The Coconino sun., 1927-11-25

davs. There were 13 pupils, except
for a few weeks, when there were only
six. Thirteen, ''the unlucky number,
in this case proved lucky.
In the fall, school was again opened
bv the same teacher and In the same
building. But a new schoolhouse,
which is now part Of the electric light
plant., was being built. In 1883,
Thanksgiving night, very appropfl-
are time. the new schooihouse was
dedicated. This was the first public
gathering ever held in Flagstaff. Mrs.
Marshall taught the remainder OF the
wear and the following year, with the
execution of a few weeks, when J. W.
Francis took her place, she being Ill;
and finished in the spring OF 1888, IN
the new schoolhouse. This schoolhouse
was furnished with double seats nav
ing iron frames, which were mucn
better than the shingle blocks.
W. L. VanHorn followed Mrs. Mar
shall, teaching from 1885 to 1885,
During the time Mrs. Marshall and
Mr.. Van Horn taught, there was only
one large room. But now this large
room was divided by a partition, ano
two teachers, a principal and an as
sistant. employed During 1S87-186S,
G. Crothers was principal and Miss
Flora Weatherford assistant the first
half and Miss Clara Coffin assistant
the second half of th1 year.
Both assistants gave such good sat
isfaction that they were retained the
next year, Miss Weatherford as prln-
cipal and Miss Coffin as assistant.
The teachers for the school year be-
ginning in the fall Of 1889 were L. l..
Higgins, principal, and Misses Clara
Coffin and Jennie Crothers, assist
ants; for the year 1890-1891, J. Ross,
principal, and Miss Jennie Jordan, as
sistant.
But the schoolhouse was now too
small for the number of pupils and IN
1891 an addition was built on the north
side and three teachers, II. Veins,
principal, Miss Charlotte Wlrtz and
Mrs. B. F. Olney, assistants, en-
ployed for the next year.
J. d. Barnett succeeded Mr.. VEINS
as principal and Miss Wirtz and Mrs.
OIney retained their positions.
In the fall Of 1893, school opened
with J. Ross as principal for the sec
ord time and Misses Margaret Bran
nA4 and Flora Weatherford assistants;
but. during the term, Mr.. Ross re-
signed and Miss Sally Gibson took his
Following these came Miss Jennie
Beardsley as principal and Misses
Margaret Brannen and Sarah Smith
as assistants.
AS the town increased in size, the
people wished a larger, better equipped
and more advanced school. This, the
Emerson high school, is the building
now used 1t is situated in the west
central part of town on small hill,
is two stories high, square IN form ana
built Of white bricks trimmed with req
bricks and red sandstone.
1t was intended to be high school
but was used as such only until the
Northern Arizona Normal school
opened. Since then, eight grades only
have been taught.
The principals since the opening OF
Emerson school to the present time
have been j. C. Wasson for two school
wears. d. A. Drew, one year; nj. DIM
mick, one year and part OF another,
the second being finished by j. w.
Nicholson; w H. Russell, three years; j;
Mrs. Carolyn Austin, two years up to
the present time.
The first year, there were four
teachers. then until the present year
there were five, now there are six.
But Flagstaff had more than
public school.
It had a kindergarten, opened IN the
fall Of 1888 by Miss Laura Fulton, but
Il did not pay expenses and Miss Full
ton taught only three months. For a
few days when she first opened her
school she was unsuccessful; no schol-