Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1866-03-16

"Reminiscences.
Editor Of the Vermont Phoenix:
Our great New England Poet said "Let the
dead past bury the dead" We say amen and
let the past itself be buried with the dead, if
that past can show no lessons or examples for
our present or future improvement. When
memory brings only melancholy pictures Of the
crimes and sorrows Of mankind, which have
tendency to make one "a link reluctant in this
heshly chain classed among crea,ures"-banish
it if possible.
But when through the dim end dusty past,
we see "a thing of beauty which is JOY forev-
-praiseworthy deeds-glory won or duty
done-though the loved forms and faces of the
actors are nov beneath the turf-it is for our
welfare and happiness to keep their memory
green.
Knowing you to be a Pioneer-a veteran in
the cause of common school education in this
village, and knowing by sad experiences the
conditioned our public schools at the time your
voice was the first one heard TO advocate the
present system of graded schools now in opera
tion,in this village thought you might be in
terested in a brief description of select school
taught in this place by Mr.. Eastman Sanborn
before you came among us. This school was
in operation at the time of Andrew Jackson's first
election to the presidency, when it was said but
three votes were cast for the old hero in this
town. Mr.. Sanborn was, apparently, almost
destitute of selfshness. He seemed to give his
whole time, both indoors and out, to the inter-
ests Of his pupils. remember many miner
illogical or botanical excursion on which, as the
presiding genius, he accompanied the boys and
girls over hills and mountains and amongst the
beautiful surroundings of our village. The
great book of nature was so explained to oui
youthful minds as to lessen much of the friction
we had heretofore experienced in other schools
We were made TO realize
"To the cultured eye of taste.
No rock is barren and no wild is waste"
True, we had seen this great book of nature
from the first hours of consciousness, wide open
before us, but how much more attractive SEEM
ed its pages when translated TO our comprehen-
sion by this master hand. There was lesson
in each tree and flower. Nothing was too in
significant to escape his notice.
Our attention was directed TO live beings so
small million of them could be got into the
eye of a cambria needle at once. Optics were
demonstrated by the construction of lenses from
ice of such size and power as to concentrate the
suns rays sufficient to melt metals. He made
artificial volcanoes, kinded fires under water.
and performed many other experiments to dem
onstrate Geological, Chemical and Philosophi-
cal theories. At times, during school hours,
the attention of every one was suddenly re-
quested to one of his moral or philosophical
essays.
He said, though fully aware "life is real life
is earnest "yet by all means cultivate the ideal,
so you can at times be lifted up above the cares
and perplexities of life-living in world of
your own creation-independent SO far as pos
sible, of surrounding circumstances which often
cause unhappiness."
He often dwelt on the pleasures of the i'm
aginaion and considered it one OF the impcrt-
ant duties of a teacher TO direct and a. sist in
the cultivation of this, one of the most import
ant and Godlike faculties of the mind. Every
scholar who could write, was required. as the
first school exercise, to read an original compo-
silon every morning.
Our sketch of this really original character
must OF course be imperfect, as much that ought
to be said TO his credit has, undoubtedly, been
rubbed from our memory by the wheels of time.
Yet this man with all his high capabilities was
guilty of-what with the ruling sentiment of
this community-is an unpardonsble sn-pov.
erty.
We welcome on tapestry and BRUSSELS, the
gambler, the profane swearer and the Uterine.
but curse and try to starve the man who can
not pay his debts. Why sir have been in
formed by consequential man in this place he
never should patronlze a certain NJ. d. because
he, the NJ. d., had proved so unskiltiA in f.
ndncidt matters Shades of The great departed!
Webster, Dewitt Clinton. Socrates, the poor
old man of Scio the poor fishermen Of Galilee
with their and our Divine master, enlighten
us You were all deficient in Wall street tao.
tics, some of you so much so you had not where
to lay your heads how did YOU attain such
eminence in everything that distinguishes man
from the lower animalsp
Some one, speaking of Macauey as a critic,
said If the ghosts of murdered books ould
burst their cerements. the sleep OF Thomas
Darlington Macnuley would be disturbed with
more phantoms than the slumbers Of Richard
the Third" Now, if the ghosts Of all the great
Statesmen, Warriors, Poets and men of science,
who have proved deficient, who have been no.
ted for deficiency in knowledge CT finance
should appear in Bratteboro TO answer my
appea-Macauley or Richard would he glad
to exchange places with u.s. OBSERVER.
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