The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-12-11
A SCHOOL ANECDOTE.

There was district school i'm the old
town of North Brookfleld that was par
ticularly difficult to govern. In fact, for
several winters the boys had succeeded
in barring out the teacher and closing
the school. The selectmen were anX-
ious to put stop to this kind of work,
and it was finally decided that the
selectmen should advertise for a teacher
the advertisement to set forth all the
difficulties such teacher would have
to contend with, and offered increased
compensation to any one who would
undertake the job. The advertisement
was duly inserted in the county paper
and in the Boston and Providence
papers.
But few days had elapsed when
young STRIPPING, and undergraduate of
Brown University, made his appearance
before the selectmen and applied for the
school. The selectmen looked at him,
and at each other, in perfect astonish-
ment AT last the chairman said:
" DO you think you can teach this
school ?'
g can try, sir"
But no one else has succeeded
"That is what the advertisement
says"
"And are you willing to undertake
itY"
"That is what L am here for.''
"What method, may me ask, do you
propose to pursue ?"
." L will tell you at the close of the
| term"
But if you fail 20
" 1 don't propose to-
g Are the terms satisfactory ?'
Well, yes but as you doubt my
ability to teach the school, will further
amend by making the proposition that
if | do fail am to receive nothing, and
if L do succeed, the price to be
doubled"
This was agreed to, and the teacher
engaged. 1t was not long before the
fact got noised through the district and
over the town. AS usual, the school
commenced on the Monday after
Thanksgiving The teacher had been
employing the intervening time is MAX
ing choice selection of hickory sticks
with knots well defined on the sur
face.
That district school-house had never
before been so well filled on the first day
of the term. The teacher addressed the
school, laid down his rules, and then
proceeded to grade the scholars.
When the first class was called out ,ac-
cording to preconcerted plan, giant
youth, the son of the village blacksmith,
stepped into the middle of the floor and
commenced to raise disturbance.
Take your seat, sir" said the
teacher.
When L get ready was the defiant
answer.
Step this way, sir ~
"Well, yes, guess WILL" said the
young giant, and then went for the
teacher. When within few steps of
him he was ordered to halt. The blue
eyes of the teacher looked right at him,
and he cautioned him not to come any
nearer. The boy, measuring the relative
strength of both by bulk kept on. The
teacher struck out from the left shoulder
and laid the huge form of the boy on
the floor; he again sprapg to his
feet and was Knocked down the second
and third time. The teacher then reach
ed round and took one of his sticks and
belabored the fellow till he bawled'with
pain.
There was no more trouble that day,
but the victory was not won. This the
teacher understood. The enext morning,
after the school had been called to order,
there was a knock at the door. The
teacher opened it, and was met on the
threshold by man of about forty years
of age, huge in stature, with face be-
grimed and a long coarse, grizzly
| beard
"What do you wish ?'' mildly asked
the teacher.
''To enter school,"
d" All right, sir; step in and take
seat in front of the desk, and will ex-
anime you shortly" The man swag-
gered in, casting his eyes round the
room with an expression that was per-
fectly understood.
Z" Now, sir, stand up, and l will see
what class TO put you in" The man
stood up, and with some difficulty sue
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