The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1878-12-07
OLDBS-TIME HOLIDAYS.

you, anu ofeFyUouy else. Diu youI
teacher keep you in at recess if you
whisperedl and did she scold you if yon
got ink on your fingers and wouldn't
she let you do as you wanted to2 My
teacher won't let me do anything I want
to, and ] know how I'll pay her off I'll
just write her name ON a piece of brown
paper and put it in the cider barrel, and
she'll see when she comes to our house
what sharp vinegar it makes
"Yes, Eli tellyou all about those days.
In those good old times girls and boys
learned to work when out of school, and
having only few months of school dur
ing the year, with some exceptions the
time was well improved. l distinctly
remember when I used to rise, by know
ing the precise locality of the morning
star, at an early hour, and after complets
ing certain task, would take my little
brothers and trudge away to school as
eagerly as if some great event were to
happen on reaching there. | can see
now the little hole in the masters coat,
just were button was gone from the
back, and through which it seemed to
me the master was always looking We
had no fine school houses, as you have
now, and blackboard had never been
dreamed Of 1t would in those days
have been called foolish. The school
houses were often made of hewn logs.
Many were frame buildings and the
sides of the school room were covered
with ceiling instead of plastering. Often
there was stove and fireplace in the
school room, both being required in the
| Winter to keep the temperature at the
| proper aegree for health and comfort.
There was always in Winter cheerful
blazing fire of birch and maple, with a
few sticks of green beech on the top to
make the wood last well. In the Sum-
mer the fireplace was filled with cedar,
pine and fir boughs, which gave a fra
GRANGE and freshness quite pleasant, and
refreshing to those who gathered daily
within it's dusty walls. The teachers
desk was in the center of the room.
Rows of desks, on whose sides the partly
carved figures showed where strug-
Cling genius had been stifled at it's birth
by the rod or ferule, stretched on either
side and extended to the back seat,
which went nearly around the room. To
| occupy desk in front of this seat was
our only ambition-those seats were d.
ways occupied by the best scholars In
the Summer mistress called us together
| by rapping on the window with pen
knife. In the Winter master called us
together by rapping on the window with
| ferule. We wore no sashes and knew
nothing of crimped hair. Jewelry was
unknown and silver watches only for
mature years; but, dressed in plain
homemade clothes-whict served the
first year for special occasions and the
second for school wear--we enjoyed the
sports of childhood without fashionable
restraint. The same style and material
of boots worn by boys were equally as
serviceable for girls; and when clad in
this substantial manner we could steer a
sled in coasting, skate on the pond, wade
through the snow, dodge scarlet fever,
manage to have the whooping cough in
the Spring, measles in the Summer, and
never thought or heard of diphtheria
until two or three generations after
ward Birthstone and treacle was more
necessity than when administered at
Dotheboys' Hall, but the constant use of
matches has long ago done away with
chat luxury. Every well regulated fam
lily kept a substantial, fine, ivory tooth
comb.
The boys wore home made clothes,
too. Their pants were tied down around
their ankles with strong cord IN Win
ter Their ears were mufhed in COM
forters; their hands, covered with nit
tens, knit in fox and geese patterns, or
striped, gave their whole make up a
very comfortable appearance, with little
attempt at style. The accomplishments
of those days were few, the industrial
arts many. I well remember when the
first piano was brought into town.
met woman who had been the first to
see it, and eagerly sought a description.
She said it was as high as a table and
as large as trundle bed.
The school committee were chosen
every Spring. They always examined
the candidates for teacher, and if they
understood arithmetic particularly the
rule of three) grammar, geography,
reading and spelling, they received a
certificate, and being duly installed, en-
tered upon their duties. The committee
usually visited the school the first and
last weeks of the term. They would
listen to the recitations and make little
speech before leaving, brimfull Of good
advice. When they left, the scholars
would rise and remain standing till the
committee had bowed themselves out,
Reading and spelling received particular
attention from all the scholars. Gram
mar and arithmetic were assailed at
every point. Pope's Essay on Man and
Miltcn's Paradise Lost were used as
parsing books by the older scholars, and
for the smaller ones the grammar fur
nished the material. The different
lenses were represented by the picture
of man in the act of striking dog;
but the master often illustrated what
was necessary fer present and future
time so forcibly that no reference to a
book was necessary. Discipline was a
great part of the masters duty. "Spare
the rod and spoil the chile" was SO often
quoted that it seemed to be the thread
that bound together school and family.
| School was in session every day Of
the week except Saturday afternoon and
Sunday. Who that was raised in New
England can ever forget the games of
Il spy" and tag in the barn on Satur-