Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1861-08-23
MISCELLANY Y.
RecollectionS of a School Master.

] NecOiitcti0liS OF Il SCHOOL MaStcF.
I Ii was many years ago that commenced
I keeping school. had graduated at an
academy of some note, and was pretty well
posted up in those branches Of education
which were introduced into our common
schools and when the committee came to
/ examine me, couc see that they we're verv
forcibly impressed by the ease with which l
answered all their questions. In short
knew about everything that was set down
4 in the books which had studied, for
/ happened to possess one of those wonderful
retentive memories that fastens surely upon
/ whatever comes once within its grasp.
/ imagined, and so did the committee imagine,
+ that was emiuenty qualified for the post
to which ! aspired. But, as look back
now upon the events Of those years, see
wherein greatly erred. | can see where
4 | made great mistakes, and where ! most
wofully lacked in qualification and write
this little chapter of recollectons for the
/ Jenefi, of those who may be just catering
upon the duties of teacher.
/ When ! commenced my first school (and
/ the same ideas | had governed me for a
/ long time afterwalds) looked upon the
/ children before me as so many little indi
/ viduals whom had got TO fill with learning
/ They were. TO my mind, so many human
vessels, which had 90, TO be filed mp with
| the waters cf education; and my only ideas
of capacity were of size and age. In my
| class of ten scholars which were TO recite
/ from the mental arithmetic, and the mem
4 bers of which were nearly the same age. |
/ considered that each individual must hold
! just the same amount Of mathematical food,
/ and digest it equally with the rest And
thus | commenced my school. | knew
what was written in the books, and ] was
to teach il to the children before me.
had learned it all, and believed they could.
1 At least, if they did not. | meant that it
/ should be no fault Of mine.
| In my first class in arithmetic were two
1 boys, whom | have selected to figure in this
sketch. | take them because their subse-
quent career affords striking example Of
( the facts | wish to present. ! shall not tell
! you their names, for they are both living.
and are worthy, honorable men. ! shall
4 tell you that they were Luke Weston and
James Shute. Luke was rather heavily
built, with large. full head, forid chub-
by face dark, grey eye; dark brown
hair and inclined to be slow and dreamy
when called upon to work with his mind
4 He could work fast enough out of doors,
when the play-hours came, and when the
free air and vigorous exercise sent the CO.
pious blood bounding through his veins
but in the school room, over his books, he
was quite another character.
James Shute, on the other hand, was
light of frame; with small, compact head
hair Of fiaxen hue light-bue eyes; and
possessed an organization highly nervou;
and sensitive. He cared but little for the
rough sports out Of doors, seeming rather
to prefer his books, and perfect himself il
his lessons. did not make any account
of these physical peculiarities at the time
for thought nothing OF them, and cared
nothing for them; but remember then
well enough now.
Luke and James were in the same class
es, in ell the branches which they studied
and the few months difference in their age
{ we're in favor of the former, he being {
little the oldest. In short discovered tha
Luke Weston did not learn his lessons well
: He blLndered in his arithmetic, and stun
bled lamely over his spelling lessons. As
look back now | can remember that he usec
/ 10 betray deep interest in some portion;
: Of philosophy; and that, when the sabIec
] interested him, he read with feeling no
: excelled by any scholar in the school. Bu
| cared little for this at the time. looked
upon the black board as the grand field o
! scholastic display; the spelling book came
next; and next came Lindley Murray's ole
,. calf-bound grammar, with its intricate maze
of Orthography, Etymology Syntax' anc
Prosody. These were my educational de
lilies. before which every intellect must bow
/, and from the inspiration of which every
intellect must be flled.
James Shute became my favorite scholar
lie worked over his slate with an assiduity
which was untiring, and | felt a pride IL
exhibiting lis powers 10 my visitors. Upon
the black board he could perform wonders
for one so young. In reduction; in trae
; tions. simple and compound; in inyolution
, in factors and in the roots, he was perfect
, ly at home. So, too. in spelling he wa:
: prompt and sure. And in grammar he was
/ excellent. lie sometimes made mistake
in analy zing sentences, where the meanin:
t of the author was not plain but be re
membered his rnles and knew how 20 apply
them.
4 With Luke Weston ! was sorely per
: picked He did not get his lessons well a
a all. When be came 10 compound fraction
: he could do nothing with them. Left 4
q himself, with his own method, he could wor
: ry the sums oat; but he was behind han'
g in his reciiations, and always blundered up
! on the black board. In grammar he wa
: also remiss, though not 50 bad as in arii1
6 meiic. When he came to parsing he e
{ along much better than could have anilS