ing only "that the first term will continue for eleven weeks—tuition from six dollars to nine dollars, according to the grade of studies pursued." The notice stated further that "the public may be assured that no pains will be spared on the part of the Principal or the Trustees to make this school equal to any in Oregon, and especially deserving of the patronage of parents in this vicinity." The notice was signed by A. Holbrook for the trustees. The minutes of the Methodist conference for 1859, show that Hodgson's salary for the year was eight hundred dollars.
When Hodgson took charge of the seminary[1] boys were admitted for the first time. Under his leadership the school flourished and the gain in enrollment is apparent from the increase in the size of the faculty advertised two years later.[2] "Francis D. Hodgson, A.M., Principal; Miss Mary Hodgson, teacher of instrumental music; Miss Arminta Hunsaker, assistant, English branches." It is further advertised that "the facilities for instruction in this school are superior, and the terms more moderate than any school in the country. ... an experienced music teacher has been engaged. Embroidery and fancy needlework taught gratis."
Nothing is said of tuition rates except that "scholars will be admitted at any time, and charged only for the number of weeks in attendance."
It is safe to assume that when the above advertisement appeared the school had just reached its peak. There are indications in the notice that the free public school was offering strong competition, as is evidenced by the advertising of superior instruction and more moderate terms, including gratis instruction for such subjects for which extra fees were invariably charged by all early private schools. There is no doubt that the public school of that time could not boast of as large and accomplished a faculty as advertised for the seminary. However, the conservative public school was growing slowly while the dominant private schools were beginning to decline.
The end for the Oregon City Seminary was near, for in 1862,
- ↑ Douthit, Souvenir of Western Women, 55.
- ↑ Oregon Argus, April 21, 1860.
