The Wolf Point herald. (Wolf Point, Mont.) 1913-1940, 1924-03-20
By Martha Edgerton Plassmann

DHERE were but few families
living in Bannack during the
years of 1864, consequently
not many children, and there rang
ing in ages from six to sixteen.
Such would be expected to attend
school in older communities, but
there was no school in Bannack,
nor any provision for n When
it was learned that my cousin,
Lucia Darling, who made her home
with us, had taught school IN the
east, she was urged to take pupils,
and finally consented to do so.
No building for a school being
available, except at extortionate
rent, Miss Darling decided to use
the front room of our house for
this purpose. Although I studied
with my cousin, I did not attend
the school, as the subjects | took
were more advanced than those of
any of her classes.
At first there were less than a
dozen pupils, but the number grad
ually increased until u front
room could not accommodate them
and it became necessary to find a
larger room. This need was met
by a couple of Ohio men, Charles
Sackett and Richard Fem, who
built a small cabin of logs on the
opposite side of the Grasshopper,
and close to our house, and manu-
featured some kind of rude furni-
ture that would serve for seats and
desks.
There were but half day sessions
at first, and a ~protracted holiday
in winter, that endured until the
weather modified. In a contribu-
ton to the Montana Historical
Records, Miss Darling, then Mrs.
Parke, says: "There was no dis
cussion nor was there any differ
ence of opinion as to what school
books should be used, for the
scholars were obliged to use such
books as they had brought with
them, or as could be secured from
their neighbors. 1t was a some
what strange gathering of school
books, for they came from Maine
and Missouri, and many other
states were represented"
Before her school closed in 1865,
Miss Darling had twenty or more
pupils, some of whom are still liv-
ing in Montana. Among these early
Montana students were Jennie Ben
nett, Susan Burchett, Emma Cut
Ter, Della Cutler, Charles Van
Camp, George Burchett, Mollie
Dye, Wright Prescott Edgerton,
Matilda French, Margaret French,
Henry French, George French,
William Jones, James Upson San
ders, Mary Teeters, and George
Teeters.
In his message to the first terri
torial legislature, Governor Edger-
ton emphasized the Importance of
education, and cited the provisions
made by the government to aid it
in Montana, "by setting aside two
sections of land in each township
for the establishment of a school
This, however, while it
be valuable in the future,
could not be depended upon for
present needs, and he asked the leg
islature ito devise some system of
education to meet the immediate
wants of our people" And in this
instance the legislature willingly
complied with his request.
The first school district was in
county, and the first pub
lie school opened in Virginia City
On the fifth of March, 1866. It's
trustees were Hon. Joseph Willard,
Samuel Word, and Captain Rodg-
ers, with the Rev. George Smith as
While the names of these
trustees is a matter of record, that
If the principal of the school is not
although we r left to in
fer that a Mr.. Thrasher, who is
;ited as the first superintendent or
commissioner of public instruction,
mad charge of this school. This
probable, as the school rec