Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-03-22
The HardscrabbIe School.

of Waterford, Maine, was called 4" Hard
scrabble" and it was appropriately
named, 1t was a tough, hard place,
and the inhabitants were for the most
part rough and uncultivated. The
school of Hardscrabble was a difficult
one to manage. We write of the years
agone when boys in the country we're
in the habit of attending school during
the winter term until they were one and
twenty and thus, especially in the
farming districts, the teacher was apt
to find scholars under his charge hard
to handle. The Hardscrabble school
had gained a bad reputation. No
teacher could manage it when the big
boys of the winter term took their
seats. Teacher after teacher had been
carried out from the school-house and
dumped into the deep snow, and certain
of the shock-headed giants had de-
clared that so they would serve any
master who should be placed over
them. They were not exactly totally
depraved, but they were fearfully de-
moralized.
On the first of December, 1917, my
father, then youth of twenty, stand
ing six feet and an inch in his stock
ings, his frame strong, and his muscles
toughened by hard work, was engaged
to keep the Hardscrabble school. 1t
was his first essay at school-keeping,
and, knowing the character of the dis
trict, and having heard of the threats of
the big scholars, he entered upon the
work with some misgivings but he
had pride as we'll as strength, and he
determined to make the effort.
A bright, crisp Monday morning of
December it was when the new teacher
entered the Hardscrabble school-house
for the first time. He had been in
formed by the lady with whom he was
to board that a plot had already been
formed by the larger scholars to turn
him out and put him into the snow.
The pupils were in their places in good
season to the number of forty, or there
abouts, and as the teacher looked them
over he found at least dozen who had
attained the stature of full-grown men,
and of these more than half bore stamp
of evil intent in their faces.
The forenoon passed without hostile
demonstration. The teacher laid down
his rules, few and mprehensive, and
expressed the hope that his scholars
would render him all needed help, not
only for his comfort, but for their owr
good. While thus addressing the schoo
he marked few of the larger scholars
who winked at each other and NODDED
significantly.
During the forenoon he observed
that paper was being passed from
seat to seat by some of the toughest O.
the crew, and by careful watching hi
at length saw it deposited in the desl
of one of the number. At recess hi
went to the desk, and found the paper
which proved to be n written agree
ment, entered into by six of the hercu
lean scholars, by which they were t.
unite and stand by each other in carry
ing the " Master" from the school
house and put him into the snow anC
six names were signed to the document
The teacher took possession of tn
paper, and resumed his duties a
though nothing had happened. Tues
day forenoon, at recess, was the tim
fixed for the attack.
VII dlUCl 4hl
G. had seen all his scholars away from
the school-house, he went out into tn
woods and cut six stout, tough beecl
rods, which he carried back and locke,
up in his desk.
On Tuesday morning the teache
entered the school at the usual hour O
opening, and found all his scholar
present. The opening exercise wa
reading from the New Testament. Thi
was gone through with, and then Mr.
G. went to the outer door of the school
room and locked it from the inside
and put the key into his pocket. The
he returned and picked up from tn
hearth the poker. This poker was
solid, heavy iron bar, for moving tn
large logs used in the wide, old-fash
Toned fire place. Having placed thi
at his side, he unlocked his desk an
took therefrom the six beech rods.
By this time the school was in amaze
butenlightenmentw was to come. Calmly
and with dignity the teacher relate
the particulars of the discovery he ha
made. Then he read the paper whic
, he had found, together with the name
, of the signers.
, "Now," he continued, raising hin
self to his full height, and exhibitin
e for the first time tinge of fire thu
f burned within, am going to punis
| those reckless, in-minded scholars VIII
have thus dared to set at defence a
laws of decency and good order. r,
member, 1 have the law upon my sid
S and / have this iron bar at hand
t shall call the names of the offenders {
I wish them to come forward, and if
= scholar not thus called dares to mov
d from his seat shall knock him dow
s on the instant p
S There was something grand and dal
: gerous in the look of the youthf1
h teacher as he thus spoke, and hus
p was upon the school like the stiffness
y midnight.
6 The first name called was that of
: scholar as old as the teacher himsel
n and almost as large. The scholar hes
P tated. The teacher picked up the ire
i poker, and called the name again.
/ The big, strong, rebellious pupi
i saw that they had met their Maste
a and they knew he had Right and La
n on his side. And the six conspirator
d one after another, went forward ar
g were soundly fogged and from tn
e time forth Mr.. G. had no more diff
:. Guilty in the Hardscrabble district.
He kept that same school the tv
succeeding winter terms. and amor