The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1857-05-22
Tor tis Uatss + Esstsrs Jsvrss
"REMINISCENCES 10. Q.
Tho School Master.

"REMINISCENCES 10. o.
The School Master.
Nszt in dignity and Importance 70 the
minister In olden times, vas the country |
school master. Hence, bis advent into tho
nsishborhood attracted - much attention,
a. did the hrst lion brought into tho State,
or q Gen. Washington, in his 6rst tour to
,be North, after the Revolutionary war.
I distinctly remember that whenever tho
bows me, master Baldwin, (whoss first ad-
ven. among US, reaches ~ far back ~
have any ree,llectiou,) thcy never failed to
turn square round and with a. much digni-
" and precision o. grenadier, take Of their
hats, and make their best and profoundsst
bows. The school master was looked up to
with great rspocs by oil classes Of tho com.
mup,ty; and If he va, fortunate enough to
have specific boarding house, be was often
invited out to tea or ifbe boarded round,
which was generally tho Case in order TO e1-
tend the term Of the school, great was the
preparation made, BY each family, the week
before their turn came round for boarding
him. Nov aunt Hannah, (who by the way
was fair specimen or representative Of good
mstrons in oldsn times.) said one morning
40 she seated herself ct the breakfast table,
1.-TWO weeks from to-day our school begins
and a. the master 10 to board with Us the
first week. we have deal to do, not only in
fitting out the children for school, but in
preparing the house and cooking provisions"
Uncle John. whose proclvity was rather to
defer, than TO hasten events before their
time, merely .aid, ~ should think two weeks
was timo enough in al conscience to get
ready" "You should think" repeated
aunt Hannah, -"why, John must have his
new jacket and ,rovss made up, and James,
Andrew, and sammy must have oil their
clothes repaired, in order 70 appear with
any hnd Of deceney on the ent day OF the
sc DOL. And there 10 Emma, Jane, and Ly.
din, who must have gown made out OF that
checked piece Of ginshsm, ! got out OF the
looms that day the great FIRE was in the
back woods. Then there 10 tho house 70 be
se, in order, and particularly the front
room, that must be scrubbed, swept, and
ga, nished, for that will be the masters
room while he boards here and that 10 no
all, for We must fry up at least, tvo milk
pan fulls of doughuuss, ani put them In
the pantry ready for use-six ovcnfulls Of
apple, mince, and pumpkin pics must be
prepared and baked" BY thissrrsngemsnt
and mass Of business, 1t will be seen that
aunt Hannah was o lady Of much energy, as
we'll as forcthought; for IN addition to oil
this, she had stored away, in an open cham.
Der. four large spare ribs, and beside this,
she had made seventy five pounds ofsaussgos,
and they were hung in festoons, on nails
driven into . beam, extending across her
ample kitchcn-all Of which vero to be
brought into requisition, il needed, while
the school master b Arded with them. But
to return. '"And now, father" said aunt
Hannah, addressing herself to uncle John.
"while think ont, you had better take
bush,l Orleans and 90 down to Jones store
and buy the children some books, paper, ink
and quills." At the mention Of this ex-
travagant expenditure, in the children's
outfit for the school, uncle John rseoiled at
once, and laying down bis knife and fork,
made this reply: what on oirh mother.
arc you thinking about. You very well
knoa. we've now in the house SIGH books as
I used when went 10 madam Sands school.
and think they'll do now. Why there Is
Dil.worth's spelling book, the Psalter, tho
Testament, and Jshn Roser's Primer; and
Us u paper. larnt to write on birch bark,
and besides we've no beans 70 spare; for We
only raised nine bushels. and have prom
ised JameI Sanders one bushel for making
my new plou." Such were the liberal and
heightened views entertained by some men
in olden times, in regard to the mental cnl-
ture Of their children. Uncle John, - you
will perceive. cot higher value on one Of
King Georges coppers than he did on any
amount Of scientific or intellectual knowl
edge. But aunt Hannah was . mstron of
too much nerve, energy, and perseverance, to
be defeate d. or even baaled by such objections
Of uncle John. She told him plsiniy, the
books she must and wosld have, il she have
had to sell the spurked COW. Uncle John
knowing It was no use to argue the case with
Aunt Hannah, when she had once put down
her foot, for no had learned that fact many
years before, c,nclud d " surrender at dis.
erection took out his grey mare, thrs1 on
her back bushel Of beans, and went, as an
obedicnt husband should do, and procured
the books.
Leaving for a fcw months. this table talk
between aunt Hannah and uncle John, let
W 60 back to our School.mas.er and his
school When about eight years Of age. /
attended small District school, taught by
master BALDWIN; who, many years after,
was . surveyor Of wood, bark. and lumber
In Portland. Master Baldwin was rather
. strict disciplinarian, although nothing to
DO compared to masters Hcrn and Brown
who seemed to rule with rod Of iron. He
was lame man. having one knee bent to IN
anglo Of about forty.fve degrees, and this
was. probably, the reason why be became o
School Teacher. The school hous, was 10.
Gated in the north corner Of Pspperolbo-
rough, (now sac,) in precinct called
None-such and in some respects il was