infested with malaria; and the mosquitoes multiplied so much faster than converts that Murdock found it impractical to carry out his cherished idea of founding a school on the site. He believed that to convert the Indians permanently a school should be established in connection with
the Mission. The site was insanitary; but to test it out; he sent to Arkansas and procured a young lady teacher. The enrollment included a dozen greasy urchins. We say "greasy" because the children had learned that by mixing certain pigments with coon grease and applying this mixture, mosquitoes would not bother them so much. But not so with the teacher. After heroically battling the singing and stinging insects for two weeks, her face and hands looked as though she had a severe case of measles.
In the meantime, Murdock made a fair showing of converts, mostly children. He made a report and sent it to the association at Philadelphia with a request for funds with which to build a better school building. The funds were promptly sent.
In the spring of 1884, Murdock called together the following faithful followers: William Lloyd, Bill Cannon, and a man by the name of Galliger. They hauled lumber from Coffeyville, Kansas, this being the nearest railroad point where lumber could be secured. It took five days to make the trip, and sometimes when Caney River was high, it took two weeks or more before they could ford the stream.
The present site of Hillside Mission was selected for the school. The south side of the Mission was built. A substantial church house was also constructed about eighty feet west of the present house. Malaria and mosquitoes were not so bad on this high location and moreover the mosquitoes could be screened out of the frame building, while they swarmed through the cracks of the log houses. Malaria was checked by the use of quinine, which folks took with as much nonchalance as they did a chew of tobacco.
From 1884 to 1885 there was quite an influx of "non-citizens," they were called. They were permitted by the Indians to farm for them, and this policy was sanctioned by the government. Most of these settlers had families and were glad to take advantage of Murdock’s school, even to the extent of paying board and tuition for their children. Thus the school became a success, both religiously and financially. It was patronized from every point of the compass within a radius of fifty miles or more.
It was John Murdock who conceived the plan of the school and who had carried it out successfully. Murdock re-
sembled Lincoln. His feet were nowise inferior in size, nor was he less angular or ungainly. He was about as tall as Lincoln. He had a large head, a long thin face, prominent jaw, straight aquiline nose, with a prominent wart on one side. Eyes of mild blue, verging on gray, but always carrying an appeal to mercy in them. "Those eyes had more personal magnetism than any I have seen since as a child I gazed into the eyes of Abe Lincoln," says Mr. Abbott. "Like Lincoln, he had perfect control over his temper—he could plow steers among grubs and never swear." Murdock was eloquent in expounding the scriptures, and the Indians believed in him.
After Murdock had built the school, he was ordered west by the Association. He was succeeded by John Watson.
In the year 1886, John Murdock was supplanted by John Watson in missionary affairs at Hillside. He brought his wife, generally known as "Aunt Liza," and two daughters, the elder, known as Miss Eva, and the other, fresh from college, known as Miss Elma. Miss Eva was a real school ma’am.
Shortly after Watson’s advent into the Mission, he decided to enlarge the dormitory. He hauled lumber from Coffeyville, Kansas, and built the west wing of the dormitory at his own expense. This addition is said to have cost $1200.00. About this time the school room became inadequate for the housing of the pupils; hence, Mr. Watson found it necessary to enlarge it by annexing another building of equal dimension. Thus equipped, every part of the system moved along serenely for three years more. The quarters were, h