The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1868-01-16

sasn OF grass III IHeIn' io"'0N
was, that there were no carpenters who
had either the skill, tools or lumber to
to enable them to make sash. There
were no stores where glass could be had
nearer than Gallipolis, and the people
had no money to pay for such luxuriesj
and then they had never been actus-
toned to such things as glass windows.
How people could see to get along
without windows, or how children could
study without light, l cannot now I'M
derstand. The great roaring wood fire
gave a good deal oflight, and then the
walls, loft and roof, let in some light,a and
tho door did not fit very closely.
No one in those days ever thought of
such thing as q school in summer.
The schools generally lasted only three
months during the winter.
When a man wanted to teach, he
would write an article of agreement,
and present it to his neighbor for sigma
lures. He would bind himself to teach
spelling, reading, writing and arithme-
tic as far as the single rule Of Three-to
keep good order in school, to make
up lost time at the end of the term, and
not to take more than twenty pupils.
The employers bound themselves topay
him two dollars per scholar at the end
of the term, and to furnish frewood fol
the school. They also bound them.
selves to permit the teacher to whip al
pupils under the age of fourteen years
for violation of the rules of school, and
to expel those over that age for like Of
fenses.
Those who subscribed would meet
at the school house, generally on the
Saturday before the school was tc
commence, and cut and haul great
pile of wood, generally shell bark hick'
ory, ash &c. Some would cut it up af.
ter it was dragged to the school house
A back log, some two feet IN diameter
and ten feet long, would be rolled into
the house, and left in front of the frt
place. On Monday morning the schoo
master, or some Of the larger boys,
whoever got there first, would roll this
backlog into the fire place. Two stones
were placed as andirons, on these fore
stick, and then a pile of small wood ano
chips were piled between these logs
and fred The fire was generally star
ted with tho loose bark off the hickory
logs. After a school house got thor
oughly seasoned, the log serving as
mantle-tree, often took fire. Then thu
boys had to 60 out to the mortar-holt
and get mud and plaster it over. If th'
mud was frozen, they took snow, or 6
gourd of water and put it out.
There was no system as to the kind o
books used. Any that could be hat
were used. Thomas Dillworth's spell.
ing book, an old English work, was
common. The New England Primer
was extensively used, Some Of my
readers may yet remember it. There
we're twenty six couplets, each contain
ing letter of the alphabet, in their or
der, and picture to correspond. TIL,
first was this;
In Adams fall
We sln-ned ALL
With this was picture Of Adam tn
king an apple from Eve, and the ser
pent coied around and around the appl
tree.
The second was this;
"My Book aud heart
Shall never part,
With this was simply the picture o
a book and heart
For the letter G we had this
"Thc Cat doth play.
And after slay."
Here was a cat hard after q mouse
Next came this:
"Ths Dog will bite
A thief ut night"
Here dog nearly had q running
thief by the tail Of his coat
Next
,The Eagles flight
Ia out Of sight"
here was the picture of an eagle higI
up in the air.
Next came the letter f.
"The Idle Fool
Gets whipped at school,"
Here was the picture Of savag
looking old school master, tperhaps "ol
Parks, y with boy across his knees
and the old pedagoguo was laying %
with bundle Of birChes. The boy wa
kicking up his heels, and his mouth wa
wide open.
These cOuplets and pictures went o
through the alphabet, closing thuG
"Zaecheus he
Did climb atree,