Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1922-09-27
A DAKOTA LETTER
VermilIon, S. D.,
Snnr 10 1922.

Sept. 10, 1922.
To The Grant County Herald:
The enclosed clipping, written by
Dakota pioneer, was or much interest
to me because l remember the Grant
County Herald" as the first newspaper
| ever saw or learned to read; ana
one that was always in my Lancaster
home until | came to South Dakota,
nearly 40 years ago. This clipping is
from the columns of the Dakota Re-
publican, published here; the Oldest
newspaper Of the state.
Our beautiful little university city
has many historic landmarks besides
the Republican. It's chief historic
boast, perhaps, is the fact that GER
tain title log school house, built here
by the settlers assisted by soldiers
who were sent here for Indian de-
tense, has been proved the very first
school house built in what was then
Dakota Territory, and which now con-
stitutes the four states of North Da-
kota, South Dakota, Wyoming and
Montana
At that time no railroad entered the
border of this vast territory! A very
| few of the old pupils, and one or two
| teachers who used that old school
house survive. They maintain an "old
log school house association" and
wear a button showing it's picture. No
chapter of "Sons" or Daughters" or
many degreed Masons, Or other digni-
| fed people, can equal them in the
pride with which they wear that
| badge! No common pioneer can be-
long to that aristOcracy! A monu-
ment marks the site where the logs
have long since decayed, as has the
little "stockade" on the hill above.
But the same spirit that in those
days made the pioneers think hrst
about school house, seems to have
been kept alive by their descendants,
so when the perqvisites of new state
were divided, Vermilion chose as her
portion to have the State University,
and it has been her great source OF
pride ever since! The "old school
/ house" people point to it and say:
There! don't you see? All that just
naturally grew out of the old log
school housed"
There are many interesting people
in Vermil:on, as we'll as landmarks OF
history. 1t would make better story,
if they were written up it seems to
me, than Main Street." because SO
much that is admirable might be
truthfully said, and without the cynl-
cism of Main Street," This IS the
home of our u. S. Senator Sterling
alco of Ex-Governor Andrew Lee,
honest Lee" as he was called when
~ politics. He Justly deserved the
title. He was democrat who came
! into office on the wave OF pOpullsm
! that swept this western country When
! the state was new. He is now we'll on
III the seventies, long since retired
from politics, and simply caring TOT
his large property However, ne does
enjoy introducing his old Chief Bryan
when he comes to speak at Chautau-
qua, and Mr.. Bryan Will say: one
of the great privileges nave IN tnls
Chautauqua speaking besides getting
my message to the people (hls mes
sage this year seemed to be anu
evOlution) is to meet true and tried
old friends! Of them, | prize none
more than your esteemed EX-GoVef-
nor, Lee. Great applause) There
are a lot of those old friends around
the C untry, Chen with his most
winning smile) not enough to elect
me President, yet good many just
! the same!" More smiles, more ap-
plauseD.
I we'll remember when George Lee
was in office; the state had the eX-
perience Of en- absconding state treas
urer. which caused much excitement
| at the time. 1t was the one topic OF
newspapers and people for a Whlle
until Taylor the treasurer, was
cauaht. Even my small daughter told
me one morning that she'd dreamed
the night before she had caught Tay-
lor and held him until man came TO
take him to iail!" Well at the time
Lee insisted on the cash guarantee
of Taylor's bondsmen, being brought
in cash to the capital so he could see
and count it! No checks or securities
of any sort would be accepted by the
governor. So the actual cash, heavily
guarded was duly transported! Later
when TAYLOR was caught, he was put
TO work as fireman of the engine used
in the state prison and it USED 10 pc
the pleasurer Of tax payers to go IN
and watch him shovel coal! Thefe
was never any nonsense" under Gov
ernor Lees management, l must say,
even if I do belong to the other polltl-
cal party! If all Gefaulters now got
as speedy and we'll deserved JUSTICE
it would be well.
Pardon this rambling Renaissance.
EMMA SPRAGUE REEVES.
Interesting Press History.
Editors Republican:
Reading your report Of the delight
FIJI meetings Of the Press Association