Tragedy Occurred In Heating Plant Of Hamilton School ~~~ March 24, 1922

 

HAMILTON SCHOOL DAYS WITH PAULINE

HAMILTON SCHOOL DAYS WITH PAULINE Pauline M. Rasmussen Mt. Pleasant, The 8 o’clock school bell rings loud and clear with precious memories as I recall my many years at Hamilton School in Mt. Pleasant, Utah.

Let me tell you a story about it while there is still time. The school should have rightly been given the name of “Hambleton” because the first settlement in Mt. Pleasant in 1852 was given this name in honor of Madison D. Hambleton, leader of the company, but through some misunderstanding in the spelling it was named Hamilton. 

This beautiful three story red brick building was completed in 1896, just in time for me to be enrolled in the beginner’s grade when I was 6 years of age. Our first principal, D.C. Nelson, was an exceptionally fine man. My first teacher was Mary Johansen, a young single girl with unusual ability. We used a slate with a slate pencil for writing and each one of us had our own private little desk with a shelf underneath the top for our reading books and other school supplies. I remember the beautiful stories of the golden rod, and asters in our first primer. Our teacher brought the world of nature right into our classroom with her stories of the clouds and interesting projects. 

I will never forget the squirrels in their metal wheel turning around like a Ferris wheel. Reading, writing, arithmetic, spelling and penmanship were everyday routine. The girls dressed pretty much the same in our calico dresses and the boys wore blue denim bib overalls. In the winter we wore heavy clothing because we had to walk to school or ride in a wagon. I wore leggings that buttoned around my legs with overshoes buckled over them. After a long walk to school in the snow they would be so wet I would take them off and dry them off on the radiators. In the spring when the snow melted we wore rubbers to keep the sticky mud off our shoes and often times the mud would be so deep it would pull them off. 

At recess we had a lot of fun playing games. One of our favorite ball games was “Rounders”, similar to our softball today. The girls usually played together under the sup0ervision of a teacher, but if we were left alone the boys would grab our ball and run. Of course the boys played ball, too, but one of their favorite sports was the “The Giant Stride”. A dozen chains with handles on hung from a large metal pole and they would grab one and run until they could swing way out in the air. It took skill, strength and courage so we girls enjoyed the regular swings better. 

One of our very choice pastimes was to “Jump the ditch”. There was a big ditch across the road from the school grounds and in the spring we liked to challenge our friends to see who could jump the widest parts. It took some practice and a little growing up before we could do it without falling in. Nip Cat was another challenging game that everyone liked to try their skill at. We used a piece of wood sharpened on both ends and a stick to hit it with. A circle in the dirt was our target and we got so many points for getting close to the goal. Hopscotch and marbles were always very popular for boys and girls. 

We had excellent teachers because they like to teach and wanted us to succeed. If a teacher could not control the class he didn’t last long. Our parents always took the part of the teacher in those days so we didn’t want to tell our parents if we had to be corrected in school for fear of further punishment from them. A few teachers manhandled the boys if they needed it, but we all had a great respect for our teachers. 

I graduated from the 8th grade at the age of 14 with a special promotion and then attended the Normal School at Snow Academy in Ephraim for 4 years. North Sanpete High School was started in 1908 on the 3rd floor of the Hamilton School.

My first year of teaching was at Redmond, Utah, but the following year I stayed at home to be of help to my parents and was a substitute teacher at Hamilton. 

On 22 March, 1911, I was married to Royal Victor (Dick) Peterson and we lived on a farm at Shumway Springs, southwest of Ephraim. We had 4 children; Eugene, Ray, Ila, and Audrey. We moved to Ephraim when our first child was old enough to start school. 

My husband was struck by lightning 17 June, 1918, so after a year and a half I went back to teaching to make a living for my children. I replaced a teacher in Indianola that first year, teaching from January to May in 1920. The following year I started teaching full time again at my dear Hamilton School. 

School was about the same then as when I attended except they had added music and art with special teachers for these subjects. We had many operettas and even and elementary school band. Each grade had their own room and teacher unless it was so large it had to be split. 

When the school was first built there was an entrance for boys on one side and girls on the other, but later we marched in by grades from both east and west. I was one of the teachers who played the piano (on the second floor) for them as they marched in just like soldiers, never missing a beat or they may get jerked out of line. When John Mower became principal he did away with the marching. 

The school bell always rang at 8 a.m. and again at 8:45. A little gong was sounded at 8:55 and if we were not in our seats we were counted tardy. Elmer Johansen was our principal when I started teaching and he was an excellent teacher as well. On March 24, 1922, I woke up to a beautiful morning and was just a little later getting to school than usual because I had been admiring the early signs of spring. As I was coming up the walk by the Library I met Vern Winters and she said, “Oh, our principal and janitor have just been killed by electricity.” The shock of such a tragedy was a terrible blow to the school and whole community. The night before there had been a terrific wind storm and it had knocked a great big limb down over the electric wires that led into the furnace room. The furnace had been moved into the basement of the boys and girls rest rooms because it would get so hot it “scorched” the floors in the school building. This little red brick house was about one fourth block south of the school. A large underground pipe carried the hot water from the boiler to the radiators in each class room. This fateful morning our janitor, Kanute Terkelsen, opened the door at the head of the stairway leading down into the basement and as he turned on the light switch he fell dead and rolled to the bottom of the stairs. Elmer Johansen came to school and found there was no heat so he went to check the furnace and saw Mr. Terkelsen laying on the floor. He immediately ran for Dr. Olaf Sundwall who lived just a block north of the school and he slipped on his robe and ran back to the scene with Elmer. They both reached the light switch, but Elmer knowing where it was, touched it first and fell dead, so Dr. Sundwall knew immediately they had both been electrocuted. Mr. Terkelsen was taken home and they put Mr. Johansen on the couch in the faculty room until his family could be notified. The children gathered around like flies to see what was going on, and Supt. J.W. Anderson told them what had happened and that they were all excused to go home and stay until after the joint funeral. Marjorie Pratt who was the music teacher was the principal for the rest of the year and also took Elmer Johansen’s classes.

  The restrooms were later moved to the 2nd floor of the school and a nice kitchen was installed in the little red brick house where nutritious lunches were prepared for the children. ; our first school lunch was a bowl of soup prepared in a room on the 3rd floor by Sadie Allred and Esther Lindberg for one penny a bowl. 

Fire drills were held frequently and the building was evacuated in 2-3 minutes. A gong with a metal chain running from the first to the third floor served as a signal. Five gongs in rapid succession meant “FIRE” and everyone knew exactly what to do. The grades on the ground floor marched out with precision and the children on the second and third floors slid down the spiral metal fire escape as fast as they could fly and a teacher was near to assist them if needed. 

Mordsen Allred started a band in our school that really made a hit in our community and elsewhere. They were in demand for all celebrations in our county and participated in the 24th of July parade in Salt Lake each year. They looked very colorful in their white pants, blue capes and hats lined with gold. 

Max Blain did much to lay a foundation in art for our students in his kind gentle way. Since most of my life was centered around Hamilton School. I cannot help but have many fond memories of students, faculty and incidents. They are all choice experiences of the good things in life and if there were any bad, I have forgotten them. 

There were little accidents like the day my son Eugene had a sharpened stick run through his lip when they were playing gladiators at recess. I was reminded of a time I picked up one of my students and kissed her, the observer thinking it impossible for a teacher to love a student that much. 

One day I asked my students to write a little story about what they were going to do during their summer vacation. One sweet little girl said,”I want to play school all summer. I have a black board but I don’t have any chalk. I wonder what I will do.” I smiled to myself and saw to it that she got her chalk. 

Some of my wonderful teachers were: Mary Johansen, Lydia Hasler, Margaret Reynolds, Fannie Candland, Jennie Jorgensen, Ada Nelson, P.C. Peterson, Daniel Rasmussen, Annie D. Stevens, John O. Lovegren and Joseph Hughes. 

Others who were teaching there during these years were: Andre L. Larsen, Voila Whitaker, Ida Larsen, Ida Merz, Sena R. Madsen, Tressa Larsen, Andrea Johansen, Mina Hasler, Addie Anderson, Florence Monsen, Elma Noland, Olaf Anderson, Caroline Lovegren, R. W. Livingston, Alberta Larsen, D.C. Jensen, C.J. Jensen, and P.M. Nielson. Those who were there when I was teaching were: Elmer Johansen, Anders Nelson, John F. Mower, Mable Rasmussen, Ervin Bohne, Vern S. Winters, Tillie Borg, Merrill Sandberg, Helen Larsen, Merlin Christensen, Christie Clark, Ethel Lund, Fawn Madsen, Louise Frandsen, Josephine Peterson, Pearl Jorgensen, Louella Jorgensen, Fontella Langlois, Emeline Kindred, Mildred Knudsen, Deon Allred, Bernice Madsen, Max Blain, O’Leah Wall, Alta Jensen, Loa Allred, Gwen Allred, Betty Wall, Ethel Rasmussen, Edna Jensen, Marie Jensen, Ruby Sorensen, Ellen Carter, Flossie Staker, Lizetta Seely, Very Millet, Loa Bangerter, Beth Larsen, Catherine Fowles, Beth Ericksen, Grace Simpson, Ruth Reynolds, Mae Clemenson, Edith Aldrich, Verl E. Johansen, Helen Bohne, Delma Jorgensen, Claris Stevens, Beth Brinton, Abe Little, Florence Little, Howard Kay Lay, Mardsen Allred, and Fern Jacobs. If any were not mentioned it was not intentional.

 I retired in 1956 at the age of 65 after 34 years of teaching. My two lovely daughters died in the prime of their lives, but my sons carried on the Peterson name proudly. I was married to Arthur Rasmussen later in my life so I was called Miss Monsen, Mrs. Peterson, and Mrs. Rasmussen by my many students, but to all those who knew me best I was just Pauline.

 Time marches on and a new generation has taken over a new building which was completed in 1962. Hamilton School was truly a landmark of Pioneer industry and a monument of their integrity. The bell was placed in a Monument by the D.U.P. on the lawn of the Pioneer Museum and it still rings loud and clear for special occasions.

Home of Ebbe Jessen and his wife Dorthe Pedersen ~~~ Researched and Compiled by Tudy Barentsen Standlee

Home of William Lake and wife Ellen Grames ~~~ Researched and Compiled by Tudy Barentsen Standlee

ANDREW MADSEN'S JOURNAL PART III

The following is an account written by Andrew Madsen concerning  Chief Justice of Utah, Judge W.W. Drummond's resignation and his allegations to Washington of Governor Brigham Young and the Mormons destroying the records of the Supreme Court, Legislative Records, etc.  Also accusing the Mormons of detaining people from leaving the valley.   Drummond asked for the United States troops to be sent to Utah. Andrew records the events that brought about the (Big Move), when many saints were urged to move south before the U.S. Army invaded the area.

Andrew Madsen Sr.

David R. Gunderson  reproduced the original journal printed for private distribution several years ago and is currently working on a new edition to be published sometime in the future.

March, 1857, my brother Mads, the only one of the family who remained in Denmark completing some work and collecting the last payment due on the sale of our farm, started to emigrate to Utah in company with many others and landed here early in the fall.  His journey was not such as that of my father and mother as he came through during the summer months suffering no cold.  He was in company with Capt. Cowley.  He arrived at Philadelphia May 1st, 1857 and traveled by rail to Iowa City, arriving there June 9th, where they were fitted out with ox teams, arriving in Salt Lake City, Sept. 13th, 1857, with a wagon and yoke of oxen, bringing with him Owen Lillingquist and family.

In the spring of 1857, I, in company with Mr. Swensen assisted him in taking a load of flour to Green River with my oxen.  Arriving there I hitched to my father's wagon which had been left there the previous winter by my mother and brother.  I also brought with me some of my mother's clothing which she had left.  The trip was not the most pleasant one, but by so doing I came in possession of the wagon.

I returned to Brigham City and became the owner of a lot and after my brother Mads arrived, we worked together and in the Fall he married Miss Ellen Hansen, who had crossed the Pains with the same company.  We built a dug out which we lived in during the winter.

That winter Lorenzo Snow made arrangements to build himself a home and we presented him with a keg of nails which had been hauled by us from St. Louis, Monday March 30th.  Judge W.W. Drummond tendered his resignation as Chief Justice of Utah and in framing said resignation to be sent to the Executive at Washington, D.C., he included and wrote some of the most abominable falsehoods against the Governor, Brigham Young, and the Mormons, charging them with destroying the records of the Supreme Court, the Legislative Records, etc.  and detaining people from leaving the valley and many other falsehoods to send troops to Utah.

On July 24th, while the Saints were celebrating the 10th anniversary of the arrival of the Pioneers to Utah at Big Cottonwood Canyon, Abraham O. Smoot and Judson Stoddard arrived from Independence, Mo. without the mail, the postmaster there having refused to forward the same.  They reported that General Harney with two thousand infantry and a proportionate number of artillery and cavalry were ordered to Utah.  After receiving this information, the Utah Militia was ordered to be kept in readiness for an expedition to the mountains to prevent the approaching army, if necessary, until some agreements and understandings as to conditions had been affected.  This was in compliance with the request of Governor B. Young.

Tuesday, September 15th, Governor Brigham Young declared the territory of Utah under Martial Law and forbade the troops to enter Salt Lake Valley.  Large numbers of armed militia were ordered to Echo Canyon and other points to intercept the soldiers and prevent access to the valley.

Tuesday, September 29th, General Daniel H. Wells, left Great Salt Lake City for Echo Canyon, where he established headquarters.  About 1250 men from several military districts were ordered to Echo Canyon, where they engaged in digging trenches across the canyon, throwing up breastwork, loosening rocks on the heights, etc., preparing to resist the progress of the army.  About the same time, myself and about one hundred militia men under the command of Captain James Bywater marched to Soda Springs  and we pitched camp near Fort Hall.  Remaining there a short time, we returned to Brigham City and on October 10th, the officers of the Utah Expedition held a council of war at Hame Fork and decided that the army should march to Great Salty Lake Valley by way of Soda Springs.  The following day the march was commenced, but after several days of slow and exhaustive travelling, the expedition was forced to return.  October 12th, the militia was called out from Ogden and northern settlements and myself and about five hundred responded.  We went under command of Colonel West towards Soda Springs.  The object was to meet the Utah Army, but we were called back by an express sent by them.

About the first of November we were called out again under the command of Captain Bywater's Company to Echo Canyon, and at this time the United States Soldiers were cammped at Hame Fork and Black Fork, two miles from Fort Bridger and 115 miles from Salt Lake City.  During the first part of December, when deep snow fell, we were released and went home for the winter.

On Monday, December 21st, 1857, the Utah Legislature unanimously concurred in the message, policy and actions of Governor Brigham Young in stopping the Army.

On Monday, April 5th, 1858, Governor Alfred Cummings and Colonel Thos. L. Kane, with a servant left the Army at Fort Scott for Salt Lake City, arriving there on the 12th.  The new Governor was kindly received by President Brigham Young and other leading citizens and treated everywhere with respectful attention.

On Monday, April 19th, Governor Cummings and Colonel Kane examined the Utah Library where James W. Cummings showed them the Records and Seals of the United District Court, alleged to have been destroyed by the Mormons and many other investigations were made.  This accusation was one of the reasons why the Army was ordered to Utah.  A few days later the Governor sent a truthful report to the Government at Washington in relation to the affairs and denouncing the statements made by Judge Drummond.

Sunday, March 21st, 1858 the citizens of Salt Lake City and the settlements north of it, agreed to abandon their homes and go south.  All the information derived from eastern papers being to the effect that the approaching Army was sent to destroy them.  I, at that time, was living at Brigham City and myself, brothers and sisters, together with a great many others or practically all, began making preparations to move south as soon as Spring opened up and the weather would permit.  (This is known in Utah History as the "Big Move")
I was detailed to make boxes for flour, others to repair wagons and various other things in way of preparation.  Provisions were secured giving all of us a year's supply, which was furnished gratis.  About the middle of April many began to move south and my brother, Neils drove my team, accompanying my other brothers, mother and sisters, while I remained as a guard, being Capt. of ten, to see that our homes and property was burned and destroyed should they be disturbed by the soldiers.

We remained there for some time and during this time a band of husky Indians, about two hundred in all, came and camped upon the creek with us.  They were friendly and apparently sympathized with the people and it appeared that they had been out with the soldiers and understood there was trouble.  Many of them were clad with soldier blankets and flannel shirts.  I traded with a squaw some wheat I had scraped up from the mill for a buckskin and new red flannel shirt.  There was a tailor among us and he made the buckskin I had into a pair of trousers and this, with the red flannel shirt I had, was the first suit I ever obtained in Utah.

Thursday, May 13th, Governor Cummings left Salt Lake City for Camp Scott for the purpose of removing his wife to the City.  When he returned June 8th he found the city almost deserted by its inhabitants.

Friday, June 11th, the Peace Commission met with President Brigham Young and others in the Council House at Salt Lake City and the difficulties between the United States and Utah were peaceably adjusted, after which we were released, those having homes, principally returning to Salt Lake City.l  I took my gun and blanket and walked from Brigham City to Fort Ephraim, a distance of about two hundred miles, where I found our family.

Just a few days before I passed up Salt Creek Canyon on my way, Jens Jorgensen and wife, Jens Terkelsen and Christian and Kjerulf were murdered by Indians, while they were traveling through unarmed on their way to Sanpete Valley.

A few weeks after arriving at Ephraim, a Company of about ten went into the canyons for timber.  While we were getting out timber, a shot was fired and we all started for our wagons and one of our party came down the hill, having received a wound from the shot, which was fired by an Indian in ambush the underbrush being so dense we decided to retreat to the Fort.  However, the wounded man recovered.  That Fall we went to work supplying ourselves with hay, building houses and preparing for the winter; and on December 26th, 1858 I was married to Miss Johanna E. Wedergreen Anderson.

To us were born the following children:   (copied from Neils Madsen book)

Hannah L.             (died when 10 months old)
Louisa B.              (died  at 25 years old)
Andreas                (died at 15 days old)
Annie                    (died at 43 years old)
Emma                  (died after a few hours)
Andrew C.            (died at 67 years old)
Lauritz L.              (died at 2 years old)
Anthon W.            (died at 52 years old)
Neil M.                 (died at 54 years old)
Hilda E.                (died at 69 ?)

To be continued.........

Scandinavian Conference 2nd Reunion - Diamond Jubilee

The banner says: Scandinavian Conference and Reunion - Diamond Jubilee 1850 - 1925 ------Mt. Pleasant, Utah - August 15 -16, 1925

On the back of the photo is a couple of notations:

C. W. Sorensen, Mt. Pleasant 1949

(lady in black in center - front row is Mrs. Terklesen -

the 5th person to her right is Charles Averett)