Addie Saxe m. Herman Porter 1907 WA
Replies: 2
Addie Saxe m. Herman Porter 1907 WA
 jbcbbinc
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Posted: 12 Nov 2005 11:55PM GMT |
Classification: Biography
Surnames: Saxe, Porter, Stanffner
The last teacher for #158 was Addie Saxe Porter. She was an older woman with a family. Two of her boys lived with her but they were of high school age. Addie was a lovely lady, loved school, loved the kids. The family lived on the Mashburn place nearly a mile from school. She could live there free of rent. Believe me it was no bargain. They were very poor people and had no transportation so she, like Mrs. Smouse, had to walk every place. She was a proud lady and would rather walk than ask for help. However, if asked she willingly accepted a ride or food.
Addie was born 18 January 1885 in Mukwah, Wisconsin. She graduated from Friendship High School in a town by the sam name also in Wisconsin 13 dJune 1902. She taught two years in a one room country school there before coming west to Lincoln County, Washington state. Since she had relatives in Lincoln County she taught a year near by in Govan in 1905-06. Then to Lakeview 1906-07 wages were $50.00 per month.
Addie married Herman LeRoy Porter in Spokane at the home of her sister, Elva Smith, 1 July 1907. She and Herman had met in Wilbur, Washington. They had four sons Willard James 1908, Vincent Frank 1911, Lewis Bert 1918 and Claire Donald 1921.
From Lincoln County the family moved to Oregon and Addie taught a year and a half in a country school there before they moved to Idaho. She taught at Piolet Rock in Nez Perce County but had to attend summer schoo two sessions at Lewiston Normal School to qualify to teach in Idaho. The family lived on a farm and the little family was doing well until the untimely death of Herman in 1930. Herman was chasing cattle on horseback in the Clearwater River area when his horse reared, hitting him in the face, knocking him unconscious and plunging him in the river. This was at the time when banks were closing due to the depression. You could not beg or borrow money. So along with facing the death of her husband Addie found herself without funds as soon after the accident the bank closed. She lost every penny of savings and she had had time to collect and put in the bank Herman's insurance of which she also lost.
As the brave woman she was, she gathered together her little family, sold all she could of their possessions and moved to Cheney so she could attend the Normal School to get her life certificate. Her oldest boy, now grown, was on his own, Vincent was 19 and working, but Bert was still in school and so was Claire.
Addie was able to get a teaching job at Cherry Springs school near Amber for two years (1932-33 and 1933-34). To make ends meet she had to take in two students for board and room besides her own two younger boys. She walked to school, built her own fires, did janitorial jobs which Bert and Claire could not do, she also cooked hot lunch for the students on the old pot bellied stove. She had been furnished a house to live in a half mile from Cherry Springs school. She received $500.00 a year for her labor.
It was the 1934-35 year she came to Sanders Branch school. Little country districts were rapidly being gobbled up by Cheney. She was truly meant for this assignment. The district was able to provide her with a house but it was nearly a mile away. At Sanders Branch she had but two students, Bob Grogan and Delbert Stevenson. Both in the same grade. Her own two sons were enrolled in Cheney High School. The bus from Cheney ran its route on the Wells road three and half (31/2) miles from where the Porters lived. The boys had to walk. They followed the road toward our farm and my brother John, (Bert and John were in the same grade) and I (Claire was a year behind me) would walk the last mile and a half together. Often the boys would not have warm jackets and somehow my mother would make a jacket to large for my brother (Bert was larger) and would offer it to Addie for Bert. Or a jacket would be to small for my brother and just right to fit Claire. I'm sure Addie knew it was "welfare" but graciously accepted as she was well aware that the boys lacked adequate clothing My mother also talked her sister into parting with clothing she didn't need so Addie could have them. (Mom's sister was well to do and did have lots of clothes.)
Addie was a marvelous teacher. She could take a scrap of wood and come up with something spectacular--probably this came natural as her father was a carpenter. She used manual arts and art to make school more interesting. Addie was able through her own intense interest to present the idea that school was not just "book learnin" chewed up and spit out the same way. Her philosopy was, students need to develop their own ideas. She had faced life the hard way and was so outstanding in making due with what ever she had at hand. She was truly a crafty person with any old scrapes. The two boys in her classroom made marvelous items from old wooden cigar boxes picked up from the pool hall garbage.
There is no way to describe the wonderful programs for all the holidays she and her two students presented. The programs were original and complete with costumes.
By no means were the boys neglecting their school work. They were sixth graders but the next year found them having to go to Cheney Junior High school. But where to put them--the boys were so far advanced over the students in Cheney that finally they were put in the 9th grade and graduated when they were sixteen from high school.
Many tears were shed when District #158 had to say goodbye to their last teacher, Addie Porter. A wonderful teacher and a wonderful neighbor. It also meant the end for the little school as the long arm of Cheney had grabbed it completely.
Addie went on to teach at Tucker Prairie (1935-37). 1937 was the year Bert graduated from Cheney High School. Then Addie went north to Mount Bonaparte near Tonasket in Washington state for 3 years teaching in the country and finally to a town school in Tonasket for five years where she retired. Following retirement she married Chis Stanffner and they moved to the Spokane Valley.
I'm not related to this person. The above was taken from a book that Helen BABB Boots put together about the Sanders Branch School Dist. #158, Spokane County, Washington. There is a copy at the Tilicum Museum in Cheney, WA.
Addie was born 18 January 1885 in Mukwah, Wisconsin. She graduated from Friendship High School in a town by the sam name also in Wisconsin 13 dJune 1902. She taught two years in a one room country school there before coming west to Lincoln County, Washington state. Since she had relatives in Lincoln County she taught a year near by in Govan in 1905-06. Then to Lakeview 1906-07 wages were $50.00 per month.
Addie married Herman LeRoy Porter in Spokane at the home of her sister, Elva Smith, 1 July 1907. She and Herman had met in Wilbur, Washington. They had four sons Willard James 1908, Vincent Frank 1911, Lewis Bert 1918 and Claire Donald 1921.
From Lincoln County the family moved to Oregon and Addie taught a year and a half in a country school there before they moved to Idaho. She taught at Piolet Rock in Nez Perce County but had to attend summer schoo two sessions at Lewiston Normal School to qualify to teach in Idaho. The family lived on a farm and the little family was doing well until the untimely death of Herman in 1930. Herman was chasing cattle on horseback in the Clearwater River area when his horse reared, hitting him in the face, knocking him unconscious and plunging him in the river. This was at the time when banks were closing due to the depression. You could not beg or borrow money. So along with facing the death of her husband Addie found herself without funds as soon after the accident the bank closed. She lost every penny of savings and she had had time to collect and put in the bank Herman's insurance of which she also lost.
As the brave woman she was, she gathered together her little family, sold all she could of their possessions and moved to Cheney so she could attend the Normal School to get her life certificate. Her oldest boy, now grown, was on his own, Vincent was 19 and working, but Bert was still in school and so was Claire.
Addie was able to get a teaching job at Cherry Springs school near Amber for two years (1932-33 and 1933-34). To make ends meet she had to take in two students for board and room besides her own two younger boys. She walked to school, built her own fires, did janitorial jobs which Bert and Claire could not do, she also cooked hot lunch for the students on the old pot bellied stove. She had been furnished a house to live in a half mile from Cherry Springs school. She received $500.00 a year for her labor.
It was the 1934-35 year she came to Sanders Branch school. Little country districts were rapidly being gobbled up by Cheney. She was truly meant for this assignment. The district was able to provide her with a house but it was nearly a mile away. At Sanders Branch she had but two students, Bob Grogan and Delbert Stevenson. Both in the same grade. Her own two sons were enrolled in Cheney High School. The bus from Cheney ran its route on the Wells road three and half (31/2) miles from where the Porters lived. The boys had to walk. They followed the road toward our farm and my brother John, (Bert and John were in the same grade) and I (Claire was a year behind me) would walk the last mile and a half together. Often the boys would not have warm jackets and somehow my mother would make a jacket to large for my brother (Bert was larger) and would offer it to Addie for Bert. Or a jacket would be to small for my brother and just right to fit Claire. I'm sure Addie knew it was "welfare" but graciously accepted as she was well aware that the boys lacked adequate clothing My mother also talked her sister into parting with clothing she didn't need so Addie could have them. (Mom's sister was well to do and did have lots of clothes.)
Addie was a marvelous teacher. She could take a scrap of wood and come up with something spectacular--probably this came natural as her father was a carpenter. She used manual arts and art to make school more interesting. Addie was able through her own intense interest to present the idea that school was not just "book learnin" chewed up and spit out the same way. Her philosopy was, students need to develop their own ideas. She had faced life the hard way and was so outstanding in making due with what ever she had at hand. She was truly a crafty person with any old scrapes. The two boys in her classroom made marvelous items from old wooden cigar boxes picked up from the pool hall garbage.
There is no way to describe the wonderful programs for all the holidays she and her two students presented. The programs were original and complete with costumes.
By no means were the boys neglecting their school work. They were sixth graders but the next year found them having to go to Cheney Junior High school. But where to put them--the boys were so far advanced over the students in Cheney that finally they were put in the 9th grade and graduated when they were sixteen from high school.
Many tears were shed when District #158 had to say goodbye to their last teacher, Addie Porter. A wonderful teacher and a wonderful neighbor. It also meant the end for the little school as the long arm of Cheney had grabbed it completely.
Addie went on to teach at Tucker Prairie (1935-37). 1937 was the year Bert graduated from Cheney High School. Then Addie went north to Mount Bonaparte near Tonasket in Washington state for 3 years teaching in the country and finally to a town school in Tonasket for five years where she retired. Following retirement she married Chis Stanffner and they moved to the Spokane Valley.
I'm not related to this person. The above was taken from a book that Helen BABB Boots put together about the Sanders Branch School Dist. #158, Spokane County, Washington. There is a copy at the Tilicum Museum in Cheney, WA.