EDWIN RUTHVEN SHAPARD (Chapter 9) 1876-1877, New Hope

CHAPTER 9

NEW HOPE: 1876-1877

           

     In the summer of 1876, Rev. Shapard placed a notice in the Nashville Christian Advocate newspaper calling for a teacher at New Hope Seminary, which read; “A Teacher Wanted; A teacher – a single lady – with a missionary spirit, who is willing to teach among the Indians. Home in the boarding school with a pleasant Christian family. Address Missionary Secretaries, Nashville, Tennessee, or the Rev. E.R. Shapard, Oak Lodge, C.N. Indian Territory.”  Twenty-five submissions arrived to the Editor of the Nashville Christian Advocate, Rev. Dr. David C. Kelley, who forwarded them to Rev. Shapard. Among the number forwarded, Dr. Kelley wrote on the back of one; “This is the teacher whom you want.” Before Rev. Shapard saw the note, he was already impressed with the spirit of the letter written by Miss Lochie Rankin. Rev. Shapard wrote to her references, and to her, and employed her to fill the teaching position at New Hope. Lochie was born in Milan, Tennessee, in 1851, and was the daughter of a Methodist minister. She was well educated and experienced in the languages of English, Latin, Greek and German. As a single woman in 1876, she bravely volunteered to leave the comforts of the States and teach at the missionary school within the Choctaw Nation. The following school year, in September of 1877, she convinced her sister, Dora (1860-1886), to join her as a teacher at New Hope.

Over the following years, Lochie and Dora would develop a very close relationship to the Shapard family, especially the Shapard children; Lizzie and Sumner. Rev. Shapard remarked that he thought of the Rankin girls as family. In 1878, Dr. Kelley wrote to Rev. Shapard to inform Lochie that the church was in need of a missionary to aid Mrs. Mary Lambuth, who was a missionary in China. Rev. Shapard, informed Lochie of the opportunity and provided her with a glowing recommendation to the Missionary Board. On July 1, 1878, she left New Hope and traveled to China, becoming the first unmarried woman sent abroad as a missionary by the Methodist Episcopal Church South through the newly organized Woman’s Foreign Mission Society. She would eventually be in charge of Pleasant College and the Anglo-Chinese school for girls in Nanziang, China. Her sister, Dora, would leave New Hope and follow her to China in 1879, becoming the second unmarried female missionary sent abroad by the church. Lochie and Dora worked together for six years until Dora’s untimely death in 1886. Lochie remained in China and continued on with her missionary work until her retirement in 1926. She returned to the States, residing at Scarritt College in Nashville, Tennessee, until her death in 1929. She was widely known and regarded as a hero to the women of her era, respected and admired by all that knew of her accolades and viewed as an icon within the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. Her name was also revered by the Choctaw people, especially her former pupils from New Hope, and many Choctaw children of that era were named “Lochie” or “Dora”. 
                 When New Hope resumed classes in September of 1876, there were 48 regular scholars who lived at the school and ten day-scholars who were local children that attended classes then returned to their homes in Skullyville each night. Four of the day-scholars were non-Choctaw English children. One of these children was Ida Fannin, daughter of Dr. Fannin. Edwin viewed the presence of these children as profitable for helping the Choctaw-speaking children more easily learn the English language. There was some debate among the Choctaws as to whether it was appropriate for these white children to be educated in a school established and funded for Choctaw girls.
        The teachers this year were Miss Lochie Rankin, principal of teachers and Miss Serena Folsom, assistant. Miss Folsom was a recent graduate of New Hope Seminary and the daughter of Rev. Willis F. Folsom. Mrs. S.E. Nickell was the school matron as well as being in charge of the sewing department. Mrs. E.R. Shapard was in charge of the culinary department, and Dr. H.W. Fannin remained as the physician in attendance. By this time Dr. Fannin has been the attending physician at New Hope for over seven years.  All sick students were attended to by Dr. Fannin, a least once a day.  During this school year, between October 21 and December 29, 1876, one of the students died. Although this was the second death of a student since the school resumed operations six years ago, the healthcare at school was still deemed as very good in comparison to the higher mortality rate of the surrounding community.
                 Rev. Shapard wrote about the events surrounding the funeral of this Choctaw girl, which may collaborate a legend told around the Skullyville area; whereby, a student from New Hope Seminary was buried in the school’s cemetery and shortly thereafter the weather became cold. Her family waited until warmer weather to exhume her body and reinter her remains in their family’s cemetery. This legend may be linked to the events that took place in July of 1877, as retold by Rev. E.R. Shapard;
               “A few years ago, a distressed father and brother reached New Hope school a few hours after we had consigned his loved daughter to the grave. He desired brother Folsom and me to attend the funeral exercises at some future time. We had been with her during her sickness and had buried her near the place where her schoolmates could scatter the flowers over the grave. The time and place were fixed upon near her father’s home, among her own people, at a time when her schoolmates would be home enjoying the summer vacation. [The location was the Choctaw Academy. Willis Folsom dates this trip on July 28 – August 5, 1877. The Choctaw Academy was a school which opened in 1849, and was located in McCurtain County near the present day town of Rufe, Oklahoma.]
          In a few weeks Brother Walker, the Presiding Elder, notified me that he would hold his Quarterly Meeting at the same time and place. [This may have been J.H. Walker who was the Presiding Elder of the Chickasaw District from 1875-1880]. Thus it was to be a camp meeting and a funeral sermon. The novelty of the trip was the attraction to me and also drew a neighbor young man, John, to go with us.
                 Three Indian ponies and riders, saddle-bags, coffee-pot, drinking cups, blankets, etc., we were ready and we plunged into the hills with one hundred and twenty-five miles before us. The Eastern men would have laughed at our outfit, but we had learned that buggies, large horses and such things were out of place in this country.
                 The first day was without incident only the rough rocks, narrow, lonesome deserted roads; we had often traveled these in attending appointments from home. At night we rest with a friend who had gathered around a country store some of the comforts of life, which he would always cheerfully divide with itinerant preachers. From his house store we wind up a circuitous ravine, which rushes down for 16 miles between two mountains. No human being, or human habitation do we see; in fact, there was no room for a farm to make a living upon, and a house would be placed upon stilts to make the floor level.
                  Suddenly facing a mountain side, we looked up and see zig-zag steps up the hill above us. “This,” says Brother Folsom, “is the noted ‘Winding Stair,’ the crossing place of the old military roads.” Years ago many of Uncle Sam’s driver’s, raved at their mules urging them up this flight of steps; but their voices are hushed and the sight of a man would have made us start with surprise. Just as we are about to reach the top, right by our side, rushes out a beautiful spring, which no doubt, had slaked the thirst of almost every weary pilgrim who had wandered over the mountains, whether for fight, plunder or preaching, he had traveled. Of course we stop and turn our ponies loose upon the grass at the top of the ascent. John makes a fire, brother Folsom prepares the coffee (he excels at this) while I spread the blankets to rest for an hour or two.
             

     
         Raising my eyes, conscious that from my feet the waters wound in two directions, one way to the Arkansas, the other to Red River – what a view! 60 miles away are the valleys around Fort Smith and Van Buren, while beyond rise the Boston Mountains, which gives the hardness to the association of northwest Arkansas. To the right of this vision I see the familiar Sugar Loaf 30 miles away from me. At this moment my own family may be looking upon the same place from the porch in front of their door. The scenery there is familiar, for hardly a day, for years, have passed but that I have viewed that peak. Turning around another site is before me, a stream, in wild lonesome, winds its way at the base of mountains on its southern side, while a broad prairie is north, and between me and the stream. Kiametia river seems to climb until it is lost from view, hunting a passageway between two peaks, 25 miles away. Nature’s grand display is here, and no uncouth hand of man has marred the scene…
               Down the mountain we move, the road being almost deserted. Ten miles we go, following, as we thought, the road, our direction has changed; somehow and somewhere we took the wrong road. Turning at a right angle we strike for the road which we left, finding it after several miles travel. Night overtakes us several miles away from our intended resting place, Brother Bryant’s.
       John and I, having to succumb to tired nature, dismounted. We tied our horses, spread our blankets upon the ground, and tried to sleep. The trip has lost its beauty to our young friend. No doubt he wishes that he was back by his mother’s side, or reclining upon a pleasant bed dreaming of the things he was then realizing. I was up and down, thinking of wolves, bears, rattlesnakes, tyrantulas, centipedes, etc., in all of which this country abounded. Brother Folsom slept and snored, and I envied him, his unconsciousness of the surroundings.  The night wore away, and as the light drove the darkness, we were upon our ponies passing on. We reached the governor’s at about eight o’clock. Breakfast was prepared, our ponies were fed, and after a pleasant chat with the family we start again.
      “How far to Spencer Academy?” “Forty-five miles across the roughest road in this Nation.” An abandoned road, no wagon has passed it in years. We stick to the road, though the horsemen have found a nearer way. We were not posted. We cross the ‘seven devils.’ The wildest description would be tame when compared to the reality of the surroundings. Up and down one mountain after another, we have lost count and know not whether we are on the sixth or seventh ‘devils back.’ Forty miles are passed without the sight of human habitation, unless it be once we saw around the break of a ridge, a lonely hut, that rejoiced in its own seclusion.
        Night comes again, dinnerless and supperless we spread our blankets waiting for the moon to rise. Up it comes, we move forward and bewildered, we can hardly tell whether we go north or south. We know that we are in the neighborhood of Spencer’s Academy. Weariness has robbed us of mind and judgment. Brother Folsom was our pilot. A bold stream passes under our feet. Brother Folsom asserts that, “this is a ‘new creek’ for it was not here the last time I passed here.” We are often amused in the most serious times, so I had to laugh outright at the way our brother had gotten mixed. We stopped and slept upon the ground. I do not know if there were any varmints or reptiles about or not. I did not care much, for sleep had asserted its authority.
        Seven o’clock a.m. found us talking to a kind lady who pitied us in our weariness and hunger, gave us immediately, bread and meat, a fore-taste of breakfast which would not be for an hour or so. We were at Spencer’s Academy. I will never forget Brother Reed [Reid], for he took us in, fed us, and gave to us beds upon which to rest until we should be forced to go further. I had read the rough travels of the itinerant Methodist preachers of other days, wondered if this was anything like their trips. There is an attractiveness about such that robs it of its gloom. In this country our preachers are used to such. I only give this that those who rest in reclining chairs and study their sermons to suit the people of the cast, may know how we sometimes may even hunt up the scattered ones to minister to them. Incidents, tame to us our west, are full of spirit to those in older fields. I hope that this may prove such to you…
             

          We felt at home with our good Presbyterian Brother at Spencer’s Academy, we and our ponies rested on Friday. Truly it was a rest of body and mind. We communed together on religious things. Attachments were formed which have not been severed, although some of us have not met each other since that day.
               On Saturday morning we settled our ponies. Brother Reed, Folsom and John and I started to Choctaw Academy, the place where the meeting was to be. Half a day’s travel brought us to the place. What a union was here. Two Presbyterian preachers, 4 or 5 Methodist itinerants and a multitude of local preachers. Here were 7 or 8 of my pupils - several who had formally been my pupils - 500 to 600 people gathered from 40 miles around. We submitted ourselves into the hands of the Presiding Elder and he used us too. Brother Folsom and Reed and I had to do all the preaching. Brother Turnbull interpreted and others did the interpreting for Brother Reed and myself, while Brother Folsom had the full swing in his native tongue. It is useless for me to say to those who have attended meeting in Indian country, that all was quietness. No people in the world are better listeners than the Choctaws. We had plenty to eat for all, while everyone, except the preachers, looked after his own sleeping. It was a happy meeting; the spirit of Christ abounded, sometimes to overflowing. Song after song in native tongue rose in praise of God.
      I do not love to preach funeral sermons, but in this one I was not embarrassed by the subject, and had full scope for a thorough discussion. Brethren, I have forgotten many places but this place and the incidents are ever fresh in my mind.
             On Monday we all broke up and scattered to our different fields. Brothers Folsom, John and I took a round about way to get home. Tuesday we were with a pilot who knew the country. He did not confine himself to the roads, but went the direct way - across hills and valleys and streams. Tuesday night is fresh in my mind; stopping about 4 o’clock, we talked and read until night. I was very inquisitive. Brother Folsom got tired of interpreting for me – even told me that I ought not ask so many questions. I was at his mercy, for I could not talk to anyone except John, unless Brother Folsom would help me. I was too hot to sleep in the house; we spread our blankets upon the porch, our saddle bags for pillows. Let me describe it. We were right down where the three mountain ridges come to points at Little River. Across the river is a range of mountains. We were late in the morning to see the sun, while it hid itself soon in the evening.  Well, we three and six dogs slept upon the porch together. Twenty feet from us was a huge bear, a pet of the family - in his pen. The dogs started in their madness, after the wolves, such barking and howling - right in my head I had never heard before and never want to hear again. The night, too, wore away and we started in the morning.
                Our pilot was to pilot us to the election grounds across the mountain. We reached the place. I was hungry; dinner was over. I never relished the scraps so much before but ate, with relish, the fragments left from the luxurious dinner which the people had eaten. We also had enough to fill our saddlebags. That evening we crossed the dividing ridge and stopped at the first stream of water. John reports that a few yards back he had seen a huge rattlesnake cross the road. This made me nervous for a while. The wolves were howling a short distance from us - these things did not bother my sleep - the trip had acclimated me, and I had no occasion to envy Brother Folsom in his unconsciousness, for I was as much so as he was. 
               Eating the next morning, traveling a few miles down that narrow way between the mountains, we bid John goodbye. He had had enough of the novelty of the trip, and we told him to let our people know that we were well and would reach home as soon as we had attended another camp–meeting. Brother Folsom and I spend the next three days at preaching to the people and returning home. We have often talked to each other of the trip to Choctaw Academy…” 
             

          The 31st Annual Indian Mission Conference was held at the Public Academy of Vinita, in the Cherokee Nation, October 26-29, 1876. Rev. E.R. Shapard was in attendance and elected Conference Recording Secretary.  During the Conference, a special committee consisting of E.R. Shapard, James Bryce and Young Ewing honored the life’s work of Rev. John Harrell. This tribute would hold great significance as Rev. Harrell would die later that year, on December 8, 1876, at 71 years of age. At the end of Conference, Rev. Shapard was again appointed as Presiding Elder of the Choctaw District and as Superintendent of New Hope Seminary. 
                Rev. Shapard reported that, during the month of November in 1876, the weather was unusually cold in the Choctaw Nation. He preached several times in the open air when the thermometer stood at only 23 degrees. Although the Choctaws built houses, they were too small to shelter a congregation, thus forcing them to hold the services outside. 
        In the spring of 1877, a series of photographs were taken of the faculty, students and grounds at New Hope Seminary. In July of 1877, Edwin’s father-in-law, Samuel Sumner Hall, was sent a photograph of the schoolhouse and grounds of the Seminary which he proudly displayed in the parlor of his home at the ‘Neely Farm’ in Madison, Davidson County, Tennessee.

                The Annual Examination of New Hope Female Seminary took place on June 20, 1877. The exercises were held in a beautiful grove near the school, and were opened with prayer by Rev. J.Y. Bryce, after the pupils sang several songs. An address of welcome was then read by Miss Serena Folsom. Examinations were held in Arithmetic, Algebra, Geography, and other studies which were conducted by Miss Lochie Rankin, who gave evidence of their knowledge of the subjects handled. Many pupils were called upon to demonstrate problems on the blackboard, and by their ready answers and correct work, they proved that their studies had not been neglected. 
         About 12 o’clock an announcement was made to the people present, which numbered 300, that dinner awaited them. They moved to the large dining hall and found ample preparations had been made for all. At 2 o’clock, all returned to the grove where the examination of pupils resumed. After a short time, it began to rain. The audience and scholars sought shelter at the school building. Prizes were then awarded to best students; a bible, an album work-box, a framed wreath and a hymn and tune book.
          After the distribution of prizes, addresses were made in the Choctaw language by Edmund McCurtain, Green McCurtain and C. Nelson. Remarks in English were made by Rev. E.R. Shapard and Smedley Forrest, Esq. The following visitors were observed in the audience; Mr. and Mrs. B.Gannaway, Mr. and Mrs. F. Parke, Col. H.A. Rogers of Ft. Smith, Edmund McCurtain, Judge James Thompson, Green McCurtain, Senator Jacob Jackson, Rev. J.Y. Bryce, C. Nelson, Dr. and Mrs. H.W. Fannin, ex-Chiefs Olasechubbe and Nana-mantubbee.