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mylifeasapioneerwomanteacher
mynameiselizabethwillard
andiamatwentytwoyearoldteacher
igraduatedfromtheheartfordfemaleseminary
anconnectikateoneofthefirstschoolsinamerica
thattrainsfemaleteachersineighteenfiftyfour
ibeganteachinginthenewterritoryofkansas
andarealocatedininthemiddleoftheunitedstates
therearemanyteachingjobsinthewest
becausemanywhiteshavebeensettlingherefromtheeast
newfrontiertownshavepoppedupeverywheremyteachertrainingstartedwheniwastwenty
andilearnedspellingmathematicsandmusicbeforegraduationmyclassmates
andiwereinvitedtoteachoutwest
whenwecompletedourstudies
someteachingstudentsacceptedtheoffer
andiwasoneofthemwetrainedforfrontierlifebycarryingpalesofwaterandchoppingfirewood
weneededtobetough
tofacethemanyhardships
ahead
whenwegraduatedaschoolcommittee
gaveusourteachingposts
andiwasassignedtoaschoolinkansas
alltheteacherstraveledwestinthespring
andsinceitwasunsafeforwomentotravelalone
myfatherwentwithme
firstwewroteonhorsebackfortwoweeksabouteighthundredkilometersfromheartford
connectiatetopitzzford
pennsyllvania
thenwetookasteamboatdowntheohioriver
frompittsburgthroughthestatesofohioandkentucky
aftertwelvedays
wearrivedanoldshinnytownillinoi
andfromthereitookastagecoachonmyown
aftertendaysandanothereighthundredkilometers
iarrivedatmyfinaldestinationfourelevenworthkansas
suddenlyiwasaloneinastrangetown
andihadnowheretostay
soiwenttotheschoolhousewithsofewtreesfornumberonthepraiysaadanddirthadbeenusedtobuildthesmallschoolratherthanwood
therewasonlyoneroomandtwowindows
thebathroomwasoutsideandalittlefencewrappedaroundtheschoolyard
someofthetownschildrencamebytoseemeonelittlegirlnamedabbies
saidiwouldbestayingwithherfamilyboardingaroundorstayinginstudentshomesiscommonforfrontierteachers
iwouldhavetohelpabbiesfamilywiththechores
butiwashappytoaccepttheirofferboardinghelpsmesavemoney
sinceimakeonlyonehundredandfiftydollarsayearhalfthesalaryofamaleteacher
mostofmystudentsliveonfarms
sotheschoolyearmustfitbetweenthephoneharvestandthespringplanting
duringmyfirstyear
theclasssignsvariedfromthreetotwentyfivechildren
someofthechildrendofarmeworkandotherchores
andcannotattendeverydaymystudentsagesrangedfromfourtotwentyyearsoldinmyclassroom
ihaveasmalldesktfront
andmystudentssitonbenchesandrose
thereisoneblackboard
andwehavenobooksexceptforabible
sometimesthechildrenbringinoldnewspapersormagazinesfromhome
wehavenopapersupplies
somystudentswritetheirlessonsonflatrockscalledsllates
theywritewiththesoftpieceofrockcalledaslatepen
mostofmystudentsbehavewellinclass
butsometimesihavetopunihthem
ifachildtalksduringalesson
iputawhisperingstickinhisorhermouth
thisisasmallwoodenstistickthatheldininplacebyapieceofquoththatitiearoundthestudentshead
thechildisforcedtobiteonthestick
andcannotspeak
sometimesifastudentneverknowsthecorrectanswertoaquestion
iputapointyheadontheirheadwiththeworddancewrittenonit
whenastudentwearsthedancecap
itmeanshere
sheisnotverysmart
myfirstwinterwasveryhard
thetemperaturessometimesdroptominustwentythreedegrees
celsiasthesnowstartedfallinginnovemberanddidnotstopuntilapril
theonlyheat
wehadwasapotbelliedstoveintheclassroom
anditwassmokyandhardtolightiarriveatschool
earlytochotfirewardforthewholedaychildrenclosetothestove
wouldgettoohotothersinthebackoftheroom
almostfroze
itwassocoldthatmystudentslunchesofdriedfruit
assaultedmeat
wouldsometimesfreezesomechildrenbecamesickanddieduringtheyear
weallwerehappy
whenspringfinallyarrivediamnowattheendofmyfirstyear
andiamverylonely
whenitookthisjob
ipromisednottomarryfortwoyears
soicoulddevotemyselftomystudentsinmyfreetime
isawquiltsandpatchmyclothes
igotochurchandvisitthefriends
ihavemetthere
ihaveheardthatsometeachershavealreadygonehome
becausethelifeouthereistoodifficult
butiwouldliketostayonforanotheryear
ihavegrowntolovemystudentsandtheprogress
weallhavemadelittlefox
