The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1872-06-07
SMisrella,leuas.
OUT A SCHOOL
MASTER.
BY DONH PIATT.

by one Mulberry Bangs, a gentleman
of the old school who devoted him
self to reading, writing, arithmeti,
and the general use OF a stick. Up
on my head and other parts o.
my person he imprinted himself sc
positively that l can see him now
plainly as il we had parted but yes
terday. He was stout man, who
made in his figure, when seen in pro.
file, Hogarth's line of beauty, being
round-shouldered and crooked in the
legs. He was blonde. The hair OF
his head had that sunny tinge so much
admired to day, and when rubbed
down with a tallow candle, as was his
wont to dress it, was so smooth and
straight, that the boys believed that
flies slipped down upon it and broke
their legs. His eyes were dark and
fierce, and hid under the cavernous
recesses msde by his bushy red eye
brows, seemed to watch like evil
spirits over his precious nose. The
nose was a ruby nose, bottle in shape,
and when Bangs was angry, which
appeared to be all the time, it glowed
like the head light OF a locomotive -
His mouth was finished without lips,
and resembled slit in a piece of sole
leather.
My early experience gave me dis
taste for the whip in schools. But l
am far from siding with the sentiment
alists Of the present day who
advocate kindness and moral suasion.
The easier teachings, not the best,
but, IN fact, the only ones, are those
OF the rod, that give US a realizing
sense OF psin to the body, and drill
Us into patience and SELF denial.
Boys are of two sorts-good little
boys, who die young, and bully boys,
who can not be killed
As the last named only live to be
men. instead OF being translated in
to angels, il is well to discipline them
through the only process known to
animals, and that is the discipline OF
fear. The old adage is not far wrong
that said: "When you meet boy
whale him-ior if he has not been
in mischief he is going in " ..-..
What may have been my feelings,
when suffering under the stick OF old
Bangs, my objection to him now rests
not 80 much on his use CT that instru-
ment as the beastly appearance and
character of the man Later in life
[ was the scholar of a man who was
as severe with the rod, almost, as my
enemy Bangs; but to my dying day
| shall remember him as one Of the
noblest of men and the truest friend
/ ever encountered Alexander Kin
mont lived and died in the obscurity
OF a select school, with the generous
impulses and large, healthy brain that
ought to have secured him a high
position among the teachers and lead
ers of men. From that school came
boys so disciplined to study, and so
filed with the love OF learning, that
they, in making their mark in the
world, lived to illustrate the beauty
of his system.
l did not, however, sit down to
write of this, but to give in brief
some of my earlier experiences. 1t
was understood throughout the coun-
try that the boys were justifiable in
barring out the master, and if sue
cessiul, were not only entitled TO a
weeks recess, but the admiration
and praise of their parents. Old
Bangs was famous for his powers OF
Resistance, and boosted that no school
of his had ever succeeded in conquer
ing in such attempts. On the Ucca-
sion to which refer we had two big
boys in school, named Bill Henning
and Bob Strong. They were knotty-
headed, broad shouldered and hard
fisted fellows. who worked through
the summer for maens to attend school
during the winter. Each, IN turn,
had been numerically whipped by the
master, and it was understood through
out the school that the barring out of
Master Bangs was to be punished and
old scores settled.
The evening before the general en-
gagement, Bill and Bob our, noble
leaders, with few confederates stole
back to the school house armed with
hickory poles, Breaking open the
door, they whitfield one end Of these
tough saplings to a poin', and then
hardened the points in the fire. Then
placing these in a corner ready for
use, with stCu. cord, they gave
orders to the boys willing to take
part in the fight to be on hand at the
school house before daylight next
morning.
At the time indicated, nearly all
the lads we're in attendance. Some
we're pale and trembling others were
noisy and boastful, but / observed
that the real leaders snd relia-
BILE soldiers were quiet SO
quiet, indeed, that one might doubt
them. "Men are but boys of lar
ger growth said Dryden, and that
solema pomp Of a poet, W Wordsworth as
sures US that "the child is father to the
man." In the animal propensities and
tastes that survive our boyhood, this
is undoubtedly true, and many and
many time since, in hours of peril,
have seen re-enacted the same ex-
hibitions Of character that occurred
on that cold morning in December
among the boys.
Our first order was to cut and carry
in enough wood to serve the garrison
during siege. This was promptly
executed. Then the window shutters
were pulled to and securely nailed,
the door closed, and desk and bench.
es piled against it. After two
port holes were opened by removing
the chinks and daubing, and ther
gathered about roaring fire in the
huge fireplace, we awaited the ap
proach of the enemy. As the time
approached for the masters coming 6
dread silence fell upon the little
crowd, so that when he did come we
could hear his heavy tread upon the
crusted snow, and many a heart sunk
and face whitened in terror.
Our leaders sprang to their posts
each side of the door, and on being