Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-05-29
ROCKY FORD COLORADO. FRIDAY MAY ~, 1903.

this part OF the valley. and that ne
cessitates recalling the first settle
| ment.
In 1865 Mr.. J. w. Potter came from
Albany. Mo, and located q tract OF
government land, since known As
the Potter Ranch. moving his family
here in 1870. The second family to
locate was that of Judge A. c. Rus
sell who came several months later.
Mr.. Potter and Judge Russell hired
.he first school teacher, Miss Eliza
Beaty-a sister OF Mr.. J. N. Beatty Of
Manzanola. who is now Mrs. Porter
of Garden City. Kan.-paying her $7s
per month. This was in the year
1871. School was kept in log
building having a dirt floor and roof.
about one mile east of old Rocky
Ford. There were no dcsks-only
one table and some wooden benches:
the pupils were Logan. Dick. Laura
(now Mrs. Snowden and Hcz Pot
ter and Gustie. Annie and Warren
Russell. Later. Miss Denning (now
Mrs. Wm. Mat,hcws) was employed
as teacher in the family OF Judge
Russell.
In the spring OF 1874 Mr.. G. w.
-
Vermont. Ill. coming by rail to old
Animas and old Rocky. Ford.
started with Mr.. Barney Napier. at
present banker OF Glenwood
Springs. rs teacher. This school was
held in a frame building having 4
board floor. and fireplace. but be-
ing upholstered and located couple
of miles farther up the river. II Is
of interest to know that the school
district at this time was about IS
miles across from east to west and
probably ITO miles from north to
south. Two teachers followed Mr..
Nanicr. then in the fall Of 1875 Mr..
Van Hendricks iaugh; ono term.
During the year 1876 the railroad
was built and the town. comprising
Mr.. Swink's family with ono or two
othcrs. moved to the present town.
site and in the summer an adobe
school house was built on the site
OF the Liberty school. A Mr.. Blake
was the first teacher here. Later this
building was weather boarded and be.
came the little white school house
tha, n good many Of rs remember
finally being removed to north Elev:
cnih street. where Il now is occupied
in somewhat different form as .
dwelling. Mr.. J. T.. Gaugcr was one
OF the first teachers in that building.
Miss Jennie Burnett was teacher IN
'S6-S-. This was abont the time of
the town sale when there was quite
a boom and Il became necessary to
have a second teacher. Miss KilRose
being hired for the balance OF the
year. aud teaching in one Of the
buildings Of the Recker row which
a, present stands facing the depot.
The following year there were three
teachers. Miss Haviiand being added
to the force. AZ this time Miss Bur-
net, ,augh, in the white school house.
Miss Haviland in what is now the OF
fec OF the St. James hotel and Miss
Kilgorc in tho adjoining room, Dur
ing this year the original part OF the
Washington building was completed,
for which w. u. Goblin was the con-
tractor. That year school was only
held six months and in the summer
of 30 Miss Burnett and Miss Hay.
Hand conducted private school in
the new building. In tho fall public
school was opened in the building.
In the year 1893 the school had
grown until FIVE teachers were cm-
ploycd. shall now give fcw. de-
tails regarding the high school in
,ha, year leaving later happenings
to your memory.
At this time tho school board was
composed OF Drs. Kcarby and Marks
and Mrs. Anderson and Mr.. L: a.
Tcnncy was elected principal. There
were in all possibly ss pupils enroll
cd. whose work included only tenth
grade studies. The high school room
was then. as for several years follow
ing. the south ZIP stairs room OF the
Washington building. During this
year two noteworthy additions were
made to the school equipment. the
he'll which has done such excellent
service since that time and second
hand organ purchased. the organ. I
believe. for $40. from whose advent
dates the beginning of music in the
school. Twice a week. for period
the seventh and eighth grades came
TO the high school room for singing.
not for instruction however. that be-
ing reserved for our more fortunate
successors. The school library con-
taincd in all not more than IS vol
umcs. among them. remember, were
two volumes by Grace Greenwood.
Longfcllow's and Whitticr's poems.
volume or two Of The Leather
Stocking Tales. Tales from Shakes
pcarc. and Wcbstcr's unabridged die
tionary. In this year the teachers
beside Mr.. Tcnncy were. Miss Nellie
Guthrie fnow Mrs. O'Ncii of La
Junta). Miss Emma Dawlcy "a sister
of Mr.. II. A. Dawicy). Miss Minnie
Candy (now Mrs. Mcrriam), county
superintendent of Fremont county.
and Mrs. Bessie Taylor. who has
been in the school continuously lex
ccpting short periods when illness
prcvcnted) since. Members of the
first graduating class were Mayme
and Will Guthrie, Walter and Cert