Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-09-26
sCHooLMAsTER's REcoLLECTIoNs

1t was many years ago that | commenced
keeping school, | had graduated at an acad-
emy of some note, and was well posted up in
those branches of education which were intro
duced into our common schools; and when the
committee came to examine me, | could see
that they were very forcibly impressed by the
ease with which | answered my questions In
short ! knew about everything that was oct
down in the books which had studied, for
happened to possess one of those wonderfully
retcntive memories that fastens surely upon
whatever comes once within its grasp. i'm
agined, and so did the committee imagine, that
/ was emnently qualified for the post to which
| aspired. But, as look back now upon the
events of those years, can see wherein great
ly erred | can see where | made great mis-
takes, and where most wofully lacked in quail
ifcation; and | write this little chapter of
Recollections for the benefit of those who may
be lust entering upon the duties of Teacher.
Wh'n | commenced my first school (and the
same ideas had, governed me for long time
afterwards,) looked upon the children before
me as so many little individuals whom | had
got 10 fill with learning. They were. to my
mind, so many human vessels which had got to
be filed up with the waters of education; and
my only ideas of the capacity were of size and
age In my class of ten scholars, which was to
bers of which were nearly of the same age, |
considered that each individual must hold just
the same amount of mathematical food and di-
gest it equally with the rest. And thus | com
menced my school. | knew what was written
in the books, and was to teach it TO the chill
dren before me. had learned it I'll, and be-
lieved they could. At least if they did not, !
meant that it should be no fault of mine.
In my first class of arithmetic were two boys
whom have selected to figure in this sketch.
take them because their subsequent careers
afford striking example of the fact | wish TO
present | shall not give you their real names,
or they are both living, and are worthy, hon
orable men. l shall tell you that they were
Luke Weston and James Shute. Luke was
rather heavily built, with large, full head a
ilorid, chubby face dark bluishgrey eye
dark brown hair, and inclined to be slow and
dreamy when called upon to work with his
mind. lie could work fast enough out Of
doors, when the play hours came, and when the
free air and vigorous exercise sent the copious
blood bounding through his veins but in the
school-room, over his books, he was quite an.
other character.
James Shute, on the other hand, was light o.
frame, with a small, compact head hair of G
faxen hue; light blue eyes, and possessed NJ
organization highly nervous and sensitive
He cared but little for the rough sports out o
doors, seeming rather 10 prefer his books, anC
perfect himself in his lessons. did not MAKE
any account of these physical pecularites at tn,
time for thought nothing OF them, but re
member them well enough now.
Luke and James were in the same classes il
| all the branches they studied together, and tn,
| f,w months of difference in their ages were il
favor of the former, he being little the older
| In a very short time | discovered that LUX
Weston did not learn his lessons we'll ii
blundered in his arithmetic, and stumbled lame
| ly over his spelling lessons. As | look bacl
now ] can remember that he used to betray
deep interest in some portions Of philosophy
and that when the subject interested him, h
read with feeling not excelled by any schola
in the school. But cared little for this at tn
time. looked upon the blackboard as tn
grand field for scholastic display the spelling
book came next, and next came Lindley Nun
rays old cali-bound grammar, with its inlnit
maze OF Orthography, Etymology, Syntax, an
Prosody. These were my educational deite'
before which every intellect must bow, and iror
the inspiration of which every intellect must
filed
james Shute became my favorite scholar
lie worked over his slate with an assiduit
which was untirng, and | felt Il pride in OK
hlblling ms powers TO my visitors. Upon tn
blackboard he could perform wonders for on
so young. In reductions, in fractions, simpl
and compound, in involution, in factors, and /
the roots, he was perfectly at home. So, 90,
! in spelling was he prompt and sure. And