The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-02-09
REMINIsCENSEs
In the History of the Early Days of Stark
County.
sNYDER's SCHOOL DIsTRICT-LAKE TIP.
TContlnued From Last Week.l

SNYDER > SChOOL -
The manner of conducting the schools
of the present day is so different from
what they were forty years ago and the
change so great. that only tnOse now
living, who were familiar with the old
methods, as well as the more Systemat-
lied as well as humane and common
sense regulations and appointments
which characterize our modern school
system, can fully appreciate them. For
this reason considerable time has been
consumed in these sketches in minutely
describing many little things as they
really occurred; things trihing and un-
important, though amusing they may
have been, had they been omitted,
very imperfect idea could have been
formed by those unacquainted with the
methods then in vogue OF the change
in this direction. And all this, not so
much because men have invented new
systems of teaching, but that being pos
sessed of progressive spirit, from year
to year, and little by little, the necessity
for Improvement was felt and lntelll-
gently met. From this very crude, and
as many may think, chaotic beginning,
we have an educational system which,
at least, 50 far as reaching and educat-
ing masses must command the admlra-
tiOn of the civilized world. This, then,
will furnish our apology for the course
pursued, and if this sketch shall have
afforded any amusement or forced
smile, let it not be at the expense of the
Old-time teacher, for, as rule, they
applied themselves to their task OF teach
ing the rudiments of an education with
an earnestness which was highly COM
mendable, and many occupying positions
of honor and trust to-day, remember
with kindly feelings of regard, the
patient interest manifested In their ad-
Vancement by the Old-time master"
The wood used in firing up the old
template" stove and warming the
school room, was furnished by the dlrec-
tors in four foot lengths and piled up
near the door for convenience, and the
alternative was often left for the master
and big boys, in turn, either to reduce 1T
TO a size suitable for the stove, or freeze.
Hence the school axe resting in the cor
ner of the vestibule was considered an
essential part of the furniture. A cold
winter morning required vigorous fir
ing in order to comfortably warm the
room, and one of the stipulated duties
of the master" was to make the fires
in time for school, which, when he lived
which was often the case-three or
four miles away, was task OF no small
magnitude. The long bench on each
side of the stove was soon filled and
once anchored, not until thoroughly
thaWed out could the occupant be in
duced to Vacate for the benefit of some
one who was so unfortunate as to be
late So the only alternative left was
to take by force what persuasion Jailed
to accomplish, in order to secure his
share of the warmth. Marching down
along the line of bowed backs, vulner-
able point was selected, and with hand
on the right and left shoulder of the two
in front of him, they were forced apart
and cOWhide shoe thrust as the enter
ing wedge into the breach, which once
accomplished, the no less difficult task
of getting its mate across yet lremalned,
but this by dint of squeezing and tug
ging being accomplished, he still found
himself suspended about foot above
the bench. Then commenced series of
cOmical wTigglesl lasting sometimes for
several minutes, by which he slowly but
surely descended until he touched bot
tom. In the meantime, at the end of
the bench, struggle was going on by
the occupant in his effort to maintain
his tenure of the end seat. NOtwith
standing, one foot was hooked back of
the bench leg and the other braced
against the floor, feeling himself, little
by little, losing his hold as the last ar
rival Wriggled himself into position on
the already Over-crOWded bench, he
quickly changed his tactics by bracing
first one and then the other foot against
the cross bench, in which move having
left he would 'let himself out" with tell
ing effect, until pressed as flat as a
herring, some fellow, no longer able to |
endure the pressure, would, with des- |
perate effort and a great gasp, release |
himself This gave our hero at the end |
a little advantage, and half inch was |
gained, which was clung to with desper- |
ate energy. Presently along would come |
some big fellow and the same process of
wedging would be gone through, and,
as with vigorous twist he touched bot
tom the "end man" came to grief, for
before his feet could be brought to the
floor, he was Skinned" off his seat, the
rough end of the bench raking his spine
with fearful effect and stripping the old
red "wamus" mp to the back of his neck.
A madder boy could not be found in the
school, and to make the case still more
RggTavating, while gathering himself
up, vOwipg vengeance on some one, to re-
ceive from the master couple of sound
whacks for disturbing the peace and
quiet of the school, was almost too much
for the school boys endurance. Blood
was in his eye, and being unable to
fasten the responsibility on any one in
particular, vague threats of thTashing
some one were freely indulged. "VOt
usht bis dar letsht daWke" was a COM
mon expression implying threat, and
as fighting in school, except the Occa-
SlOual DTuSQ DeIWeen the MASTER ana
beligerent pupil who dared to measure
strength with him, was forbidden, the
last day of school was reserved for the
settlement of any old grudge which had
been 'rankling for months. Great at
tentiOn was given to the spelling lesson
and every afternoon half an hour OF
more was devoted to it's study by the
whole school. An amusing custom, and
one which was hugely enjoyed by all, in
which the pent up steam of an after
moons session could be left off to great
advantage, was to learn the spelling
lesson aloud. The OldCObb's spelling book
being hauled out at signal from the
master, the exercise began. Such a
cOnglOmeFatiOn of sounds could no.
where else in heaven or earth, be heard.
Big bass voices mingled with shriIl,
cracked and peeping sounds proceeded
FROM all parts of the room, as swaying
backward and forward, whole benches
full kept time to the pand9mOnium OF
sound, each Vieing with the other to
spell the lOudest, so that the denizens of
an old fashioned frog pond in full chorus
would have been put to shame in COM