has wrought many changes; the
buildings today are massive and lmpos-
ing and have increased in number. To-
day it equals the State university at Iowa
City in its collegiate department. Its
campus is large and grand. Its faculty
is composed of men ofnational regulations
as educators.
In the COS colored man of probably
So years of age came to the village and
was seized with thirst for knowledge,
which the law Of the land prohibited
him from obtaining. He had no money,
but he had large heart and willing
hand. He made application to attend the
school, but a "Man-of- God" said that he
could not be admitted. One very right
reverend white minister said with great
daal of vehemence that a "niggsr should 60
without education if he had to obtain
it among white scholars" The minister
has gone to his reward.
After the above refusal was made, an
other made application He was nearly
40 years DID, He was admitted and went
to school for some time. He began learn
ing the alphabet. He worked during odd
hours to obtain the money to pay his ex-
penses. He progressed rapidly, and to-
day he lives in tho city of Clinton, ILL.,,
where he is surrounded by happy family,
and property and money enough to keep
the wolf from the door.
In the halls Of congress today there is a
young man who went forth from this
school. He has national reputation as
an orator and statesman. Heis now after
Ambassador Baryard's scalp, with good
prospect Of getting it. His pathway was
not strewn with roses. having to work
hard, very hard, for his education. When
ever and wherever he meets any of the
colored boys who attended school with
him he greets them with a hearty shake
of the hand, and the old days are gone
over again, inquiry being made after all
whose names are recalled.
In this session of the legislature there
are two or three who went to this school
Their friends are proud of the niche they
have cut in the temple offame. They
worked foreyery dollar paid to get through
school.
One of the former state officials of Iowa
was a graduate of this school. He was a
poor boy, with a head full of brain that
needed cultivation. When other and pos
sibly more fortunate young men were
playing base ball, foot ball, or engaged in
other amusements, he was looking fol
work and generally found it. One time he
went to the southern part Of Illinois and
followed the ripening harvest fields up to
Minnesota.
We have written these few sketches out
of many for the benefit of young men who
enormously claim that their lack Of educa-
ton is due to lack of opportunity. The
young men of today ask "where they can
get means to attend school," The young
men of former days went out and worked
for the money with which to attend
school, and they did 1t willingly. ..-'.