Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1853-08-25

'and which were such an innovation upon
the '7shlons OF that region. | shall never
forgei The figure he cut, and The many times
was tempted to ask him how long i, took
him 10 get IN, or whether he had ever been
out of them since he left Yankee land.
TIE school-house was located in the CEN
tre OF a township, and the neighborhood in
the the circle Of three miles furnished suf-
hcIen' number of scholars to make quite
respectable school. Like most country
schonl-houses in The west. this was called
the 'meeling-house' on Sundays; and | Of
ten amused yself by contrasting the scenes
enacted therein by the solemn fathers and
their progressive sons. Nothing could have
been more delightful than this rural school.
We got our break lasts early in the morning,
and taking our dinners in baskets, marched
of le'surely, reaching the schnol-house by
eight o'clock. Between study ing and recit
ing cur lessons, the time flew so rapidly tha,
Twelve O'Clock was upon us before we were
aware OF 1t. This was the commencement
of play-tIme. and then each fellow took out
his hssket, and seated himself on green
grass plot. IN the centre Of which was q fine
spring We ale frugal meals, and dis
eussrd the plans for spending the playhours.
Many and various were the games from
whic! TO choose, and The exercise was both
hea!lny and relreshng:' Play-iime lasted
for t~o hours, school again for three hours,
and hv five O'Clock we were vending our
w,n,e again.
Etihu was great &c economist, and in max
ing his arrangements, provided himself
home free Of expense, in the following man
ner: he took the rounds with his scholars,
going each night with different one, until
he had made The circuit; then he began a.
gain, and so kept up his social calls, and Sc
cured agreeable quarters. ln this manner
he became familiar with boh children and
parents, and increased not only bis useful
ness, but his reputation. Like Godsmi,h's
Village Master,
'His words of learned length and laundering sound
Amazed the gaping rustcs ranged around;
And still they sazed, and still the wonder grew,
How one small head could carry all he knew.
In arguing, too, the parson owned his skill
For cen though vanquished, he could argue still
Ah those were glorious days! But,
some how or olher, was more nischievous
at that school than at any Other. | scarce
ly know whether il wss because ! was a, a
mlsch!eyous age, or for The reason that !
was so very happy. Ny observation in
clines me 10 the belief that all cheerful bows
are more fond Of wha, IN school-boy par
lance IS called innocent amusement, than
gloomy dispiriled ones. II was my opin-
ion, when boy, that schooI-Gays should
be protected by law from Gil dissgreeable
associations that to make a school-boy
miserable should be a capital offence; end
am pleased to find, now that have bows
of my own, ! can conscenliously say,
have no! changed my opinion. If we wish
10 bring up our children an honor and So
lace TO our declining years, we must make
their childhood happy.
This, like most country schools, was al
tended by both sexes and while the boys
were having their sports, the girls appeared
equally delighted. They often Joined in The
games Of the boys, beside playing many Of
the same kind among themselves, and many
young lassie would have put our swifes,
laddies to the top of their metlle TO lead
them in fonl.race
Happy days of childhood,
Where peaceful school-days few
and young ladies were allowed to breathe
the fresh air, aud their merry voices echoed
unchecked through the sylvan groves
They had swings and plsy-houses; they
had dinner parties, and singing and dancing
III the open air; and their ruddy and cheer
full countenances gave ihe best evidence Of
their health and happiness.
! have had frequent opportunities of OBJ
serving the growth and development "f
children taught in schools where both sexes
were admitted, and am no. able to recall
a solitary instance where evils resulted
Ihe5efrom. And ] am happy to find my o.
plnion coIrobora.ed in late article on ed
ucalon, from the pen of an able and dls'in
guished lady, who says: 'The union Of the
sexes in schools stimulates to exer,ion, and
imposes wholesome moral restraints and
were 1t but continued, instead of rudely
broken In upon, it would prevent many un-
happy marriages; for j. would tend TO mo.