Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1858-12-25
NJ | S c E L L A n Y.
THE HARD SCHOOL.

In the autumn of 1912, received visit from
one of the Supcrintending School Committee of
the town of G., in the State of New IIamp-
shire. He introduced himself as Mr. Bowen,
and at once proceeded with his business. He
wished to employ teacherfor one of the schools
mcdiately expressed a desire to secure my SER
vices. | asked him what sort of a school it was.
"Wal," he said, with peculiar nasal twang,
and pronunciation not set down 10y any OF our
photographers, ''it's a pooty tarnation hard
school, naow tell We. But yeou'ye got the
bone an muscle, an reckon as haowy yeou might
dew it,
He again run his eyes over my large, sinewy
frame, and rubbed his hands with evident salts
faction.
Have scholars been in the habit of gaining
control of the SCHOOL, | asked.
Lord bless ye, yes. Why, no master can
stand it n week. Ye see, Squire, thar's some
pooty alfred staout boys in that ere school,
Ye see they work in swamps, an they're kind
o'rough in their ways. We hearn tell O yeou,
an was sent to see we. An was privileged
to offer We forty dollars month, ef yed only
come an keep it. That's more'n twice as much
as we ever paid afore."
"How large is the school ?" l asked.
"Wal-thar's nigh onto sixty scholars, all told,
when they come-some boys, an some gals"
Ihad heard of the school before, and had been
acquainted with an excellent teacher who had
been thrown out from the school-house and
rolled in a snow-bank by the larger boys; yet
resolved to go and try it. Of personal danger
| had no fear, for happened to possess large
frame and proportionate amount of nerve and
muscle. had exercised freely in our gymna-
stun, and there was not another man in the
place who could at all hold his strength by the
side of mine Nature had been lavish in her
favors, and evil habits had not impaired the fac
ulties God had given me.
| / told Mr.. Bowen / would keep the school,
1t was to commence on the first day of Decem-
ber and to continue three months. But told
him must have my own way. That in all things
appertaining to the school must be master
that my will must be absolute, even to the cast
ing out of half of the scholars. He said should
have my own way and he pledged his word
that the Committee should not interfere in any
way, nor under any circumstances.
At the appointed time packed up my ward
robe and school books, and started for G..
When reached the village learned that my
school was in a distant part of the town-in a
rugged region, known as RdtrJOne Hotto,c. On
the following morning Mr. Bowen took me "ov-
er" in his sleigh. / found my schoo-house up
on the edge of quite settlement, which was
located in a wide valley, with high bleak noun
tains upon all sides. was taken at once to the
place where | was to board, and in this latter
respect | was fortunate.
| My hosts name was Elias Bonney. He was
well to- do o-farmer-about forty years of
age, firm, intelligent man, and one OF the Sc
lectmen of the town. He had five children, that
were to attend the school-the oldest being a
girl of nineteen, named Lydia, and the young
est boy of seven.
Mrs Bowen remained to dinner, and then took
his leave and as soon as / was alone with Mr..
Bonney, / began to inquire particularly about
the school. My host shook his head with du-
bious expression.
"You know what boys are" he said, "espec-
tally if they've had their own way for a long
time. For six winters we've had no school here
that could be called a school. There are quite
a number of stout boys, and they generally con-
trive to get the master out at the end of week.
But think they'll find it hard work to put you
out"
81 don't know" l replied. "But l really
shouldn't want them to try it, for I'm not apt
to be very considerate when acting ON the de-
fensive against mere brute force"
Bonney said he should think 'twoud be dan
gerous for the scholars to make the attempt
"But," he added with another dubious shake of
the head, "the boysar not only stout and hearty,
but you must remember there's a number of
them Once get em started, and they don't
fear anything. They've had some pretty stout
masters to deal with"
"But how many are there in the school,"
asked "who are really bad-who are ready to
go ahead in any evil pranksP"