The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-04-27
H..

Tho boy John became stout and rugged A
log schoolhouse was built near his home His
first schoolmaster was an itinerant Baptist
preacher. a nephew Of Daniel Boone. 1t was
before the days Of district schools. The master
did not board around with his patrons. but
camped out. and frequently slept in blankets on
the floor OF the school room. He chopped his
own wood. made his own fires. and killed his
own gamc. Mr. Boone went over the neighbor-
hood with what was called n subscription. A
planter subscribed one scholur."a second "a
scholar and halt" and n third two or thrce
scholars until the clergyman was warranted
in opening his doors. The schoolhouso was
built Of unhewn logs. Crovices were stopped
with mud. The fireplace was from six to eight
feet wide. and made OF logs and beams called
backs and Iambs." The smoke found its way
to the atmosphere through wooden chimney
This chimney was made OF " cat sticks and
clay" and was known ns cat and clay chin
ney 1t ran to the ground and leaned AGAINST
tho schoolhouse from the outside. The clay
became black and soOty. and the sticks We're
charred but the chimney never burned out. A
long desk luttrd from a crevice between tho
logs. about three feet from the floor. II run
prSSaasR bench 6glo%wS It, Wien using tbs dssk
they faced the wall. Al other times they sat
with their bnrks against thc snarp cog" g oi W. lne
desk. ana swung their feet while studying thelr
lessons Occasionally nn uneasy pupil saggrd
between thc seat and IN" desk. ana dropW"i 10
the ilpOr. Tho smnll boys sat orounl tu' HI',-
place on puncheons or rough slab brn hes. \
big stick called the pass.' stood near IN"
door, When u scholar got permission TO 20 out
he took this slick with him. AMI no one was al
lowed 10 follow his footsteps until the STICK was
j"hn bssan his stndics with Noah Wchster's
old elementary spelling book, He has no r"fol-
lection of the TN" pag" or N" temple ol lhw';
hut was wonderfully interest IL ~ lheStorl's ol
the by and the aui,rs. poor dqs lraf. tir
country maid ami milk pail. AMI the lhfmN
and tine OK qe9srtphy ,IT, TnS an GnSm}w a1ad,,,lr
aud Smilry's arithmetic. There were NJ pa X
boards. The boys R2i whit they called =, a
"ciphering book" When they learned 10
cipher thcy had right To go out doors and
cipher to their hearts cont mt. showing the
II lures to the master on their return. TErrc
were no specified reading books. Etch pupil
brought whatever he could pick up at home.
The entertainment was varied Many OF the
Ons used "Thaidcus Of Warsaw" and
another Tho Wonderful ,Attempt Qt ne
Turks to Capture TIE lsle Of Mal3 az a. w w}ohps
' 1t was the first book eyer rend D." he said TO- q
friend during the war, but II has leit, tnini
impression: remrmoer that II claimed TO tell
the story Of Chinnman who was travelling
over tho world, and that is all. l nave never
Mr. Boone WAS not n believer in corporal
punishment He whaled the boys with mora!
suaSion. and when this was ine1'tu covered
the culprits head with girls bonnet and
mndc him stand in the centre ot tho nlpr IN
other penalty was to ho Sentei an hour hctWwn
| two ofthe handsomcst girls n lhs scno3lroom
years and passed AN hour OF slnme AMI mis-
| cry. There WIS u boy named sherman who
| wont there three times woek on an average
| lie swung his legs and seemed drightol.
| wondered at him. and could not understand IT,
John wHs good scholar and mate rapid IN.
| proycmrut He suffered ienrullY, ana the
| boys pokrd fun at HIM. Patienca ceased To b' a
virtue and the stout built lad began to use his
| lists He was game fighter. His sympnthirs
| once aroused. he was impulsve ana aSgrrs,
| sivr. He was also quick 10 resent an insult hn
generous and forgiving Rftor tho trouble was
| oynr. and novNr revived quarrel altrr II WIS
once settled. There was not gram ot scln0l'
| ness in his nature Among his schoolmatcs he
was "A general fAvorlte.