University of Wisconsin Oshkosh - Quiver Yearbook (Oshkosh, WI)

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ROSE C. SWART I

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r BUSINESS BOARD AND ARTISTS.

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ROSE C. SWART TO the readers of this sketch of Miss Swart the incidents of early life overcome will perhaps be as beneficial as a dissertation upon the influence she has directly exerted for (food upon more than 5,000 students of this school. Miss Swart is a native of Pennsylvania. At the age of ten years she lost both her parents. The father was from the sturdy stock of Hollanders, the mother of the keen-witted but no less sturdy line of Puritans. Soon after the death of her parents, she came with her elder and only sister to Racine, Wis., a lonely stranger in the western world. The next three years were sjient in school, during which she reached the high school grades while the educational stimulus of John 1. McMvnn (the pioneer educator of Wisconsin), was at its best. In 1862 Col. McMvnn went south to battle for country's freedom, and Miss Swart, a lass of 15, began her struggle as an officer in the field of education, in a rural school of Racine countv, at $8 a month with board. The realization that this was independence, that she was now equal to a self-sustaining life, gave her courage and left no room for repinings. The next four years were repetitions in detail of the first term, varied by two winters of further schooling in the high school at Burlington. These terms closed the formal pupilage and training in the public schools. From this time her personal conviction of needs has been her schoolmaster; an ever present motive which has brought forth fruits for which the majority court college precincts in vain. After four years of struggle in country schools she was invited to graded school work at East Troy, Walworth Countv. to take charge of a primary department of five grades, and 12 pupils : salary $30 a month. She remained in this position three years, where she developed a reputation which extended beyond the limits of Walworth County; and the superintendent of Racine, avaricious of excellence, urged claim to her service, promising $ » and the freedom of the city in which to grow great. Instead of accepting the Racine position she went to Janesville to take charge of a grammar department under the supervision of Supt. W. I). Parker, who hail known of her worth Ik-fore the Racine man thought of securing her services. In the summer of 1871 the authorities at Madison deliberately outbid Janesville by the munificent offer of $5 more a month and equally wide margin of compensation in glory. In fact Wisconsin has been very liberal in compensating its teachers with this last named currency during the last half century, and Miss Swart accepted both compensations. Whether the thought that residence within the sacred fold of the capital city was privelegc to forego the association with the valued superintendent of Janesville, the record does not reveal, 14