The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-11-28
Not entered. etc. No rights rese7ved.l
SKETCHES
PIONEER LIFE on the ALLEGH ENIES.
THIRTBESTH PAPER.

THIRrBESTH PAPER
In the days of log churches. log school house,
and log dwellings, hourished John O'Connor, ar
old time schoolmaster. 1t was early as the year
1907 when O'ConnOr first commenced 70 knock of
the knots and polish the rough candidates for lit
eTary hOnors who sprouted around the NJ tfuire
settlement. He was an excellent instructor IN the
main. but slightly inclined to tyranny-reigning
right royalty within his log Iursdiction-as royalty
indeed as the thirty tyrants of ancient Greece.
One of the methods of discipline of this worthy
tempted to give IL thorough description. An or
diuary shaving-horse' sue as is used for shaving
shingles introduced into the school-rOom as an
engine OF justice and the bowling delinquent was
set astrde of this unique appliance, bearing the
head which was most wondrously constructed of
raccoOn skins Ia funnel, and having long ap-
pendageo of cOOn's tails trailing down behind The
roaring rider rode the shingle-shaver before the
whole school, yet not 4 small boy hardly dared TO
smile at the prOdigious fun before his very eyes.
There stood O'ConnOr with paddle about two feet
long, such as would stir mush with, and woe to
the urchin that would laugh aloud or show natu-
raj appreciation OF the groteSque sight Tor the PAD
die was fiat and heavy. and lay close to the hide
where 1t Tell ORentimes the PeriorlnAn Ance was va
rted by placing horseeoilaT about the neck o the
shaving horse rider-boys and girls alike-no nit
the weaker sex. This sketch may serve as a noat-
ing buoy on the ocean OF pedagOgic, warning the
modern teacher of the hidden rocks upon which
O'Connors reputation as a teacher was wrecked !;
for his arbitrary severe and Outre method of disc
pline is stu borne in mind with anything but
= There were extenuating circumstances, however,
which excuse the harsh measures Of teachers in
those early times. The material in many cases
very raw and unaccustomed to restraint, call
ing for extra exertion and appliances to keep it
\ rough hack-woods school in the bowling will
derness is far different institution from the
smooth. polite and director governed town school,
where the melodOus-y DICED educator has little to
do but to hear recitatons, expulsion coming in to
supply the place of discipline. In those early days
boy was sent into school like "A sheaf of wheat to
a threshing machine-tO have the chaH knocked out
OF him and the good sound grain brought TO light
As there is such a wide difference beIE a town
school and country school, there is Just as much
difference In the method and scope of the teaching
that is. in primary schools. If country school
may be called primary school. for boy starts in
there at six md in many cases keeps on till he is
twenty-one. The country school has young men
and young women to deaf with, whereas a town
primary school takes in children only.
But, TO resume our pioneer school. Frank Nc
COnnell. when o boy. went TO school to O'ConnOr,
and certain day, for some piece of mischief or
blows of the dreaded broad paddle on his hands.
After taking twelve blows on the hands his swollen
palms gave out, whereupon he took the balance on
nis pare leeI alter Ihe manner OF thS pis tlnauo.
There is one eminent truth illustrated by the above
incident namely, that unlimited power in the
hands of humanity is almost invariably abused
For our next illustration Of hackwOods school
life We will shit the scene to another locality.
In the month of February, IS, the Todd school
doing efficient service, with lengthy roll of
nameS-male and female pupils. The drifts block
ed the roads the whole country round, and the
scholars skipped to and fro over the white bilowy
huge inscribed characters on the hard frozen sur
face at the crossroads, where the intended school
mate would nrSt read IL his return in the
ing. Many funny communication inscribed in
this manner was read in the morning by tho bithe
scholars amid vociferous yeils and many Sntics;
On oEe occasion the scholars, during the day, had
been engaged in surrepttiouS ietter-writing OF an
amative character, much to the annoyance of one
road that night the Of the above initials took
vengeance on his foes by emitting from his poetic
genius the following effusion:
Louis HIcD-'s fat as a pig:
lie used to wear a little white bib.
John H is not much better,
TIa rgehf writ spV1a FaTnff ~ oft
Some of those concerned in the above epigram
dead, while some still living some pros
porous and happy, and some otherwise.
On another occasion a young girl who was n
scholar in attendance at the T school in AL
Iegheny township, this county, had to stay at
home TO go an errand to the neighbortng village.
When she came to the crossroads with her bag of
rags she met John H on his way to school.
Being young and fall of life and always ready for
a Tomp, she took up a position in the snow-drift
before ;he young student, completely battling his
further progress to the location OF books and birch
Although lusty young chap of sixteen. he
was repeatedly sent houndcring in the deep drifts
b. well directed blows OF the rag bag. and despite
all his efforts he could not pass till he Had irst
sung Root hog die for the amusement of his
indcfatigable tormentress. When the solo was
ended he was allowed to proceed on his way to
school without further mOlcstatiOn, and presume
he still retains in memory the funny performance.
VIM s. was very worthy young man who
did the chores of farm in The mornings and even
fngs and attended school in the ..OId Todd school
very temperate in his habits. but one day he was
cOaIed of 10y outside companion. the two bring
ing up at last in the village tavern. where they
soon became quite Jolly and boisterous. Despite
the obfuscat ton OF mind caused by the essence OF
rye, William got back to school in time TO escort
the seven and eight year Old daughters sc his en-
Ploycr through the deep snow-drifts to their home
Mr. Roddy, the teacher, backed by the whole
school, tried to persuade the Zealous youth that
was not in III condition to the girls home SAFE
but no home he would take the children despite
All persuasiOn-Ooundtn2 about through the pow
dery snow like the fayoriJe panther of the merry
god, Bacchus of ythology-cracking his hsts and
Jumping up win the oitreieated asSeveration that
he would see them home safe. All along the way
home, at every large tree, the jealous and fiery es
cort would crack mis- hsts on the rough bark and
demand Of the girls If he were not seeing them
girls were delivered into the hands of the mother
Honest William then proceeded to the barn to feed
NOV to poke the evenings feed down through the
mow-hole. The industrious and muddled youth
first Poked down the required amount OF hay and
then iell through the mow-hole himself, clear down
to the bottom, coming out entirely nnscathed with
the exception of a skinned nose. At another Of
nicely scrubbed the floor till It was as clean as
new pine board. The large boys. becoming envfous
Of the praises and merits bestowed on the girls de-
faced the clean floor with oceans Of tobacco Juice
much 10 the displeasure and disgust of the Young
ladies. This fragrant violation Of the rules coul3
not be overlooked by the teacher so a good stout
waffle was called into reQuisition, which did ex-
ceIlent service upon the backs ana Shoulders OF the
offenders. One of the boldest Of the offenders
jumped up and dohed his coat with view to resist
the teacher. The teacher, who young man
instantly adopted the same tactics and made a
rush for the belligerent mutincer who turned a nd
fed ignominiously out of the door, and was not
ed quiet till evening, but they concocted a plan at
recess which developed itself after school The
teacher was fixing out the days report at the desk
school having beer dismissed with its usual
quietude. One Of the girls had remained in the
school house for the ostensble purpose of getting
some books out OF her desk to take home with her
tor evening study, but in reality her object TO
been :Ormed against him. The Informant was a
young aud pretty girl of sixteen. and the teach
er was also young he appreciated very highly the
interest which the fair one took in his welfare
Just then fierce yell. like a Cotnanche war
whoop startled the inmates of the school-room and
pretty soon after a boy came in with the message
that young man outside wished to fght the
teacher. At this the teacher stepped TO the door to
reconnottre. when his presence was greeted with n
most deafening cheer-cyery belligerent meantime
leaping and swinging his hat like mad The boyl
had called in aid IRON the outside their champion
being young man who was engaged in chopiing
cOrd-wOod not far from the school l-housc This
pUgnacious individual called loudly on the teacher
to come forth 10 the arena of combat cracking his
lists and walking around through the admiring
circle like game cock in hennery. The teacher
saw at once that mObbing was the order of the ev-
ening, so stepping back into the sehOolroom he
seized good-sized hickory stick which was lying
lie stepped outside, still accompanied by his fair
ally, who stood by him the fair Indian maiden
did by Captain John Smith Of ancient renown
Deafening yells greeted the advance of the envi-
GUS pair but they proceeded boldly toward the
front till within few yards Of the yelling horde
The teacher now raised his hickory Climb and re-
marked that he would fell the rs. one like q Spul-
with leisure steps through the lane which
opened up before them, passing through the roar
ing enemy in a march Of triumph, while not one
dared 70 moieSt them. As soon as All danger OF
attack had passed the teachers fair young friend
stepped aside, and he went on alone to his lodg-
1ngs. This is true story, and related Just as il
occurred. That teacher got himsclfiuto the above
recorded difficulty through taking the part of an
itInerant Methodist minister who was nttacked
and inSuited by the largest Of the schoolboys while
passing along the road near the school house. The
boys OF young men remarked that they had a
grudge against that man, and they meant to take
1t out OF him. The teacher answered bIuntIy that
OIf NJ fhafr hapl