The San Francisco call., 1905-02-26
HONOR MEMORY
OF EDUCATOR
Many Mourn Loss of Miss
Kate Elliott, Who Died at
San Diego ON February IA
PAY ELOQUENT TRIBUTE
Associates of Woman Who
Had Taught for 30 Years
Speak of Work She Did


the Girls High School last Tuesday
in memory of Miss Kate Elliott. the
veteran school teacher, who died in
San Diego on February II. DR.. Scott,
principal of the high school. opened
the meeting by saying that he thought
the death of Miss Elliott should be no.
ticed officially; that due respect
should be paid to the memory Of
| woman who had taught so faithfully
and successfully, and that 1T seemed
! pathetic that she could not have lived
/ to enjoy her we'll earned rest, as she
had taught for thirty years and was
| pensioned January after her res
! ignation from her post. He said that
she had performed her duties as In
structor during the last term under
| great stress, ae her health was fail
! ing. but Notwithstanding she did her
whole duty to the last moment.
| Following DR.. Scott the teachers
were called upon to make remarks,
but their profound grief kept most Of
them silent. Those who spoke did so
with great difficulty. Miss Fidelia
Jewett spoke of the nobility of Miss
Elliott's character, of the unusual
number of strong friends she had. and
! of Miss Elliott herself as one of the
truest friends that any one ever had.
HER GOOD DEEDS.
Mrs. Mary Prag gave a sketch Of
Miss Elliott's work. When she entered
| it, twenty-eight years ago. Joseph
Clement, president of the Board Of
Education, remarked to Mrs. Prag,
who had applied for place: II can
not give it to you because that is al
ready promised to one of the bright
est women, one of the best takers
| and best read women / have ever met
Miss Kate Elliott" At first she was
assigned to the English department..
later to the science and finally, in
1890, to the history department In
all of these she did her full share in
giving the school the high reputation
which it enjoys to-day. Mrs. Prag
spoke of Miss. Elliotts great mental
force, her extensive knowledge and
her power of adapting and assimilat-
ing what she read. When John Fisk.
the historian, was here a few years
ago he was pleased to find one so ia
miliar with his best thoughts. Mrs.
Prag closed with a touching tribute
to Miss EIliotts character.
Miss Edna ]. de Wolf spoke as one
of Miss Elliott's former pupils and
emphasized the teachers singular
power in waking the best in her pu-
pills, in establishing right living and
right thinking in them and in implant-
ing high ideals and worthy ambitions.
With it all were her kindly sympathy
! and her unfailing readiness to give of
her abundance to all in need of it.
! A note of regret was read from DR..
/ Elisha Brooks, written at his home at
Ben Ixomond. Il had hoped" it ran,
that she would enjoy many years Of
leisure after her earnest life Of toll.
| She was a rare soul. and her death on
the threshold of the life she had looked
forward to with such longing is very
pathetic
There were no dry eyes in the as
semblage after the conclusion Of the
exercises.
WHY SHE WON FRIENDS
1t is not common for people to have
and so keenly enjoy the love in which
Miss Elliott was invariably held by
those who came into her quiet life
and there were more of these than
fall to the lot of most. Her gentleness.
a certain winning quaintness of man.
ner and speech. her genial humor
which nothing could ever shake. her
spontaneous wit, which never was
barbed. her simple womanliness-these
were her principal charm to her friends
of the world beyond the schoolroom.
There never was evidence that she
held a bitter thought: and her atti-
tude to humanity was that 1t was not
worth while to look for anything but
goodness and kindness In the world
Whether her consistent blindness to
anything but those qualities was the
result of a deliberately chosen course
or was the natural expression of her
own nature may never be known Yet
j above all else she was intensely human
Her superb education. the grinding ex-
actions of a teachers life, and often
much and prolonged physical suffering,
never affected her childlikeness, her
faith in life and the world. her half
quizzical, lf-dismissing bearing to-
ward any wry outlook from others.
There are many firesides here that
cherished her, and many a quiet din
ner with friends has been savored by
her wit and laughter and tireless good
cheer.
For some wears her friends had been
observing with concern that her highly
sensitive organization was giving way
under the strain Of her work: but she
would always say joyously that her
thirty years would soon be done, and
that then she would enjoy life She
stopped too late.
Her will provided. among other
! things. that her funeral should be
quiet, with no exercises or parade. that
/ she should be cremated. and her ashes
thrown upon the winds. But beside
her casket last Wednesday. in this city.
the Lords Prayer stole through the
assemblage. and that was ali. And she
was at heart deeply religious and rev.
erential-
On her leaving the high school last
December the faculty drew up a tes-
Itimonial of their regard, and 1t was the