8 Boyhood, Early Schooling, and Teaching 



chemical elements, the simple compounds, and formulas for their 

 utilization. 



On January 7, 1870, his diary read: " Father started for Michi- 

 gan yesterday. Gone to look at land and to visit friends." R. K. 

 Smith, for some time now out of the Army, had decided to join 

 the westward migration moving in large numbers of persons to 

 the frontier agricultural sections of the middle western and west- 

 ern states. Michigan already was a land of hope and promise, 

 and a virtual boom in farm-land values of many years standing 

 was not entirely over. Orchards of the best quality in the larger 

 fruits, notably apples and pear, peach, plum, and cherry, together 

 with vineyards and other small fruit culture, were being planted 

 throughout the state; and the stories of abundant harvests and 

 healthful living conditions caused many to dare the dangers of the 

 temporary lacks of civilization. While by far the largest land area 

 was still under forest, the state's industrial future seemed assured 

 because of the extensive business development from lumber and 

 horticultural crops. Urban as well as rural centers were growing 

 in population. The school system was adequate; and in its agri- 

 cultural college at Lansing and its university at Ann Arbor the 

 state had two of the best educational institutions of the nation. 

 Early in March, R. K. Smith returned to his family at Gilberts 

 Mills, New York, and on March 7 Erwin wrote in his diary: 

 "We start for the west the 20 of this month. Father has bought 

 a farm of 80 acres in the northwest corner of Clinton Co[unty} 

 in Michigan near Maple river .... The Future will soon be 

 the Past. God speed the Present." 



A deep snow prevented the family's departure on March 20; 

 but the next became the "eventful day," and until the morning 

 of March 23 they rode "in the cars," crossing Suspension Bridge 

 during the night of the twenty-second, and reaching Detroit the 

 next morning. From there they went to the home of Erwin's 

 grandmother in Ionia County and lived about two weeks at North 

 Plains. 



Erwin was so excited on reaching " the west [which had} been 

 settled in the last half century " that he wrote nothing in his diary 

 until April 8 and 9 vv'hen, their household possessions having 

 arrived by freight, they moved to their own farm. He described 

 his new home in the midst of 



