Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1877-04-12
A Stranger In tho School.

AStranger In tho School.
On a warm day q large school Of boys
and girls were coming over their les
sons. The teacher tried hard to keep
order, to make all take to their studies,
to help those who needed aid, and to
make all happy. He opened the doors
and windows to give them fresh air;
but all would not do. Some felt dis.
couraged with their lessons, some felt
sleepy, some felt cross, and everything
seemed to drag and linger. BY and by
the heavy tread Of foot on the door.
step was heard, and without knocking,
in walked a hard.faced man, some.
what old in years, but with firm step.
The children at first felt afraid of him,
but they soon found that beneath his
hard looks there was bright eye, a
pleasant smile, and kind heart. But
instead of sitting down and staring at
the school. he sat down by the side of
one of the little girls who was trying In
vain to get her spelling lesson. There
were tears of encouragement in her
eyes.
swell, whats the matter with our
little one -
80 sir, l can't get my lesson. Gt'sso
long, and the words are so hard. can
never learn them -
''Let us see. How many words are
there in one column :!
Fifteen, SIR"
"And how many columns in your les
son!"
''Three, SIR"
.:Very we'll. That makes forty-6ve
words to be learned. How many of these
are easy so that you can spell them at
once! Count them
twenty-five. SIR
''Then you have twenty left which
you call hard. Now take the first one.
look at it sharp, see every letter in it,
count the letters, see just how the
word looks. Now shut your eyes and
see if you can still see just how the
word looks. Spell it over softly to
yourself. There, now you spelled it
right. Now do so with the next word,
and the next. till you have them ALL
30 sir that is very easy. l can get
my lesson now
Then the visitor went to boy who
was puzzled over a sum in'arithmetic.
lie was discouraged and almost cross.
''Let lis see. What's the matter
here?"
'sThis sum. sir! Ican't 10 it. and
every sum grows harder and harder.
1t seems as if the man who made the
book tried to see how hard sums he
could put down.
IL see. Now what's the rule by
which this sum is to be done Repeat
it. Very well, only you have not said
it quite right. Turn to it, and SEQ.
There, now, you left out one important
link. You understand the rule. Try
the sum now, putting in the part You
left out"
20 sir it's easy now. see, and
can do them ALL"
Eyes; but you must not be thinking
about your ball, and kite, and play.
You must give all your mind to the
thing you are studying, and tn it
will be easy.
The stranger next sat down by a boy
who was trying to commit the declen.
sion of a noun in the Latin grammar.
Over and over he had repeated it, but
alas he could not make the memory
hold it. He was ready to throw down
the book.
"Hold there, my boy Don't look so
discouraged. Take your pen and care.
fully write down that declension. See
how every word is written, and what
letter ends every case. There now, is
every one right! Yes! Well. shut
your grammar, turn over your paper,
and on the other side write it all over
again from memory. So no How
many mistakes have You made =
1.-TWO, SIR
Every well. Put away that bit of
paper, get another, and try it again,
till you can write it without single
mistake. You can say it then for
writing will fix it in the memory
Thus he went from seat to seat, and
helped all. The scholars forgot the
heat. They all had their lessons; the
teacher smiled and praised them, and
all were very happy. just as he was
leaving, the teacher thanked the
stranger, and hoped he would soon call
again.
son. said he, 'just send for me at
any time, and I will come and give
any one lift
PRAY, sir: by what name shall We
.sMr. Hardstudy. sir, at your ser.
vice'-[John Todd.