Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1910-09-14
Mrs. Elizabeth Frances Hughs, Our
First School Teacher.
(By II. T. Jaynes.)

Prior to the war there was a
school house at Richland church for
several years, but it had been re-
moved, or Kad fallen into decay,
about the time of the war. For
several years prior to 1870 there was
no school house here. The nearest
schools were at Bounty Land Acad
emy, about three miles east, and
Clearmont, about three miles west.
Being without school house in
1865, Mrs. Elizabeth Frances llughs
taught a few small boys and girls in
the north room Of her dwelling
house near Rock Springs church. We
recollect their names as follows:
Samuel X. Dendy. Jr., Lizzie
(Dendy) Parrot, Fanny (Dendy)
Fennell, Woody Penny, Ephraim
Penny, Fannie (Graham) Jones,
Robert T. Jayncs, Sallic (Hughs)
Coe, Thos. II. and Stiles \. Hughs.
This being our first school, we deem
it proper on this occasion to make
special mention Of this little school
and its motherly teacher. All those
eleven boys and girls were small.
None Of them was more than ten or
twelve years Of age, so that Mrs.
Hughs was in Il sense mother, nurse
and teacher. 1t was what would be
termed to-day kindergarten, and
most Of us were learning our A b C's,
or Spellin:r alb alb, and a few may
have gone a. far as "baker' in Web
sters Blue Back Speler. We think
we had hardly got to "baRer." In fact
we thought more Of play than books.
AS our first teacher was indulgent
to us then, we beg her to be indul-
gent with us still while we take the
liberty now OF speaking somewhat of
her and hers on this occasion. She
is with us to-day, a beloved mother
in Israel, being in her eighty-third
year. On May 16, 1S49, Henry r..
Hughs and Elizabeth Frances Dcndy
Jlly 6, 1862, from nine wounds re-
reived about ten days before in the
battle Of Gaines's Mill, and was
buried at Richmond, Va. He was
one Of many gallant sons of the
South who went down in that terri
bic war TO them the following chill
dren were born: Susan Frances
tHughs) Burns, James f.. IIughs,
Marshal II. Hughs, Lucy A. (Hughs)
Ballengcr, William II. Elughs, ThoS.
II. Hughs, Sarah e. UIughs) Coe
and Stiles y. lIughs. From this SIM
pie recital is manifest the great sac
ritce which she made for her coun-
try. Her husband was killed in bat
tie, and she was left with eight small
children to rear and educate. Surely
her lot was hard enough and her sac
ritice great enough. But she was
sustained during those years OF dis
treSs and sorrow by an undaunted
courage, and her days have been
graciously heightened that she might
see the results of her faithful devo-
tion to duty in the lives OF her chill
dren and her childrcn's children. AS
did the Spartan mother OF old, she
can point to them and say: "Behold
my Jewels. Among the list OF teach
erS at Richland Academy since 1871
We find the names Of three of her
srandchildrcn, namely: w. c..
ilughs as teacher for the year 1898,
and again in 1906; Mrs. Eunice
(Ballcngcr) Knox and Miss Pcarlc
Ballengcr in 1899. We also find
three nicccs am, lg the teachers,
namely: Miss Ella Dcndy, (now
Mrs. Jasper Doyle) 1883; Miss Lucy
Stribling (now Mrs. Lucy JordonD,
1891; Miss Marah Dcndy, 1898;
and five ncphcws, Marshall S. Strib-
ling, 1877, lSS0-S3; J. Paul Strib-
ling, 1856; W. T.. Dcndy, 1892; J.
Plumcr Dendy, 1898; Joseph r.
Dendy, 1899; and last, but not least,
her daughtcr-in-law Mi1. Stiles \.
record Of teachers given by her to
Richland Academy, yet in one Of her
grandsonS she has given to Oconcc
county its present superintendent OF
Education, and to the Walhalla Bar
one OF lis brightest young members,
in the person of the same grandson
whose name we find among this list
OF teachers.
AS TO how we'll she taught BY both
preccpt and example, let this record
answer. Who could covct Il higher
tribute Of praise?