patrick, who is said to be a very competent teacher. There are forty-five scholars in attendance."

Up to this time all the teachers who had had charge of the Phoenix school had received a compensation of $100 per month, but an effort was made when Mrs. Fitzpatrick was appointed to make a noticeable reduction. By a vote of two to one, however, the trustees kept the salary of the teacher at the original figure, thus showing that even at that early date the citizens of Phoenix were strongly in favor of having firstclass public schools, and were willing to pay the price.

The "Prescott Miner" of December 17th, 1875, had the following from a Phoenix correspondent:

"On Friday last, November 26th, 1875, the usual monthly examination of the public school in Phoenix, taught by Mrs. Allie Fitzpatrick, took place, at which a number of ladies and gentlemen were present. About forty children, mostly Americans, were in attendance, who exhibited considerable proficiency in the various exercises. Perhaps one of the best features was the singing, which was good. Music should be taught in all schools. Extracts read by several of the young ladies were very appropriate, and a dialogue by Miss Marilla Murray, Miss Flora Murray and Miss Annie Kellogg was excellent. After the children were dismissed, the adults present canvassed the feasibility of a Christmas tree, with suitable presents, for the children of the school, and Mrs. Granville H. Oury, Mrs. John Smith, Mrs. Braniman, Mrs.

M. P. Griffin, Mrs. Columbus H. Gray, Mrs. John Gardiner and Miss Greenhaw were appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions, procure suitable presents, and do all else necessary. The Hon. John Smith promised to procure a suitable tree. Mrs. Braniman, Mrs. Oury and Mrs. Griffin have already collected upwards of $100. Mrs. Smith is treasurer and at her house the committee is to meet to-morrow evening to consult further in regard to the matter."

Through the efforts of these kindly ladies the school children had their Christmas tree, a rare treat in the sparsely settled Arizona of that day.

Of the scholars mentioned above, Flora Murray became the wife of R. L. Rosson, a physician and afterwards Treasurer of Maricopa county; Annie Kellogg married Newel Herrick, a partner of George H. N. Luhrs, and Marilla Murray is now Mrs. Neri Osborn of Phoenix.

After a vacation extending through the holidays, school was again commenced on January 3rd, 1875, Mrs. Fitzpatrick continuing as teacher throughout the year.

On February 29th, 1876, the trustees authorized Judge Alsap to employ laborers to clear the school block, the brush and refuse to be piled in the adobe hole near the schoolhouse, an unsightly excavation from which had been taken the dirt to make the adobes for the building. Soon after this was done, on March 19th, a contract was given to Benjamin F. Patterson for the planting of cottonwood trees on all sides of the school block. It was about this time that Allie Fitzpatrick decided to marry John Montgomery, then a dashing and energetic young

rancher, and her school career, like that of Ellen Shaver, ended in a happy marriage.

Miss Carrie G. Hancock succeeded Mrs. Fitzpatrick, school opening on the 11th day of September, 1876. An order was issued at this time "that no public meetings, religious, political, or otherwise, shall be held in the schoolhouse of this district after September 11th, 1876."

Miss Hancock continued in charge of the school until March 27th, 1877, soon after which time she returned to California, and for many years was city librarian at Sacramento, but now, having returned to the Salt River Valley in 1916, she makes her home here with her nephews, Harry S. Hancock, and Herbert R. Patrick, of Phoenix.