Greenbank School

Someone gave me a beautiful fur muff and in the wintertime I wore it attached to a silk cord around my neck. It was so nice to keep my hands warm on a cold winter's day. I was coming home from school one day and I passed a poor little girl crying with the cold so I gave her my muff. When I got  home mother was very angry with me for giving it away.

School was just a couple of blocks from our home. It was called "Greenbank School". I first attended the infants department for boys and girls from 5-7 years, then we were promoted to an all-girls school in the next building. Over a high wall there was another building which  housed the boys. We were allowed to graduate at the age of 14 years.

According to Apostles Talmage and Widtsoe, our educational system was excellent and when we graduated at the age of 14 years, our educational status was equivalent to two years of college in the States. We stayed in the same class for one year with the same teacher who taught us all subjects. Then if we were able to pass our exams we were promoted to the next grade or standard as they were called. If we were inattentive or misbehaved, we were punished by the teacher or sent to the head mistress. She was a little woman, but oh, how she could wield a cane. We were all scared to death of her. I remember being late for school once and had to stand in line for a cut across the hand with that cane. Her name was Miss Owens and I can still visualize her funny little face.

The things I liked about school, of course, were the things I could do best. I was a good speller so I liked spelling bees. I liked mental arithmetic because I could quickly add sums in my head. (I can still add up my grocery list and have it totaled as quickly as the machine). I liked to be in plays. I had  a good memory then and memorized many parts of the Shakespeare plays and acted in lots of them. We made our own stage settings. I liked to read and memorize poetry.

One day when I was in the sixth standard (grade), the teacher informed us that members of the school board would be visiting us the next day and would probably be in our room about our poetry period. She thought it would be nice if we all learned a poem just in case we should be called upon. That night I learned a poem written by William Wordsworth as we had been studying his life and works. The poem was about a little neighbor girl who had died. The reason the poem appealed to me was because it bore my name. The next day, sure enough, the visitors came during our poetry period. There were three ladies and two men and Miss Owens, the head mistress, was with them. I was seated behind a girl who was much larger than I was so I felt quite sure that if I slumped down in my seat I wouldn't be noticed. I felt quite secure and being near a window I let my mind wander. I became aware of a man walking up the aisle--even then I wasn't alarmed. He passed by, then on his way back he stopped at my desk and looking directly at me said, "Would you like to come up to the front and recite for us?" I think my heart jumped right up into my throat and trembling, I arose and walked to the front of the class and recited my poem.

                                                                           HESTER

                                                      When maidens such as Hester die,
                                                      Their place ye may not well supply,
                                                      Though ye among a thousand try,
                                                      With vain endeavor

There were 8 or 10 verses and when I had finished, the gentleman said it was very good but he wondered why I had chosen that particular poem. Then he asked, "What is your name?" "Hester", I replied. A twinkle appeared in his eye. He put his hand into his pocket and pulled out half a crown. In those days that would buy me a pair of shoes. By the way, I was wearing a pair of my cousin's shoes which were two sizes too large for me, which was another reason I did not want to be noticed. I don't think the teacher ever quite forgave me for being chosen before her more favored or better dressed pupils.

HESTER (the full text)

When maidens such as Hester die,
Their place ye may not well supply,
Though ye among a thousand try,
With vain endeavor

A month or more hath she been dead,
Yet cannot I by force be led
To think upon the wormy bed,
And her together.

A springy motion in her gait,

A rising step, did indicate

Of pride and joy no common rate,

That flushed her spirit.

I know not by what name beside

I shall it call: -- if 'twas not pride,

It was a joy to that allied,

She did inherit.

Her parents held the Quaker rule,

Which doth the human feeling cool,

But she was train'd in Nature's school,

Nature had blest  her.

A waking eye, a prying mind,

A heart that stirs, is hard to bind,

A hawk's keen sight ye cannot blind,

Ye could not Hester.

My sprightly neighbour, gone before

To that unknown and silent shore,

Shall we not meet, as heretofore,

Some summer morning,

When from thy cheerful eyes a ray

Hath struck a bliss upon the day,

A bliss that would not go away,

A sweet fore-warning?