Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1881-06-02

he was a man in age and size, coming one
and.twenty within a month"; and placed my
hand upon his collar. He grasped the edge
of the low desk before him and held on
With one mighty effort-an effort that sur
prised myself tore the fellow from biz
seat and raised him above my head
strobe on to the outer entry, and when
gained the outer door.stone, cast him upon
the snow. He scrambled to his feet, and
with an oath, rushed towards me. struck
him between the eyes and knocked him
down. 1 went and lifted him up, and then
told him to go home. He cast one look into
my face from out of his already swelling eyes,
and then, with mutterings Of vengeance, he
walked away.
I returned to the schoolroom, and, of
course, found the scholars all at the windows,
or, rather, rushing back to their seats.
"Now," said I, with a kindly smile, "sup.
pose we try that vote again, for really feel
a deep, earnest desire to have the whole
school with me. All who are desrous of
having an orderly, model school, and who are
resolved to labor to that end, will raise their
right hand"
Every hand went up in a moment
And so commenced my school. l went
to Stephen Oliver and asked him how far he
had gone with his studies. He told me, and
l then informed him that any evening when
be wished for assistance, which l might not
be able to render during school hours, |
should be happy to grant if he would call
upon me at my room. He was as grateful as
| ever saw person.
I made the scholars understand that |
should have no whipping going on. If any
one would not behave he must leave the
school, l had come to teach the various
branches of common English education,
and those who had not yet learned to behave
properly, were not far enough advanced to
be admitted to the school, where the schol.
ars themselves had determined to have good
order.
I never had better school. I have at
times found it necessary to punish children,
but knew that that school had had alto
gether to much of it, and l resolved at the
outset not to strike blow, save in self:de,
fence, and to turn from the school every child
that would not obey. Oliver was Of great
assistance to me. When I wished to leave
the room for a short time, I felt perfectly con-
6dent of good order in leaving him in charge.
He spent many evenings with me, and they
were profitable to both.
I had kept the school three weeks. On the
Sabbath evening following the third Satur-
day, as l sat with Mr.. Bonuey and family,
some one knocked at the door. One of the
children answered the summons, and return
ed, followed by John Putney. He said he
wanted to speak to me- led the way to
my room, where we found good fire was
burning.
I bade the young man good evening, and
told him he had taken stormy season for
walk.
"Yes, sir" he returned, in q half choking
tone, "it does storm hard, very hard. But
sir, I don't mind that-I'm used to it. l
wanted to see you, sir, IL"
He stopped and gazed upon the floor.
Don't be afraid to speak plainly, John"
l said, "for I assure you that you are speak
ing to one who would be your friend under
any circumstances"
II want to come to school p burst from his
lips spasmodically.
II thank you, John-I thank you" cried,
extending my hand, which be took at once.
"Since I came to this place, nothing has oc-
Cured to afford me more pleasure than this.
Come tomorrow morning and you will find
one of the best schools in the country. We
won't think of the past-well only try for
improvement in the future
The stout, hard youth cried like child.
Mr.. Bonney said, ut beats all"
why" said he, "there's a school that's
been going to rack and ruin for years, be-
cause they couldn't find master strong
enough to conquer the big boys, and they're
all conquered without even so much as
blow. land yet" he added, after rejecting
awhile, "taint the nature of man to be very
good under blows, and l suppose children
have all the feelings of men. The lash may
keep em under while it's over em, but it
don't produce an effect you can depend upon"
That's it" I replied. "The obedience pro-
duced by the lash is only obedience to the
lash. 1t can never beget one iota of respect
for the one who wields it. am not prepared
to say that the lash is never, under any cir
cumstances, necessary, society is in such ter
ribly warped and unchristian state but there
is one thing can say, I will never keep an
other school that cannot govern without the
rod. If there chance to be boy who will
not behave, then the school shall not suffer
by his presence. will send him back to
those whose duty it is to teach him the first
rudiments of behavior.
People were astonished at the results of my
efforts. The committee were forced to report
"the school kept in the district known as Raw
bone Hollow" to be the "best in town" So
much for the "Hard School,"