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Show Mr7 in if II i v U s If U cv Editors note: The following Eurekas First School was taken from the August 3, 1923 edition of the Eureka Reporter. It Story of was submitted by John Schmitt H. F. Gear, who took a prominent part in the organization of the local school district thirty-fou- r years ago, recently gave the Reporter an interesting account of school affairs during the early days of this camp. He is perhaps the only one of the little bunch of progressive citizens who had a hand in the launching of Eurekas first school who is still living in Eureka, in fact, most of those who were instrumental in the movement have long since departed this life. Mr. Gear says it was in May, 1889, that a committee of citizens met at the Bullion Beck store, which at that time was in what was known as the Dutchtown part of the camp. They got together because they realized the need of education for their children and the children of their neighbors and friends, numbering in all, according to a census that had been taken, about eighty. In the little gathering was Mr. Gear, John Giblin, Henry Keating and Mr. Ferguson. Keating was a bookkeeper for the Bullion Beck mine and Mr. Gear was the mines assayer. Mr. Ferguson was father of the Ferguson brothers who are still resident of Tintic, also father of Mrs. Dan Cronin and Mrs. Thomas Drew. Having decided that Eureka needed a school, steps were immediately taken with a view to providing such an institution. Mr. Keating announced that he would write the notices calling a larger gathering of citizens and Mr. Gear volunteered to post such notices. Mr. Gear remembers clearly the events leading to the organization of the district and says that the five notices which Mr. Keating prepared were posted as follows: on the Bullion Beck Store, the McChrystal Store, the Pat Shea Saloon, the Cusick Saloon and the Eureka Hotel, all pioneer business establishments of the camp, and in due time the second meeting was held in the Mormon Church, a rock structure located near the Beck Mine, the site of which some years later was completely covered by the waste dump of that property. At that meeting, says Mr. Gear, There were present the parties who attended the preliminary meeting, also Jacob Brandt, Sr., Henry Franke, J. W. Green, John Duggan, J. P. Driscoll, John Driscoll, John Cannon and some others that I cannot recall just at this time. Mr. Green acted as our chairman and Mr. Keating the secretary. John Duggan, J. W. Green and myself were named as trustees, but Duggan only served a short time and when he resigned, J. P. Driscoll was selected to fill the vacancy. The next thing was to select a school house and the trustees after an investigation decided on the lot where the grade schools are now located. We wanted to run the line a little farther toward Church Street, but one of the pioneer property owners came out and told us we were over on his land, consequently, we moved the school grounds slightly to the east Our next step was the raising of money for the school building. Land was plentiful, but money was a bit scarce in those days. We concluded to get the amount needed by subscription. Driscoll said he would call on the Bullion Beck people if I would try to get a liberal donation from the Eureka Hill. The Beck mine officials donated $250 and I visited Mr.-Packar- d, the manager of the Hill Eureka company. He said that he would not give anything for the company, but would make a personal donation of $100. John H. McChrystal, Sr., was the mine superintendent for the Packard property and when he heard about the movement to start a school, he promptly said he wanted to do his part, giving me a check for $75 and this was followed by donations from John H. McChrystal, Jr., Noah McChrystal and W. R. Wallace, the amount in each of these cases being $25. I The youngest first lady in the nations history was Frances Folsom Cleveland. She married the President in the Blue Room of the White House when she was 21 years I was again given a place on the old. board, serving six more years. I was a trustee when the camps first high school was established. This was an educational event of great importance to all of us. Mr. Austine was principal at that time. He and his wife and Mrs. Mary Ryan were the high school teachers. At that time we had about 450 pupils and employed eight teachers. Other trustees serving where Mrs. Ryan and W. F. Shriver, prominent business man of this city. When I look out over the town from my residence and see the splendid school buildings which we now have and attend entertainments given by the various grades, I cannot help but feel good to think that I had a part in the organization of such a school district, but I am more proud of the excellent work which has been performed in later years. I feel that we should go farther with our educational work. A large class was graduated last spring from the high school and now if these students are to continue their work, they must go to Salt Lake and study at great expense to their parents. For one, I feel that more advanced study, at least training enough to fit students for the work of teaching, should be possible right here in such an enterprising town as Eureka. Mr. Packard then gave me a letter of introduction to Mr. Fox, the secretary of the Eureka Hill company, arid when I called on him at Salt Lake, I got another check for $100. This made us feel good, as we realized that it would be an easy matter to raise the remainder of the money. Frame buildings such as we erected did not cost very much in the early days, lumber being much less expensive than at the present time. At first, we constructed but one room, so arranging it that additional rooms could be added as needed. Mrs. Kate Cairtney was our first teacher. She handled all the grades, and as Eureka was taking on new life because of new mining Rita Moreno, born Rosa Dolores developments, she soon had more she could handle. Then that in Pureto Rico is the only Alverio pupils we added another room and em- female entertainer to win awards in four media: An Oscar for West Side ployed Miss Hattie Lawson. two trustees served The first Story, a Grammy for Electric years without pay. The first of Company Album, a Tony for The December, 1891, 1 resigned and went Ritz and two Emmys for The to Idaho and was absent from Muppet Show and The Rockford Eureka two years. When I returned, Files. The most expensive wallet ever made is a platinum-cornere- d diamond studded crocodile created by Louis Quatorze of Paris and Mikimotot of Tokyo. It sold for $72,000. EUREKA MEDICAL CENTER I. STIVE JOSEPH I. PEHRSON, MARRIAND, M.D. P.A.C. ..Office Hours.. 35 Mondays Wodnosday Fridays .9-1- 1 10-1- 2 Blood Pressures checked without charge Flu Shots now available at Clinic. FOR APPOINTMENTS 433-690- . 5 |
