The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1879-08-30
The Old Schnolhouse.
tCor. Western Rural,l

! How well remember i'll 1t seems but
yesterday that I was tripping along to the
old schoolhouse. Perhaps my little friends
would like to know where it was. 1t was
far away in the East, at the foothills of the
Alleghanies, at the foot of small noun
tain, beside the cool, crystal waters of
Lake Canandaguia, that slept so peace
fully meath the shadows OF the hills. 1t
was pleasant road l travelled every
morn and evening, to and fro from the
happy place where first laid the founda-
ton Of my education. Twas small
white square house, with green blinds, and
a porch well worn with the pattering Of
many little feet. 1t was situated on
knoll around which two small streams
made beautiful bend, which formed
small island, then wound its way through
the daisy covered meadow where the
bright red Strawberries grew, then wound
itself like silver thread through the
sweet old woods, where we searched and
found the first bue-eyed violet that her
aided the coming Springtine, then lost
itself in the creek beyond.
1t was there, too, we gathered the love
ly red and white lilies for the-teacher
Oh! | wonder how many teachers think
what responsibility they assume, when
they take charge Of those little minds,
plastic as piece of putty, shaping souls
for earth and heaven, leaving their i'm
press on those little minds which can
never be effaced. Many great man and
woman can bring back to the memory
the little old schoolhouse on the hill where
they learned their A, B, C's, where the
first longings for knowledge were salts
fed; where they started on the long road
that ends but at the grave. can see the
dear old house through the mists of many
years. The happy, merry band of chill
dren that gathered at that dear old place;
the well-worn desks with the cuts of many
busy jackknives; the old stove, with its
broken door hinges and hearth, where we
watched the flame leap up over the Goals,
and wished we had so many marbles or
tops, or balls, or whatever we desired.
On rude bench in a corner stood the
water-pail and cup. What pleasure it
was to be permitted to 'pass the water"
lC pllNllGSC NOulu Dc aShSi 1Oi udyS
and days ahead. On the other side was
the blackboard, where was initiated into
the mysteries Of arithmetic, the lessons
we thought SO hard, so perplexing, but
how easy compared with the lessons the
world will teach you by and by Near
by was the recitation seat, while, with
trembling limbs we have&one there with
our partially learned lessons, half in ieal,
half in hope, lest we could not pass. How
we felt when Miss B,s well known,--"It
must be learned after school," fell upon
our ear Near by stood the teachers
chair and desk. How easy looked that
chair, and how grand we felt when per-
mitted to sit in it. And when the visitors
came, how graciously our teacher handed
them that chair Was there ever chair
that children loved as we'll as that one3 |
doubt not, except the old family rocking
chair They will go hand in hand down
the halls Of time together. Opposite was
the rostrum where we spoke our first
piece, and wished they would "pass" our
imperfections by, and not view us with
critics eye" Oh! happy, happy hours of
childhood. Enjoy them while you cam
my little friends, they will not always last,
for when you go out into the world you
will have many hard, bitter lessons, with
experience for your teacher.