Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1871-06-15

with alacrity. When tue time came for
pencil and paper to appear from the
Doctors vest POCKETS, there was silence
in the room such as had never been
known before. Some general remarks
were made concerning insubordinat ion,
and then the names Of the students, who
had taken part in the ducking were read
as suspended for the present, with the
prospect ultimately Of expulsion. Then
with tile skill aud authority of general,
he divided the School inte sections,
numbered them, called upon the first to
retire. and then, after waiting Sufficient
time for them to reach their rooms,
dismissed the second division, and SO
on to the end. doubt IL any boy now
grown to manhood, who was present
then, will ever forget the scene. espe-
cialiy the appearance OF the Doctor as
thus to has satisfaction, he showed him
self master of the situation. At this
late day | can think Of nothing better
with which to compare his movements.
than the quelling sf an outbreak in
Prison. For it was the fault OF the good
old Doctor, that he for the most part
dealt with the students a. though they
,cere criminals.
Accustomed to see the utmost reach.
and tinest fibre OF Greek roots, it was
also natural for him to follow evil TO
its rcmotest dwelling, and most in
cipicnt disclosures. And though il was
a little thing, yet, partaking of The
nature of the greater, il received the
greater condeIa nation. Ii was ALWAYS
matter of surprise how the Doctor saw
- much. | well remember many incl
dents which illustrated this. One in
particular | will meuiion One diy a
clas>-mate, new promising Young
LAWYER in Eastern Maine though he
would spend the day with IA student
Trend at his room some distance from
the Commons. He got some cake, and
on the way bought bottle OF spruce
beer Turning from the general thor
ouShtarc. he entered narrow lane,
called Lovers Lane" hoping by this
means TO escape the notice OF Doctor
IayIor. But what student ever could
escape him? Just as the Young man
entered the lane at one end far away
at the other end appeared the portiy
figure ot the Doctor. 1t was too late for
retreat. for retreat would be prima tdcie
evidence OF guilt. SO he hugyed the
stone wall and quietly slipped tine bot
tie OF spruce beer over into the field.
soon student and teacher met face to
lace, IL was useless to give excuse. For
no e.rrnse' IVES. ever satisfactory with
Doctor TAYLOR. The yU,r,no man was
sent to spend the day in the Stone
Academy. But the most amusinp feat
ure ot il all was this: That very nipht
anothcrcl cla,>-mate, making observations |
on his own responsibility in the closet |
OF the philosophical room. came upon I
the Identical bottle of spruce beer, which
had been silently droDped over the stone
wall, and which the Doctor had recover
ed. It Is not necessary to saw whether
The student drank the contents o., not.
But how Doctor Taylor could from the
lar end OF the lane see and interpret the
utnrornanf which sl@-...s:.-l 80 h<,,i. |
This disposition TO watch the students
brought the Doctor into the street both
day and night. | remember that on one
occasion he met a student out during
study hours, who, in reply to the tamil
lar question: "Why are YOU not III Your
room. sir:' stated that he had been sui-
iering with the tooth-ache. and was now
on his way To the Dentists 10 have the
tooth extracted. Then III go with
you, said the Doctor, to the disgust st
the student, who hadn't an un-ound /
tooth IN his head. But he was equal to
the occasion, and accompanied by the
Doctor went to the Dentists, and had
perfectly sound tooth extracted The
Dentist appreciated the situation, hence \
made no objection.
Ga another occasion, while the Doe
tor, n was his custom, was walking the I
street at night looking ior offenders, he .
laid hold upon young man, whom in I
81. a / n
students. As usual there wa. lively .
shaking, in thts instance accompanied .
by some pretty strong. expetives from
the youu. man, who for the moment /
hadn't the slightest idea ho had got ,
hold ot him. Al the last the Doctor /
saw his mistake. But hi, only apology /
10 the young man, when he assured him |
oi his mistake, was that he mig 1 have |
known that he had got hold OF the wrong !
man, for none Of his boys used such bal |
language" Leaving the man 10 calm |
his excited feelings by this reflection ne |
passed on TO tiud some one whom he !
could legitimately shake.
A favorite method with him of ap- |
preaching delinquent was 10 tell him |
that he was "the tallest man in town. |
.'the most brilliant scholar" the most !
his match. On one occasion he ap- |
preached student in the entry Of the
Academy with the assertion that he was
gettin. Hyery loose Yes, know it |
Mr.. Tavlor," was the reply, .the fact is |
I've had the diarrhea for the last week
Down came the ponderous fist upon the
window-sill, with the exclamation: "Do |
you know to whom YOU are talking, |
sirr
Many more incidents might be given |
as ilustl ations OF the thoroughness OF |
his discipline. But what has been said |
will suffice. lie was in every respect a
hard master. He never took students
10 his confidence. lie made an annual,
and sometimes semi-annnal winnowing
of the incompetent, the lazy and the
wicked. He spent no time in attempts
To save "a man. In every thing he held |
men to the letter of their obligations,
whether III recitation, or in general de
porIment. Hence no man ever knew
how he stood in the Doctor estimation
until the last minute of his connection |
with the school had expired. Then II he |
had acquitted himself with good de |
gree OF excellence no warmer friend |
could he find than his once severe Pre- |
ceptor. As whole the discipline which |
\ man received at Andover under DR.. |
TAYLOR was magnificent. The greal |
falling in il was the tendency to regard |
"A man rogue until he had proved him
sell gentleman, instead OF u gentleman
until lie had proved himself rogue.
Severity in the classroom everv true
student appreciated. But severity.
which seemed sometimes to lack com
mon civilty in the personal co,ftact OF
the teacher with the scholar, sent manv
a student from Andoyer with little en-
thusiasn for his Alma Mater, and still
less for his former teacher. How Tar il
was a matter OF principle on the part OF
the Doctor to repress his social tenden-
cies we do not know. He coulfbe kind
and generous. If he made . asaeriice of
his feelings in accordance wifi his iheo
'-ry of discipline, then the sacrifice was
grand. But it is nevertheless true that
to-day many Of his former pupils ind