Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-02-24
Our school Teacher.

It is almost over now!
Our school Teacher
"Lord save us % exclaimed Aunt Eu-
nice MILFORD. "What awful works. What
is the world coming to? The school mas
tiers nowadays are worse than nothing.
The boys did not dare to act so in Master
Burners time. If he was alive now he'd
thrash that Ned Williams to death"
~ don't know about it," replied her
husband, rude man, whose feelings
toward the school were net very wise; 81
am glad Squire Rulum's great schsol-mas-
ter has not conquered the boys. He did
great things at braggin' how he'd thrash
UNI ; but guess he has found out the diff
ference between braggin' and dom; and
I'm glad ont. The boys in free Amer
lea must larn to hate tyrants."
"Larn to hate tyrants??' retorted Aunt
Eunice 81 think it is high time some
body larned to hate such awful times
with school The boys are gettin' to be
awful critters, and the men are a great
deal worse. 1 should like to know what
will happen next ?"
The older boys in our district school
had rebelled There had been desperate
contest, ia which the school-master was
overcome and thrust out of doors, with
sundry bruises about his person, and sew
eral rents in his garments, one of which
was, as Aunt Eunice would have said
lawful"
This was the second event of the kind
in which the boys had distinguished
themselves, and, in their own estimation,
as we'll as that of some of their parents,
covered themselvs with the usual glory
of conquersrs. Yet, in reality, these boys
were no worse than boys are generally !;
though it may be that some of them had
rather more than the average amount of
energy and daring.
Two winters previous, the district had
been 30 unfortunate as to engage teacher
whose disposition had made him incompe-
tent to manage the school with any de-
gree of success. Until this time, our
school had been noted as one of the most
orderly and docile schools in the region.
There were some rogues in it of course,
but hitherto they had appeared to be
pleasant rogues who respected their
teacher, and they were very easily man
aged.
With Mr.. Violent there came change
in the school. His unreasonable DISPOSE
ton did not produce happy consequences.
Whatever was bad, and whatever could
be bad, in the disposition of the children,
began to appear and respond to 1t. Bad
rs well az good passions, have an unfall-
ing magnetism, and soon make hell of
the place where they abide. Very sooa
the girls feared and hated their teacher !;
and the boys grew turbulent. MIR. Vio-
lent's rule was constantly flying at some
unlueky head the smaller children were
constantly screaming with pain, from
their hair pulled numerically or their
heads knocked against the benches, and
every morning the teacher came loaded
with a new supply of rods. At length,
near the close of the school, Mr.. Violeut
whipped little girl, the child of poor
woman, so cruelty as to excite the whole
district, and now the boys began to feel
ready for open war. On the last day of
the school there was turbulent spirit
among them, which he could not control.
When the school closed they Missed and
shouted after him, rs he went his way,
and some Of the boys even threw stones
at him,
Our school got Il new reputation. Peo-
pie called it very bad school, and said
there were some very turbulent boys IL 1t,
who needed strong, stern government.
This view of the matter prevailed some
what in the district, and WAS held by the
individual appointed to engage teacher
for the next winter. He accordingly
gave out that the school should be gov
erned, and that he would engage maR
with whom the boys would not venture
to take liberties Now the boys felt
wronged: in this feeling many of the
parents participated; and this annuncia-
ton was received as an ill-natured de-
fance. Perhaps the boys would have
given way; possibly fear might have re-
duced them to sullen submission, if some
of them had not been very bold and
energetic. Edward Williams and two or
three others, were intelligent, high
spirited fellows, whose training led them
to scorn base actions But their com ba-
tive propensities were now violently ex-
cited. They consulted together and re-
solved they would not endure another Mr..
Violent ave are wronged, they said,
"and we will not bear it. If this teacher
attempts to beat US, or any&of the girls. as
The new teacher came, firmly persuaded
that he had very bad school to manage,
and that he must govern it in the sternest
manner. He was not very shrewd, and
he evidently entertained the netion of
earning great reputation that winter as |
disciplinarian. But alas for his success II
on the third day, out of pure longing to
use his whip, he accused one of the bows
of looking disnbedient, aud began to beat
him with great force. A battle followed, |
IN which he was be4ten and driven fror,
the school house
The district was in great commotiun. |
The boys were unsparingly ceusured by
some, and vehemently defended by others |
Squire Rulem was engaged, and could |
hardly refrain from beating the bows
when he met them in the street. He
spent fortnight in seeking another
teacher. He said he was resolved to have
, man who would put an end to all diff
guilty. He would not look at such men.
He wanted Goliah, he said At length
ne found one who appeared to suit his
wishes. DIR. Dale was great man, for he
weighed more than two hundred and fifty
pounds He excited great expectations,
Tor he said he would horse whip those dis
orderly boys three times day until they
were subsidized. He said he might not be
very Wen qualified to teach arithmetic,
grammar and such things, but to supply
III deficiencies in this direction, he had
'uler three feet long, and he would pur-
'hase three dozen OF the largest and
toughest horsewhips.
be opened the school with a speech, in
Which he told the boys be could whip
hem to death with unspeakable pleasure.
lie said the school needed nothing so
much as punishment, which he should At
noe inflict.
The boys, now grown wholly desperate !
nd reckless, accepted the war as eagerly ]
q iufurfata men aver xushad 70 s4o.- :