The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-11-10
TIE OLD SCHOOLMASTERS S
STORY.

/ -af-- SiOR -... "a
when I taught district school, II
said he, 1 adopted as a principle to give
as few rules to my scholars as possible
! had, however, one standing rule, which
was, strive under all circumstances to
do right, aud the text of right, under
'All things whatever ye would that men
should do unto you. do ye even so unto
them > en5
If an ofense was committed, it was
my invaria BILE practice to ask, w as it
right :? Was it as you would be done
by?'
All my experience and observation
have convinced me that no act of a pu
pill ought to DC regarded as an offense,
unless it be when measured by the stand
ard of the golden rule. During the
last year of my teaching, the only test
ever applied to an act of which it was
necessary to judge, were those of the
| above questions By this course l
gained many important advantages.
la the first place, the plea, You
have otmade any rule against it, which
for long tiue was terrible burden to
me, lost all its rower
In the second place, by keeping oon-
stsntly before the scholar, as a standard
of action, the single text of right and
wrong, as one which they were to apply
for themselves, l was enabled to cult
vate in them a deep feeling of personal
responsibility.
To the third place, got a stronger
hold on their feelings, and acquired a
new power of cultivatipg and directing
them.
In the fourth place had the satisfac-
tion of seeing them become more truth
ful, honest. Trustworthy and manly in
in their intercourse with me, with
their friends, and with each other.
Once, however, was sadly puzzled
by an napplication of the principle by one
of NY scholars, George Jones, large
boy, who, partly through false feeling
of stubbornness, refused to give me
some information.
The circumstances were these:
A scholar had played some trick which
interrupted the exercises. As was my
custom, I called on the one who had
done the mischief to come forward. As
no one started, I repeated the question,
but with no success. Finding that the
culprit- would not confess his guilt, l
asked George if lie knew who had COM
mitted the offense.
Il did no. do it was the reply.
DO you know who did p
Yes sir
who was it?'
Il do not wish to tell
But yoa must tell It is my duty
to ask, and yours to answer me-
4 cannot do it, said George firmly.
Then you must stop with me after
school, sesl'
He stopped as requested, but noth-
ing which 1 could do would get him to
reveal anything. At last, out of pa
tience with what believed to be the OBJ
stinacy of the boy, said
We'll, George, I have borne With you
as long as can, and you must either
tell me or be- punished.
With a triumphant look, as though
conscious that be had cornered me by an
application OF my favorite rule, be re-
piled, Il can't tell you, because it would
not be right, The boy would not like
to have me tell ep him, and I'll do ss
I'd be done by
A few years earlier I should have
deemed reply thus given an insult, and
should have resented it accordingly; |;
but experience aud reflection had taught
me the folly of this, and one Of the
most important applications of my oft
quoted rule, was-to judge of the ma
ture of others as would haze them
judge of mine.
Yet, for the moment, I was staggered
His plea was plausible, be might be hon.
est in making it. I did not see in what
| respect it was fallaoious; l felt that it
| would not do to retreat from my posi-
tion, and suffer the offender to escape !;
and yet that l should do great iDjus-
tice by compelling boy to do thing,
if he really believed it to be wrong.
After little pause, 1 said, well,
George, 1 do not wish you to do any
thing which is wrong, or which conflicts
with your golden rule. We will leave
this for tonight, aud perhaps you will
alter your mind before tomorrow.
l saw him prisately before school,
and found him more firm in his refusal
than ever After the devotional exerci-
ses of morning, began to question the
scholars-as was my wont on various
points of duty, and gradually led the
conversation to the golden rule.
Who / asked, 'aro the persons to
whom, as the members Of this school,
|