to sixteen years of continuous teaching, winter and summer. Her two
most interesting experiences as a teacher were in North Oxford and in
Bordentown, New Jersey. North Oxford was the mill village where her
brother's factories were, and where there were hundreds of children.
When her popularity as the teacher in No. 9, Texas village, spread to
North Oxford, she was asked to go there to start a school for
operatives. This was a piece of work to her liking, and for ten years
she says: "I stood with them in the crowded school-room summer and
winter, without change or relaxation. I saw my little lisping boys
become overseers, and my stalwart overseers become business men and
themselves owners of mills. My little girls grew to be teachers and
mothers of families." Here was satisfying work for the busy brain and
active body! But even that did not take up all of her time; she found
long hours in which to read and study, and also acted as Stephen's
bookkeeper in the mill, during those years in North Oxford.

At the end of the ten years she broke away from the routine of
teaching and became a pupil herself in Clinton Liberal Institute in
New York, as there were no colleges for women at that time. The year
of study refreshed her in mind and body, and, as her mother died
during the year and her father decided to live with his married
children, Clara was free to seek the work of the world wherever it
should claim her.

From the seminary she went to Hightstown to teach, and while there
rumors of her ability to cope with conditions and unruly scholars
reached the village of Bordentown, ten miles away from Hightstown.
Many attempts had been made to start a public school there, but
without success. As a result the children of the poor ran wild in the
streets, or when an attempt was made to open a school they broke up
the sessions by their lawless behavior. When she heard this, Clara
Barton was so greatly interested that she went to Bordentown to talk
it over with the town officials, who told her that it was useless to
think of making the experiment again.

Clara Barton's eyes flashed with determination. "Give me three months,
and I will teach free!" she said.

As a result of her generous offer, she was allowed to rent a
tumble-down, unoccupied building, and opened her school with six
pupils! Every one of the six became so enthusiastic over a teacher who
was interested in each individual that their friends were eager to be
her pupil