Annie Wright School - Shield Yearbook (Tacoma, WA)

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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) And so. a few minutes later, we part as friends. Mrs. Raynor still coughing and laughing and apologizing as she wipes her bright and friendly eyes. We go down the gravelled path, arm In arm, chatting and laughing, too. How do you like your school, daughter? I like it. I like it immensely! Friendliness! It is a magic key for the unlocking of hearts, and Mrs. Raynor possessed It In charming degree. There were others to whom one went for serious and profound counsel. One turned to her for warmth and cheer and happiness as one goes to the fire on the hearth or to the comforting sunshine. For there was a blltheness. a gayety, a buoyancv about her that lifted the heart and gave wings to troubles. But the source of her inspirar,on ro youth lay deeper than in mere charm and friendliness. Indeed those very qualities sprang from the same origin. It was, of course, spirituality, a strong, powerful undercurrent of her character, keeping it sweet and rich, flowering In delightful personality, yielding a spreading, enduring influence like a fragrance. It endures to this day and will continue to endure through her girls and through the memory of her, perpetuated now by beautiful Raynor Chapel. For her life touched many. She was of the Seminary from its inception until her passing. Pupils came and went. Teachers changed. Principals served and went to other fields. Bishops passed under the shadow Into light. She remained and was beloved. Of all recollections of her, pernaps none is more treasured than that of her at morning service. There was no chapel then, but the study hall did well enough The years roll away and again there Is the old room, gone now forever, day pupils in their seats, teachers coming In quietly, a gradual cessation of rattling papers, the dying away of all sound. There Is a breathless moment. Surely it is time? And then, at the last moment but always just in time. Mrs. Raynor. the last teacher preceding the principal, flutters In at the door with her quick, bird-like movement, her bright eager eyes wide now and serious. From the corridor outside we hear the prayer of the churchman, then the first note of the processional is In our ears. We rise and sing, the boarders enter, the churchman follows — Is It Bishop Paddock this morning or Chaplain Wells? It is after the service that we catch a glimpse again of an unforgettable impres- sion. The little black-robed fgure of Mrs. Raynor is hurrying down the aisle to her class-room. As ever, the linen at throat and wrist Is Immaculately white, the cross on her breast hangs from its chain. The crown of silvered hair Is as lovely and as well-kept as usual. But there is something In her face now, some Inward illumination that is particularly arresting. It is her faith shining through, refreshed and glowing. And we are minded of that tender light of dawn when the sun is still beneath the horizon, and of that glorious upflung color when again the sun has set. For it seems to us, even now, In after-years, that It was thus with Mrs. Raynor. Even as we take the sunshine of day for granted, so we were warmed and sunned by her humor and wit and brightness, accepting as commonplace her ever-ready help and com- panionship. But before that daily morning glimpse of the light that was her hidden force, we were silent and wondering. And. although she erself passed long, long ago Page twelve

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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