Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1867-02-27
Township Correspondence
Burgh Hin Correspondence.

Burgn Hill correspondence.
oLDEN TIME-coTtunEed.
Our schools were taught in the winter
by the 'school MASTER" and in the sum-
mer By the 'tschool marm." The winter
school was before a fire place, full of four
foot wood, all on fire, making it pretty
warm for some, while others more remote
from the fire would often sing out "please
to let me 60 TO the fire. The 'master"
must be dignihed in his bearing, and keep
the best of order, furnishing, if need be,
with a rod, or fiat piece of wood, which he
kept much of the time in his hand. He
must be able to teach Arithmetic, Gram
mar, Geography, read well in the English
Reader, s'set'' good coarse and fine hand
copies, and mako a good goose quill pen.
The boys made inkstands of pewter or
lead, and filed them with ink made from
maple bark. They each had a '%ruler"
to which was attached q string and ''plum-
met" perhaps made by hammering a rifle
ball out to a sharp point. With this they
ruled their paper for writing, which must
be done with a great deal of precision
Writing must be done.slowly and all the
letters have q smooth, round, uniform
turn. Pens must be kept in good order,
hence some one eften singing out to the
teacher "'please to mend my pen." All
that was correctly lone on the slate, must
be neatly recorded in q book kept for that
purpose. That young man was worthy of
much praise who could show all the sums
in Dabols Arithmetic, neatly recorded in
his book, to the minister or others visiting
the school. Teachers would not give q
new lesson in any thing until the scholar
was perfect in the old. The rules of arith-
metic and grammar must be thoroughly
committed TO memory. The sfore part of
the spelling book" (orthography) must be
well understood by all. Nothing must be
run over, or lmperfectly learned. The
Testament was read as q school book, at
least once each day, and a prayer made to
God, by the teacher, if a professor of relig-
ion. The minister was expected to call
often, ask questions, pray for the children,
teacher and parents. Any thing like pro-
family, noise, or rowdyism would not be
tolerated for n moment about the school
house or on the way home. Children must
have some manners, be respectful to others
and not act like those who neither fear
God, nor regard man. On leaving the
school-room, n passed out at a time,
paying some respect to the teacher. The
boys did not put on their hats until this
was done at the door. We can bat think
Editor, that q very great error has
been committed in the dis-ase of the New
Testament in our common schools, as s
reading book. 1t looks to US very much
like turning Christ out of our schools,
hence the infdellty, skepticism and pro-
so prevalent among the youth of
our land. Unjust say for one that 1 would
like to see the old landmarks established
again, for if rough, uncouth, henthenish
conduct Is allowed at school, l. viii show
at church and every where else. In
my recollection no one whispered, or had
hat on in the church either before or
after preaching. All came in and vent
cut, as if it was the house of God. We
must say, we fear, that even Christians are
not as particular, at the present time, in
this respect, as they should be. Can we
not reform? Our fathers and mothers
were social in their habits, and did all that
could to bear each others burdens
The men were no doubt too joYial and fun
making. This wal owing no doubt to
their trips to the Lake and Pittsburgh to
in large parties. Asahel Banning, !
a professor of religion, would keep |
the whole company in a roar of laughter,
his stories, and mimicing different per-
To tell all the truth about it, they
would play little tricks upon each other for
he sake of amusement. In one of these
Ira Case and James King came near losing
heir lives. One evening as they were
the house of Elihue Beach, they
it would be a fine joke to scare the
in ayard close by the house, but no
sooner did the bell rattle than they discov-
red Mr.. Beach, with gun in hand, Just
TO kill a wolf. This made a fine
.heme for Mr.. Banning, the next time
hey all got together, and the way he
would tell the story and mimic all the par
les, was very amusing to all who heard
lin. We do not like to tell these stories,
Ir. Editor, and if we did we could not do
nything like justice to them. These men
ave all long since passed away, and still
re feel like saying ''peaee to their ashes"
t becomes US to be all the time ready for
be hour of death. d. K.