The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-01-04
GRANT ~ ms BOYHOOD.
How he Went 10 School In Ciermont County
and Got FIoEged-IIis Name was Hiram.

Away up in the small hollow just this
side OF Amelia. In tlermOnt county, there stood
lew years ago an old country scuOol house.
weather beaten, tumble down, anu disusec,
winch the OLD inhabitants pointed out IA the
pl.ce wnere Ulysses :. Grant received his cary
education. Ihe building ms since been torn
down. W. believe. but there are recollecti Jns
connected VITA II wnlch nave become OF his
tOiic interest
NoOody thought when Grant was bow"
said an old citizen Of tlermont county. VINO at
tended tins scnool at the same time the Presi-
dent did, that be would ever amount to mucn.
Ine most promising BOY IA the school al that
time was one named Henry Wattey. lie was at
gtaphy, spelling, ana N the other studies, and
eyrrybpiy pros hesicd great thiul- Of MIN. Bat
ho rs now running forty -lcre farm up In War
rem county.
"llow iii Grant average IN his studies p
"Only md4llng. lie would never pe called
dull, nut he VS. never brilliant. lie used to
sutnd a great deal ~ his time IN reading the
Lie Of Napoleon, wulchiinterf,ted consider bly,
with MS school duties, until the teacher destroy
cd That book by putting II INTO me stove
Nae lie pune ual In his sttendanc- =
Very. He never stayed away IRON school
unless compelled to by circumstances. lie was
never late, either. but WIS among the uTst to
reach tho scnool house u the morning
WAS he "A noisy DO. r
mo. SIR. Although courteous to everybody,
ne was not loud moutned ike the other poys,
but spoke IN low ana quiet tone OF voice, with
unus al cismtl Tor one ot ms years.
we always called him Hiram at school," con-
tinued tue old Itsger. Non2ay ever thought
of NiDksbuGg. when We had not heard from him
Tor years, a great inanv OF us did not know or
even Imagine that II was the hoy who used to 60
to the uid log school house ~ the hollow
WAS Grant a ulaylul boyT
mot 10y any means. You never could get him
TO take part In any game or sport except a snow
ball 1ght. In that lie delighted. Bus as far as
"rhll pen" or ball PLAYING was concerned, he
would never take any part, but would Sit on "A
fence or STUMP and iOok on"
During hls school days did he ever exhibit
signs OF the pers yering split for which he has
since become notrdf'
IL can remember but ono occasion. and that
was wnen the schoolmaster logged him to make
him give up J ck-knlfe, with which he had
been cutting the sioe OF his desk. The school
master demanded the knife, hut Grant refused
To give itup. The teacher tried TO take IL away,
but could not do n. lie then sent out INTO the
woods and got a long black hickory switch, with
which ne DelaOnred the future President 10
make him surrender the knife. But Grant per
sistently declined, and at last the pedagoRue
wis forced to stop from sheer exhaustion. This
Incident was forciOy recalled to my mind when
he M de the famous remark Il will nght IL out
on tnls line II IL takes all summer and by many
other similar incidents In his future career"
" saw Grant when he WIS here at the Hurnet
House, in ~ continued our interviewer. land
he as the first to recognize me and give me "A
cordial hand shake. He even came through "A
Large crowd OF dignitaries to shake hands with
an old schoolmate.'