Connecticut western news., 1879-02-26


 cess he and the master, with others, would sit with. Smiths Atlas before them, singing away in the most earnest and sentimental sing-song such refrains as this, pointing to the State capitals while they sang: ,..-. 'sMaine, Augusta! Maine. Au-gusta Z New Hampshire, Concord, New Hampshire. Concord," si ""4 @st4 .."la :" and so on down to tn e newly annexed state of Texas. ....
 The earliest female teachers that I remember, with one exception, were the thrifty wives of New England settlers, who knew how to mind their children and turn an honest dollar by teaching the children of their neighbors.
 While the good Presbyterian minister was teaching in our village, he was walked up one winter morning by poor bound boy, who had ridden farm horse many miles to get the "master to show him how to stdo sum |" that had puzzled him. The fellow was trying to educate himself but was required to be back at home in time to begin his days work as usual. The good master, chafng his hands to keep them warm, sat down by the boy and expounded the "sum" to him go that he understood it. Then the poor boy strengthened himself up and, thrusting his hard hand into the pocket of his blue jeans trowsers, pulled out a quarter of a dollar, explaining, with blush, that it was all he could pay, for it was all he had. Of course the master made him put it back, and told him to come whenever he wanted any help. I re- member the huskiness of the minister's voice when he told us about it in school that morning. When recall how eagerly the poor people sought for opportunities of education, I am not surprised to hear that Indiana, of all the states, has to-day one of the largest, if not the largest, school-fund.
 A school-mistress, Mrs. Dumont, deserves immortality. She knew nothing of systems, but she went un- erringly to the goal by pure force of native genius. In all her early life she taught because she was poor, but after her husbands increasing property re- ieved her from necessity, she still taught school from love of 1t. When she was past sixty years old, school room was built for her alongside her residence, which was one of the best in the town. It was here that I first knew her, after she had already taught two generations in the place. The "graded " schools had been newly introduced, and no man was found who could, either in requirements or ability, take precedence of the venerable school-mistress so the high-school was given to her.
 Mrs. Dumont was the ideal of g teacher because she succeeded in form ing character. She gave her pupils un- stinted praise, not hypocritically, but because she lovingly saw the best ir every one. We worked in the sunshine. A dull but industrious pupil was praised for diligence, bright pupil for ability. good one for general excellence. The dullards got more than their share, lol knowing how easily such an one is dis. heartened, Mrs. Dumont went out ol her way to praise the first show of sue. cess in slow scholar. She treated nc two alike. She was full of all sorts oi kneck and tact, person of infinite re. source for calling out the human spirit She could be incredibly severe when il was needful, and no overgrown boy whose meanness had once been analysed by Mrs. Dumont ever forgot it.
 remember one boy with whom sht had taken some pains. One day h. wrote an insulting word about one O the girls of the school on the door of { deserted house. Two of us were deputized by the other boys to defend
 the girl by complaining of him. Mrs Dumont took her seat and began to tall to him before the school. The talking was all there was of it, but I think never pitied any human being more thal I did that boy as she showed him hi
 vulgarity and his meanness, and, as a last in the climax of her indignation
 she called him '' @ miserable hawbuck.
 At another time when she had picked
 piece of paper from the floor with bi
 of profanity written on it, she talke'
 about it until the whole school detecte, the author by the beads of precipitation
 on his forehead.
 There was rack for hats and cloak
 so arranged as to cut of portion of tn
 school from the teachers sight. Som of the larger girls who occupied thi
 space took advantage of their conceale
 position to do great deal of talking an tittering which did not escape Mrs. Du
 mont's watchfulness. But in the e1 treme corner of the room was the seat ( the excellent Drusilla H., who ha never violated rule of the school. T reprimand the others, while exceptin her, would have excited jealousy an complaints. The girls who sat in tn. } part of the room were detained aftt ! school and treated to one of Mrs. D, mont's tender but caustic lectures on u dishonorableness of secret ill-doing Drusilla bore silently her share of u ? reproof. But at the last the school-mi ? tress said
 "Now, my dears, it may be that the 5 is some one among you not guilty misconduct. If there is I know I cs l' trust you to tell me who is not to blame s Drusilla never talks,' they all sa r at once, while Drusilla, girl like, fell e crying.
 d But the most remarkable iIIuatratit