davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
WINTER AT VALLEY FORGE
IRENE MORRISON,
General Delivery. San Francisco. Age
10 Years


The winter at Valley Forge marks
the darkest period of the war. Then
It was that mean spirits grew bold.
Some of the men conspired plot, in
tending to put Washington out of COM
mand 1t was called the Conway
Cabal."
The people. tempted by British gold,
sent the provisions into PENNSYLVANIA,
instead of Valley Forge. There the
sufferings of the half clad, half fed
patriots surpass description.
They were housed in cold, comfort
less huts, few had blankets; straw
could not be obtained. The sick had
no change of clothing, no decent food
and no medicines
Amid all this suffering, the fire of
patriotism burned brightly. Washing
ton, knowing that his cause was just,
Inspired all around him with his sub
lime confidence.
The darkest hour is just before the
dawn" Then it was that an able
Prussian, Baron Steuben, joined the
army. He turned the camp into
school and drilled the soldiers so that
they were able to march against the
British in the spring.
During the winter Washington was
CHARTERED at the house of Isaac Potts.
One day as Potts was passing through
the woods he heard some ones voice
lifted in prayer. Going closer he
saw that it was Washington. In re-
lating the incident TO his wife little
later he said with such a commander
our independence is certain.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
ISTORY STORIES AND PRIZE WINNERS

The Junior Call wants the best
story yOu can write from United
States history in your own Ian
guage. The story must be plainly
written on one side OF the paper
enly, and must contain not more
than 800 words nor less than 2tO.
Only one story is desired from
each contributor in this contest,
but it is desired that each story
shall be carefully written, and
especial attention given to neat
ness, penmanship, punctuation
and grammar.
Choose your own subject, pro-
Fided il is a true incident OF
United States history; for in
stance, tell the story Of Washing
toms winter at Valley Forge, or OF
ArnOld's treason, or any other
Stery that yOu prefer. These two
are cited merely as Illustrations.
On the first line write your SUBJ
lect; on the next line, beginning
an inch from the left hand mar
gin, your name. age and address,
and, If yOu are i'm school, your
school and grade. Another very
important point is that each stery
must be marked with the number
of words which il contains: write
this number in the upper left
hand corner Of the first page.
As I'm the vacation contest, six
watches win be awarded each
week for the six best stories pub
iiShed.
DO not send in any more Taca-
ton letters. Send in your history
story whenever you have it COM
pleted TO the best Of your ability.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
DISCOVERY OF GOLD IN
CALIFORNIA
LILA DUNCAN,
woodland. Cal. Main street School,
High Eighth Grade. Age 13 Years

High Es1Rn1n CTAGc. age Id
One day in the month of January. S4S,
a man named Marshall. who was build
ing a millrace in the valley of the
American river, for a Swiss emigrant
named Sutter, picked up some particles
of yellow substance in the mud Think
fng-thfs might be gol7 he picked up
some more and hurried to Sutter 3
fort, now Sacramento. where he found
Suffer. The two men locked themselves
UP in a room TO examine the particles
of mud, and found them to be gold.
To keep this a secret was impossible,
because a Mormon, seeing their ex-
cited movements. told the secret. 1t
was soon spread all over California.
and the people came rushing in from
nearly every place on the Pacific coast.
Men left their business, sailors left
their ships and soldiers left their
barracks to go to California.
The news travelled so slowly then
that it was not until Polk in his an
nual message told the people about
the gold in California that the people
believed 1t. The rush from the east
began. Some came overland; some came
across the isthmus Of Panama. and
others came around by South America
When Taylor saw that the people
were all rusing here. he wanted to
establish a permanent government
in California. The rush to California
was so great that California did not
have to come into the Union first as a
territory and then as a state, but
just came in as state in 1850.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07

cisco. Bay view Grammar School,
sixth Grade. Age IL Years
The beginning Of our navy was in
I7T6, when a feet OF eight vessels set
sail from Philadelphia. As the ships
were raising their anchors John Paul
Jones, the lieutenant on the flagship,
raised a yellow SILK flag with a pine
tree and a coiled rattlesnake on IL. This
was the first flag ever hOisted on an
American Warship- The feet went 10
Providence in the Bahamas and cap
tured some powder and cannon Hav-
ing captured some prizes the feet went
back TO New London.
Our commissioners IN France fitted
out q cruiser called the Surprise. The
Surprise sailed from Dunkirk and was
back IN one week with a British packet
French government for the violation
OF the French neutrality The Revenge
was secured. which went TO ireland
and Scotland before going to America.
Paul Jones sailed from Portsmouth and
at Brest he refitted his ship In 177s
he started out on q cruise in British
waters. In the irish channel he de-
stroyed four vessels and at Whitehaven
he burned the shipping.
He was given command over five
ships in 1873. He sailed from France
70 the coasts OF Ireland and Scotland
to capture some English vessels. On
September %. 1873. in the ship Bon
homme Richard, he came up with the
British frigate Scraps. During the
fight the captain OF the Scraps asked
Jones II he had struck his colors? Jones
said he had not vet begun to fight The
Scraps surrendered and the Richard
was such wreck that ii sank. Jones
sailed away IN the Scraps.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07

4 submitting stories IN the history
contest juniors are requested to con-
form strictly to requirements in re-
gard TO form, etc Write about any
incident in United States history that
you choose. but it must be in your own
language and must contain not more
than 500 words nor less than 200. and
must be written on one side of the
paper only, with ink or soft black
pencil.
On the first line write your subject:
on the second line, beginning an inch
from the left hand margin, your name,
age and address. and If you are IN
school your school and grade. Write
the number Of words contained IN the
story in the upper left hand corner Of
the first page. a great many contribu-
tors in the vacation contest have neg
iected this last requirement, and the
editor has not the time to count the
words in such stories.
It is understood that in awarding
prizes neatness, spelling. punctuation
and grammar are taken into consid-
Grafton.
This contest IS open TO San Fran
cisco and California juniors between
the ages Of 10 and 16 years. and for
the six best stories published each
week The Junior Call awards as prizes
six handsome school watches.
For the younger juniors. under 10
years OF age, another contest is open,
particulars OF which are given on the
fourth page today.
The watches awarded in this week s
contest viii be mailed in few days.
II you are a winner and have not re-
ceived yours by next Saturday, let The
Junior Call know at once.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
THE WINTER AT VALLEY
FORGE
ALICE BRUNE,
Ross, Marin County. Dominican Col
lege, San Rafael, Seventh Grade.
Age 13 Years
ALICE BRUNE,

Beginning on the 11th OF December.
In the year 1777. General Washington.
who was commander in chief. went into
camp with his army at Valley Forge 10
spend the winter. This is 20 miles from
Philadelphia and in winter is covered
with snow, so you can imagine how
they suffered with cold and hunger. The
army was within a days march OF the
enemy's headquarters. There were bare
ly 10000 soldiers. and at one time only
5000 were fit for duty. The others were
III with the terrible hardships they had
to bear. Blankets were so scarce that
many of them had to sit by their camp
fires all night to keep from freezing
More than 1000 had no SHOES and their
march could be traced by the blood
which their naked feet left on the ice.
These~-sad days were the darkest OF
WashingtOn's life, and during them he
was quartered at the house OF Isaac
Potts.
All this time the fires OF patriotism
We're burning brightly. Washington
inspired all around him with his faith,
as he knew his cause was just.
AT last the winter was passed, after
almost innumerable deaths had thinned
the ranks of the army. and early in the
spring all rejOiced at the news that
with the help of BENJAMIN Franklin
France had acknowledged the fndepend-
ence of the United States and had sent
a fleet. which was now on the way to
help them
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
THE SEWING MACHINE
MABEL HARRINGTON,
1929 Carlton Street, Berkeley, Cal.
Washington School, A Fifth Grade.
Age IL Years

Elias Howe was the first man to
make a sewing machine. He made
the sewing machine all right, but he
didn't know how to make the needle.
He tried to get it to work, but he made
the eye In the thick end of the needle,
and 1t made large stitches. One night
when he was sleeping he dreamed that
he had made the eye in the. point of
the needle. He got up in the middle of
the night and made another needle,
with the eye in the point of it. and
then it sewed all right.
He had very hard work in selling
them at first, but after the people
found out that they were really good
they were sold very fast.
My grandmother was one of the first
people to get one of those machines,
and she gave it to my mother when
she was a little girl and mama did all
her own sewing on it. If sewing ma
chimes had never been made, all cloth
ing, boots, shoes, harness and such
things as that would be a great deal
more expensive.
When Howe's machines began to sell
so fast, other men tried 1t too. Now
there are many others that L can
think of
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
.-SGSSN

repaired. handles and broken parts are
made and adjusted.
Parents can greatly aid the boys by
remembering them at Christmas and at
birthdays with a few good tools-not
a toy set however.
The boys become interested in the
different kinds Of lumber and their
peculiarities and in order to better
familiariZe themselves with ii are en-
couraged to make collections of wood.
Some boys have now in their collec-
tion from so to 75 different kinds OF
wood; the specimens are generally cut
to q certain size and selected so as
to show the grain in three different
cuts; viz. end grain. slash grain and
quarter sawed grain. 4 notebook is
kept with each collection, giving the
native state or states Of the tree, its
size and peculiarities, also its com
mercial value. as lumber. spices, medi
cines, etc.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
OaE OF Peor OmoSoks cLASsEs IN tANulr Tf2AIN1NesI

of rivalry, which is the case at pres
ent between the classes of the Spring
Valley and the Pacific Heights schools,
as each class Is trying to outdo the
other in good workmanship.
IDLE MOMENTS PUT TO USE
With suggestions received in the
schoolroom and with few tools at
home the boys are kept busy after
school. Saturdays and holidays, con-
structing and building such things as
coaster wagons, tables, drawing desks.
lockers. tool chests, yachts, schooners
liners. gunboats. torpedo boats, air
ships, wireless telegraphy stations, etc
Oftimes the boys bring parts of some
large model they are constructing at
home to the schoolroom, where it can
be completed with better equipment
and some aid from the teacher
Tools are constantly being brought
to the laboratory to be sharpened and
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07

while the Indians opened the old kegs
of tea and threw 1t overheard There
had been meeting in the town hall
that afternoon. 1t asked certain men
tea overheard. The plan was success
ful and the tea was not landed as the
English had made up their minds it
should be-
There is a little silver box containing
few rolls of tea which a girl friend
or mine keeps carefully She said that
an ancestor of hers had been one of the
throwing the boxes of tea overheard
some fell in his shoes. He kept the
tea and 1t was handed down through
many hands till 1t became hers. She
Keeps 1t as relic and showed It to me
and some other girls So / have had
the OPP ortunity to see some OF the tea
OF the Boston tea party"
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07

chanical drawing and to work out his
ideas by actually making the models.
He also must figure out the amount
of lumber in feet and inches needed
for his model and the cost in different
kinds of lumber.
He is trained to choose between the
different kinds of lumber as to which
is best adapted for his model. The
artistic taste is also developed in
choosing the model most suitable for
the room or place in which it is to
be used
Most of the work under construction
in the laboratory is left there until
completed. The different classes have
the advantage of seeing what the 9TH
ers are doing, which gives them new
ideas. 1t very often creates a spirit
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
BENEDICT ARNOLD'S TREA.
SON
MARGUERITE GOODCELL,
1875 Prince Street, Berkeley. LincoIl
School. Age 13 Years


Benedict Arnold was one of the
pravest and ablest of generals. He had
fought bravely at Saratoga, where he
Yves very badly wounded.
He was put in command of Phila-
delphia in 1878. While he was there he
married a daughter of a tory. He
llved beyond his means and ran into
debt He was said to have used the
money of the army. He was tried and
sentenced to be punished by Washing
ton Washington did this as mildly as
ne could and afterward gave him the
command of West Point, a fort which
controlled the Hudson river. But
Arnold's pride was touched. He began
to correspond with the British gem
eral, Sir Henry Clinton, in New York,
and agreed to surrender the fort to the
British
Major Andre was Ciinton's agent In
TINS business. and was captured by
three yeomen on his way back to New
York. They found papers in Andres
stocking In Arnoid's handwriting.
This told of the plot. They arrested
Andre for a spN He was tried and
sentenced by court martial, and was
hanged. Arnold heard OF Andres cap
ture in time to escape. He was re-
warded > by the British with money.
He fought against his countrymen and
afterward went to England, but every
one regarded him with contempt.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
Results of Manual Training in the Public Schools

THAT the instructors in manual
training experience no difficulty in
keeping their classes at work or in
terested is emphatically asserted by
Leonard z. Davidson, who is in charge
of the laboratory at the Sherman
primary school, on Union street.
To Mr.. Davidson's laboratory come
the Spring Valley, Pacific Heights,
Hancock, Grant and Winfield Scott
schools, numbering 275 in all.
The laboratory contains % carpenter
benches, thoroughly equipped with the
various tools that are required, such as
chisels, the jack plane and block plane,
gauge, square. braces and bits, and
hammers and saws.
The boys are first taught to square
up a piece of lumber and to make keen
corners and edges.
Upon entering the laboratory during
a class hour the visitor is Immediately
impressed by the seriousness, earnest
ness and industry of the pupils, who
can scarcely be induced to look up from
their work upon any pretext, so anx-
ious is each one to complete some spe-
cial article, bookcase, table, magazine
rack, umbrella stand. piano stool or
bench, or possibly dirigible balloon
or part of a wireless telegraph sta
tion. Fortunate, indeed, is the mother
whose son is so enthusiastically learn
ing to make necessary repairs about the
house, and many a plumbers or car
penter's bill will be saved thereby.
When a boy wishes to make a special
article he first makes his own drawing
and submits ii to the instructor, and
also his estimate of the material re-
quired.
A great deal of originality is de-
veloped in the manual training classes,
and the desire to excel is always mani
fest
THE difficulty is not to keep them
at work." says Mr.. Davidson, but to
get them to stop working when the
time is up; most of the boys prefer the
manual training class to recess, or
even to lunch
Manual training has been taught in
the public schools of San Francisco
for the last fifteen years, bat only dur
ing the last six years has 1t been put
on a practical basis. The supervisor
is +. Bartell.
The Junior Call is indebted to Leon
ard E. Davidson. instructor at labora-
tory of Sherman primary school, for
the following article:
SOME FACTS REGARDING MANUAL
TRAINING
A boy is trained to express his
thoughts and ideas on paper in me-
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
THE BOSTON TEA PARTY
ELLA ROYDEN
p. o. BOX 6S, San Mateo, seventh Grade,
Age l. Years

1t was the time when the British
ships, laden with tea, were in the har-
Dor at Boston. when that great event
occurred.
The British merchants wanted to sell
their tea to the colonists. They put
taxes on 1t and so the colonists would
not buy.
The colonists made UP their minds
that the tea should not land. The cap
tains of the ships also made up their
minds that it should land. None of the
sailors or captains of the ships had
ever seen Indians SO on a dark night,
when everv one was asleep on the
ships and the Indians ran aboard, no.
body repulsed them
All the men on board ran and hid
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07

Hancock reported for duty at Washing
ton he was 3S years old.
In the march from Lees mills to
Williamsburg. May 4. 1852 and during
the operations at that point, General
Hancock was in command of David
sons brigade of Smiths division, In ad-
dition to his own
The battle of Gettysburg was one OF
times In one of the battles General
Hancock's horse was shot from under
him.
there he ueo eo nem ;,1t5 Otlsa4e, 10 the corn
mand of the division of the Atlantic,
Which command he assumed March 81,
1858. General Hancock was one of the
greatest generals in American history.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
NATHAN HALE
EMMA SCHROEDER,
260 Frederick Street. Crocker school,
Seventh Grade. Age II Years

@OU FreOertcK street. CrockAer SchOoi,
II Seventh Grade. Age II Years
When Nathan Hale heard of war he
bade goodby to all his friends and
started off to be soldier. One night,
as all the soldiers sat around the camp
fire, they were asked by Washingt on
who would go among the British
lines and find out what the British
proposed to do next. Nathan Hale
came forward and said, Il will go as
a spy" All the rest Of the soldiers
said that he was too young to risk
his life yet, but he only said, II will
do anything for my country"
He disguised himself as a school
master. and got through the British
lines all right. He found the plans Of
the British. and was on his way back
to Washington when he was discovered
by the British.
He was going to be hanged and asked
for a bible. He also wrote letters to
his mother and all his friends. The
British officer would not give him a
bible, and read the letters and then
tore them up in Nathan Hale's presence.
The last words of Nathan Hale were
81 regret that l have but one life to
offer for my country"
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
MOLLY PITCHERS BRAVE
DEED
WIELIE SCHURMANN,
112 Clipper street, san Francisco
Age II Years


Age II Years
During the revolutionary war there
was brave woman called Molly Rltch-
er, who was always brtn nglnS water TOT
the soldiers lighting at Monmouth. II
happened one day as she was returning
from a spring her husband was KIlSo
at his post OF duty and the omcer ih
command ordered the piece TO pc
Withdrawn. At this moment sne
walked up to the general and said. 4
viii take my husbands place. TnlS
she did with great skill, and after the
battle she had her hat all filed with
crowns. The next morning General
Greene presented her to Washington.
who gave her the position Of sergeant
Some years later she married George
McCauley. whose name also appears on
Mollys tombstOne that Is In the cenae-
terry that William Penn left to the
city.
The words on Mollys tombstone are:
MOLLY McCAULEYs
Renowned as
MOLLY PITCHER"
The Heroine OF MOnmouth.
Died January 32. 1928,
Aged Seventy Nine ears.
Erected by the Citizens, Of Cum berland
County. July 4. 1876 in the
Memory OF Molly Pitcher"
Mollys Husband Would Not Leave His
Post of Duty in the Fiercest OF
Battle or in the Face of Death.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
WASHINGTON'S FIRST PUB
Lie SERVICE
ETHEL MARLETT.
IL Winfield Avenue. Horace Ma
school. sixth Grade.
Age Ii Years

Some Frenchmen from the north
came down to the Alleghanys head
into it.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
. AWARDED A WATCH ;
OUR NATIONAL FLAG
HELEN wEILHEIMEH

HELEN wETLHEIMER,
2O2I Baker Street, San Francisco. Grant
school, A Seventh Grade.
Age II Years
Our national flag was for the first
time flung 10 the breeze on the 6th
Of August. 1777. when Fort Stanwix
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07

Abraham Lincoln, our sixteenth pres
ident, was born in Kentucky He was
a very bright boy. He went to school
less than a year. and the rest of his
education he learned By himself.
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
SOME FACTS REGARDING MANUAL,
TRAINING

boy is trained to express his
thoughts and ideas on paper in me-
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
/: AWARDED A WATCH
es-.-~-ss-s~]-%*~<]s-~+>-]*S~S+-+
PAUL JONES
CARL WACKER,

1896 South Twentieth Ave-. San Fran
cisco. Bay View Grammar School,
B sixth Grade. Age IL Years
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07
ABRAHAM LINCOLN
ALICE MURPHY,

Kingsburg, Cal. Kingsburg Grammar
school, Seventh Grade Age
Is Years
The San Francisco call., 1908-11-07

-.<SsssscccEoI,
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1908-12-29
'MRTVI so. -"

Ivczlni >odnik Bethea Chica-
gu je pred par dnevi izvoieval
"sijajno zmago.'
Bill je intereSanten PRIOR: Sod
mix Bethea, sodnik amerisLi re-
publiki. ie imenu - ruskega
cara zahteval od tozenca. ubezne-
ga ruSkega revoluciionara Martin
Jurava, da mora izdati imena svo-
Jlh tovariSev, Sobojevnikov Ru-
sill. 5 ktcrimi Sc je boril balti-
SIKH provincijah "a svobodo Ru-
Ske Po dvatedenski persekuciji
IN groznjah ostrim zaporom. Sc
Je Jurav koncno udal. Bill je pri
voiji, peTedasi -imena nekterih
ruskih revolucijonarjev.
Iastopniki tiranske ruske Wade
so Sc veSelo spogledali. Carske
mnciluice Sc maj pripravijo "a
move zrtve.
Jurav je povedal Stiri imena.
No ga Je pa carjev zastopnik
vpraSal, kje SO dotiGni revoluci-
Jonari sedai, odgovoril je Jurav:
"Mrtvi So"
Nsi STRIFE so re padli pod knu-
to bestijalnih kozakov in koncali
svoja junaSka zivljenja ma visli-
cab. Zadela jih je ista usoda, ka-
krSna calla Pourena in Rudovi-
ca. ako naSa republika osramoti
Svoje ustanovitelje in ju izroGi
roke cloveSkega klavca 20. sto-
letju.
Res, bila je "sijajna zmaga."
Proletarec. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1906-19??, 1908-12-29
Leto (Vol.) Ill

IN nebeSa le prazna morSka pena.
brez ktere Sc lahko zivi in umre.
Javna statistika kaj rada
trdl. da So dclavSke razmere Y
SploSncm dobrc. VSakdo. Iii ina
zdrave molganc. We, da ic ia sla-
voSpev ma dobrc dclavske razrne-
re NploSncm navadno varanie
Namega scbc Molki. zenSke in
otroci stradaio in prezebajo. To
poNcbno Slika naSlednji dogodek
il Chicago.
PoIicaj ie arctiral Tomaza Che
Sna radi "nerodncga obnaSania".
IaSacil ga ic. ko .ie lezel il izsuSe-
mega kanala ma S3. ccsti i'm Ash
land ulici. Bil ic prava podrtina.
Njcgovo tclo so ~ Silo pokrivale
cunJc. ma lieu Sc ma ie pa citalo.
da Jc gIadcn i'm da mu ie vseeno.
all prcbiva Y druzbi podgan ali V
jcci. Pred Nodnikom ic iz.iayil. da
le tednc biva Y kaualu. i'm da Sc
hranl L odpadki; dclati ne more.
ker je "a dcIo ncSposobcn. Sodnik
Sc "a jc uSmilil in mu obliubil.
da ma preSkrbcl lahllo dclo.
To je le cna slicica, kakrSnih ie
gledati ma >totine vSaki dan V
amcriSlih vclikih mcStih.