Page:History of Washington, Idaho, and Montana.djvu/408

376 dency of the Willamette University in 1868, but resigned in 1870 and removed to Washington. He died at Union Ridge Jan. 2, 1874. Olympia Standard, Jan. 10, 1874. Congress passed a special act in 1873 providing that the ter. supt should be appointed by the gov. and confirmed by the council. In a synopsis of the reports of the public schools of Washington by G. H. Atkinson for the centennial of 1876, it is stated that the number of school-houses reported was 283, the number of pupils enrolled 7,116, the amount paid to teachers about $55,000 in 1875, and other minor facts.

Eastern Washington was in a somewhat more chaotic state with regard to education. Walla Walla, however, being the historic battle-ground of sectarianism, derived a benefit from it in the way of schools. Whitman Seminary was chartered in 1859-60, and built in 1867, to commemorate the labors and tragic death of, missionary to the Cayuses.

The first private school taught in Walla Walla was opened in 1864, by P. B. Chamberlain and wife. There was also a public school of 63 pupils. The catholic schools for boys and girls were well sustained. There was also St Paul's episcopal seminary for young women, and two other private institutions of learning, besides the three free schools of the city. The catholics established the hospital of St Mary's, with accommodations for about 70 patients.

Vancouver had a greater number of academies in proportion to its population in 1885 than any other town in Washington. The Sisters' House of Providence, established in 1856, was the oldest academy then in the territory, besides which the methodists and episcopalians had a eminary, and the catholics a boys' school, in addition to the public school. The Ellensburg Academy, located at Ellensburg, Kittitass co., was founded in 1884, by James H. Laurie. It had a good attendance from the start. By act of congress approved July 2, 1862, 30,000 acres of land for each senator and representative to which the states were respectively entitled was granted for agricultural colleges. Under the provisions of this act the legislature of 1864-5 passed an act establishing Washington College at or near Vancouver, and vested its government in a board of trustees, of which the governor was ex officio a member. Trustees—E. S. Fowler, M. Wintler, John Sheets, S. W. Brown, Gay Hayden, and John H. Timmons. ''Wash. Stat.'', 1864-5, 32-6. At the following session congress was informed by memorial of the selection of a site, the purchase of which was contracted for, and the lands selected, but that upon attempting to enter this land the trustees had been notified by the commissioner of the general land-office that the act of congress was only applicable to states. The memorial prayed for the extension of the benefits of the act to Washington territory. This gift was, however, withheld until the state should become entitled to it under the act.

Of libraries, the territorial was the first, being a part of the endowment of the general government on the establishment of the territory of Washington. The books were purchased by Gov. Stevens, and numbered about 2,000, including unbound documents, with a pair of globes, and five mounted maps. B. F. Kendall was appointed first librarian, and held office until Jan. 1857, when Henry R. Crosbie was elected. At this session of the legislature the librarian was made territorial auditor, the joint salary amounting to $325. This arrangement lasted till 1862. Urban E. Hicks succeeded Crosbie in 1858, followed by A. J. Moses in 1859, and J. C. Head in 1860, who was reelected in 1861. In 1862 Thomas Taylor was chosen librarian, and R. M. Walker elected auditor. In Feb. 1858 an act was passed incorporating the Steilacoom Library Association. The incorporators were: A. B. Deelin, A. F. Byrd, E. A. Light, W. H. Wallace, W. R. Downy, W. P. Dougherty, William Lane, S. McCaw, B. Pierce, Frank Clark, Sherwood Boney, O. H. White, E. M. Meeker, William N. Savage, and Nathaniel Orr. ''Wash. Stat.'', 1857-8, 47-8. In 1860 a library of 300 vols was established at Port Madison. At Seattle, in 1862, the university library was established. It numbered in 1862 800 vols. The Temperance Tacoma Lodge of Olympia established a library in 1869 of 700 vols. A catholic library was organized at Vancouver in 1870