HISTORY OF GREEN COUNTY. 
 
every kind, honey is accorded a prominent place. 
Few there are who do not eat bread and butter 
and honey on Kilbi. The general good time 
extends into Tuesday, sometimes, but usually 
Monday night closes the feast, whicl not only 
is kept up by the Swiss, but by American youth 
from a distance, who have learned to share in 
the celebration. 
The earliest attempt at English education was 
made under difficulties. The first district school 
was taught in 1847, by Mr. Cowan--only a 
short term-in a small log house belongingto 
Balthasar Schindler. The next school was kept 
in the house of Matthias Schmidt, in 1848, by a 
certain James Kilroy, an Irishman, who, as 
report says, walloped learning into the youth 
well.  But conceive the circumstances:    A 
small log house, a family of nine persons, an 
Irish pedagogue and about twenty Swiss schol- 
ars, all in one room, and not very large at that. 
Many are still living in this vicinity who be- 
longed to that primitive school; and the log 
house, the scene of these early pedagogic ex- 
hibitions, is still standing. 
A school house was built in 1849 in the vil- 
lage, and Peter Jenny was teacher for some six 
years. Afterwards J. C. Zimnerman taught 
three years; and since, with few intermissions, 
Matthias Steussy has taught the district school 
in the village for the last eighteen years. All 
these teachers were Swiss. The outlying dis- 
tricts in the township are taught as is usual by 
different persons almost every term.  Several 
young men of Swiss descent have'qualified 
themselves for teaching at academies elsewhere; 
but no "school-marm" has New Glarus ever 
produced. The reason for this is not apparent, 
unless it be the general belief here entertained, 
that much education for a girl will spoil hier 
for a house-wife. A knowledge of reading, 
writing and arithmetic is considered sufficient 
for women. A girl is early taught the myster- 
ies of cooking, washing and sewing; and her 
*About the time, or since, this wes written, Mr. cowan 
died in the Green county poor house. 
 
education is not considered complete unless she 
also understands milking, making butter and 
ch eese, and binding grain in the harvest field. 
In consequence of the active out-door labor, 
which in addition to their household duties the 
females perform, they are in general more 
healthy, robust and fit to fight the battle of life 
that awaits all, than are their American sisters 
who seldom allow the summer sun to shine 
upon their unprotected hands and faces, and 
who as a rule are hardly allowed the needful 
exercise which health demands. Weak nerves 
and hysterics are often the rule with the latter, 
while with the former they are unknown. 
The German schools in the village have been 
fully as ably conducted as the English.  First, 
a Mr. Ernst and Mr. Tschudy, and then the 
Rev. Mr. Streissguth, and subsequently Rev. 
Mr. Zimmerman, taught the German school; 
and, in addition to the ordinary branches of 
study, included such religious instruction as the 
rules of the Church required. In 1867 F. Kno- 
bel, a teacher from the canton of Glarus, set- 
tled here, and has taught German uninterrupt- 
edly since his arrival. Christian Luchsinger 
has taught a German evening school for those 
who, more advanced in years, and employed in 
labor, could not attend in day time.  German 
school books were first brought from the old 
country; but the supply giving out, American 
printed books were adopted.  The desire for 
education is universal; and, as a whole, the 
people of New Glarus compare favorably in 
learning with other rural sections of the coun- 
try. 
The political partialities of the people are 
largely with the democratic party, two-thirds 
ustually voting that way; and it is another in- 
stance of the conservatism of these Swiss set- 
tlers that they. have adhered, through all 
changes, to the political creed they first em- 
braced when they settled here. For a man to 
change his political belief is quite as rare as to 
change his religion.  Among the younger gen- 
eration the leaning is toward the republican 
 
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