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NORMAL SCHOOLMonmouth Has One of Oregon’s Important Institutions.HISTORY OF SCHOOL RELATES PRIVATIONS OF PIONEERSFounded as a Donominationai College It Was Made State Normal in 1882.Tiio following sketch is by Goldie Ruth Wells ol' Monmouth, 11 great grand daughter of the Jolin K. Murphy who is a central character the rein. The facta are from diaries, letters and papers in possession of the following: Mrs. W, D, Fenton, Portland, Mrs. Robert MeMttrjiby, Eugene. Mrs, Mary Stump Campbell, Monmouth; Mrs. IV. L, Wells, Halsey and H. W. Murphy, Lehunon.. John E. Murphy’s father. Willi inn Murphy, was Scoti'li-Irjah from Londonderry in the north of Ireland. William Murphy and two brothers wcrn Baptist preachers who were driven out of Ireland by the Benedictine monk* on uocount of their reley. five tuiles I’rura what is now I until 11102, when ho went to the Uni-j its Rickreall. They then moved a few varsity of Oregon to art a* president tru of that institution. His tMdmUp. the lit the Normal was recognized m-'ol strong and tine. His kind words of atii flMOtirngffluent nud readiness to helpititii a student who was in I run hie have I Urn never been forgotten by tlio people da: of Monmouth.mites south to a beautiful green plain bounded uxt the south by low foot hills covered with great oak tree*. niui the Hr covered Count ;imga bordered on tiie west, the Willnmetl river rolled to the east ntul the ('as cade range with it* ragged snow peaks rose in the background, ami the little La Creole creek wound its way along the north side to meet the Willamette. In this bountiful little -j»it they took up their “donation claims. Ice Itonroo were built ami homes worestarted.In 185. Rev. John K Murphy. Elijah Davidson. J. B, Smith, T. II. Lucas, and S. S. Whitman donated loud —about sis hundred nud forty—on which to found a town, the proceeds from the sale of town lots to Is- used in eatnbiishing a rolh’gt to be placed under the auprrvhtioii of the local Christian church and to he called Monmouth university.At a macs moating of the people, the town was named Monrttoulli ill; honor of the town the company of dc-voted men hail left to come to the, great west.The first money for the school was raised by donations, A email wooden building wa* then hnill. on wind is now enlled the ‘'Public Square. Finally the Christian ehntrli of Oregon took charge of ihe aehool. At this lime forty lifts scholarship* were isProfessor E. D. Kessler took his olj ffflOligioo. They cam. t„ AamriM And * repr.sent-i.ig flra bnudrt dttfrphjheoetiled in Virginia. William M married Nanny Ferguson, win bom on tbo James River. Virginia. She was the daughter of Jnnir* Ferguson of the Ayrshire fnrpily land. John Murphy, grandfather of John E, Murphy, wit* a Bqptfdt clergyman. Me married Bnelli'l Ci from Sul pe per, Virginio. She descended from Francis Cooke who rnmo over the first voyage of the Mayflower, and who was the seventeenth signer of the Cape Coil Com. part.'William Murphy and one of In* brothers inherited a great many slaves, but because they believed It a crime to deal in fellow men, t hey liberated them.Jolin JL Murphy, who was one of a family of eight children, was hr in Kentucky in 1807. As a chit played, went to school, and helped his father on the form, us all ell if dren of that lima did.The family became associated will Barton W. Stone, Alexander fnmp-beli nud Wnlter Scott in Kentucky during the first of the Christian church reformation. They wen verted and began to praocb for the Christian ctmrrti insirnd of the Bap tist.On the twenty-second of March. 1827, John E, Murphy married Rrtm-cis W. Doughty. Tlrcv moved to T1 linoii in 18.10 and became pioneer settlers on a farm in Warren county. They endured great hardship* during the rearing of their twelve children. At one time dnrine the Black Hnwk war they left their homo and wont a hundred miles to a fort for safety. Mr. Murphy was n num of unusual ability, a Christian preacher and r profound student.It was at the home of John E, Murphy one very mid night in the early fifties, when Ike snow wa* deep on the ground, thut n group of men, nil from the vicinity of Monmouth, Warren roitnly, llliiioi-, met to (winder over a map of the Oregon coon-try and to plan to go there. Different routes to their perspective homes were discussed. After a great deal of planning and argument. Rev. John E, Murphy. William Murphy, hi* rotr*in, Albert W. Luca*. Thomas Im tax, Ira R M. Butler. S.,cue lVhit-Inrs each. Thin made no endowment of 820,000, In 1858 n wooden building was erected at the cost of five thousand dollars.This building was located ott the present State Normal ground* upon which Mr. A. W. Lucas had so carefully planted fir and mnplc trees. At an early annual meeting of the Christian church Ibc name was changed front Monmouth University jo Christina college,A chnpel service was held every day. The true Christian life was at-| ways uphold as the only life to liv The education obtained by the scholars here was a Christian The influence of the instructor* those in connection with the was great find good,Mr. A. D. Butler was the head of the Christian college during I8(!B and 188(1.In 18110 Professor T. F. Campbell, descendant of Alexander Campbell, cmiih* from Montana to -become the president of the school. 'Mrs, Jane Eliza Campbell was a second cousin of Alexander Campbell and married T, F. Campbell, a Bet ban,v student fiorn Mississippi in 1R5I, TTe was no relation of A. C. IJn I he aevomit of the inadequacy of the wooden building, he -wi-in'cil donation-* from the people over the slate, anil at the coat of tplM.CHMI. erected a brick building, which still Simula us the north wing of the present State Normal building. The wooden tedding was then moved buck, ami used for a gymnasium.In 18711 the Christian college !o*l ie of its strongest aupporterm Iter. John Morphy, lie hnd lieen the viee-rcEudcnt and finnnciiil secretary From the founding of the school.place and earned on the work sttr-uessfully until 1000. The Inst six An. month* the institution was kept np by i t private donations. It was I ken closed 1 ini) for lack of funds. rsiFor two years the Oregon State IY»r Normal school building* ami gromnls foot were vacant. At lost thr legislature du.-i put the Normal aehool question before uati tin) people and at a geiieral initiative mnr election November b. Iftlfl. the tun- urn jority of ten thousand voted one j Inv: twenty-tlflh of a mill tax yearly, lor - mini its ineinleuanee. A wimumV dormi- ' to IT which provide* « huioc for tin eighty giri* was built it 1 'lt; t - at it1 tlnp cost of 4MNNI. Dming IHlfi a kwlnarimu arid heating plant were Wit. Irish The training aehool building, to cum $ri0,ltlHl. is now in the process of . etruction.ORE DON NORMAL S CHOIALL CROPS RAISEDthestandpointproducing eroji in the plant yielda ward per field the y ami no I ri I in us Many dairymen linvo found tions most favorultle to the tase of ilo. tine may till the -do in I lie lull with sufficient corn to last until the -first cutting of clover hi the apringt ^ pm then with vetch or clover, or both, toi|(v ( funiisb a supply until eorn is nguin reaily, itstng oat and vetch toy for roughage nod root crops to provide a ' j change. Pew dairymen employing si-' f' * viujnuytiis • | jey »lt; fill them in the summer, detwtidin- ^ ((1eetil-vurnh ill te While Uniteman, Elijah Davidson and Han..Roan I tree, ileeidad to utnke the joor-ri,,r T ^ RwniWII. Wan ney. They resolved to fonml aehtrrrh and a Christian college in thewest. Some home* were sold, rotiaewere rented, and still others were (eft vacant. Wagons were built; lion* hold furniture was sorted oig; pro-rision* were packed to hut for the journey and for some time after the arrival in the new country. They also provided ho now to draw the wag. on* in which the women and children were to ride, oxen to draw other wagon*. and a pony each for t wo of I ho older Morphy boys to ride—that they might leave the train at tiroes and kill game.On a clear morning April 13. 1832, friend* and relative* were told goodbye. A Dor reading a passage of •eriptare, singing it hrmn and asking Ood for hi* guidenre during the journey and in building the new homes and the Christian college, the thirty white-top wagon* slowly crept out of eight of the dear friend* who 1 had gathered to wish the “Miaipki Train (Sod speed.The train slowly moved on. Final-, ly town* became scare*. The captain j stopped at the last town sad horerht' a wagon load of corn to feed the] hors«a*aad cattle while enroate. Thr great plains were very dry and bat. ( hat in due time the Sasic and Co- j htaht nvvrs were reached. It was!August 30, 1852. that the bcsiiitifisl I Willamette valley was peeled by the] pilgrim.The first winter was spent at Crow-|on vetch and clover. Sumo feed a* cut. other* stack or More. There i-no freezing weathpr to hinder the five mo- of the silo, a* i- the rise in voider I’liointvs.Among the Folk romilv herd* are found sonic of the best sjieeiuieti* of (,(IAlmost | the Jersey in America, several being ,every Salnrdsy he wonld mount III*j fonndeil entirely on stork imported a* ,,pdirect front the island, llncmsey-. wjvjnHohteins and other breeds are also eij ' well repreeentol. with a strong pro. ml|[ *■ dominance of registered slock, frt-tuI’olk county creameries, of which „ 1,. there are several -cat tern I over the a„, ISOtt. It was during this time tin county, gather cream from over 18821 that the nntuc oar changeii to|ur-a that would bo impossible in a the Oregon Slate Normal school andilc=* ivjitahle rlimatc, and the school and ground* were given [products to the tieal markets,free of debt over to the Mote Tor a[ bnttorfat is not tin,Norroat school. This gift uiu accept-. part of duirying.eil by the legislature in ISM, veal, poultry amiPrince I.. Campbell, *on of Pri.l'.- ey makers, the market* tiring jin-si dependent njmo onr prodinds. dent or the Itrgeon Stale Normal] Qcau and Mohair,food This oflice lie held In,it, lMtn| folk eooBty ri e,]wciailv notedsaddle pony and tide for miles to Harris burg. Colturg. Pleasant Hill, or •utmf other cliniltinl town to prenrh to the jhhijiIi',Prnfes^ur IX T* SLanley l*'tl tha lt;Wio.il .turiiur the* poriotl of 1882 to •
Newspaper Details
Dallas Polk County Observer
Dallas, Oregon, US
Tue, Sep 19, 1916
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Amy L.
USA 16 Oct 2023
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