Page:The Souvenir of Western Women.djvu/63

Rh a school in the Baptist Church in the lower end of the town, just across the street from the Sisters' school. He had for his assistant his daughter, Lucy Jane, who was my teacher, and was greatly loved by all her pupils. Mr. Fisher, to my youthful mind, was very austere, and when Lucy Jane turned the third reader class over to him, after our second failure in spelling and definitions, it was a dreadful moment to me. He kept us after school, and in dismissing us said in his most impressive voice: "H' this lesson is not correctly recited to-morrow I shall make you boys take off your coats and I shall flog you and, as for you, miss (pointing to me), I shall ferrule your hands."

Never shall I forget the fright and humiliation I felt. All the way homeI prayed to be able to recite the lesson, and all the evening, and through my broken sleep, was a continual prayer. But the next morning I said nothing to any one about it, fearing to be blamed for not doing my duty. My attention was arrested by hearing father say :

"Mother, the new teachers from the states are here and are to open a school for girls in the Congregational Church this morning. Suppose we send the girls to them, and let Horton continue at the other school."

My very breath stopped for the answer, and such a relief, when, after a short talk over it, they decided to make the change. Never a lighter-hearted girl started for school than I on that morning.

These teachers had come out in a ship from the East. Two of them were to teach in Oregon City in the seminary, but as the building was not completed they taught at first in the church.

How happily and gladly I walked past the Baptist Church with father to the new school. Never did a face look sweeter or pleasanter to me than Miss Lincoln's homely features that morning, meeting us at the door with outstretched hands. Her mouth extended across her face as she smilingly said, "And are these little girls to be our pupils?" and giving us each a kiss of welcome, introduced us to her assistant, Miss Smith. They were both old maids, as were the other teachers who came out with them, but they did not long enjoy that distinction. Miss Lincoln afterward married Judge Skinner and lived long in Oregon. Miss Smith married a Mr. Beers, living somewhere near Salem. Miss Vaughn, one of two sisters, married Mr. Facler, an Episcopal clergyman.

As soon as a room in the seminary was ready the school was transferred to it, and the remainder of the building was occupied as it was finished. Our late lamented Judge Shattuck brought his bride and began his work on this coast in that seminary. There their first child, a daughter, was born, and we were all permitted to go in and see the new baby, as a part of the building was fitted up for housekeeping and for boarding pupils. Later there was a division in the school, Mr. Shattuck taking charge of the boys and Miss Clark the girls.

In the early '50s the Sisters closed their school and returned to Canada.

Mr. Fisher's school continued under the Rev. Geo. C. Chandler. In this