The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1880-07-01
Correspondence N. Y. Tribune.1
GARFIELD AS A TEACHER.
RecOllections of an Old Pupil.

DANBURY, CONS June 11.-Hear-
ing that the Rev. J. L. Darsie, of the
Disciples Church C'CampbelIites'' in
this place, was formerly a pupil OF
James A. Garfield, at Hiram, Ohio,
called on him to-day to learn some
thing about that interesting episode
in the candidates life.
"Yes," he said, II attended school
at the Western Reserve Eclectic In
stitute when Garfield was principal,
and [ recall wildly his method of
teaching. He took very kindly to me,
and assisted me in various ways, be-
cause [ was poor and was janitor of
the buildings, and swept them out in
the morning and built the fires, as he
had done only six years before, when
he was pupil at the same school. He
was full Of animal spirits, and he
used to run out on the green almost
every day and play cricket with US.
He was tall, strong man, but dread
fully awkward. Every now and then
he would get hit on the nose, and he
muffed his ball and lost his hat as a
regular thing. He was left-handed,
too, and that made him seem all
the clumsier. But he was most pow
erful and very quick, and it was easy
for us to understand how it was that
he had acquired the reputation Of
whipping all the other mule-drivers
on the canal, and Of making himself
the hero of that thoroughfare when
he follows its tow-path ten years
earlier.
"No matter how old the pupils
were, Garfield always called us by our
first names, and kept himself on the
most familiar terms with all. He
played with US freely, scufled. with
us sometimes, walked with US in walk
ing to and fro, and we treated him out
Of the classroom just about as we did
one another. Yet he was a most
strict disciplinarian, and enforced the
rules like martinez. He combined
an affectionate and confding manner
with respect for order in most sue
cessful manner. If he wanted to
speak to pupil, either for reproof or
appreciation, he would generally man
age to get one arm around him and
draw him close up to him. He had a
peculiar way of shaking hands, too,
giving twist to your arm and draw
ing you right up to him. This SYM
pathetic manner has helped him to
advancement. When | was janitor
he used sometimes to stop me and ask
my opinion about this and that, as if
seriously advising with me. | can see
now that my opinion could not have
been of any value, and that he proba-
bly, asked me partly to increase my
self-respect, and partly to show me
that he felt an interest in me. L GER
tainly was his friend all the frmer
for it.
"But you inquired about his teach
ing. [ remember once asking HIM
what was the best way to pursue a
certain study, and he said: Use sew
eral textbooks. Get the views of diff
ferent authors as you advance. In that
way you can plow broader furrow:
| always study in that way. He tried
hard to teach us to observe carefully
and accurately. He broke out one
day in the midst of a lesson with
Henry, how many posts are there
under the building down stairs ?
Henry expressed his opinion, and the
question went around the class, hardly
one getting it right. Then it was
How many boot-scrapers are there at
the door?' How many windows in
the building?' How many trees in
the feld?' What were the colors of
different rooms and the peculiarities OF
any familiar objects. He was the
keenest observer [ ever saw. [ think
he noticed and numbered every button
on our coats. A friend of mine was
walking with him through Cleveland
one day when Garfield stopped and
darted down cellarway, asking his
companion to follow, and briefly paus-
ing to explains himself. The sign
saws and files was over the door, and
in the depths was heard regular
clicking sound, I think this fellow is
cutting files said he, and [ have
never seen a file cut Down they
went, and, sure enough, there was {
man recutting an old file, and they
stayed ten minutes and found out al
about the process. Garfield woulG
never go by anything without under.
standing it.
"Mr. Garfield was very fond of lee.
turing to the school. He spoke two
or three times week, on all manner
Of topics, generally scientific, though
sometimes literary or historical. H,
spoke with great freedom, never writ
ing out what he had to say, and
now think that his lectures were
rapid compilation of his current read
ing, and that he threw it into thi
form partly for the purpose of i'm
pressing it on his own mind. Hi
facility of speech was learned whel
he was pupil there. The societie
; had a rule that every student shoul
take his stand on the platform an
speak for five minutes on any topi
! suggested at the moment by the audi
ence. 1t was very trying ordea