La Grande High School - Mimir Yearbook (La Grande, OR)

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Lillian and Grace McCallister, Mrs. E. A. Ivanhoe, Miss Violet Savanah, and others, moulded future citizens in their own wonderful way. Another early building, built in about ’88 to take care of the rapidly growing number of younger folks, was the little brick structure on the north side where Mrs. Nellie Neal, present Riveria principal, taught for many years. This building was later remodelled into a parsonage. The building now occupied by the Blue Mountain Creamery was also used as a school in times of congestion. But all good things came to an end then as now. Conditions required more room and in 1899 Central building was constructed to handle the congestion by taking over the high school course and part of the grades from the white school and the “old brick school.” Riveria, Greenwood, and finally Willow grade build- ings were built, each linking together an institution of learning that is far reaching, up to the minute, and practical. Responsible to the School Board, Superintendent J. T. Longfellow presides over this intricate school system with its advanced methods, its highly developed teaching staff of seventy-five, a school enrollment of 2,283, its manual training, its domestic science and art courses, its music, its bands and glee clubs, its games and building rivalry—all parts of a complex sys- tem that proves of itself that La Grande taxpayers want the best for their children today, just as they did in the beginning. Have not wonders been wrought in the span between Provedence M. Currey and J. T. Longfellow? -----------o----------- In 187(1 the first institution of higher learning was organized in the form of the Blue Mountain University. This was sponsored by the Columbia River Con- ference of the Methodist church. La Grande was chosen because of its central location in Eastern Oregon and Washington. The building stood about where the high school is today and was a pretentious brick structure for the times. Dan- iel Chaplin subscribed the land and $2,000. Three stories constituted the build- ing, the upper room being a chapel, the second floor the assembly room, and the first floor the recitation room. The subjects included regular present-day high school courses—science, mathematics, English and languages. The girls attend- ing the university “roomed out” while the boys maintained bachelors’ hall. J. L. Carter was the first acting president and Mrs. H. K. Hines was one of the first teachers. Her husband the Rev. H. K. Hines, was the school’s agent. In the most prosperous time of the University G. M. Ackerman of New York was president. He served from 1880 to 1883 when he went East hoping to get financial aid, but failing to get it did not return. At this point La Grande was placed in the Idaho conference of the Methodist church while the other division of the Columbia River conference became the Pacific conference and gave its support to Willamette Uni- versity. In 1884 the University was in too heavy financial difficulties and closed its doors. Today, we of La Grande are measuring time until the erection of the Eastern Oregon Normal school is begun. May the dream and vision of the pioneers, when they established the Blue Mountain University in La Grande, be gloriously fulfilled in the Eastern Oregon Normal school.

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AtominxstnttiiJu nuit dlLnssi's From the day of La Grande's first public school to the present is not an ex- ceedingly long span as time is measured, but the period is marked with almost unbelievable changes and advancement. Church life has not materially changed; commerce is only more voluminous and rapid; social life has simply changed in certain aspects; athletic diversion has much the same old twang; human nature is pretty much unchanged—but not so with Education. Parents and pupils in con- tact with La Grande’s school system as now constituted embracing as it does virtually all that is best in the newest subjects, methods, and equipment—can scarcely comprehend that when education was started in the city, reading and spelling comprised the curriculum, while discarded newspapers and a lone “reader” constituted the sources of learning. The development of education from that condition to the present perfection reads more like the manipulation of a mystic wand than the accomplishments of public desire and human direction. La Grande’s first school was not a public institution, but a private venture which the citizenry of 1863 quickly seized upon as the best method of giving their youngsters all possible advantages. Provedence M. Currey, grandfather of George H. Currey and Fred B. Currey, La Grande business men of today, opened such an institution in his own home on B Street, charging $10.00 as the annual tuition. From discarded newspapers that occasionally found their way here and from a reader brought across the plains by Joe Baker, Mr. Currey proceeded to teach reading and spelling. That was all, except the lessons of manhood and honor that radiated from the principal. It was a democratic institution, this class and its teacher; for when storms raged without, teacher and pupils cooked their lunch at the Currey fireplace, ate heartily and happily of what might be at hand, and then returned to their lessons. F'urther proof that this episode was not ages and ages ago, lies in the fact that the first class La Grande had contained such well known personages as the late Joe Baker, the last Sarah Bussell Chaplin, Wil- liam Bussell who today is passing the autumn of his life in this city, Ada Brown Bogers, a resident of Corvallis, and her sister Mrs. Esther Brown Ellsworth. Mrs. Ellsworth is still an honored citizen of Union county and a frequent visitor in our own city that once bore the name of Brownsville in honor of her father, Ben Brown, who was one of the first settlers and who, until his death in 1909 was a revered pioneer of La Grande. These conditions prevailed for a few years and then a public school became a necessity. A building was erected. Taxpayers decreed it should be perched on a little knoll near the mouth of Deal’s canyon and that it should be white. F'or many years this crude structure served its purpose and met the needs of the com- munity. As population increased, private homes were employed to handle the overflow. One such was the present L. H. Bussell home, the upstairs of which became an improvised school room. Eventually these makeshifts proved wholly inadequate and in 1886 the dis- trict erected a building that was the cynosure of all strangers who saw it, a struc- ture that surely would care for school demands in years to come. It was this structure that we of later years refer to in language perhaps disrespectful when we say “The Old White School.” It was located on Second street near our pres- ent athletic field. Its curriculum had broadened to include grammar courses and three years of high school studies. Crude, as viewed in the eyes of present day folk, it nevertheless was the foundry that moulded much of the character of La Grande’s present day middle-aged citizenship. Those high types of future mothers and fathers, professional and business men, poured out of its doors at commencement time were due to the wonderful personalities that permeated the institution. Such teachers as Ella Weathers Bussell, Carry Wellman, Dora Schilke, Olive Slater, Bertha Slater Smith, Bess Geibel, Nellie Stevens, Jeanette Clark Biggs, (7)

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While School House Classes in 1888. .intutustratnut att£ Classes