Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1861-12-25
The Hard school.

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The Hard school.
In the autumn Of 1912, l received a
visit from one of the experimenting
School Committee Of the town OF C.
in the State of New Hampshire. He
introduced himself as Mr.. Brown, and
at once proceeded with his business.
He wished to employ teacher for one
OF the schools in his town. He ran his
eye over my frame, and | saw the result
was satisfactory, for he Immediately ex.
pressed desire to secure my services
| asked him what sort Of school it
was.
"Wal," he said, with peculiar nasal
twang, and a pronunciation not set
down by any Of our photographers.
''It's pooty tarnation hard school ,naow
tell ye. But ycou've got the bone an
muscle, an Ireckon as haowyeow meight
dew it."
lie again run his eye over my large,
sinewy frame, and rubbed his hands
with evident satisfaction.
"Have scholars been in the habit OF
gaining control over the school?" l
asked.
"Lord bless We, yes. Why, no master
can stand it week. Yc see, Squire,
that ere school. Ye see they work in
swanps, an they're kind o rough in
their ways. We hearn tell O yeou, an
was sent to sec We. An l was prlvil-
eyed to offer we forty dollars a month,
eff ye'd only come an keep it. That's
more'n twice as much as we ever paid
atore."
"How large is the school?"
"Wal-thar's nigh onto sixty scholars,
all told, when they come-some boys
an some gals"
had heard of the school before, and
had been acquainted with an excellent
teacher who had been thrown ont from
the school house and rolled in
the snow bank by the large boys; yet !
resolved to 60 and try it. OF personal
danger l had no tear, for l happened to
possess large frame and proportion
Ate amount OF nerve and muscle. l had
exercised freely in our gymnasium, 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 i'm.
paired tho faculties God had given me.
told Mr.. Brown l would keep the
school. 1t was to commence on the first
day Of December and continue three
months. But / told him that | must
have my own way. That in all things
appertaining to the school l must be
master that my will must be absolute,
even to the casting out of half the schol-
airs. He said l should have my own
way aud he pledged his word that the
committee should not interfere in any
way, nor under any circumstances.
At the appointed time l packed upmy
wardrobe and school-books and started
for G. When l reached the village l
learned that my school was in q distant
part Of the town-in a rugged region
known as Rascbone Hollow. On the
following morning Mr.. Brown took me
''over" in his sleigh. l found my school
house upon the edge of quite settle
ment, which was located in wide val
ley, with high bleak mountains upon all
sides. Twas taken at once to the place
where l was to board, and in this latter
respect / was fortunate.
My hosts name was Elias Benny. He
was q we'll TODD farmer-about forty-6ve
years Of age, firm, intelligent man, and
one of the selectmen Of the town. He
had f5e children that were to attend
the school-the oldest being q girl Of
nineteen, named Lydia, and the young
est boy of seven.
Mr.. Brown remained to dinner, end
then took bis leave; and, as l was
alone with Mr.. Bonney, began to In
quire particularly about the school. Ny
host shook his head with q dubious ex.
preston.
"You know what boys are, he said ;
Especially if they've had their own way
for long time. For six winters we've
had no school that could be called q
school. There are quite large number
of stout boys, and they general y 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 |
really shouldn't want them to try it,
for I'm not apt to be very considerate
when acting on the defensive against
mere brute force"
Bonney said be should think 'twou'd
be dangerous for the scholars to make
the attempt. "Bdt," be added, with an.
other dubious shake Of the head, "ths