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

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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

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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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9 1 lxlvl 1 Nlasschnlx 11 as 130111 of Dutch par1nt21g1 on 111 ll 1. ,, egan o., . c1., o buy J 3, 1174. Hhe family consists of five hoys 2111 JA three girls. seven of w11o111 1121ve been teachers ilc two hoys are IIOXY physicians H1111 two are dentists. He hegan 11is school life at tl1e age of four. After linishing the rural sc11ool l1e entered 21 village 11ig11 school, tive 111iles away, from which he g'T2lKl1l211Ci1 i11 tl1e year ISQO. NVl1ile attencling high sc11oo1 l1e 11111 chores for l1is board part of tl1e ti111e, and for tl1e re1n21i1111er of tl1e year walked the 11is- 1111166 morning and evening. During tl1e s11111111er of 1890, l1e attended Hope College 211111 began teaching i11 tl1e fall. 111 SC1Jl16lll17C1', ISQI, l1e e11tere11 tl1e iXl1C111g'21l1 1-Xgric11lt11ral College, a1111 was graduated i11 18115. llc worked 11is way 11lI'O1lQ'11 college by taking care of l1orses. cleaning carpets. splitting wood. and teaching sc11ool. 111 11is se11ior year. l1e was 1'resi11e11t of tl1e 1,'nio11 Literary Society, Associate lfditor of tl1e SPCC11l11ll1. 211111 wo11 the go11l 1ned21l in a cle- lmating contest, 111 the S17l'1l1f2,' of 18115. l1e was offered a positio11 i11 tl1e Oregon -Xg'1'1C11l1llI'Z1l College 21s lnstructor in liotany a1111 was also elected S11lJCl'1ll1Clll1Cl11 of Scl1ools at Cass City. He accepted tl1e l21tter 211111 1'C111Z11llCC1 tl1ree years. During tl1is time l1e taught i11 21 S11111111er Scl1ool at Yassar. Mich., a11d was elected Yice l'resi11ent 211111 tl1e11 Vl1l'CS1C1L'l11 of tl1e Tnscola County '1sCZ1Cl1Cl'S. ,Xssoci21tio11, 111 -1111112 1893, l1e came to tl1e lferris lnstitnte 211111 11as been here since with the exception of one year. w11e11 l1e held 21 position as 1llS1l'l1C1Ol' at tl1e Xlichigan .'XQ.'l'1Cl1l111I'21l College. During 11is college course he t2111gl1t eight 111o11tl1s i11 a lwarochial School i11 Chicago, 211111 six 1nont11s i11 one of the Chicago Night Schools. Klr. Xlasselink was lllE1Tl'1C11. 1jCL'Cl111JC1' 2.1. 18117, to 1,21- vina X1Z1C:X1'1ll11l', a graduate of tl1e Cass City High School, 211111 for several years a teacher i11 71111803121 L'o1111ty. They have three children, 1,21I1I'611CL', l,illi2111 211111 Rollo. X111 Xlasselink is a11 cl11er i11 tl1e 1jI'CS1Jf'tCI'1Zl11 Cl1111'C11 211111 takes an active part i11 tl1e religions life of tl1e school Zlllll of tl1e co1111111111ity. He is also interested in te1npe1'2111ce work. 211111 has for several years spoken tl1ro11gl1o11t Michi- Qfilll for tl1e Anti-Saloon l-e21g11c. ln politics l1e is Z1 pro- gressive Rep111J1ica11 211111 is at present Lillillflllilll of tl1e City ffo1n111ittee i11 liig Rapids.