Page:Portland, Oregon, its History and Builders volume 1.djvu/511



The first school of any kind opened on the great northwest coast of America called "Old Oregon," was taught at the Hudson's Bay Company's fort at Vancouver by an American named John Ball. The school was the outcome of the misfortunes of Ball in connection with the trading party of Nathaniel Wyeth on its way to Oregon in 1832. Wyeth had started from the Missouri river with a party of nineteen men pretty well supplied and provisioned; but on account of ignorance and inexperience on the plains, had been attacked by the Blackfeet, and only escaped destruction by the protecting arm of Milton Sublette, the trapper and trader. From one trouble to another they finally reached a deep valley in the Rocky mountains called Pierre Hole, where they got into another battle with the Indians along with some trappers, in which scrimmage twenty-six Indians, six white men, and thirty-two horses were killed. After this trouble, Sublette and Wyeth pulled out of Pierre Hole and pushed on west in company until they reached the head waters of Humbolt river near the south boundary line of Idaho. Here the two parties separated, Wyeth and what was left of his party coming on to Oregon, and Sublette going to California. Wyeth and his few weakened men—our first school teacher, John Ball among them—struggled through the mountains, sufifering every trial, danger and hardship known to reckless men, and finally reached Vancouver on the 29th day of October, 1832. Wyeth and his whole party were absolutely destitute. Not a dollar in money had they. Their clothing was worn out, and in rags and tatters, they knocked at Fort Vancouver gate for shelter, food and clothing. They had started from Boston to come to Oregon and put the Hudson's Bay Company out of business, and now found themselves suppliants at the door of the man they intended to drive out of the country. It was not a light and trifling matter, either, to the Hudson's Bay people. For if Wyeth could get across the mountains despite the attack of Indians, this party might be but the forerunner of a great host of Americans who would take the country. But it was all the same to the big heart of John McLoughlin. Here were starving white men; and blood was thicker than water. The Americans put on a bold front. They wanted work, and they would pay for all they got. What could they do? Anything that men can do—clear land, run boats, chop wood, preach the gospel, or teach school. John Ball, the Yankee school master from Boston, got the first job, and commenced teaching at Van-