Kerns, Maude

From Lane Co Oregon

Revision as of 18:37, 25 September 2007

Maude Irvine Kerns

The famous artist and University of Oregon teacher Maude Kerns may have taught at the Ping Yang School. Maude Kerns became well known for her work in Japanese art and made several trips to Asia. The name of Ping Yang must have fascinated her.

An April 10, 1901 news article states that Maude Kerns was teaching at the old McGowan School, less than a mile from Ping Yang. A following article on April 16 says that "Miss Kerns" is teaching at Ping Yang. Maude Kerns also had a sister, Edith, who was a teacher and it is possible she was the "Miss Kerns" at Ping Yang. However, the news article, which was written by a local person, would probably have used her name to show that it was a different "Miss Kerns". It is also possible that Maude Kerns traveled from one school to the other since they were so close together.

Maude Kern's biography says that she had received a diploma in fine arts from a prestigious arts school in San Francisco. She had already earned an undergraduate degree at the University of Oregon in 1899. Maude Kerns went on to become one of the most dynamic teachers of her time. Today an arts center is named for her. It can be found at this URL [[1]]

It is hard to underestimate the dedication these pioneer teachers had. The job of a teacher was low paying, and tightly controlled by all sorts of social rules. Most contracts forbid the teacher to marry or even date during the school year. Considering that three attempts to destroy the Ping Yang school had already been made it took extraordinary courage to teach anywhere near there.

Establishing schools was often not easy in rural areas. Controversies over taxes and curriculum were prominent then, much as they are now. Events like this happened all over the West. The first attempts to establish a university in Eugene, Oregon failed because someone set fire to the buildings.