West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-04-14

We haven't boen inside a schsol-house
iCra good mary wears. aud musinq upon
Ihc past We wonder II a scholar ever
sings ont To the TOUGHER now, .Pleasc.
sir, VIII you mend my pelt? They used
to w!lon We we're a hoy, and the teacher
always carried - particularly sharp zen.
knife so as to he ALE to comply with the
request. 1t had a white handle. aud we
used to think we would like one lust like
II. 10 be able TO make and mend quill
pens was ono of the ~ossential duaifcl-
ions of ateIcher in the district school
In the DAYS when our young ileas were
instructed in thet target practice. Nant-
ing in This, it would have been -useles,
TO- a eaudiiate fen a teachers position to
have applied to the Board for an oppor-
tunity to board round,
1t was a genuine pleasure To watch ono
OF those old p~edagogues make a pom. lie
would put bis glasses on, aud opening
his %penkniie. carofully feel The edeo.
chen no would reach down and strop the
blade d~extrously d few times ON his ,yep
worn cali skin pump-for they all wore
pumps in the school room in those DAYS.
They bad to, to save their boots, poor fel.
lows. Then selecting a Quill from q
bunch in his desk, tied mp with a scarlet
ribbon, he would cut OIL u portion of Tho
feathered end to make it tho d, sized
length, trim it a little, and then, witt one
swift and uexterous scoop of tho knife.
give shape TO the pen. In three more
rapid motions the slit is made in the end
and the point formed.
The teacher used to remain after school
hours to make and mend pens for the
writing class ana ''set" COPIES ia tLeir
copy-bOoks. Occasionally a pupil more
ingenious or initiative than the rest
learned 20 make their " pens. but dis
was rare.
We noticed that tho pens Of the bic
girls needed repairing oltonest. and rhs
teacher took a great deal OF pains in
mouding them. There is a good deal Of
human nature even in a school teacher.
But Don mendiug is all out Of date now
No ono uses quill pens any more, excort
occasionally an old-iashionod attorney
or doctor. who clings to tho practice of
has youth, which is all the practice some
doctors have. 10y the way.
~ 5Omc editors were WRITING tbis u..
would sigh and ask whore those old ped
igogues who used 10 mend tho oniIls ~,
my youth are2 And where are tho hove
whose copy books wore .cficad win
pons mat porsistoutiy and maiiciouslv
'splatterodf' ant tell us, whore arc t5o
big girls whose pens had 10 go To- tbs dry
dock SO often for tepair.2 IT, docs ps
particulw good chat we cam 500 TO sro.
pound these Inquiries, and 10 we sbonId.
echo would only mako Co., usual and uu-
satisfactory answer. t'Vhero2'
The petagogues are mostly dead. we
met % Of them lhe last time wo visited
I the old stamping grolul. Tho " thai
made us ucu,hie had crown dim and
iustorics-i tha form Chat doomed up m
such 20 formidable uIHuuor when he 1ro
ducol IBIS lgrulo ard ordered rs to- aJ-
vance into tho middle OF tIie senooIr,ofu
tO receive our regular dressing down
was bowed and s|hrunkou, and Tie lort.
ih3t we're black ag midnight when $50
FIRST know him had become white al tbo
driven snow. We ioit kindly towards
the OLD master, but when no addressed
as we we're siugularlv conscious oft feel.
/ iuU "a little Of that awe With which bofp.
pressed us as "a child.
Tho Old-tfne sc~hODlmaster was "a
rough one in Ibis day, butb DO usually had
"a rough set of boy tO deal with iu tho
country district school over Which bo
was called 90 preside. The first d4v be
assumed control frequently had t6 dn.
I C.dC WFotbcr or not ho was master offIo
situation. Ills proportions wore critical
lY measured by the big boys, and his
j msnner closely observed. Any indics,