The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-08-28
UNIVERSITY PROF.
SPEAKS in N. IDA.
HISTORY INSTRUCTOR ATTENDS
CEREMONIES AND
PICNICS

tor In history at the University o1
Idaho has just returned from TRIP
to Standpoint where he addressed two
meetings on historical subjects; the
laying of the corner stone Of the new
$140,000 high school building and at
the first picnic Of the Bonnor county
historical society.
At the laying Of the cornerstone OF
the new high school building cere-
monies Friday, August IS, Professor
Brosnan spoke first upon the growth
and development of the American
school system, laying stress upon the
high school, and then told an entranc-
ing narrative of the romance Of the
early pioneers of the section.
Speaking at the historical society
picnic, Thursday, August "a, Profess
or Brosnan told his auditors the story
of the life and hardships of the early
furtraders Of the Panhandle reign.
He emphasized the part played In
the early history by that scholarly
explorer, David Thompson.
Both meetings at which he spoke
were well-attended by the citizens Of
north Idaho towns who took lively
interest in the narration of early days
and in the other ceremonies and talks
OF each meeting. Professor Brosnan
was invited to attend these meetings
because of the research work he has
done In Idaho and northwest history.
In regard to the talks made by the
professor at the two meetings, the
Pend d'Oreille Review, published at
Standpoint says;
Professor Brosnan stated that Ben
jamin Franklin, seeing the need Of a
broader school than the old Latin
grammar school brought here by the
English, in 1853 founded at Philadel-
phia the academy which has since
become the University Of Pennsylvan-
Ia. He also in 1921 referred to the
founding of similar schools at Bos-,
ton, from which was developed the
American high school, giving the cred
it to the people at large and saying
that each succeeding generation wish
ed to see it's children better educat-
ed than the generation before, and that
for that reason the growth of Amerf
can educational institutions had been
so rapid and so thorough.
'.Later speaking upon the pioneer
history of the Pend d'Oreille valley Of
Idaho, and Of the northwes', he built
up an enhancing romance to intrigue
the thought of ALL He reviewed the
penetration of this section and the
accuracy Of the surveys made by Da-
vid Thompson and his companion,
Finan Mcdonald, in 1910 II, after first
reaching this country in 1909 and
building his fur trading base, "Kully-
spell House," near the site Of Hope on
the shores of Lake Pend d'Orelile. He
to the explorations of Father
De Smet, second only to Father Mar
quette in the extent and value Of mis-
explorations as a Jesuit missionary;
to the surveys of Stevens, the first
governor of Washington territory and
to the accounts of this region pub
Iished in Harper's magazine in 1867
by General Meagher, then en- route 20
Montana Territory.
professor BrOsnan emphasized the
of good reading to prcpe,'
and vigorously attacked SO
called popular fiction, such as Main
Street" and other, as books of the
hour He urged that those having
In charge the education OF the young
have in their own libraries, as we'll
rs in the school and pubic libraries,
The works of the establishe masters
If literature and the works IF those
explorers and historians whose works
upon northwest history have been
proved not only accurate but graceful
ind elegant of expression and literary
composition.
Professor BrOsnan, in very able
address, led up to the early pilgrim
- f,,~ o,,1 <ha CT
# Thompson, quoting from many
He said that the story |
If Thompson was comparatively con-
.emporaneous, since it first saw the
light through the efforts of Elliot |
youes who, in delving over the histor-
cal data for Alexander Henry the
Younger, in the Surveys Branch of the
Crowns Lands Department of Ontar-
o, at Toronto, came upon the bound
Oolscap notes of Thompson and from !
hem gave to the world the travels Of
he great astronomer, geOgapherr, ex
,lorer and discoverer This was in
1874 and 1895. Through the efforts
T. T. C. Elliott Of Walla Walla, J. A.
deyers and others, the spot where
thompson built on Lake Pend d.
)reille the two houses which conf
rised the trading post had been
Dcated.
Professor Brosnan deplored the
act that SO many shrines in the
northwest country were lost to pos
Gritty through the carelessr ess of the
resent generation and recalled that
eliza Spaulding rested under an un-
marked grave at Oregon City, that
'hompson's remains were In ne
lected grave in the Mount Carmel
emetery at Montreal and that many
( the early heroes were in unknown
epulchers. Thompson died at the
ge of 81, said Professor Brosnan.
Marrying, as did men OF his time an
ndian woman, his children were evil
emily of poor account, and this man,
orn in London, the product Of a
harity school, the Hudson's Bay en-
loye, the intrepid discOverer, the Gre
tor of the first Canadian boundary
mes, the map of which for years
ung from the wall at Fort William,
,as left to be unhonored and unsung