The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1924-03-21
By Martha Edgerton Plassmann

I"HERE were but few tam1lle!
| living in Bannack during thu
years of 1864, consequently
not many children, and there rang
ing in ages from six to sixteen
Such would be expected to attenc
school in older communities, but
there was no school in Bannack
nor any provision for one. Wher
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 our 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 protracted holiday
in winter, that endured until the
weather modified. In contribu-
ton to the Montana Historical
Records, Miss Darling, then Mrs.
Parke, says: "There was no dis
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
hem, or as could be secured from
heir neighbors. 1t was some
what strange gathering of school
books, for they came from Maine
md Missouri, and many other
states were represented"
Before her school closed in 1865, |
Miss Darling had twenty or more
,upils, some of whom are still liv-
ng in Montana. Among these early |
Montana students were Jennie Ben
lett, Susan Burchett, Emma Cut
er, Della Cutler, Charles Van
camp, George Burchett, Mollie
Dye, Wright Prescott Edgerton,
1atilda French, Margaret French,
Henry French, George French,
William Jones, James Epson San
ers, Mary Teeters, and George
'eeters.
In his message to the first terri
orial legislature, Governor Edger-
On emphasized the Importance of
and cited the provisions
lade by the government to aid it
/ Montana, "by setting aside two
ections of land in each township
Or the establishment of a school
ind" This, however, while it
-ould be valuable in the future,
ould not be depended upon for
resent needs, and he asked the leg
lature "to devise some system of
1ucation to meet the immediate
ants of our people" And in this i
the Legislature willingly
implied with his request. s
The first school district was in t
ADDISON county, and the first pub '
: school opened in Virginia City |
1 the fifth of March, 1866. It's :
ustees were Hon. Joseph Willard,
amuel Word, and Captain Rodg- '
s; with the Rev. George Smith as
ERIK. While the names of these
ustees is matter of record, that
the principal of the school is not
ven, although we are left to in
r that Mr.. Thrasher, who is
ted as the first superintendent or
mmissioner of public instruction,
ID charge of this school. This