The weekly Oskaloosa herald. [volume] (Oskaloosa, Iowa) 1855-1885, 1874-04-09
BARRING A SCHOOlMASTER.

BARRING A SCHOOLMASTER.
My early life was made miserable
by one Mulberry Bangs, gentleman
of the old school, who devoted him
self to reading, writing and arithme.
tic, and the general use of a stick.
Upon my head and other parts of my
person he imprinted himself so posi-.
lively that l can see him now as
plainly as if we had parted but yes
terday. lie was stout man, who
made IN his figure, when seen in pro-
tile, Hogarth's line of beauty, being
round shoaldered and crooked in the
legs. He was blonde. The hair OF
mis- head had that sunny tinge 30
much admired to-day, and when rub.
bed down with tallow candle, AS
was his wont to dress it, was so
straight and smooth that the boys
| believed that the flies slipped down
1t and broke their legs. HIS eyes
were dark and fierce, and hid under
the caYernOus recesses made by his
bushy red eyebrows, seemed to look
ike evil spirits over his precious
nose. The nose was a ruby nose,
bottle in shape, and when Bangs was
angry, which appeared 10 be all the
time, it glowed like the headlight of
q locomotive. His mouth was finish.
ed without lips, and resembled a slit
| in a piece of sole leather.
My early experiences gave me..a
distaste for the whip in schools.
But | am far from siding with the
sentim entalists 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 gave US 6
realizing sense Of pain to the body
and drilled US into patience and
self enial.
Boys are of two sortS--good little
boys, who die young, and bully boys
who cannot be killed.
As the lest named only live to be
men, instead of being transplanted
INTO angels, it is we'll to discipline
them through the only process known
10 animals, and that i, the discipline
of fear. The old adage is not fal
wrong that said, "wheu you meet {
boy whale him-for if he has not beer
in mischief, he is going in."
What may have been my feelings
when suffering under the stick of ole
Bangs, my objection to him now
rests not so much on his use of ,ha
instrument as the beastly appearance,
and character of the man. Later il
life was scholar IF a man wht
was as severe with the rod, almost a,
Bangs, but to my dying day l shal
remember him as one of the mobiles
! of men and the truest friend l evel
encountered. Alexander Kinmon
lived and died in sthe obscurity of Z
select school, with the generous i'm
pulses that ought to have secured
him high position among teachers
and leaders of men.
l did not, however, sit down tC
write of this, but to give in brie
some of my earlier experiences. L
was understood throughout the coun
try that the boys were jastItiable in
barring out the schoolmaster, and i
successful, were not only entitled tC
a weeks vacation, but the admiration
aud praise Of their parents. OlC
Bangs was famous for his power o
resistance, and boasted that nc
school of his had ever succeeded ii
conquering in such attempts. Or
the occasion to which | refer we haC
two big boys in school named Bill
Hennings and Bob Strong. They
were knotty-headed, broad sh houlder
ed and hard -fsted fellows, who work
ed through the summer for means tc
attend school in the winter. Each
in turn, had been unnercifully whip
ped by the master, and it was under
stood throughout the school that the
barring out of Master Bangs was tt
be punished and old scores settled.
The evening before the general en-
gagement, Bill and Bob, our noble
leaders, with a few confederates
stole back to the school house arm
ed with hickory poles. Breaking
open the door, they Whitfield one enc
Of these tough saplings to a poin
and then hardened the point in th'
fire. Then placing these in corne
ready for use, with stout cord, the,
gave orders to the boys willing t.
take part in the fight to be on hanC
at the school-hoase the next morn
ing before daylight.
AT the time indicated, nearly al
the boys were in attendance. Som,
of them were pale and trembling
others were noisy and boastful bu
| observed that the real leaders ant
reliable soldiers were quiet-so quie
that one might coubt them.
Our first order was to cut anC
carry in wood enough to serve thu
garrison during siege. This wa
promptly executed. Then the win
dow-shutters were pulled to and Sc
curely nailed, the door closed, ant
desks and benches piled against IT
After two portfolios were opened
by removing the chinks and daubing
and gathering about roaring fire il
the huge fireplace, We awaited th'
approached for the masters coming
dread silence fell upon the I,ttl'
crowd, SO that when he did come W.
could hear his heavy tread upon th'
crusted snow, and many heart sunl
and faceswhitened in terror.
| Our leaders sprang to their post
each side the door, aud on being or
dered to surrender, boldly demand
ed weeks holiday and treat o
cider and apples.
! This was sternly refused.
Sire 20 cried Bob and Bill, an'
two poles were thrust out with al