Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1879-10-09

THE F00L'S-CAP,

~ was many years ago that
commenced keeping school. | hat
graduated at an academy of som,
note, and was pretty we'll posted u,
in those branches of education
which were introduced into on,
common schools; and when III,
committee came TO examine me. ]
could see that they were very for
chilly impressed by the ease with
which | a swered all their oues
tions. lu short, ! knew about ev.
erything that was set down in the
books which | had studied, for
happened to possess one of those
wonderful yretentive memories tina,
fastens surely upon whatever comes
once within it's grasp. | imagined
and so did the committee Imagine
that | was eminently qualified for
the post to which aspired. But
as | look back now upon the events
OF those years, | can see wherein |
greatly erred. | can see where |
made great mistakes, and where
most wofuliy lacked in qualification,
and | write this little chapter OF
Recollections for the benefit of
those who may be just entering up
on the duties of teacher.
When | commenced nv first
school, (and tho same ideas which
governed me then governed me for
a long time afterwards), l looked
upon the children before me as 90
many little individuals whom | had
got to fill with learning. They were
to my mind, 80 maay human vessels,
which had to be filed up with the
waters OF education and ny only
ideas OF capacity were of siz, and
age In my class of ten scholars,
which was to recite from the men
tai arithmetic, and the members of
which were nearly cf the same age,
L considered that each individual
must hold just the same amount of
mathematical food, and digest it
equally with the rest. Aud thus
commenced my school | knew
what was written in the books, and
l was to teach 1t to the children be.
fore me. | had learned it all, and [
believed that they could. At least,
ii they did nos. L meant that Is
should be no fault of minc.
In my first class in arithmetic
were two boys whom | have select.
ed To figure 10 this sketch. | take
them becanse TIL air subsequent ca
reer affords striking example of
the facts | wish to present. | shall
not give you their real names, for
they are both living,an are worthy,
honorable men. l shall tell you
that they were Luke Weston and
James Shute. Luke was rather
heavily built. with large, full head;
a ford, chubby face dark, blu.
ish-grey eye; dark brown HAIR /;
and inclined TO be slow and dreamy
mind. He could work fast enough
ont OF doors. when the play.hours
came, aud when the free air and
vigorous exercise sent the copious
blood bounding through his veins !;
but in the schocl-room, over his
books, he was quite another char
| acter.
James Shute, on the other hand,
was light of frame; with a small,
compact head, hair of a faxen hue
light blue eyes and possessed an
organization highly nervous and
sensitive. He cared but little for
the rough sport out of doors seem
ing rather to prefer mis- books, and
perfect himself to his lessons. | did
not make any account of these
physical peculiarities at the time,
for l thought nothing OF them, and
cared nothing for them but l res
member them we'll enough now.
Luke and James were in the
same classes, 10 all the branches
which .hey studied together, and
the few months Of difference in
their ages were in favor of former,
he being little the oldest. In .
very short time l discovered that
Luke Weston did not learn his les.
sons well. He blusdered in his
arithmetic, and stumbled lamely
over his spelling lessons. As | look
back now | can remember he used
to betray deep interest in some
portions Of philosophy and that,
when the subject interested him,
he read with feeling and spirit not
excelled by any scholar IN the
school. But | cared little for this
at the time. | looked upon the
blackboard as the grand scholastic
display; the spelling book came
next ; tho next came Lindley Mur-
rays old calf. bound grammar, with
it's intricate maze of photography,
Etymology, Syntax and Prosody.
These were my educational deities,
before which every intellect must
bow, and from the inspiration OF
which every intellect must be filled
James ShUte became my favorite
scholar. He worked ovor his slate
with an assiduity which was untir-
ing; and | felt pride in exhibit.
ing his powers to my visitors. Up.
on the blackboard he could per.
form wonders for one so young. In
reduction in fraction, simple and
compound /; in involution in fac
tors and in the roots, he was per-
feetly at home. So, too, in spelling
was he prompt and sure. And in
! grammer be was excellent. He
sometimes made mistakes in ana
lying sentences, whore the mean.
ing OF the author was not plain
but he remembered his rules, and
knew how to apply them.
| With Luke Weston | was sorely
perplexed. He did not get his les.
sons we'll at all. When be came tc
compound fractions he could dc
nothing with them. Lett TO him
self, with his own time and method
he could worry the sums out; but
he was behind. hand in bis recita
tons, and always Numbered upor
the black. board. ln grammar he
I n