Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1872-03-07
Our New School House.

OF scenes OF former years, though use,
Hotr. FOR different pnr pose.
Mr. Morgan. was small Of stature short
compact but slightly III formed. He hat
. high forehead. bright eve. full face.
pleasant expression. aud strong clear
voice lie was At times. sober; USUALLY
cheerful, but neypr gay and ;rifllns. II,
VAS manly. digniiied. aud real school.
master. ia the best sense OF The word
Order. wa" Mr. Morgan. ''iir,, Ian. "
He commenced his school with the under.
standing. THAI lac was mastcr. as well =.
i,GcAcr, and that all hi. avs, were to he
obc,cd perfectly.
When h. spoke, the scholars could see
iu.i what hc meant. when lac aid '-hutc.
they could see >hute in hi. eve There
was no mi>,aking that man. With few cN-
S1pi,ops. the scholSTs submitted ~ school
rules. man. OF them willingly.
Occasionally. ihoughtlc., bsy. ike
the writer. would do something wrong
ia the hspc Of not being detected and
punished. but the di-obediem ono, soon
iesrned f.am .-ilHfsi experience. that the
va, - the transcre.-oT ~ss hard.
Rarely dill boy break schoal-uiles tho
second time. Tor the fear oI the .fcr'fis wa
bcior- hi. eve.
The internal arrangement Of our new
school house VAS "mo,ieru" Tor the tiin.-,
but comfort. aud convenience were no;
taken into the account in the erection 81
the building. Notwithstanding the buildcr
Nj Clark. Vas first elias. mechanic. and
in man. respec,,. progressive man,
The seals were very long. and badly ar
ranged. 80 that il was difficul: n,o,in.
about la the school room. without causing
much confusion. No scholar dared leave
HI seat. OF peak 10 his nearest neiglbor
!.huEi permission, and when NC did
move. We had 10 b. IL .uifl .: . mou>c ia
a sick room. The school va. not ia h-
ai.s..,e.d. &C" =. tbs eids-s scholar.
Our teacher. believed aud taught. tina,
all the SCHOLARS Mere responsible To him
Tor their conduct, nom the time they len
their home. iii they returned 10 i. again.
II any OF the scholars quarrellcd. ia going
TO or from school. the teacher would cali
thrin out the next day, and amer moral
i1ing' while. would iufiict = punishneht
80 severe. as 10 prevent their aghIu.g
qualities from being put on .xAibti.o. az ain
for the term.
We had not then learned to throw snow
balls at travellers on the high way. or IN
any way 10 be disrespectful TO strangers.
In those days 81 ignorance and darkness,
We had not attained 10 that high state OF
social and moral culture.
Our teacher. governed his school with
the same conscientious conviction. that
hs s0uli Offer his daily prayer for divine
assistance. lie claimed si.t right. and ex-
errised it. and all the parents, sustained
him la this position. BY so doing. they
essentially aided the teacher in hl. work
aud il was by no means as difficult task
10 Keep good school. then. a. NOW.
FoIiy-eight years ago. parent, had not
learned how TO interfere ~i.h, aud oppose.
school government. They have n., learn
Ell how 10 array themsel,e. against the
teacher and break up the school. pro, ID
ed, he preserved good order. and in doing
so. found IL necessary 10 punish their Disc
bedlent children. insubordinaIi on and
rebellion in the school room. and In the
neighborhood, are decidedly modern"
Mr.. Morgan, Was an excellent scholar
for the times. and stood at the head Of
the pFofss SON" in Hancock CO.
He demanded and received largo DAY,
sixteen dollars per month-and the parents
felt the importance of having an equiva-
lent for this large sum OF money. They
were not only willing, but very anxious to
have their children reperly Instructed
and disciplined. Mr.. Morgan was thor
ough teacher OF the common branches =
which he considered Of great importance.
lie held that good common English etltl-
cation. was Of far more consequence. than
ignorance OF our own language, with 4
smattering Of Latin. French and Spanish.
He was only satisfied with perfect lessons.
lie Insisted upon his scholars knowing.
They had. both TO study and learn.
In our new school house. were many
yonng men and women. from twenty. TO
twenty four years old. Some OF the schol-
ars iu the Navigation class" were even
older than that. Our winter term Of
school was short. only eight weeks. 10
those dark days, scholars did not know
how to waste their time. and neglect their
privileges. As many Of them do noy They
had not then learned how to keep out Of
school. aud invent excuses.
Mr.. Morgan taught In eur new school
house five winters, believe. One OF his
pupils, afterwards became bishop. in the
N. Z. Church. three of the number have
been. and believe now are. ministers of
the gospel. Pour or more. have been
members of the State Legislature. Six. or
eight. have been employed, at different.
times as teachers. More than half score
Of Mr.. Morgsn's pupils. became sea cap
tsins. and were successful in business.
In those days. the Yinter school was q
big thing" aud looked forward too, With
feelings of deep anxiety, aad those who
secured the services Of Mr.. Morgan. was
regarded As fortunate indeed. Mr.. Nor
gan. was every whit man." and he low.
ed diligently to inspire his pupils with
love Of manly and vospauly behaviour.
In these days. great pains were taken
~ parents to have their children attend
he district school. for the scademy and
high school had net f0snd their way into
this section Of the state. Cold and stsrw.
had hsf littie s0sce upon The school, for
there were lev indeed. Who, It tn are az