Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1859-01-28
WORCESTER CITY AND COUNTY.
Another veteran scboOlmaster Gone.

Another Veteran Schoolmaster Gone.
Died in North Brookfield on the 24th inst,
Mr.. Rufus Dodge, aged IS years.
Fifty years ago there might be found in al
most every county and town in New England,
some person or persons who devoted them
selves every Winter to the teaching of the
common schools, and in Summer were occu-
pied upon the farm. Mr.. Dodge was one of
this class. In so far as the times permitted, he
made teaching in his early life, profession,
and was highly successful and popular Pos
sessing genial temper, good judgement, and
commanding presence, he seldom had occa-
sion to resort to brute force, in the manage
ment of his school; but he had large reserve
of muscular power, which, if need be, he
could fall back upon and he could use the
ultima ratio of schoolmasters, with as much
effect as any of his contemporaries. His first
school was is Old Brookfeli in 1892, and he
continued in the service till 1882; period of
40 years. He taught nearly all the schools in
the Brookfields, and the neighboring towns
Distinguished as disciplinarian, he was sent
for. far and wide, whenever case Of difficult
ty occurred, and never failed to quell the most
rebelious school, without any great effort. His
fame and personal appearance were generally
sufficient; for when "master Dodge" came, I'M
ruly boys generally understood, that discretion
was the better part of valor.
Mr.. Dodge taught not only almost all the
different schools in the town in which he lived,
but in many ofthe neighboring towns and the
total number of his scholars must have amount
ed to thousands. No registers" were kept in
those days, but he generally made lists of his
different schools, several of which are found
amongst his papers, since his decease, and pos
sess good deal of interest for those who were
connected with them, recalling, as they do,
many of the incidents and associations of by
gone days.
In the latter part of his life it afforded him
much satisfaction to look around upon those
who were under his care, and watch their for
tunes and history AMI he used often to speak
with evident complatency of the success of
those who had been his pupils. He would tell
how among "his scholars" were such and such
gentlemen, in New York and Boston, now
wealthy and distinguished merchants thatsu
an one had been Consul at Paris, such and such
ones members of the Massachusetts, Senate,
such an one Secretary of the Common wealth,
such an one large publisher, and another a
great manufacturer, &C, &c. Among his papers
are found many testimonials of the respect and
affection of his pupils.
Mr.. Dodge was present at the Brookfeld
gathering on the 4th July last, and an object of
great interest with the multitude there assem-
bled. He enjoyed it greatly, and his presence
certainly contributed very much to the inter-
est of the occasion. 1t was his last appearance
in public. He remained, however, in about
his usual health till the week prior to his
death, when he was attacked with slight
fever which carried him off in about a week
Whether he may be said to have died of dis
ease, however, or of old age, is perhaps
doubtful.
When last taken sick, his family proposed
to him to be removed into another, and as
they thought, more convenient room which
they had fitted up for him, but he declined.
"In this room," said he "my father and
mother both died, here was born, and here
Iwish to die" and he was permitted to breathe
his last in the place where, eighty-fve years
before, he drew his first breath. He passed
gently and quietly away.
Agreeably to his special request he was
carried to his last resting place by "his schol-
ars,' and his bearers were Bonum Nye, AM
asa Walker, Ora Batcheller and Thomas
Gilbert of North Brookfeld, and VIM Howe,
Oliver Howe, Francis Howe and Nathaniel
Snow of Brookfeld
An unusually large collection of people at
tended his funeral and the remains were
deposited in the receiving tomb of the new
cemetery in North Brookfeld,