The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-11-22
GOING TO SCHOOL.
A STORY BY CAPT. MARRYATT,

sHave you any idea OF putting that
boy to school, Mr.. Easy9" asked DR..
Middleton of eccentric old Nicodemus
Easy, the father of Jack Easy.
Mr.. Easy crossed his legs, and clasped
his hands together over his knees, as
he always did when he was about to
commence an argument.
"The gr, at objection that have of
sendiug hoy to school, DR.. Middleton,
is, that conceive that the discipline en-
forced is not only contrary to the rights
OF man, but also i'll opposition to all
sound sense and common judgment.
Not content with punishment, which is
in itself erroneous, and an infringement
OF social Justice, they even degrade the
minds OF the boys still more by apply
ing punishment to the most degraded
part, adding contumely to tyranny. o.!
course, it is intended that boy who is
sent to school should gain by precept
and example but is he to learn benevo-
lence by the angry look and the flourish
OF the viudicti*e birch-or forbearence
by the cruelty of the neutrality-suspicious.,
when the masters over him are out OF
all patience-of modesty, when his
neither parts are exposed to general ex-
amiuation2 Is he not daily reading
lesson at variance with that equality
which we all possess, but Of which we
are uDjusty depriyedi Why should
there be o di tinction between the
hogger and foggees Are they not both
fashioned alike after Gods image, Ell
dowsd with the same reason, having an
equal right to what the world offers, and
which was intended by Providence to be
equally distributedl Is it not that the
sacred inheritance OF all, which has
tyrannously and impiously been ravished
from thu many for the benefit of the few,
and which ravishment, from long Gus
tom Of ;niquity and inculcation of false
precepts, has too long been baseiy sub
mitted to1 Is it notthe duty OF father
to preserve his only son from imbibing
these dangerous and debasing errors,
which will render him only one Of the
vile herd who are content o suffer, pro
vided that tb ay live2 And yet are not
these very errors inculcated at school.
and impressed upon their minds inverse
ly by the birchi Do not they receive
their first lesson N slavery with the first
lesson in A B G; and are not their
minds thereby Frustrated, SO as never to
rise again, but ever to bow to despotism,
to cringe to rank, to think and act by
the precepts of others, and to tacitly
disavow that sacred equality which is
our birthright.i No, sir, without they
can teach without resorting to such
fundamental error as fogging, my boy
shall never 90 to school,"
And Mr.. Easy threw himself back in
his chair, imagining, like all philoso
pliers, that he had said something very
clever.
DR.. Middleton knew his man, and
therefore patiently waited until he had
exhausted his oratory.
twill grant," said the doctor, at last,
"thst all You say may have great truth
in it but, Mn Easy, do you not think
that by not permitting boy to be edn-
Gated, ycu allow him to remain open to
that very error of which you speak It
is only education which will coponer
prejudice, and enable q man to break
through the trammels of custom. Now.
allowing that the birch is used, vet it is
a period when the young mind is 80
elastic as to soon become indifferent
and after lie has attained the usual rudi-
nents OF education, you will then find
him prepared to receive those lessons
which yon cau yourself instill."
81 will teach him everything myself"
replied Mr.. Easy, folding his arms con.
eeqneutially and determinedly.
II do not doubt your capability, Mr..
Eesy; bat unfortunately you will always
have difficulty which you never can get
over. Excuse me, know what you are
capable of. aud the boy would, indeed,
be happy with such preceptor, buff /
must speak plain-you must be aware
as well as / am that the maternal fond
ness of Mrs, Easy will always be bar