Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 21.djvu/76



66 READ BAIN

McLoughlin came in. Seeing at once how things stood, he had the young Indian taken outside and thrashed till he saw things from Ball's viewpoint. From then on the school flourished and discipline was easily maintained.

They all learned the English language ; some of them learned parts of "Murray's Grammar" by heart; some had gone clear thru the arithmetic and thereupon reviewed it thoroly. This "review" consisted of copying the book completely. These copies were used in subsequent instruction as texts. 4

So if John Ball really taught there 18 months, and accom- plished all he says he did, the work of Solomon Smith and Cyrus Shepard was greatly simplified. The latter copiously mingled his pedagogical labors with ecclesiastical efforts. These latter exercises were attended quite generally by all inmates of the Fort, Catholics, Indians, scoffers, rough moun- tain men, all ages, sexes, and conditions.

As nearly as I can reason out the order of the instructors at the Vancouver Post from the data in hand, it is this : John Ball started the school on November 19, 1832. If he continued it 18 months as he says he did, that would mean July 1, 1834. Bancroft implies that Solomon Smith took the school March 1, 1833, but assuming that it was March 1, 1834, even then Ball would fall short of his 18 months' service, particularly since Ball engaged in farming in the Willamette Valley from spring to autumn according to Bancroft.

Then Smith served from March first long enough to fall in love with the baker's wife and went to French Prairie and established a school there. This was the first school in what is now Oregon. So it must have been in the summer of 1834, particularly since Bancroft says Cyrus Shepard continued the school at Vancouver which Smith deserted when he absconded with the baker's wife. Certainly Shepard could not have taught this school till late in September, 1834, since the Missionaries did not reach Vancouver till the middle of that month.

Sometime in the fall of 1834 or winter of 1835, Shepard

4 "North Pacific History," vol. 1, p. 123. The "author" (Elwood Evans?) says this was written to him by Solomon Smith. Horner says John Ball wrote it. Evans (?) says Ball's school lasted only from January 1, 1833 till March 1, 1833, when Smith took charge, agreeing to teach six months. It is not reported whether Smith fulfilled his contract or not. Seems quite conclusive that Ball did not teach eighteen months.