The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-10-30
Turning the Switch !;
OR HOW WILLIAM l.. MARCY BECAME A MAN.

How much excellent material has been wos.
ted. and utterly spoiled, by unskllful fingers ,
This ejaculation is not less applicable to
lnan''natc matter than to mind and heart.
How many boy of the part and excellent
natural disposition, whom accident has
thrown upon the wrong track, and given a
false dircctin. has been ruined forever hv
absurd acknowledgement, and for the want of
a in'lirious and friendly hand TO turn the
switch!
This is short preface to short story,
| Which interested me when heaId it, many
years ago, and which recent event has
frcshcncd up in my memory. I cannot re-
member the ycar.-it was long ago-tl,at
passed the night under the hosr,ablc roof
"f the Hon. Salem Townr, of Charlton, in
| the County of Worcester. Az we sat to-
Grthrr, Ill the evening. aud were speaking
of education and schools, Mr.. Townc i'm.
formed me that, about the year 1900, he
taught school in the southwestern district
Of Charlton. AS iuliahitant of S,urbri,lrc
the adjoining town, had son, of whose
abilities and general character lie appcar.l
TO entertain n low estimate and Of whom
he spoke to Mr.. Townc di<raraginglv, as II
boy who gave him trouble. Mr.. Townr.
moi twi,l,standing this ratcrna f,rewarninw.
consented to receive the la'l on probation.
! On the evening of the first day, the school
agent came to the teacher, and tol, that
the boy was n bal boy, and would disturb
the whole school, aud must be turned ou.
The agent, very probably, received lis
impression from the judicious parent, who
scemstn have made no secret of his opin-
/ ions. Mr.. Townc rejected this l,,<ty counsel,
/ and informed the agent that lie should
keep watclful eye upon the lad, and that
! he thought it would be time cnonght TO
! turn him out of school when he made any
disturbance. and that he was entitled to u
: fair trial. When the boy came, for the
frs: time, to rccite his lesson and had got
| ten through, Mr.. Towne told him to shut up
his book. lie did so, hut instantly rccoile'l
and d"lg-'l his head, as if lie expected a
blow. The boy replied that he supposed he
should he beaten &; and being asked if he
had been accustomed TO such usage, lie re-
piled in the affirmative. Mr.. Towne then
1uictcd his alarm, and assured linn that he
| had nothing to fear, fhc conducted himself
wei and encouraged him by commenting
his recitation anl WAS so impressed Ly
the ba'l's manner Of receiving this apprnha-
ton, that lie vcntured to say to linn, 81 bc
leive You arc a good boy" These words
. not oElv entered the ear-thcy reached the
heart. will not adopt the strong express
sion which once heard from the lips of
very intelligent Jesuit, and say that the
teacher chad found master key to tho
soul Of his disri pie :" but, from that hour. lie
had effectualy turned the switch. That
beautiful appeal, "My son. give me thy
heart" had not been thus silently made in
vain. The lad told his associates that al
though others said he was bad boy, Mr.
Tow ne told him lie believed he WAS u good
bov, and he WAS sure lie wished to be a
gn"d boy.
Not long after, the school agent came
again. and earnestly required that this boy
should he dismissed from the school.
With this request Mr.. Townc refused to
comply: and said that he "liked the ap
pearance and conduct Of the boy, and
though that, with some little illustration of
the law Of kindness,,sl,e would make him.
self known in the worlI MS useful cirizrn."
This youth confined to attend the school
daily. and steadily, and rrftaLly, for two
Winters. At the close Of the second Win
ter, The father came TO Mr.. Townc, and
said: "lsilI says that You say must send
him to college, and have him fitted with
private family, not an academy"
The father inquired Of Mr.. Towne what
he had seen in Bill to Justify the idea Of
sending him to college. "
Il see," said Mr.. Townc, ga boy that you
will hear from in after life"
Mr.. Towne recommended tic Rev. Mr..
Lyman, of Connecticut, rs IN instructor.
This course WAS followed; the boy went to
college, and the predictions Of his kind and
judicious primary teacher have been veri.
fietl-the boy was heard from in after life !!
After having filled many stations of the
very first importance in OH, country, and
passed the seventeen milestone in the pa,l,
Of man, from the cradle to the grave, lie is
hoy, William T.. Marcy, is no more Upon
the tidings Of Mr. ,Marcy's deccase. had n
wish to tell this interesting story to the world.
=, Unwilling TO- trust entirely TO my. memo
kry. addressed a lister to my friend, General
Towne. and communicated that wish to
him. His reply is now before inc, in wLicl.
he says:
s"Pease say as little ofme rs you S I,.'S can. It
can only he said that boy, WHO had Been
unfortunately dealt with, hnppc6dal TO
become p pupil Of mine and happendetl
70 discover that he was. q lad Of q noble
mind, and That proper. direction and n
cilanges ofpoliey Rohly were, necessary to,
make Him arnan, whose influence might, in
After lite. bs WIDELY 1exten,lgl. r 81 a,,4s,tzh
Il, Firmly believing &, ,a., 4 do, That, ssunier
l. Gol Mr. Afany yss M deenfy ind.f,tal 10 fbis