The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1826-08-07
from he Boston Monthly .Haga-ine.
CONFESSIONS OF \ COUNTRY
ASTFR

SCHOOL MASTER.
This is Conicssedy the age nj
conference.-the era of individuality
the triumphant reign Of the first
person singular. NJ. Lii ca.
The sutfcrings nf country school.
+ masters have been 81 often given tn
the public. thatl |. whose mortal ca
reer has certainly been shortened. il
not swceteurd by the delightful
task, resolved at one time not to
'rcncw the sad remembrance of my
Fate but to let SPEEDY oblivion CO.
YER those CaIa,nitics, all of which
| saw. and less fortunate than f.
meas. all of which was Ny sto-
ry. feared, would be treated like
the certificates of our modern beg
gars. Public sympathy is nearly
exhausted by the drafts already
made upon it by the degraded class
OF beings to which belong. and any
more from the same quarter are La
bic to be protested. The following
circumstance altered my resolution.
Catching up an old newspaper the
other day, in fit of ennni. | sum
moned energy enough or pernse. for
the third time, the pathetic tale Of a
fellow pedagoguc, which had attract
ed much notice on its first appear
|ance. and it is evidently the produc-
ton of maSeeriy pen. By this it
! seems he was actually in peril Of dy-
ing an huugered. What staryati-
on in a country town of New En-
gland The leading idea of his
piece now struck me as a palpable
absurdity. To all his assertions my
own experience gave the lie direct.
The winning pathos of this writer,
his admirable humour. and the las
cinatiors of his style in general, all
conspire to make upon the reader a
deep bus I'M orrect impression of the
manner in which our country people
treat the MASTER To efface this
is my present object. Novelty
have none to ofier--artilice | scorn
-eloquence ne'er sat upon my lips
my sole attractions are misery
and truth.
AT the close of the year 1925.
my diabolical destiny sent me to
H, a village on the sea coast
of a New Eng and State, Inhabited
by certain amphibious bipeds, who
call themselves farmer fishermen.
Here had contracted 10 spend eight
~intry weeks in Culhvating whate-
yer of intellect there might be in for
ty-iive children (if they can claim
the namc) Of both sexes. Fool that
was--as if the young idea could
shoot in winter more than any other
weed, d that too ina soil OF the con-
sistenCy Of granite. But a few days
of truitless Aogging prompted me t.
spare my own ieelings-thc only
ones affected by that cxerCisc-and
to employ my ferule in ruling the
writing books instead of the schoI-
ars ; and | did desiSt soon after un.
on discovering that my merits as in
struCter we're estimated by my Gle
mency to the pupils--that is to say,
my popularity withthe children, and
which is a natural consequence i'll
II, with their parents. was in
the inverse ratio Of fagellation dis
penscd. One great point VAS AREA
! dy gained; but another of equal
magnitude. though in a cheering
state of progression, remained to be
fully accomplished namely, to rem
der myself agreeable as a member OF
the family where | happened In
board. This is no less essential to
complete success, than to spare the
rod and spoil the child. In justice
to myself. however, it should here
he remarked, that | am free from
the guilt Of fulfilling the latter half
of SoIomon's maxim, for the child
rem were all spoiled to my hand.
The second important qualification
of country preceptor is, that he be
able to dclnoIlsh any given quantity
of provisions. This is indispensa-
bic. Our country people never
starve the master, though admit,
with the most cheerful alacrity. that
they may sometimes stuff him to
death. Among them no abstcmious
man can be favorite. Whoever as.
serts the contrary, either wilfully
misreprcsents, or is deplorabIy ig-
norant. The NAV of lchabod Crane
that pink of pedagogues, we are
told, possessed the dilutins powers
Of an Anaconda 81 the consequence
was. that he ate himself into the
good graccs Of all in Sleepy Hollow.