Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1899-09-02
FOR BARREN ISLAND.
PEOPLE TO HAVE SCHOOL
HOUSE AND CHURCH.
rbre~ saioon. tioarishing-No ffAe~
Else for Young Men TO eo--ihey
tssru 10 Drink for Want Of SOME
thing Bettsr to DO.
New York letter.

tNFM L DIh i<NtANAef
Barren island, on the New England
coast, is at last 10 have school house
and the board OF education has prom
ised that il shall be ready by fali' y
will have four rooms, one Of which VIII
be devoted 10 kindergarten work. the
women who live on Barren Island are
anxious that il shall be known By its
old-tlme Iadiaa name. Equendita
tbroken land). rather than BY its pres
emit title, which Is, they say. gafDssd
from Barn island. The Lott family,
who formerly owned il, used the land
for passerlug young cattle. and from
the large barn which was erected upon
Il came the name o. Barn island Bar
rem island, as il Is now known. has
population OF more than Loco peFsons.
Some OF those were born there, and
have never known another home. and
there are those who have not been 10
the mainland for twenty-five years
one Of these women said TO Fepor-
ter:
Il would not live In the city for
anything. Why noI2 Because Ws
too dirty there" As she spoke shs
stood 10 the doorway Of her tlny eei-
tage aud gazed foadly across the MARSH
which the outgoing tide had left eiih
an unre,reshing odoF Most o. The
houses on the island are one-sl0rY high
and have nat roots. Many 81 thsn
are whitewashsl and have lElle gar
dens. On tbs north side they are sFa-
orally built 10 continuous nBag1tae-
tive rows. There are no yines or trees
10 shelter them and they sFa esp5aei
10 the bleak Elna 81 statsg and ghs
glaring sun OF summer. which Is la
tenslaed BY ~ reflection from the
burning sand. In ore % these houses
there are three amliirs. With tpsas
I OF thirteen children living
I Farther up the !slaHd there are s'sas
OF prosperity T;ie houses and gar.
dsns ars tidy and well sept anA an oe.
caslonai one Is a story ard a haIt in
height and has a gable root These
are occupied By tae Old residents soiaa
Of them are ashsrmsa and oyster Plan
ters by the side ot one ot these
homes stands a ships cabin. purchased
/ for 50. Both house and cabin kisam
I with fresh whIleh01ss. There are
dainty curtains Al all the windows and
the !lttie garden ta pruued beyond me
+ suspicion Of a weei The cabin Il
+ rented 70 a Indgsr The thrifty house
/ wife scrubs her eows as regularly a.
/ her house and Il Is said ,hal they can.
for that reason. Be recognized In aay
/ part Of the island
+ There are three saloons tn = -four
ishlns condition on Barren island. bat
although Il has been papul1tsd for at,y
/ years. there has never been q school.
I house OF church An unpaluicd. nn.
slightly structure. condemned 81 the
/ authorities vas used Tor the school
until last winter. when fhe teacher an
old man, became Insane. OF this
teacher one OF the resldsnts-a father
/ who had brought up eight children
f thers-said.
He had probably been coed
enough teacher In his day. but hs vas
worn out when he came, Yon know
this Is the dumping ground for worn.
out stuff and anything is thought TO
/ be good enough for us"
When the school was ieft without a
teacher the people demanded a school.
house aud refused to ALLOW their chti.
dren's lives to be endangered in tho
rickety building again. Through The
efforts Of Miss Matte Smith the foun.
dations Of church have been tala
The site was given BY SIR. whitcomb
/ Of Flatlands. The corner stone was
laid on May 81. but tho building viii
not be erected until sufilcieu, money
has been raised to pay for Il. The