The Irish standard., 1900-12-29

''ShooAAouoc. Liz Suu Solletlcu, NoOU,
was put in the hands of the school
board, of which my grandfather was
one Of the members.
After considerable trouble the school
was begun. and as it was built late
in the fall it was very difficult to dry
the plastering, and knowing no other
way to dry it, the older boys took turns
staying up at night to keep the fire up,
i'll order to start the school as soon as
possible
1t was conducted on the rural school
plan, from the \ Il G class to the
arithmetic and grammar grades. There
were twenty-five scholars ut first, but
this number was greatly increased, the
district becoming more populous.
The heating arrangement consisted
Of Il large box stove, with drum at
tachcd. The larger boys took turns in
supplying the fuel Every Saturday
logs We're cut down from the adjoining
woods, and hauled to the school for
the weeks use of fuel.
The school contained one room, with
benches and desks around the wall;
six windows and one door.
OF course it was very cold there
some days, and the children would be
obliged to sit around the stove to keep
warm. \ little while before noon,
each child brought his dinner pail and
placed it near the stove 10 thaw out.
70 avoid freezing. the ink WAS taken
home at night. The school was ven
tilated by the cracks in tie floor.
The teacher, l.. NJ. Ford. was Il very
musical and good natured man. His
salary was $50 month; aud he board
ed free rs many weeks with each fam
lily as there were children going to
school,
Mr.. Ford's musical instrument was
Il flute, and every Friday afternoon.
according TO the tradition. as he took
out his flute and commenced to play
upon it, a little mouse would make it's
appearance, and scamper about the
floor of the schoolroom, much to the
delight of the children.
The master was Il very we'll in
formed man and a fine horticulturalist.
In later years he moved to California;
here he rested on his laurels and spent
the remainder of his days among the
flowers and fruits.
The Indians, in those days, were nu-
merous and very troublesome. Their
curiosity often led them to the school.
where they would look in the windows
to see what was going on. Some of
the children walked two or three miles
to school, and were often chased by
the Indians. Many times the boys and
girls were tardy on arriving, having
taken some roundabout way to avoid
them.
One afternoon in early spring, when
snowballing was delightful, the older
boys planned not to go in ut the close
of recess. and when the school master
came to open the door to ring the bell.
they greeted him with vollry of
snowballs. After several vain at
tcmpts to open the door, he concluded
the boys had got the best of him. He
then went to the window and laughed
at them. Next morning, when the tru-
ant boys came back expecting to be
rGprimanded for the misdemeanor of
the day before, they were surprised to
find their snowballcd master in very
good humor.
The little Grovcland schoolhouse
stayed there for three years; finally it
was moved to a more populous portion
of the district, on Smelling avenue
Here it rested on it's better foundation
until it was. burned to the ground.
Such was the schooling of the faith,
ers Of Minnesota. We know not half
the hardships which they endured
Their schools and ours-hOw different!
Ten years have passed and the
sound of the cannon was heard The
war of the union of our great country
had commenced, and Minncsota's best
men had gone to the field. The ever
rcvcngcful Indians planned this period
of time when all thoughts were turned
to the south, to come down and attack
the whites. Men were needed on cv-
cry side, and companies of volunteers
were instantly dispatched to the from
tiers to hold the Indians back
The first little district school had
long been forgotten. but the teaching
which one of these boys received was
not. He was John Sylvester. always Il
very Courageous lad. who went by the
name of "Wild Jack" He liked dan
gerous exploits, and while boy he be-
came very intimate with the Indians
He also found out their habits Of war
fare and was very familiar with Inhi-
an language. 1t was this young man
who, when the Indians broke out. was
first to follow General Sibley to the
frontier.
Being bright and quick as well as
brave, Sylvester was put on duty as n
scout One night, being far from camp
and seeing no Indians about he de-
cided to stOD at q farmhouse lie WAS