The Placer herald., 1867-02-23
Schools and Schoolmasters.

The rural districts, says the Boston, MAS
sachuse,t>) Journal. develop some odd and
rare characters. Profound ignorance is
sometimes to be pitied, while at other times
it assumes such Il grotesque and lu'lirrous
oh ararler that it would excite the merIlment
of old Ce,berus himself
We have lately come into possession oftbe
facts OF u case which transl,ired somew here
IN Northwest Maine, that are to good TO go
unchron'cl-d.
A certain Knight oI the Birchen Rod"
wishing to Obtain a certificate as a school
teacher, as required 10y the General Statutes
OF Maine, called upon The Superintendent OF
Pubic Schools. not long since, when the
following dialogue took place:
Morning. Mr.. Superintendent"
"Good morning. Su; take a chair"
"Iou see, Mr., I'm n schooling it out in
my settlement, and have been for risio' tit teen
year. and wan, stiffi:ale to keep duin'."
"Al right, Sit; am ready to grant the
certificate, but before doing So must exam
inc YOU AS to your competency"
Nov Iook here, faint no use to famine
me, tur as said aiore, I've been scbooln' it
,isin' fifteen year."
Yes, Sir; that may all be. but the law re-
qures me to examine you before Issuing the
certificate, and must do my duty"
"'raint no use-l never was zamined in
this way. and have heap OF stitlicaes, and
can fetch them in TO you"
Never mind the certificate; you must be
examined AS to your qualifications, or the
certificate cannot issue"
"WelI; blu, it's marry bit Of use. ! have
been-"
Never mind that; wha. branches do you
teach in your schoo?"
20. read'u' spellin', wrtin' and fggerin'."
"Is that a?"
"Yes; the folks out thar don't want any
thing else They're all down on high school
in'."
Don't you ,earh gramma'!"
20 no; the folks are down on gramar
larnin'."
"Don'i some Of your scholars want 10 study
grammar"
mary one. Bout five year ago one Of old
man llemphilrs gal took notion TO study
grammar, but in bout two weeks she gin it
up."
er, shoul have some know Wedge OF grammar,
and must examine you in that branch"
"Well, now, that's no use-lhe folks don't
want that kind of larnin'."
"Very likely. But can you tell me how
many parts Of speech there are?"
well, now; let me see; I'll declare it has
slipped my memory. l don't jest now recol
lect. But anyhow grammar is supefewI
ous,'
Can; YOU give guess9'
"WelI. | should say 'bont two"
That won't do: guess again"
"WeII, a, furdest, should say four"
"Are you sure!"
"Well, ar near as I can recollect, it mought
be, and it moughlen,.'
Now. sir; tell me, what is English gram.
maI2'
"As near as can recolect it's n smallis,
book bout so long" (measuring with bis
hand. J "and bout halfnch thick"
ibid you ever see Klrkham or l'inneol"
mo sir, they never lived in our settle
men,."
"Do you know anything aboat Bullion or
Smith"
90, yes; I've hearn tell heap Of 'O'd
Bullion, but never saw him-I voted for
him. As fur Smith, he lives across the run,
bout two mile from my house. His boys 60
to school to me-"
"Very vel. What is geography
"Don'l uss any in my school, but if don't
lisremember, seed some in town and they're
bout the size Of good chunk Of shinge."
(which i, The largest river in the wolld
"lhe Mississippi Of course"
"What is the shape of the earth?"
"Wsll, in our region its right sharp bill.
", bu, furlherE down it's flat and swampsh. ="
(which is The highest mountain in the
wolllr'
"P,ot Knob"
Very we'll. Now, sir; you say that in
your school you only teach spelling, reading
rltng and arilhm, tic"
Mo, III; didn', say Iarned 'em rethme
tic; only arus 'sm readiu' spellin' wrsin'
and ti-gegin'." suu- 49,. n,
Exactly. Now after your scholars have
gone through the spelling books and readers,
what do you do lhen9"