Annie Wright School - Shield Yearbook (Tacoma, WA)

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(9 ZJne MSw LD. 6) grace of which helped us over many hard places, and she often said in her humorous way that there was more of ' vice ' than ' principal ' in her make-up. Soon after my advent a new addition was built comprising several classrooms, a working laboratory, and a museum which housed an excellent collection of Alaskan curios. This had been puchased at the request of Rev. Wells by Captain Stockton of the government ship Thetis. and was then valued by the Smithsonian in Washington at over $1000. which amount that institution had offered for it. There were also huge assessments for the grading of Division Avenue and First Street, and it was an enormous check that I paid for the high bulk-head on the First Street side, all of which was met by the income of the school. How I begrudged that last expense! I did so want those treasured dollars for school equipment and in- creased salaries for my teachers. For four or five years the school grew in numbers and increased in popularity. Then came, alas! those lean years which taxed our patience to the utmost. The excitement of the real estate boom had died down. The wheat crop east of the mountains (from whence came many of my pupils) failed. The public schools had raised their standards and increased their equipment and efficiency. And naturally the number of boarders, as well as day pupils, grew less. A farmer of eastern Washington as apology for failing to pay his school bill, wrote me: Times is rocky. Indeed they were, hlowever, with the unfailing courage of Mrs. Raynor, and the loyalty of the trustees and teachers, we did not lower our standards. I re- duced our salaries and the number of teachers, each of us taking extra work. In the meantime Bishop Paddock had died. He had always been the courteous and gracious friend and spiritual adviser, acquiescing in everything I proposed, but had never taken any active part in the workings of the school. It was difficult to get him or even the trustees, who were all business men, to call a trustees ' meeting in those early days. A quarterly meeting was often quite as much as we could com- pass, when they would look over the books and give their approval: seldom making any suggestions, and leaving the rest to me. At one time, when the exchequer was somewhat depleted, they appealed to Mr. Wright, who responded with a check, the amount of which I do not remember. But with this exception the school never had any other financial help, except, of course, from Mr. Wright ' s endowment, which was then $50,000. When Bishop Barker succeeded Bishop Paddock in 1895 as president of the school ex officio, he immediately took a very active interest in all of its details, financial and otherwise, and succeeded in creating a greater interest among the trustees and in his jurisdiction, not then a diocese. He also made many financial ventures, which I had not dared to make, one of which was advertising more widely. At his suggestion, Miss Beatrice Tisdale, one of my helpers, spent her vacation travelling through British Columbia and along the line of the Canadian Pacific Railroad, from which many of my pupils came, to make the school better known. Gradually, as times grew better, and the town took on greater business stability, the school resumed its former numbers. When Washington Territory was made a state in 1889 we gave the girls a half holiday to celebrate the occasion. Page fourteen

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beyond the visible horizon of those who knew and loved her, the influence of her life and of the principles epitomized in her character, is upflung fronn the past to color other lives even now, inspiring them to friendliness and good hope, to kindliness and cheer — those simple, everyday expressions of a radiance within. Zora Hayden Graff. March 15, 1931. It was a far cry to New Tacoma in 1888 — Only 1200 here: tents on many a lot: Wright Park, a treeless cow-pasture — with 104 four-leaf clovers found in one corner on a single walk! But it took more than that sort of luck to keep homesickness away — And how the Seminary helped! I can still see Mrs. Wells, erect, keen, spurring each girl to her best: Mrs. Raynor. always the exquisite — and so good for one ' s manners! — Chapel with the loved clergyman — whose voice is unchanged today — Latin study, walking with Jessie Kershaw along Tacoma Avenue, for we lived closeby: Zora Hayden ' s friendship: Frances Davies ' senior-aloofness: Beth Laughton, the quiet: Frances Stotler ' s kindness: the dignity of Jessie Cavender: the lovely color, (not from a pot), of Alice Pierce ' s cheeks: Alice Rector ' s lessons — each vivid still. A far cry from home to a lonely Mary Stacy, who now says her thank you for all the Annie Wright Seminary meant to her firsf — of forty-three years in Tacoma. Mary Stacy Thomison. Grey Cottage. Gravelly Lake, February 28, 1931. 1889—1899 Tacoma. March 28. 1889. My dear Mrs. White: I have pleasure in informing you that you have been appointed Principal of The Annie Wright Seminary. at a salary of $1,000 per annum. If you see your way to come to us. we shall give you a cordial welcome: and I pray that, with the helpers whom you may have around you, you may be privi- leged to do a blessed work in training many of the young for usefulness and happiness in this world and for the eternity that is to follow. Yours very truly, J. A. Paddock. The above is a copy of the letter I received from Bishop Paddock while I was teaching at Rowland Hall in Salt Lake City. I accepted the position, and began my work as Principal of the Annie Wright Seminary in September. 1889. Tacoma at that time was on the top wave of prosperity, owing to the excitement in real estate and the stimulus given it by the recent entrance of the Northern Pacific railroad. The Annie Wright Seminary, started by and under the wise adminis- tration of Mrs. L. H. Wells, also partook of its prosperity as well as popularity. When I took charge of the school it numbered about one hundred and fifty, one-third of the number being boarders. Mrs. A. H. W. Raynor, of blessed memory, was then vice-principal of the school, and continued in that capacity during the ten years of my administration. During those ten years of prosperity as well as adversity, when there were many perplexing problems to meet and sacrifices to be made, she was always my cheerful and ready adviser, helper and friend, and I am glad to make here this record of her faithful stewardship. She had a fund of humor, the saving Page thir teen

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6) Several girls from Hawaii were in the school. When the Islands were annexed to the United States in 1899 I had several applications and inquiries about the school. It was then that Dr. Boone, a Missionary from China, warned me against taking Eurasians into the school. He said they would be both a moral and physical menace. When, in the fall of 1899, I was obliged to resign my position on account of a death in the family, the school was in a flourishing condition as to income and numbers. Mr. Wright ' s endowment of $50,000 for Washington College for Boys, which had ceased to be, was added to that of the Annie Wright Seminary. Mr. Wright, who had recently died, had left an added $50,000 to the endowment, making $150,000 in all. Bishop Barker wrote me: It really is a fine school and it is hard to think of you not being here to have the pleasure of it all after the hard work of the past. The Rev. Dr. Nevius was one of our frequent visitors, and was always welcomed by us all. He would bring his microscope and could always interest the girls with his wonderful knowledge of our western flora and the marine life of Puget Sound. Bishop Rowe of Alaska often stopped with us, and sent us many girls from the far North, among whom was little Polly , the Russian girl who was a great favorite with us all. I remember the pleasant visit of George W. Childs, (of the Philidelphia Ledger) a personal friend of Mr. Wright, who had asked him to visi+ the School and tell him of its condition. Mr. Childs went over the buildings and looked at the books, and expressed himself as well satisfied, and told me I would be the president of a railroad if I were a man. which of course pleased me. General Lew Wallace of Ben Hur fame visited the School once, and gave the girls an interesting talk. The Rev. H. H. Gowen came from Seattle and gave us delightful courses in the English Poets, and we were all fond of him. The Chaplains of the School were successively the Rev. L. H. Wells, now the retired Bishop of Spokane, who was rector of Trinity Church, which we attended: the Rev. Dr. Babbitt, during whose rectorship the Trustees changed our attendance to St. Luke ' s Memorial Church, whose rector at that time was the Rev. John Dows Hills, who was also our chaplain. He was succeeded by the Rev. Mr. Barr, and he in turn by Rev, Frank H. Church. These Chaplains always conducted the daily morn- ing service in the School-room, which was then our Chapel, and taught the Senior Class in Church History, and prepared the classes for Confirmation. I always loved the motto of the School: From Strength to Strength , which was to me an inspiration as well as an incentive. It has proved a prophecy in its fulfillment, as shown by the present flourishing condition of the Schoo ' wlf i its beautiful new buildings and efficient staff and corps of teachers. That it may continue to go From Strength to Strength is my earnest wish and prayer for what I always call my beloved School . Sarah K. White. Page Fifteen