Edgar A. Long, excerpt from 1916 speech, describing teachers' early sacrifices.
. . .
In 1896 the school owned one building and a half acre of ground: today it owns ten buildings and 185 acres of land. The first equipment of the industrial department was one hoe, two rakes and a half dozen thimbles: today there is a carpenter shop, a blacksmith shop, a printing office, all fairly well equipped: a sewing room[,] a millinery room, a laundry, a domestic science department, and a farm equipped with all modern machinery. There is a dairy herd of 20 odd cows; 8 horses, 20 hogs and a large flock of poultry constitute the other live stock.This has not been accomplished, however, without some sacrifices. I hope it may not be regarded as immodest in me to relate just one or two incidents that will indicate the measure of the sacrifices that were made to bring the school unto its present status. The greatest hardships were experienced in our efforts to establish a boarding department. The first meal consisted of white potatoes and corn bread -- Four teachers and three students sat down to that meal and there was only one fork, the only lady present, [Anna Patterson] (who afterwards became Mrs. Long) was given that one fork. The first furniture was made out of some stage lumber that was found in the cellar.
The farm was worked the first year by one hired man and the teachers, the latter giving their time during the summer months without pay which they did for several years.
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Source: Edgar A. Long, excerpt from typescript speech, "Land for the Hill School Donated by Founder," Long Papers, CIAA Collection.