Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-02-19
TIE lard SCHOOL.

mittee Of the town Of G., in the Stat
Of New Hampshire. He introduced himse
as Mr. Brown, and at once proceeded with hi
business. He wiRhe1 to employ a teache
for one Of the q in town. he rsr hi
eye over my frame, and saw the resul$ wa
satisfactory, for he Immediately expressed
desire to secure my services. asked hin
what sort OF a school it was.
"WaI," said be, with peculiar tWang, anC
Pronunciation not set down by our lexico
graphers, "its pooty tarnation hard schoo
naow I tell ye. But you've got the bone al
muscle, an l recon as haoW ye might dew it >
He again ran his eye over my large sinewy
frame and rubbed his hands with evident sat.
isfaction.
"Have scholars been in the habit of gain
ing control of the schools ?" l asked
"Lsrd blesI ye, yes. Why no master can
stand it week Ye see. Squire, there's some
pooty alfred stout boys in that ere school. Ye
see they work in the swamps, an they're
kind o. rough in their ways. We hearn tell
O. you, an was sent to see ye; was privi-
legged to offer ye forty dollars month, eff ye
only come an keep it. That's morn twice az
much as we ever paid afore."
"HoW large is the SCHOOL, 7"
! "Wal-thar's nigh ontos sixty scholars, all
told, when they come-some boys and some
gals"
had heard of the school before, and had
been acquainted with an excellent teacher who
bad been thrown out of the school house and
rolled in the snow bank, by the large boys;
yet resolved to try it. OF personal danger
| 7 Lal Eo,r Eor -.
large frame, and proportionate amount of
nerve and muscle. 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 lavished in her favors, and evil habits
had not impaired the faculties God had given
me.
told Mr.. Brown I would keep the school
1t was to commence on the first of Decem-
ber, and continue three months. But I told
him must have my own way; that in all
things pertaining to the school 1 must be
master; that my will must be absolute, even
to the casting out of half the scholars. He
said 1 should have my own way and pledged
bis word that the committee should not in
terfere in any way, nor under any circumstan-
ces.
At the appointed time packed up my ward
robe and school books, and started for c..
When reached the village learned that my
school was in distant part of the town, in a
rugged region known as RaWbone Hollow
On the following morning, Mr.. Brown took
me over in bis sleigh. l found my school
house upon the edge Of quite settlement,
which was located in wide valley, with high
bleak mountains on all sides / was taken at
once to the place where 1 was to board, and
in the latter respect was fortunate.
Ny hosts name was Elias Bonney. He
was well to do farmer, about forty-fye years
of age-a firm, intelligent man, and one Of
the select men Of the town. He had five
children that were to attend school-the old
est being a girl of nineteen named Lydia, and
the youngest boy of seven.
Mr.. Brown remained to dinner, and then
took his leave; and as I was alone with Mr..
Bonney, / began to inquire particularly about
| the school. My host shook his head with a
dubious expression.
'You know what boys are," he said, espe-
cialy if they've had their own way a long
time. For six winters we've had ne school
that could be called school. There are quite
large number Of stout boys, and they gene :
ally eOntrive to get the master out at the end
of week. But think they will find it hard
work to put you out"
81 don't know" replied, "but I really
shouldn't want them to try it, for I'm not apt
to be very considerate when acting on the
defense of mere brute force"
Bonney said he should think it would be
dangerous for the scholars to make the at
tempt.
But" he added with another dubious shake
of the head, ''the boys are not only stout and
hearty, but you must remember there is a
number of them. Once get 'em started and
they don't fear anything. They have had
some pretty stout masters TO deal with"
"But how many are there in the school,
1 asked "who are really bad-whe are ready
to 60 ahead in any evil pranks ?"
Bonney pondered few moments, and then
replied:
"Why there's only two of them that are
really ugly; and even they amt bad Deighbors
They are kind and ready in case of need, bat
they seem determined to resist the sehoo
master"
We kept up the conversation, at intervals
until bed time, when retired for the night
had made up my mind as to the nature o
the work l had to- do. l learned enough tC
assure me of several facts. In the first place
; each succeeding teacher bad gone into the
school with the firm belief that he had to fght
his way through. This very feeling had ser
we'd to excite his combativeness SO that BIZ
first position to the scholars was an antago
". Ia I. i L. IL
At fighting the large boys was handy; they
had prepared for it and expected it, and con
: sequently were easily led to an exhibition o
pugnacious qualities.
On the next morning, 1 found the build
ing nearly new and looking clean and neat
, 1 liked that, 1 went in and arranged m,
books on the desk. Mr.. Bonaey had givel
me the key to that desk informing me at ih
same time, that he believed there were som
D implements there 1 might need. 1 found
= heavy rock maple ferule some two feet lonj
s by two inches wide, and three quarters of a
t inch thick.
0 Il was perfect club, and was, moreover
: enough to excite the ire of any decent person
= who might see it brandished about in th
] hands of superior. 1t was not alone. !
: nad compaulOh III tn0 snApe OI long, stou
heavy raw hide, or green hide, as they al
: sometimes called. l let them remain in th
. desk.
At nine O'Clock rang the hand bell wit
| ! which my host had supplied me, and the scho
L ars took their seats. The school was full
; and as l gazed carefully around, was please
$ with the appearance Of most of the scholar
: There was comely intelligent set for such
a place. But among the larger boys were som
= faces which wished to study. John Putne
9 and Stephen Oliver had been SO thorough