I'm posting a quick story with this week's challenge theme of "School". I recently found this thin, fragile county certificate in with more Burrows' family pictures and letters. It gives a small glimpse into teaching in Nevada County (California) in 1875 (yes, 1875!). This certificate was awarded to my Great Great Grandfather Alexander Burrows after he passed his examinations. It is a little hard to read, but some of his scores were as follows:
Arithmetic Written 75 credits out of the standard 100
Mental Arithmetic 50/50
Oral Grammar 22/25
History of the United States 49/50
Theory and Practice of Teaching 38/50
Algebra 32/50
Constitution of the US and California 24/25
School Law of California 20/25
Penmanship 18/25
Composition 46/50
Reading 49/50
Orthography (spelling) 70/50 (not sure how that happened..)
Defining (Word Analysis) 48/50
Vocal Music 20/25
Industrial Drawing 22/25
Total 842/925
Percentage 84
Standing in Class 2
Number Examined 6
This certificate gave Alexander Burrows the right to teach in any Grammar School or a School of the First Grade in Nevada County, California and was good for a term of three years as of December 3rd, 1875.
Family history says that Alexander Burrows came to the United States around 1871 and he settled in Pennsylvania. He moved to California in 1872 with my Great Great Grandmother Elizabeth Jane Hurd, whose family was also from Pennsylvania. Some new information I found from research my cousin Gay (Hansen) Sandberg wrote up was that he was a graduate of Drew Divinity College, New York, and taught mathematics at the University of Pennsylvania. This area needs more research to confirm if it is in fact, true. Family history also states that he taught grade school "on the Ridge" (North San Juan in Nevada County); this piece of paper would seem to corroborate this part of the story. He would be the first to teach in a long line of teachers in the Hurd/Burrows/Hansen families. (see my post of February 11, 2021 The Hurd Family: Edith Hurd and a Family Tradition of Teaching).
While he was teaching on the Ridge, Alexander Burrows studied law, was admitted to the bar in 1878, and eventually went on to have a successful law practice in northern California. He became a top criminal lawyer and then a prominent litigation lawyer in the mining field. He also became a prolific writer, submitting articles for publications and opinions pieces for local newspapers. On a more somber note, he even wrote prose in his suicide notes before taking his own life in 1904. You can see from the scores on his certificate that he definitely excelled in oral speaking, writing, and law. His Theory and Practice of Teaching score was a little lower, so, maybe he was just following his strengths!
He led a fascinating life, and this little piece of paper that I just recently discovered certainly added to his story. I wonder if skills in Algebra are hereditary?
Alexander Burrows b. April 4, 1847 Sligo County, Ireland d. July 26, 1904 San Francisco, California. This picture was most likely taken after he became a lawyer and was practicing in Grass Valley, California. This picture was just recently discovered also.
Relationship Reference: Me->Margaret Hansen Boothby-> Harold Hansen->Vere Burrows Hansen->Alexander Burrows m. Elizabeth Jane Hurd Burrows
No comments:
Post a Comment