Correspondence (incoming): begging letters, P - Q

For The Word and The Way.

THE HIDDEN HAND.

BY MRS. BELLE F. PAULSON, COUNCIL BLUFFS, IA.

I cast my thoughts o'er vanished years, Replete with doubts and dim with tears, And thro' it all I plainly see A hidden hand was leading me.

Its secret but magnetic power Sustained and soothed thro' darkest hour. And tho' the way I could not see, I felt a hand was leading me.

As on thro' strife I win my way, Athwart my path there gleams a ray, And glimpse of hidden hand I see, Safely and surely leading me.

Tho' earthly path grow dark as night, And blackest clouds obscure the light, I'll seek to trust, then, more and more That hand to lead me as before.

When storms arise, and doubts assail, When friends are few and foes prevail, Then may I through the tempest see The kindly hand that leadeth me.

IN MEMORIAM.

may enter and grasp to themselves all knowledge necessary to fit themselves for victorious battle when they must enter the business world.

In 1884, my husband, Prof. W. S. Paulson opened a normal school and business college at Council Bluffs. He had no capital, so to speak, having spent what he had accumulated by Teaching in Travelling with a consumptive wife in search of health. He had returned from the Pacific Coast where he taught three years in (I believe) the Oakland schools and he buried his wife in Omaha.

His college prospered for several years and he and I (I taught with him) were the means of aiding many young men and girls to fit themselves for useful careers in the school room, or in business life. When the depressing period of Cleveland's second term came, money being scarce our school became less prosperous. Six years ago they elected in our county (Pottawattamie) a superintendent of schools, who, for a commission sent as many students of the county as he could influence to Fremont, Neb. He would agree to give them a first grade certificate without examination if they would attend at Fremont Normal College for three or six months. If they could not come and the necessary means he would give them an

illegal "permit to teach" to earn the necessary funds. This turned the tide of students from us, and at about the same time the School Board established a business department in the High School here, which being free drew from us still more. Thus was our school robbed of its prosperity.

Mr. Paulson concluded to oust the Co. Supt. and ran for the office himself. At the convention which nominated him many of the members were or had been students of his and he was nominated by acclamation. He was elected without buying or furnishing money to buy a drink of liquor or a vote. If you knew our town you would think this impossible, but it was true. He served two years, hiring a graduate of our State Normal to take his place in the college.

When the time came for a second election a number of the ring politicians who could not control my husband and many who wanted him to issue certificates to their relatives who were too deficient to earn them by just and fair examinations, being dissatisfied with him schemed

to defeat him. One Congressman wanted him to issue a certificate to his hired girl whose scholarship gave her 20% in arithmetic, 25% in grammar and others on the same scale. He gained the ill will of many and would not court favor but held to a straight forward course, striving to elevate the condition of the school and the teachers. He was defeated by five votes. Many farmer friends asssured him it would not have happened had they suspected that his election was not sure. They stayed at home to husk corn and gave the enemy the advantage.

He has the confidence of the business men as they come to him when they want a clerk, book keeper or stenographer. One-third of our city teachers were his pupils.

He has a thorough business education and has a marked ability as teacher. He is a fine black-board writer, excellent in normal teaching, he is also stenographer, type-writer and bookkeeper. He is an active member of the M. E. Church, does not drink, smoke or chew. His private, as well as his business life is spotless. He is always willing and ready to give proof of scholarship by a just examination.

My wish was this: Would it be possible for him, through your influence, to gain a position as teacher in Leland Stanford University so that my boys may grow up

in the shadow and graduate from it? I also can make myself useful in many ways, along domestic lines or in a literary way and I am always humbly willing to work and to improve myself, or do anything honorable to aid my boys.

If through your influence such an opportunity could come to us, I would go down on my knees to thank you, madam.

In case you consider the contents of this communication any one in Council Bluffs can tell you of us, I have lived here all my life but four years.

For reference:

Mrs. Anna Palmer, 1650 Washington St., Denver, Col.

Prof. W. N. Paulson, Prin. Bus. Dept., Alleghany High School, Alleghany, Pa.

Our oldest son, by his first wife, is assistant claim agent for the N. W. R. R. at Chicago, Ill. L. W. Tulleys banker, Wm H. Pusey banker, John Beno, merchant, Finley Burke, lawyer, C. H. Harle, lawyer, J. C. McCabe, lawyer, Emmett Finley, lawyer, Rev. De Witt C. Franklin, H. C. Cole merchant, Wm. H. Kilpack lawyer, W.S. Rice, Rev. Henry Coker, etc, all of Council Bluffs, Iowa.