over with the white tents of the settlers, who came from near and far to participate. Many doubtless participated in the festivities and rallied around this enterprise who understood but little of the significance and perhaps were never able to enjoy many of the privileges to be derived there.
So far as the location was concerned there was little to be added in the way of natural environment. The campus was a spot of beauty, covered with a native growth of fine firs and oaks, centuries old. The grass was dotted over with hundreds of varieties of wild flowers; the scenery in every; direction was beautiful, with the blue hills of Coast range of mountains rising beyond the green plain of the Tualatin to the north and west; and to the east the snow-capped peaks of the Cascades. It was separated, however, from the other settlements of the Oregon Country and in a position of comparative isolation, a fault that only time could correct.
In the early history of Oregon permanent male teachers were difficult to secure outside of the missionaries, who were expected to be ready to serve in that capacity at any time as part of their work. In the early period it had been the profits of the fur trade that absorbed the interests of men. By the time of the founding of the academy it was the gold fever and the returns to be had from the rich agricultural lands or the mercantile opportunities. The first .teacher to be secured by the academy was Mr. D. C. L. Latourette, a young man who had just come from the East. Mr. Latourette was a native of New York state and had come West to seek his fortune. He was well educated and gave promise of excellent service, but was unable to resist the allurements of the gold fields of California, and served only for part of a year. He returned later to reside in Oregon, identified himself with its development, and furnished two sons as students of the
