East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1906-12-12
HEROIC TEACHERS OF EASTERN OREGON

The Grant County News, after
quoting the East oregonian's story of
the 75-mile ride of Miss Retta An
drus from Dale to Pendleton to at
tend a teachers institute, tells the
following heroic feats of other Grant
county teachers:
Miss Andrus' performance was he
roic and very worthy, but the story
of how Grant county teachers, of
whom she is one, reached the insti-
tute would reveal many as brave and
trying. Teachers are often compelled
to ride from so to 100 miles, and
travel three days to get to the place
of meeting. These journeys are made
on stage, horseback and afoot, as cir
cumstances direct. They are made
at all times of the year and in every
kind of weather. And the expense is
something to 'stagger humanity" as
Dom Paul put it.
Perhaps for peal courage and en-
durance, Miss Goldie VanBibber, now
teaching in Prairie City has the most
remarkable record. After long ride
of Long Creek and at once set out for
John Day on the U. S. mail stage.
Roads and weather were abominable
and the team was weak and tagged
out.
The stage should have reached here
by dark. but the roads were so soft
and the team so weak that when dark
came 1t was less than half way. Beech
creek hill was a mire, rain was pour
ing down and streams were bank full.
An inn was at hand, but the plucky
teacher decided to continue her
journey. She was the only passenger
and the night was pitch dark.
While coming down a sharp point
one brutally overdriven horse plunged
and fell, to rise no more. 1t was now
10 o'clock. Hundreds OF feet below
the stream, which must be reached
and crossed on a tottering bridge,
roared sullenly. The wind tore down
the mountain, driving the rain in
smoky gusts. Help must be had to
carry the mail and in the meantime
It must be guarded. So, leaving the
teacher to mount guard over the
sacks. the driver struck off through
the storm to get another horse.
The accident occurred about 10
o'clock and II was after when the
driver returned. Miss van Bibber
still held down her lonesome job, wet
cold and miserable. But after all, no
horse had been gotten, and the travel
must proceed on foot. The driver
threw the mail sacks over the horses
back and the little party moved off
for a forester's cabin. situated on the
road, but half-dozen miles away. 1t
was daylight when the cabin was
reached, but the institute was not for
gotten,
After a hasty breakfast new team
was hitohed up and the 10-mile trip
to John Day was made at half past g..
BY o'clock Miss Van Bibber was in
her seat in the institute room at Can
yon City, one of the brightest and
most interested teachers in attend
ance.
VIII j. Miller, now in the forest
reserve service at Wallowa, also
showed proper pluck in attending the
institute. While still sore from long
stage ride he took the stage at Monu-
ment, came 25 miles to Long Creek,
took another, and worse, 35 miles to
John Day, and then the third and
went IA miles to Prairie City.
When he attempted to return home,
with return ticket in his pocket, he
was told that there was no room for
him and that he would have to wait.
The driver loaded trunks and bundles
and passengers in till the stage was
almost bursting and struck out tell
ing Miller that he would have to wait
till tomorrow. When he reached
John Day, he found that the irrepres-
sible Will walked behind the stage,
where he had been hanging on among
mails and baggage. He reached his
school in time to open Monday morn
ing.
| But all these teachers are Grant