band, John T. Durand, who was a surveyor and land looker, arrived in Jackson the same day that she did, but by a different route and entirely unknown to each other. During the first part of the year 1830 there were but eight women in the settlement, and about thirty men. Early in 1831 Miss Blackman opened a school, to which all the children in the county, nine in number, were sent. This school was free, Miss Blackman neither receiving nor charging anything for her services. This school was continued the next year as a public school, and, a's remarked in yesterday's Citizen, "was the beginning of the great work of education of the young, which has since been advanced from one great step to another, until Jackson has become famous for the excellence of her schools and institutions of learning." In 1832 Miss Blackman aided in organizing the first religious congregation and Sabbath school in the settlement. The writer is the only surviving scholar in Miss Blackman's classes in both these common and Sabbath schools, and remembers distinctly many of the events and lessons, which have never wholly lost their impress for kindness and love. In 1833 there were only two marriageable ladies in the settlement, and on the 21st of February there was a double wedding at the Blackman homestead, Miss Silence D. Blackman becoming Mrs. John T. Durand and Miss Lucy S. Blackman becoming Mrs. James Acker. The following, which is a copy of the first record made in the clerk's office for this county, explains itself:

To the Clerk of the County of Jackson, M. T.

I hereby certify that sufficient credentials being to me presented, I have this day married together in the holy bonds of wedlock, John T. Durand and Silence D. Blackman.

[Signed] ARUNAH BENNETT, Administrator. JACKSONBURGH, M. T., July 22, 1933. Recorded July 22, 1833

S. Stoddard, County Clerk.

A like certificate for James Acker and Lucy S. Blackman is the second paper of record.

The bridal trip on this occasion was to a Washington's birthday party, after which Mr. and Mrs. Durand settled down to farm life in a new log house upon his farm just west of the village, which in years after he sold to Hon. M. Shoemaker. The large frame house, which still stands near the city limits, was erected by Mr. Durand in 1838, and was then regarded as the most palatial farm residence in the county. In married life Mrs. Durand was home-like, industrious and hospitable, and the "young folks" of those days (we are rather "old folks" in these days) were always welcome, and

many were the times when that old mansion rang with mirth and song, and the mistress ministered well not only to our pleasures but to our lusty appetites. The hardy life of the pioneer at last began to tell upon their health, and about 1850 Mr. Durand gave up his farm and moved into the old Blackman house on Trail street, where they lived until they changed to the present residence on Lansing avenue.

The death of Mr. Durand in 1882, only a few months previous to the anticipated "golden wedding," was a great shock to his companion, and since that event she has mingled but little in general society, but her kindness, cheerfulness and sociability with relatives and friends have never ceased to be a pleasure and profit to them. When we contemplate a blameless life of over eighty years, on every page of which has been written true womanhood, Christian virtue, kindly sympathy, wifely affection, motherly love and unceasing charity and kindness, we can safely invoke the beatitudes for the full description of its character and rewards.

As

Of all the large Blackman family, but one member survives the deceased, Mrs. Julia Chapman, who resides on Taylor street. Of all the thirty-nine pioneer settlers of Jackson in 1830, but three now survive-Mr. and Mrs. Chapman, both over eighty years of age, and the writer. Our little circle, held together both by ties of kindredship and stronger than kindred, is fast disappearing. each drops out the burden seems harder to bear, for of all that are left it seems that this one was the fittest to remain. But providence has willed otherwise, and with her two children, sister, relatives and friends, all mourning its decree, allow me to add my imperfect tribute to her life, work and character. "Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.”

This first school referred to above was continued in the log school house until the new school building was completed, two years later. The next teacher was Lyman R. Lowell, who had come on from Speedsville, New York. The school gradually increased in size until the old hive overflowed before the new one was finished.

The location of the new red school house was where the Union high school now stands, but was a different looking place. It stood on the top of a knoll or knob at least twenty

feet higher than the present surface. Main street was cut down about ten feet there, and presented an abrupt bank. One of the regular exercises was to form a "class rush" and push the other fellows over the bank, and girls and boys all joined in this amusement. After awhile a girl had an arm broken, and soon afterward one of the boys had a leg fractured, and the school trustees interdicted this recreation. The ground just west of the hill was marshy, and on the north side of Main street was a deep ravine filled with small tamaracks. When Mr. Porter built the house on the northeast corner of Main and Blackstone streets, where the W. C. A. building stands he filled the swamp hole about six feet deep with earth, then he built the stone foundation and filled in the lot to its present grade. The three lots west of Blackstone were filled in the same way. In the winter scholars used to drag an old ox sled to the top of the hill and slide down Main street to the river bridge, and some times when there was glare ice. we would go forty or fifty rods up East Main street. My father had an old horse called "Lafayette," and we used to steal him out of the barn to draw the sled back again. Of those scholars who participated with me prior to 1836 all have gone to "the great beyond."

A Mr. Adams was the second teacher. He was a bright young man and a very popular teacher. The discipline in those days was strict, with not much moral suasion. The implements of torture consisted of thumb screws for the fingers and ears, a heavy ruler and several long blue beech gads, such as were used to drive cattle with, and they were all kept handy and in full sight. Mr. Adams was quite merciful. He used to whale

the boys occasionally, but I do not remember having seen him whip but one girl and that was for spitting in his face. So you see we had some spunky species of the female race, even in those early days.

Mr. Adams was succeeded by a man named Byrne, a lame man, also a good and kind man, afterwards elected register of deeds, and father of the late Gilbert R. Byrne, and grandfather to Benjamin Byrne of the City Bank. He was a man personally popular both in and out of the school house.

A man named Cowden was the next autocrat of our school house and he was a "holy terror." The plunk of the ruler and the swish of the birch gads was music to his ears and brought a hearty and continuous chorus from the pupils. Cowden introduced the punishment called "ferruling," and half the school carried blistered and blood shot hands as the result of his cruelty. One day, it was in the winter of 1847-8, Cowden called up one of the largest girls in school and proceeded to "ferrule" her. She was a favorite in school. He told her to hold out her hand and she refused. He grasped it and attempted to strike it but she jerked it away and he hit himself. He was furious, and drawing back his ruler, struck her a blow on the side of the head that knocked her down. The school was in great confusion and some of the large boys demanded he should desist. He flew at one of them and struck him a blow with the ruler that made a gash in his head. As the blood spurted out and ran down his face, some one shouted, "Boys, let's throw him out." Instantly every scholar made a rush. Cowden defended himself, knocking several of the boys down, but they were too much for him and pushed him over the big wood stove, burning him and frac

turing his leg. The boys dragged him outdoors and to the edge of the bank and threw him over into the road. The school house caught fire, but the scholars put it out with snow and ice. The incident created a great furor in the village, but it ended the school teaching career of the "tyrant Cowden."

In 1838 and 1839 Prof. Roswell Dudley was our teacher. He was a tall, awkward, lanky sort of a man, but well educated. He was a reasonably popular man, though he was a good deal given to "birch rod" prescription for infraction of the rules, but he had no serious troubles. On account of his awkward way the scholars and people often made fun of him. The scholars often satirized him and perpetrated some home-made poetry. It was nothing unusual to see the scholars running from the school house singing these dittys, one of which we remember was as follows:

Prof. Dudley, does your mother know you're out?
Does your father know what you're about?
Prof. Dudley, in all your little whirls,
Now be careful-don't kiss the girls.

Prof. Dudley, after leaving the public school, established an academy and run it quite successfully until about 1848, when he retired to a farm, and died soon afterward. Among the scholars who attended while Dudley was teacher, we can now recall as now living, Dr. Gordon Chittock, David G. Palmer, Willington R. Butt, of Saginaw, and Mrs. Mary (Durand) Green, of California.

Consider A. Stacey was the next teacher, in 1840-1, succeeded by William Aldrich in 1842-4, and he was succeeded by Thomas S. Myrick, who taught during 1845-9, when he went to California and was for many

years princpal of the high school in San Francisco. All these teachers have passed away, though some of them lived notable lives. Mr. Stacey settled in Tecumseh, became a lawyer and an editor and we believe his sons are still publishing the paper. Mr. Aldrich became a merchant; later he removed to Three Rivers, in Wisconsin, and was a member of the legislature. In 1856 he removed to Chicago and engaged in the wholesale grocery business, and was for six years a member of congress.

In 1852-3 the subject of a new school house was agitated, and it was decided to build of brick a four-room school house, to cost twelve thousand dollars. This was completed and opened in 1854, with O. M. Barnes as principal, and three assistants. The next year Prof. E. L. Ripley was in charge of the school and held the position until appointed to a position in the State Normal School in 1860. At the annual school meeting in 1859 it was voted to make the tuition free to all residents of the district and special taxes and rate bill were abolished. In 1860 the school was opened, with Daniel B. Briggs as principal. Mr. Briggs was afterwards superintendent of public instruction of the state. J. C. Lowell succeeded in 1865 and held the principalship until 1868, when he gave way to Prof. U. W. Lawton, who was in turn succeeded by Dr. Avery and he by Prof. Estabrook, who was called to Saginaw in 1878 and was elected in 1886 superintendent of public instruction.

As early as 1838 the eastern half of the village, east of Grand river, was established as a separate school district, known as No. 17. A school house was erected on Detroit street and a school taught by Joseph C. Bailey. He was succeeded by a man named

Center, and he in turn by Mr. Southworth. In 1846 William Aldrich was principal. The district records up to 1854 having been destroyed, we cannot secure the names of all the teachers. Subsequent to that time the school was in charge of Prof. Gill, Mr. Brown, John S. Lane, H. R. Gass and John B. Glasgow. The school on the east side was well supported, and in 1880 consisted of a large and commodious central building and three auxiliary schools.

Some ten years ago the schools of the entire city were united under one management and the arrangement has been satisfactory and beneficial. The consolidated union school district now consists of two large and perfectly equipped high schools and sixteen ward and primary schools, all under the guidance of Prof. Norton.

PRIVATE SCHOOLS.

The Rev. Marcus Harrison opened a select school in 1838 in his residence on Lansing avenue, for advanced scholars, and secured a large patronage, mainly young ladies. He continued it for four or five years, when he erected "the Academy," on the south side of Main street, on the west lot selected for the site of the Carnegie Library. After a few years, his health failed him, and he sold out to Professor Dudley, who continued it up to about 1850, when it was discontinued.

Gen. M. W. Southworth started and maintained a "seminary" on the ground where the Episcopal church now stands. This

was for some years a successful and popular school and was well patronized, but the death of his wife and the marriage of his oldest daughter, who assisted him, finally broke it up and the proprietor moved to Wisconsin. Among the scholars who attended this school, we remember Mrs. John M. Root and Mrs. Geo. D. Walcott as still among the residents of Jackson.

There have been several other attempts to establish private schools, but none have been successful, to any extent, the excellence of the public schools, and the parochial schools maintained in the Parishes of St. John's and St. Mary's, and by the German Lutheran denomination, having fully supplied the public

wants.

DEVELIN'S BUSINESS COLLEGE.

This institution was organized soon after the Civil war by Gen. George M. Develin. Mr. Develin was a student of Prof. P. R. Spencer, the author of the Spencerian system, and was fully qualified for the conduct of such a college. He was a soldier in the Civil war, serving in an Indiana artillery regiment. The college is organized on regular business basis, all departments being carried out in actual practice. It has always had a good attendance, and is still one of the leading business colleges of the state. Since the death of General Develin. in 1898, it has been successfully conducted by his son, Capt. Harry S. Develin, who succeeded his father.