Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-01-19
Miseries Of School-Bo


Rev. H. w. Beecher, in the N. Y. Inde-
pendent, discourses as follows upon the above
topic
"lt was our misfortune, in boyhood, to go
to District School, 1t was little square
pine building, blazing in the sun, upon the
without a tree for shade or sight
near it; without bush, yard, fence or circum-
stance to take off its bare, cold, hard, hateful
look. Before the door, in winter, was the
pile of wood for fuel, and in summer, there
were all the chips of the winters wood. In
winter, we were squeezed into the rescess Of
the furthest corner, among little boys, who
seemed to be sent to school merely TO fill up
the chinks between the bigger boys. Ger
tainly we were never sent for anything so abb
surd as an education. There were the great
scholars, the school in the winter was for
them, not for US picaninnies. We were read
and spelt twice day, unless something hap
pened to prevent, which did happen about ev-
cry other day. For the rest of the time we
were busy in keeping still. And time we
always had of it. Our shoes always would
Of the urchins who were also being educated
All Of our little legs together, (poor, tired,
nervous, restless legs with nothing to do,)
would fill up the corner with such noise,
the master would bring down his two-foot
hickory ferule on the desk with clap that
sent shivers through our hearts, to think how
that would have felt if it had fallen some
where else; !; and then with a look that swept
US all into utter extremity of stiffness, he
would cry, 'Silence in the corner = 1t
would last for few minutes but, little boys
memories are not capacious. Moreover, some
Of the boys had mischief and some had mirth-
fulness, and some had both together. The
consequence was that just when we were the
most afraid to laugh, we saw the most comical
things. Temptations, which we could have
vanquished with smile out in the free air,
were irresistible in our little corner, where
laugh and spank were very apt to woo each
other So we would hold on and fill up too
till by-and-by the weakest would let go mere
whifct of laugh, and then down went all the
precautions, and one went off, and another.
and another, touching the others off like a
pack Of fire crackers 1t was in vain to deny
it. But as the process of swapping our heads,
and pulling our ears went on with primitive
sobriety, we each in turn, with fearful eyes,
and blubbering lips, declared I'VE didn't mean
to-, and that was true and that 'we wouldn't
do so any more, and that was lie, however
unintentional; for we never failed to do just
so again, and that about once an hour all day
long.
Besides this, our principal business was to
shake and shiver at the beginning of school
for very cold and to sweat and stew for the
rest of the time, before the fervid glances of
great box iron stove, red-hot There was one
event of horror and two Of pleasure the first
was the act Of going to school, comprehending
the leaving spell before the master came, and
the out-cry, there he is; the master is comz
ing the hurly-burly rush, and the noisy clat-
tering to our seats. The other two events of
pleasure, were play-spell and dismission.-
Oh dear can there be anything worse for
lively, muscular, mirthful, active little boy,
than going to a winter district school! Yes.
Going to a summer district school There is
no comparison. The one is the Miltonic deep
below the deepest depth.
A woman kept the school, sharp, precise,
unsympathetic, keen and untiring. Of all
ingenious ways of fretting little boys, doubt
less her ways were the most expert. Not
tree to shelter the house, the sun beat down
on the shingles and clapboards till the pine
knots shed pitchy tears and the air was red
OIent Of hot pine wood smell. The benches