Page:Shimer College History 1853-1950.pdf/3

 Confidential letters to Sister Caroline from "Frank" and "Cindy," telling of the intrepid school ma'ams' westward journey and early struggles are most revealing. They went by train from Milton to Chicago, thence by lake-boat to Milwaukee, by train again to Janesville, where rail service ended, then toiled on by horse-driven vehicles.

On May 6, having been delayed by a storm, they set out from Janesville in a "spring wagon" over muddy, deeply rutted roads to reach the little hamlet of Mount Carroll, ninety miles farther west, a place nobody along their route had even so much as heard of until they stopped overnight in Cherry Grove, a neighboring settlement.

All along the way they were plagued by wind and rain as they jostled along roads "perfectly awful, almost impassable in places." The lumbering stages "met with accident almost hourly," wrote Frances, "two or three stuck in the mud, passengers being obliged to leave them, one stuck there all night and is there yet for aught I know. Several were upset and passengers bruised, scratched and frightened most to death ... Well, we had as fine a team and good driver as could be scart up, but ... first one whiffletree broke, the driver went back and got another ... that time we were completely slewed.  Cinda and I got out and walked a rail out on to solid footing, the horses gave another pull and broke a tug ... men unloaded the baggage, whole kit and cargo!  The horses tried again, broke another tug ... Meanwhile it was raining, so Cinda and I took our umbrella and started along on foot ... after about two hours we were snugly loaded up and on our way again ... Sunday morning (May 8) we drove into town and put up at the American Hotel. Isaac (who had accompanied them) called on Mr. Wilson ... who invited us to his house till we should get a boarding place, which we did the next day."

Once settled there, things, began to move. The cooperation of the townspeople was made manifest. "Squire Goss" took them out "prospecting for to admire the beauties of the town and give our opinion about the site for the Seminary buildings ... the books are open for subscription ... something over three hundred shares were taken in one day ... there is considerable excitement ... there seems no doubt that the enterprise will succeed, and even exceed our most sanguine expectations."

The "books opened" were those of the corporation whose Board of Trustees included the Presbyterian minister, Rev. C. Gray, president, John Wilson, secretary, Leonard Goss, treasurer, Hon. David Emmert, Nathaniel Halderman, Dr. B.P. Miller, James Hallett, James Farguson and Rev. John Irvine.

On May 11, three days after their arrival, the teachers opened their school in the Presbyterian Church. In six weeks it was moved to more commodious quarters on the second floor of the only brick building in town, which the trustees had renovated, and partitioned off, installing blackboards, chairs and tables.