1890: Indian School Superintendent
Letter to Mary on getting Native students to go to school instead of going hop-picking, Aug 26, 1890
In October 1889, Cyrus took charge as the superintendent of the Warm Springs Indian School. A few months later, his wife Mary fell pregnant for the second time. Probably in order to get better care for the birth, she and their first child moved to Linn County where her parents had granted her 10 acres of land. During their time apart, Cyrus wrote to her every two or three days about the happenings at the Warm Springs Agency. He reported news about the school, new arrivals at the Agency, and regular Agency business.
Thanks to Cyrus' prolific letter-writing, there is a very thorough picture of his life at Warm Springs from August to October of 1890. His letters illustrate topics including:
- Trying to get Native families to send their children to the Warm Springs boarding school, getting the school building ready for students, discipline after the students arrived, and other school news
- Compiling the Warm Springs Agency census and the annual Agency report
- Employee turnover and jockeying for positions at the Agency
- Regular clerk business, such as keeping accounts
- Attempting to preach to the Warm Springs Natives
- Trouble with Native fishing rights at The Dalles
- Plans to attend the North Pacific Industrial Exposition in Portland
- Family news, culminating with the birth of their second child Glenn in late October
Letter to Mary on travel to the Chemawa Indian School, Jul 1890
Letter to Mary about loneliness and news from the Warm Springs school, Aug 9, 1890
Letter to Mary about school and church matters at Warm Springs, Aug 12, 1890
Letter to Mary daily life as a clerk at Warm Springs and news from Prineville, Aug 14, 1890
Letter to Mary on dismissal of the Warm Springs teacher and other Agency business, Aug 15, 1890
Letter to Mary on daily life and the departure of the school teacher, Aug 18, 1890
Letter from the Presbyterian Missionary office about a visit to Warm Springs, Aug 18, 1890
Letter to Mary about house renovations and departure of the Agency doctor, Aug 20, 1890
Letter to Mary about the Indian Census, school employees, and other Agency business, Aug 21, 1890
Letter to Mary on a local birth and problems with the Warms Springs school, Aug 22-23, 1890
Letter to Mary celebrating his 13th year at the Warm Springs Agency, Aug 24, 1890
Poem "To Mary," reflecting on his love for her and how much he misses her, Aug 24, 1890
Letter to Mary on getting Native students to go to school instead of going hop-picking, Aug 26, 1890
Letter to Mary on plans to win a contest as oldest white person born in Oregon at a fair in Portland, Aug 27-28, 1890
Letter to Mary on the harvest and work at the Agency, Aug 29-30, 1890
Letter from Mary about their son Clifford, Aug 31, 1890
Letter to Mary about keeping children in school and the search for an elderly woman at Warm Springs, Sep 1, 1890
Letter to Mary on the successful discovery of a missing elderly woman, Sep 3, 1890
Letter to Mary on Agency and school business, Sep 6, 1890
Letter to Mary on a Sunday School lesson and his cattle, Sep 8-9, 1890
Letter to Mary on school and Agency news, Sep 10, 1890
Letter to Mary on the cleaning, repair, and renovation of the Warm Springs School, Sep 12, 1890
Letter to Mary on news from Warm Springs, including plans to search for The Lost Cabin Mines, Sep 15, 1890
Letter to Mary on travel, drama surrounding the appointment of physician, and new paint for the school, Sep 17, 1890
Letter to Mary on Indian Agency hires, land boundaries, and the school, Sep 19, 1890
Letter to Mary on the school and Native fishing rights on the Columbia, Sep 29, 1890
Letter to Mary on children who were sent to and/or died at Chemawa Indian School, Sep 26, 1890
Letter to Mary on her land and on the school, Sep 24, 1890
Letter to Mary on fishing, the discovery of natural gas, and huckleberries, Sep 22, 1890
Letter to Mary on her pregnancy and Agency news, Oct 1, 1890
Letter to Mary on her father's legal case and on Native fishing rights, Oct 3, 1890
Letter to Mary on arrival of more students, missionary work and whooping cough, Oct 6, 1890
Letter to Mary on school rules, discipline and other Agency business, Oct 8, 1890
Letter to Mary on preparing for an inspection and on Natives disliking him, Oct 10, 1890
Letter from Joseph Walker asking advice on moving to The Dalles, Oct 13, 1890
Letter to Mary on local news and a new ferry, Oct 13, 1890
Letter to Mary on the arrival of inspectors at Warm Springs, Oct 17, 1890
Letter to Mary on not reporting her pregnancy; on a school inspection; and Agency gossip, Oct 20, 1890
Letter to Mary on being criticized for his teaching at the school, Oct 22, 1890
Letter to Mary reflecting on the past year at the Warm Springs School, Oct 24, 1890
Letter to Mary about the birth of their second son and Agency business, Oct 27, 1890