The Texas Republican. [volume] (Marshall, Tex.) 1849-1869, 1857-02-21
The Experience Of Three Months
Teaching In the state Of Ohis, BY
The ankee SChOOlmAsltr.

S.'srrnl years ago. landed of the steam.
boa at As,abuls, "a ANAL town situated on
the shores OF Lake Erie. in the State OF
OHIO. had been travelling 'or two weeks,
and as never cold keep money, my finances
were in. anything but 1sttering cons
diiion. immediately applied for business
IN the capacity OF clerk. but in every eff,
fort made was unsuccessful. A, length
! decided in my mind ! should embrace
the first opportunity which offered. pto,i,
ded it did not involve burdensome labor.
After patiently waiting until my funds
were exhausted, and des.i,n,ion began to
stare me ia ihe face, ! heard of a situation
which concluded would suit me, in set.
| Element some few miles in the interior,
where few families originally from the
New Eng aud states were located, and who
desired TO employ pious aud cntciligent
gentleman 10 instruct the,, children, to
whom rs it WAS reported. they were willing
to pay liberal compensation. aud slsn that
the school would number from Thirty to
forty pupils.
This settlement bore a high character by
the reason oil the plely and Intelligence of
its citizens. was told their society was
elevated, while one aud all OF it, members
were warm friends of popular education.
On recep. OF this intelligence, FASTENED
towards the favored, and desired locality,
As soon AS arrived. announced my>
SELF to the trustees as n candidate for the
office Of teacher. whefeupon they scrui'n>
ized me from head TO foot and after snts-
Tying themselves in relation to my external
appearance, invited me to the schoolfoom
to pass the ordeal OF mn examination.
Two OF the Trustees were from Massa
chnsetls. while the laird hailed from Nav
Hampshire. they were shamefully ignor.
ant and supe's'i'ious, yet ike all Yankees
in similar condition, they pretended to
possess great sagacity and knowledge hes
sides, nor d,ssumilisr to the generality OF
illtera,e men everywhere to be found es-
teemed an educated man, however useiuIly
employed rs drone or osler in the bee
hive OF industry.
From these three higalcd ignoramuses.
! underwent lenglboned criticism, aud
tedious examination On the New Testamen;
and Spelling book. aud In the end was pros
nonnced justified to discharge the duties
of teacher hut then, when they named
the amount Of the liberal salary. siE dollars
per month. and board one week through the
neighborhood with each OF my patrons.
was fairly staggered besisied Tor some
time whether TO assent or dissent, yet ON re-
hrc,ng on my pennilcss circumstances H.
ualy accepted their offer and agreed to
teach three months.
Ga forming a more extensive acqihin'
lance with these people. discovered IN
addition To theH other virtues, they were
cNttem.lv industrious and frugal. They
had reduced the practical part OF teaching
snd the act OF the scholars studying to n
perfect science, So that they obtained the
fall worth Of their money. and II would
have been exceedingly dtilicult, Il both
,earher and scholars had eonsp'ted. to have
evsded the labor OF instruction and study.
|, the teacher, ut the SALARY OF six dol
lss per month with the extra sccommoda
tons Of vsgabond bed and board through
the settlement, WAS esteemed by my em'
ployets until the expiration OF my session
"A slave---l WAS gwen to understand. u
was custom wlh them (no doubt trans"
ported from their native Sistesl to require
the teacher TO work on Saturday, AT the
ncgebor's house at which he happened TO
be boarding, and this was done through
pous considerations. as well rs temporal
because the labor would engage his mind
and prevent the intrusion OF evil thoughts,
10 a -
the health OF his body, sud further adding
they rince.ely believed every idle man a
prey I" the devil. aud always reahk'ng
bodily sickness and pain. now say
never earned money 80 rightly IN al m,
life. y. did with these contacted patterns
Of humanity, nnJ the.eh from my csrles'
vesrs accustomed 10 Eastern meanness, yet
Ibis exceeded everything of the k'nd had
ever witnessed o, exrcfieneed. And snoi
was the impression it made on my mind
that from that time up to the present, have
Away. dcuied heirg Yankee or m has
tern man.
In the winter season, had to rise before
dav, aud 90 10 the schnolhousc with
lighted torch: then make fire and sweep oui
I The room, afterwards chop wood TO last M
entire dsv, snd then return quickly to th'
honse where | WAS hosfdinc. Oh pam o
losing nv breakfast. or being subject io
eating cold mor.els and fragments OF bread
rnd acera,ed tough beef. which hsd per-
hsrs passed through the hands and mouths
Of several Of the children. At day break
my school shors began md Continued
te.ts, hn n