The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-12-20
from Hearth and Home."l
T FL B
HO0SIER SCHOOL MASTER
BY EDWARD EGGLEsTeN.
CHAPTER II.
A SPELL COMING.

There was moment OF utter STILL
ness. But the magnetism of Ralph's
eye was too much for Bill Means
The request was so polite, the mas
ter's look so innocent and yet so de-
termined. Bill often wondered after
wards that he did not f'fit' rather
than obey the request. But some
how he put the dog out. He was
partly surprised, partly inveigled,
partly awed into doing just what he
had not intended to do. I'm the week
thot followed. Bill had to fight half a
dozen boys for calling him Puppy
Means Bill said he wished he'd q
licked the master on the spot
'Twould a saved five fights out of the
six. .....
And all that day and the next, the
bulldog In the masters eye was q
terror to evil.doers. At the close of
the school on the second day Bud was
heard to give it as his opinion that
'.the master wouldn't de mnch in a
tussle, but he had heap of thunder
and lightning in him. Did he infict
corporal punishment? inquiries some
philanthopic friend. Would you in
fict corporal punishment if you were
tiger trainer in Van Amburgh's hap
py family? If you had been among
the human bears on Flat Creek you
would have used the rod also. But
poor Ralph could never satisfy his
consistency.
Don't believe he'll do was Mr..
Pete Jones' comment to Mr.. Means
Don't thrash enough. Boys won't
harmless you thrash 'em, says l.
Leastways, mine won't. Lay it on
good, what 1 says to master. Lay
it on good. Don't do no HARM
Lickin' and larnin' goes together. No
lickin' no larnin' says 1. Lickin' and
larnin', lickin' and larnin' is the good
ole way
And Mr.. Jones, like some wiser
people, was the more pleased with his
formula that it had an illustrative
sound. Nevertheless, Ralph was mas.
ter from this time until the spelling
school came. If only it had not been
for that spelling SCHOOL, Many and
many time after the night of the fa-
tai spelling school, Ralph used to say:
IF only it had not been for that spe..
ling school y
There had to be a spelling school.
Not only for the sake of my story,
which would not have been worth
the telling if. the spelling school had
not taken place, but because Flat
Greek district had to have a spelling
school. 1t is the only public literary
exercise known to Hoopole County.-i
1t takes the place of lyceum, lecture
and debating club. Sis Means, or, as
she wished now to be called, Mirandy
Means, expressed herself most posi-
lively in favor of it. She said that
she lowed the folks in that district
couldn't in no wise do without it
But it was rather 10 its social than its
intellectual benefits that she referred.
For all the spelling schools ever she
seen could not enable her to stand |
anywhere but at the foot of her class.
There is one branch diligently taught
n back woods school. The public |
mind seems impressed with the diff !
;ulties of English photography, and
'hCaS 10 a ooiCuuA COHNlCliOu Ihto thC
thief end of man Is to learn to- spell.
Know Webster's Elementary come
lown from heaven would be the !
version of the Greek doc
rine, but that, unfortunately for the
ireeks, their fame had not reached so
ar. 1t often happens that the pupil
loes not know the meaning of a sim
lie word in the lesson. That is of
10 consequence. What do you want
0 know the meaning of word for
Words were made to be spelled, and
nen We're created that they might
pell them. Hence the necessity for
ending pupil through the spelling
ook five times before you allow them
0 read, or indeed to do anything else.
Hence the necessity for those long
pelling. classes at the close or each
orenoon and afternoon session of the
chool, to stand at the head of which i
J the cherished ambition of every +
,holar.- Hence, toQj the necessity {
1r devoting the whole If Tire after
oon session of each Friday to a
Spelling Match In fact, spelling is
ne national game in Hoopole Coun-