TOLD by the PIONEERS - Washington Secretary of State

Told by the Pioneers
There were no schools in our district until we came here. The Penningtons
and m~' father g'ot the school organized. Annie Huntington
was the first teacher. There were ten or twelve pupils, two Brewer
children, four Penningtons, and four of us Ortons.
There was a Christian church in the Arkansas district, but preachers
used to come in and preach in the school house. Rev. Reese often
came to preach here. He lived near Kelso. His wife was a Huntington.
EYAN JAMES McCLURE
Lincoln County
The women of pioneer times wore half hoop skirts and bustles at
parties and dances. These events were held in the homes of the settlers.
The dresses were made b~T the women, themselves, as money
was scarce to spend on finery.
Our family became nry friendly with the Indians. A great many
of them were living in and around Wellpinit on the Indian reservation
a short distance north of our home across the Spokane river. I
learned to talk Chinook and had considerable dealings with the Indians.
One old Indian squaw worked for us every fall for 27 years,
digging potatoes, until she became too old to work. The family was
always invited to their celebrations. vVe would go on horseback and
carry our food on our laps. The Indians would take us across the
river in dug-out canoes. My wife has a beautiful beaded buckskin
dress and numerous beaded bags and strings of beads given her by
the Indians in early days. Every time she would dance with an Indian,
he wonld pay her for the dance with a string of beads.
The first school in Lincoln county was held in my brother's cabin,
a short distance from my homestead. This was called district number
1 and the se\'en scholars who attended were taught by .Miss Amerilla
,Vaterhouse, and A. J. Stevens was the first county superintendent.
As the conntry became more settled, there were lots of social functions
such as house parties and dances. The music was usually produced
by two violins, an accordian and occasionally a banjo.
Reverend ,Vhitworth, a Presbyterian minister, who lived in Seattle,
would make frequent trips to Spokane and would usually come out to
see the McClures on horseback. He would stay several days and hold
prayer meetings in the different homes. Reverend ,Vhitworth was a
well-known pioneer and had been all over the Northwest. Whitworth
college was named for him.
170