The Baraboo news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1884-1911, 1905-09-27
by Eldridge D. Jackson, Minneapolis.)

| - dOC1 L L 1O1CSSO1 anu AOUd1 u
the Collegiate Institute reached
the very summit of it's influence and
usefulness; it was the golden era of
it's existence, after which it faded
before the growing presence of
the modern high school as the morn
ing stars before the rising sun. If
Josiah PillsburY, it's first principal
had given it what Guizot is pleased
to call, Legitimacy or the right to
be, his successors of whom [ write,
carried it into the hearts of the
people. For many years it seemed
as though silver cord extended
from almost every home in Sauk
county to the doorway of this early
academy. The names of these two
faithful teachers became, as it were,
household words; he, thought of as
the genial and learned professor,
and she, the matchless lady by his
side helping along the good work.
In this respect we are reminded of
Longfellow's ode to Burns: He sits
in every inglenook, His voice is in
each rushing brook, each leafy
bough.
During all that time, to have the
friendship and good opinion of these
teachers was a working capital for
any young man or woman starting
out on the uncertain sea of life.
No couple we're ever better equip
ped for their work, either by ma
tive endo ~ment, or by personal &C
quiremens. S. He had pursued both
classical and scientific studies with
equal success and received the seal
of approval from Beloit college. She
was born teacher without a sug-
gestion in her appearance of the
spinster. 1t is safe to say that they
took up their work at Baraboo with
a zeal born of disinterested spirit,
for they were in all respects capa-
BILE of filing far more conspicuous
and lucrative positionslin their chos-
en- field of instruction. To say the
most this little academy could hard
ly have attracted one who valued
money for it's own sake, for the rev.
enues must necessarily have been
almost exclusively derived from tut
tion paid by the pupils who in those
days we're simply struggling. Above
all else, the professor by instinct
and training was a refined gentle
man. No coarseness ever sullied his
lips or manners. He never fumed or
clustered, but took things quietly
and uuobtrusivelY, not that he
could not show displeasure, his Ru-
fus colored hair anu beard proclaim
ed that, but he could do it in a way
to leave no soreness and also not
compromise his personal and digni-
fed bearing. Of medium stature
and fine proportions, he was very
pleasing in appearance. His long
beard. which he was accustomed to
stroke with the hand, gave him a
rather marked appearance to be
known at distance. His complex
ion was forid, his eyes of. "a blush
gray set in an open countenance
gave the best evidence of the whole
character which combined all the
ideal traits of excellence. From his
presence there seemed to radiate
what Mathew Arnold calls sweet
ness and light, His voice was musl-
cal. but he laid no claim to elocu-
ton, though he was familiar with
the best models, ancient and mod
ern and could instruct by precept if
not by example. He always claimed
to be a plain man and no doubt
in this he was sincere, yet during
all those years he was regarded and
looked upIto by all as far more than
such. On one Fourth of July after
dinner occasion at the front steps
of the court house, he was rather
unexpectedly called out to speak
after most others of the orators
had finisbed He introduced himself
IS only plain IN an, but imm 4dfately
brought TO our attention The death
less example in patriotism set oy
the people of the sunny Isle OF
Greece which was very apt and
soon won the most attentive Inter