Ferris State University - Ferriscope Yearbook (Big Rapids, MI)

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To-day the school is favorably known throughout the United States. Our graduates bear the marks of thorough- ness. The present year exceeds all previous years in at- tendance. 1 Cn April 16, 1889, our third son, Phelps Fitch Ferris was born. In 1901 Mrs. Ferris withdrew from the active teaching force of the Ferris Institute. Possibly no teacher in the twenty-hve years has wielded a more potent influ- ence for good than has Mrs. Ferris. In the fall of 1904 the Democrats, in convention assem- bled at Grand Rapids, nominated me for Governor of Michi- gan. This did not originate in any desire on my part to enter politics. It was a question of expediency. I opened the campaign on August 23, IQO4, at Detroit. Notwith- standing the fact that I had the support of the leading newspapers of Michigan and the assistance of thousands of Republicans, my opponent, Fred M. XVarner, was elected by 42,877 majority. Possibly some satisfaction is to be gained through the fact that Mr. XVarner ran 169,337 be- hind his ticket. The truth of the matter is that if I had political aspirations they would be of no value to me. In Michigan there is a scarcity of Democrats that makes poli- tics profitable only for the man who calls himself a Repub- lican. V During all of these twenty-hve years I have lectured in nearly every city and village in Michigan, also in some of the important cities of adjoining states. My work is not the work of a prodigyg it is the work of one who has ordinary ability. I have simply furnished another illustration of what persistent, systematic effort will do. In a word, the Ferris Institute is an awakener. It is not a college, it is a great secondary school, that has for its mission the feeding of the hungry, regardless of their age, race and previous condition. VVhat the Ferris Institute will attain in the future, the writer doesn't pretend to foretell. at 7 ELEN Gillespie Ferris was born K-f-3 .9 ,'-QT 3 en, . 0 EG- 5 ' 1 3 St If A JL Y in New Haven, IN. Y., Septem- ber 7, 1853, where the first ten years of her life were spent. Her father, wishing for better educa- tional advantages for his children, then moved to Fulton, N. Y. where the daughters were placed in Mrs. Caldwellfs priv- ate school for girls. Two years' training in this school was followed by three years in Falley Seminary. She then taught one HELEN GILLESPIE mums term in a rural school, thus demonstrating sat- isfactorily to her parents'that she had talent for teaching. She entered upon a course of training for her chosen work,

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quainted with the teachers of the county, in view of the fact that the Ferris Industrial School was to open the first Monday' in Sepember. Two small rooms were rented on the second floor of the Vandersluis block on South Michi- gan avenue. On the first day fifteen students presented themselves. Mrs, Ferris and I did the teaching. The larger part of the work was along two lines, normal and com- mercial. The school soon outgrew the two rooms. After considerable urging, I rented from the Masons the entire third floor of the building now occupied by the Citizens State Bank. In January, 1885, we began work in our more commodious quarters. A year after, in spite of local dis- couragement, the school grew and the third floor of the Roof block was added, a portion of the second floor of the bank building and a portion of the second floor of the Roof block and finally the third floor of the XVilcox block. New teachers were added as the attendance increased. One of the first teachers was Mrs. Anna F. Pease, who re- mained connected with the school for several years. Mrs. Pease taught in all of the departments of the school, the commercial excepted. Mr. C. A, VVessel entered the school in 1889 and remained in full charge of the commercial de- partment for fifteen years. Mr. Robert Stackable, now in Honolulu, taught one year while the school was in the bank block. Miss Goodison, of the State Normal College of Ypsilanti, taught history and geography four months. Mr. Charles Carlisle became acquainted with the Ferris In- dustrial School through its summer sessions. He was able to carry on his regular work during the year in the Ionia public schools and give us the beneht of his summers. In September, 81892, Mr. Charles Carlisle became one of our regular teachers. He has been with us for seventeen years. Several other teachers were associated with the school be- fore it moved to its present quarters. In 1892 I accepted the democratic nomination for Con- gress in the Eleventh District. My opponent was Dr. -Iohn Avery, of Greenville, Michigan. It is needless for me to add that I was defeated in this election. After all, some- thing was gained by way of personal acquaintances through- out the twelve counties. In 1893 the main building of the Ferris Institute was constructed. It was during the autumn of 1893 that the Norhern National Bank failed. I had only drawn one check payable to the builder when this disaster came. Through the fidelity of former students, thousands of dollars came in for my use. Bankruptcy would have been inevitable had it not been for this timely aid. This money was borrowed on a 4? basis and paid according to the provisions of the certificates that were issued. In 1894 the institution was incorporated, capital stock S5o,ooo. Even at this time it retained its original name, the Ferris Industrial School. In 1900 the name was changed to The Ferris Institute. From time to time new buildings have been added. Their value, at a conservative estimate, is SIO0,000. In all 4,389 shares fSIO eachj of stock have actually been sold. For seven or eight years dividends of 8 per cent. have been paid annually. The larger part of the stock is owned by myself. For several years the Ferris Insti- tute has maintained sixteen departments: English, Pharmacy, Commercial, Shorthand, Typewriting, Civil Service, Pen- manship, Telegraphy, Elocution, Vocal Music, Drawing, Kindergarten, Physical Culture, Professional Preparatory, College Preparatory and Normal.

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in 1869, at the Oswego Normal and Training School, Oswego, N. Y., from which she graduated in 1873. ln the fall of the same year she accepted a position, as teach- er, in the public schools of Franklin, Indiana, and taught there one year. .Four months of the year following she taught in the high school of Fulton, N. Y, that she might spend the last months before her marriage, December 23, 1874, with her parents. She entered upon the work of teaching with her hus- band, Wbodbridge N. Ferris, December 28, 1874, in Spencer Academy at Spencer, N. Y. From that time her work has always been associated with that of her husband, her work of teaching continuing ,till IQOI, with the exception of the five years ol his super- intendency in Pittsfield, lllinois. M S535'-5 X 5 Eels XQ'.eaf:'3fiefii',4fi, 3 1 -,Z ' 55 xglgmig