New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-09-20
FIGHT FOR AN EDUCATION

The country schoolmaster who helped Mira. Garfield
dIssuade hor son from going sailor on the lakes in
tue spring OF lS49 was student at Geauga Academy
Free win Baptist institution in the village of Chester
ten miles away from the home OF the Gareds in Orange
The argument which finally turned the robust lad from
MS cherishedpian OF adventure advanced by his
mother aud was that IL he fitted himself for teaching
by FEW terms in school he could teach winters and sail
summers, and thus have employment the year round
In the month of March, with ST. in his pocket got to-
gether by his mother and his brother Thomas lame,
went 10 Chester with Ids cousins, william and Henry
Boynton. The boys took stock of provisions along
and rented room with two beds and cook stove in an
old implanted house whore lived a poor widow wouau
who undertook TO prepare their meals and do their
washing for an absurdy small sum. The academy was
atWostory building. and the school, with about hun
area pupils OF both sexes drawn from the farming
try around Chester in a nourishing condition II
had library OF perhaps one hundred and fifty volumes
more books than young Garfield had ever eoen berore
venerable gentleman named Daniel Branch was prin
cpal of the school, and his wife was his chief
AT the end OF the term of twelve weeks he went home to
Orange helped hs brother build barn for their rnotbcr
and then worked for day wages at hayng and harvest
ing With the money he earned he paid OF some arroar
of doctors bills left from his long illness When he re
turned to Chester in the fail he had one silver sxpence
in his pocket. Going to church day he dropped be
sixpence in the contrbution-box.
He had made arrangement with Ucmon Wood
worth carpenter in the village to live at hs bopse
and have lodging, board, washing. fuel and light for
81 % week. and this sum he expected by help
ing the carpenter on Saturdays and at odd hours on
school days. The carpenter building a two ztorv
house and Jamss's frst work was to get ont sdin ~ .
cents board< Tho frat Saturday he paned 1fty-ooo
poaras' ana so earned 81 OF, the money he had
ever got for days work. That term he paid his way
bought few books, and returned home with SD in hi f.,
pocket lie now thought himself competent to teach a
country school, but in two days trampine tbrough
Cuyahoga County failed to find employment Same
SCHOOLS ha already engaged teachers, and where there
was SUI vacancy the trustees thought him TOO YOUNG
He returned hoae completely discouraged and
Inundated by the rebuffs he had with lie made a
resolution that he would never again ask for uosit,
OF any SORT and the resolution kept for every public
place he has since had has come to him unsought
Next morning, while still in the depths of desponacncv
he heard man call to his mother from the ro,J
widow Ganeld "a local corruption of the name Gar
heidi, where's your boy Jim wonder if he wouldn't
IKE TO teach our school at the Ledge" James went ont
and found neghbor from district mile away wbers
inc school had been broken up for winters by the
rowdysm OF the big boys lie said would like TO trv
the school, but before deciding must consult bts unI
Amos Boynton. That evening there was a family conn
CD uncle Amos pondered over the matter, and finally
said, You go and try it, You will go into that school
IA the boy Jim Gafeld, that you come out as Mr.
Garfield, the school master" Tho young man mastered
the school, after hard tussle in the school room with
the bully OF the district, who resented 1oggin, and
tried TO Drain the teacher with a billet OF wood
ais wages were Sl2 month and board and he "boarded
areund" in the families of the pupils
He had Si8 in tho spring-norc money than hod o
been in his possession before Before returnin In
he joined the Disciples Church. his religions exner
ehce oSether with his new interest In teaching caused
"ih I'd ABANDON MS boy hood ambition OF BECOMING
sailor During his third at the academy he and his
cousin Henry boarded themselves At the end of civ
weeks the boys found their expenses for food had h
just 81 cents week apiece Henry thought tbov were
NinS 100 poorly FOR good health and they agreed to in
lher outlay to 90 cents week apiece James had
up 10 thlS tne looked upon college course as wholly
beyond his reach but he met college graduate who told
MN ne was mistaken In supposng only the sons of
rch parents were able take such n course noorhou
o"un get through ne said but 1t take long time
ana very hard work The time was four voars in
preparatory studies and four in the regular cologe
oo"e james tAousht that by working part of the tino
70 earn money ne could get through in twelve years He
then resolved TO heud all his energies To The ono -
OF getting college education f0''
=, I ms i0oi"''on nc never sweryed a hair's-Dreadth
o"' Wss accomplished IL was the overnasteripe
idea of his life The tenaoity Wiz
which he chung it and the sacrifices he made o., ,,
IL unqnestionably exerted powerful influence in paId
ing aud sobdifyng his character. He began to stusv
Latin philosophy and botany When the spring term
ehued ne went homo again and worked through the sum
iheF ~ hayng ana penterng Next tail he was bach
at Chester for fourth term and in the winter he got
village school 10 teach in Warreusville at sI6
month and board
returning to Orange in the summer he decided 10 90
On WIN ms education at new school just established
ny the Disciples at Hiram, Portage Ceuntv a n.ttx
of"ssloaes village, twelve miles town and a rail
road His religious feeling naturally called him ia the
!oahs INSTITUTION OF his own denominations In August
nc arrived OF Hiram, aud found plain brick build
7 o'"nhs III 'he nidst or cern-led, with PERTAINS n
o%oh iafn houses near enough for boarding naces for
'Ae Students He lived in with four other puus
saied harder than having now his cole 90 nraot
anchored In his mind. got through his six hooks ~
'- snA' ASi"A- ana made Sood progress Greck In