Litchfield enquirer., 1878-08-15

were taken off the ground and seized by the branches of the tree. Very soon the pear-tree was entirely covered with men. Wonderful l to relate, it grew in proportion as it got hold ef people. Those who came afterward took the others by the feet, others hung on to these and altogether formed the rings of several chains of men which extended to the distance of a musket shot. But in vain YVES it that the last ones pulled with all their might, they could not pullof their friends from the accurs- ed tree. They took it into their hands to cut down the peartree; they started of to hunt up axes and began to chop all at once; alas! they could not even see the marks of their blows. s-.- .-.-... ..ts...s-..s,f ..4r- .. ,s They looked at one another entirely con- founded, and did not know what saint to call on, when Misery was attracted by the noise, and asked the cause of it. They explained to her what. had been going on for so long 8 time, and she comprehended the evil she had unintentionally caused. '" " -1 '' II alone can set Death free and consent to do it, button one condition, that Death does not come for us, Faro and me, until I have called him three times.
 Agreed, said Death H 4s@a '1 Come down, give you permission !" said Misery, and Death, the doctor, and the rest fell from the tree like so many overripe pears, < a% n 'Fs '# @tl 7I.--s. ai3 sl Death set. himself at work without leaving his place, and sent off those who were in the greatest hurry, but every one wanted to be too much on his hands, To assist him, he raised an army of doctors and appointed Dr. De Profunds general-in-chief
 A few days sufficed to Death and the doctor to relieve the earth of the excess of the living and everything got back into order again. Everybody who was more than a hundred years old, had the right to die and did so, with the exception of Misery, who held herself qui- ct, and who, since then, has not yet called Death three times. ,-... ....-ss .qf s. q,
 That is the reason, they say, why Misery is l always with us in the world
 a-fi fi- --L- ~ ... #.' , .F WATERBURY, Or, Aug. 9th, 1878. MR. H1oKox-MY DEAR SIR :-The idea having occurred to me that short account of an enterprise, begun in this city three years ago, would not be uninteresting to your read CTS, send you some of the leading facts con- nected with the Waterbury English and Clas- | sical school. f''.+
 Although Connecticut has long ranked among our first states in its educational facli- ties and was one of the first to adopt, in- stead of the old academy system with tuition, the more modern free school system system in the care of the state, yet the feeling has grown that there is still place for some of the old higher grade classical schools.
 This was the feeling among some of the higher and more influential citizens of the Nauga- 1 tuck Valley and notably so in this city, and it was on this account that three years ago some thirty men of Waterbury banded together to pay in case of necessity, a certain sum toward the support of such school in our midst They became incorporated by legislative en- actment; built pleasant building secured an experienced educator, then professor in one of our New York colleges, as master; united with him an assistant of known ability; and started the school with twenty-five pupils mainly from the city. It is proof positive that the venture was not ill-timed, that the num- bers soon increased to over forty; another teacher, being necessity, was procured; need ed apparatus was provided, and the school be- came thoroughly organized and classified on system not different from that pursued at Phil lips, Andover, Williston, Quincy, and other schools of the highest grade
 It was the original intention to have two departments running side by side, an English and classical as the name implies, but only one has yet been found practical-the classi- cal.
 The course has been divided into five years from the more elementary studies, with an in- troduction to Latin, study of United States History, some knowledge of the physical sci ences, aiid special instruction in the nature use and care of the body, by the Master, and of course the three R's;" all which occupy two years, and are preparatory to the English or classical course proper, occupying three more. Each year is divided into three terms with the usual vacations. At the end of each term there are rigid examinations, the first two oral, the third written, upon the whole years course, and there is no promotion except upon demonstrated understanding of the subject claimed, thus securing the most thorough work, for. thoroughness has been the one watchword of the school. so that we guarantee admission to the best colleges of our country, without conditions, to our recommended grad uates. The discipline of the school has ever been based on the fact that boys, fitted to be- come educated men, should be treated as such until there was reason and strong. reason, to abridgetheir liberties, There is the utmost free dom from rules or espionage, every student being taught to be independent in study and 1 roo 0rah foH of h IF
 or thinks, and why he knows or thinks it. This has been thoroughly tested and it suc- i ceeds, independence and self-reliance result ing.f .-f. s Although the school began with young pu- pils in the lower classes, such progress has been made that already five have passed the entrance examination of college and two more of the Medical school, besides a few who have 1 gone from the school into business This rap l i'd advance is not due to haste, but to the fact that no pupil is allowed more than three reel tatiens a day, that each of these is an hour long, that the classes are small, and that each branch IS in the hands of competent instruc- tor who teaches that and nothing else, teach ing it from his own own mastery of the sub 1ect, not from the text books. The subject be- fore the class is made live issue and memo riter work is not wanted.
 In so short letter as this must necessarily be, cannot enter into details of course, but we have tried it now three years, and as we enter upon, our fourth we feel that we can confidently say that we have good school, a thorough school, school where the boys are manly, self7reliant, and studious, and we want our friends all up and down the valley to know of our success and aims, and if they have any boys who need just this thing, to as- sure them that here is the place to get not the cheapest education, in the common sense of the word, but the cheapest in the best sense, for It is systematic and painstaking, resulting SI1CHRSq. - -fssss <. . , .-