The Shasta courier., 1872-07-06
CONQUERED BY KINDNESS


the school committee, asked the question of
the applicant for the position of teacher, in
what was usually known, for lack of bet
ter name, as Jones Corner
"Yes sir" was the reply, II would like
the school very much"
"You don't know what kind of job yer
gittin' into I reckon said the deacon
srimly. "Hev ye ever heerd anything
about the school r
"Yes sir; was the reply. II have
heard something about it,"
..Twan't good. then I'll warrant" said
the deacon. "It's the wust school in the
whole township, | suppose the very wust
an that's sayin' gooo deal You dent
look as eff you could do much to'rd lickin'
out passel of boys when they get on ruly :"
The deacon looked Miss Hayward over
closely.
She was young; not more than eighteen,
slight of figure, and altogether unlike the
ideal teacher the deacon had thought of
getting for the winter term of their school,
Her small hands looked totally untitled to
WELD the '.rod of correction"
But the time for the school to commence
was drawing near, and this was the first
application that had been made by any
teacher for the position, which had got to
be rather an uneviable one. The school
had gained bad name of late Some OF
the larger boys were unruly and rude, and
their example led on the younger children
to rebellion, and the last teacher had been
forced to give up the school before the
term was half completed.
You'll hev powerful pile O. whipping
to do" said the deacon, warningly-
There's John Brent He's the the ring
leader among the boys. Eff you could
thrash him so he'd know his place, you
might manage the others, S longs he goes
ahead, they'll foller him inter all manner
O mischief. He's a sort O bellwhether
among em,"
Il think can get along with then" !"
she answered, quite. confidently "At least
would try"
WALL said the deacon, Il dunno but
mought as well let ye hev the school,
seems we amt likely tu git anybody else.
They're all afeard of it. | was in hopes
some man'd come along, that could fog
EN- out sweetly few times. That's what
they need an d set my foot down square
in the tust place, if | was you Miss Hay
ward, an lick the fust one that didn't
mind Call in the trustees eff you can't
manage EN- alone. Pm afeared you'll hev
trouble; du the best you can
1t was not a very encouraging prospect,
but Myra Hayward resolved to accept tie
chances Of success, and so one Monday
morning saw her seated behind the desk in
the old red school house, hopeful and out
wardly calm, but with many misgivings at
heart about the task she had undertaken.
The children came struggling in one at-
ter another, casting curious glances at the
new ''school ma am," as they seated them
selves on the low Der ches.
She went about among them asking
their names and looking over their uog
cared books, and ascertaining about their
studies, and succeeded in creating quite
favorable impression among the younl er
ones. By and by, some larger boys rang
ing from fifteen to eighteen years of age,
came in and took their seats, with sundry
winks at each other, which evidently meant
mischief.
When she had classified them, and as
certained their names aud ages, she got up
and made them little address:
IL have come here to teach this school,"
she said, sunder embarrassing circumstan-
ces. | have heard that it Is the worst
school in the township; that there is no
way of getting along with the scholars, cx-
cept by whipping them and fosging them,
and treating them like animals. l think
the boys ar, gentlemen enough to treat me
with respect so long as treat them re.
spectfully, and | am sure the girls will not
be outdone in good behavior by the boys
want you to take hold aud learn all you
can. | will help you to the utmost Of my
ability; d ! want you to prove to the
people of the neghborhood, that they are
mistaken in their estimate of you. Prove
that you can behave as we'll as the scholars
of any other school. Show them that the
bad name they have given you is not de-
served"
Her words created quite sensation
among the boys. They never heard any
thing like them before. Other teachers
b come among them with laundering
threats and holding up awful visions of
punishment on the offending parties. To
have their better nature, their pride and
their commob sense appealed to was some
thing decidedly new, and it pleased them
For week all wen pleasantly; then
change came. The big boys had behaved
as never before since reaching big boy hood,
and the repression of their mischievous
faculties so long, caused them to overflow
with the spirit Of mischief which must be
let loose
For TWO or three days the outbreak was
kept in check by the tact OF the teacher.
she saw the rest looked to John Brent as
the head, and on bin they depended for
guidance.
Que day they were very boisterous, and
though the teache kept back an actual
outbreak, she feared for the morrow.
Il want to talk with you, after school,
she said TO John Brent, about dismissal
time So John staid. The lady took a
seat by him.
? ~ .s