Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927, 1907-02-22

Grants fass WomaDS Cnrlstlan
Temperance Union and Y, observed
Frances e. Willard Memorial
Day" Rev. Geo. NJ. Gardner, Rev.
f. @. Lovett and a representative
number OF White Rlbboners were
present. A beautiful picture OF Miss
Willard was presented Grants Pass
High School. Supt. r. r. Turner, in
we'll chosen word accepted the
picture. Prof. Harrison hung the
same upon the wall at the right Of the
picture Of Washington.
Following is the sketch Of the life
of Frances E. Willard" az read by
Mrs. Spaldlng:
FRANCES, f. WILLARD.
1T was rarely endowed home into
which Frances f. willard was born
September 28, 1889, in Churchill, n.
Y. Her father, Josiah Willard, born
in Wheelcck. Vermont, was man Of
intergity, ability and euegy. He
was devoutly religious, man Of
charming manners, an iniexible will
and unusual powers Of thought and
speech. Her mother was woman Of
great moral courage, as well known
as her husband for her zeal for
school, college and church. Born OF
such parents, God trained Frances
Willard for her life task and rade
her ready to help the pilgrim hosts
with their sorrows, sufferings and
ins.
Then, as now, civilization was ever
moving westward and it WAS only
fitting that in this onward march the
Willsrds should have their place
Sol entists tell us that climate affects
character. Certain, it is, that the
oak and rock of the New England
hills seem to have repeated themselves
In the iron will. and unyielding
courage OF the Willard family.
Strong and courageous, royal Ameri-
cans in heart and mind, believing in
God as their leader, il was no won
der that they were sent out as choice
and chosen seed for the new lands
of the West.
"Their first journery overland,
from Churchville, N. Y. terminated
ut Oberlin, Ohio. II was a long
journey aud little Frances, only two
years old was often very tired. In
the Spring of lS46 they again moved
westard-this time forced to do so on
account Of the fathers health, which
demanded the physician said, the
free open air Of the West, and the
simplest OF farming exercises. This
time they made the journey in three
white-h hooded prairie Schooners, Mr..
Willard driving the first, Oliver, then
lad of ~ years the second, aud Mrs,
Willard, with Frances and her little
uIster Mary, drove the third. They
Travelled for three weeks, strictly OBJ
serving the Sunday rests, and passing
through Chicago, came at length TO
the banks of the Rock River, near
Jonesville, Wis. Here they stopped
on charming site, overlooking the
river, the simple, homelike dwelling,
which they named Forest Home, was
soon erected. Here for l9 happy
years these three children lived life
of love and labor, play and study and
prayer,
THE opportunities that came to
these children here were opportunities
to be- useful, to read. to study, to
work with their hands, to love each
other, to reverence nature and
natures God. Their mother, as good
mothers have always done, lived rih
her children. Brotherhood aud sister
hood meant much TO the children in
the willard family aud in all their
childish activities their mother was
alder and abbetor. They made be-
lieve the country was u city, they
organized club and printed news
paper Of which Frances was editor
"rhe Fourth Of July had it, cele-
braton at Forest Home aud So much
had tholr mother talked 70 them about
America that.their native land was 70
them oherishing mother like their
own in gcutleness aud strength and
they believed that they should some.
time be able to Offer her loving ser
vice Nothing could be more interest
ing than Miss willard's graphic de-
scription Of those glorious Fourths, .
prophetic Of the temperance reform,
the Independence OF women aud the
bringing Of the home spirit into all
the worlds affairs
Amid all the fun aud frolic there
was also mach solid aud. systematic
study BEFORE the little brown school
house MAS built the father arrange6
study room IN the house and Miss
Anna Burdick, a bright young
teacher from the East and Eastern
schools, was their teacher Soon the
little brown school house was built.