Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-12-27

''Pisase, Dr.. Wlll Tee Nod 10 -.
fCscrionss3 aafurdav Niaht.1

''Pisase, Or, Will Tee Nod 10 Psa.
(Cincinnati Saturday Night
We haven't been inside Of school
house for a good many years. and mus
inc upon the past, We wonder u . sehol-
Ar ever sings out 70 the teacher nov,
please, sir. will You mend my psn p
They used to when 20 we're Q boy, and
the teacher always carried = particular
" sharp psn-knife 30 - 20 be able 10
comply With the request. Is haa
white handle, and We used TO think ve
vouid like one just like II. 10 he able
10 make aud mend quill pens vas one of
the essential qualifications OF a school
teacher in the district school. in the
DAYS when our young ideas we're in
ssruoted in the target practice. Want
ius in this, it would have been useless
for candidate for te .chef's position
tn have applied 70 the Board" for an
opportunity TO board round.
Il was a genuine pleasure to watch
one of those old pedaQ0Rues make q
pen. He would pat his glasses on. and.
opening his penknife, carefully feel the
edge. Then be would reach dOwl and
strop the blade d. xtrously few tunes
on bis we'll. worn calfskin pumps, for
they wore pumps in the school-room in
those days they had TO, ~ save their
boots, poor fellows. Then selecting q
quill from a bunch in his desk, tied up
With a scarlet ribbon, he would cot Oh
a portion of the feathered end 10 make
it the desired length, trim it little. and
then with one swift and dexterous
SCOOP Of the knife. give shape
to the pen. In three more rap
id 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 and set" copies
in their copy books. Occasionally a
pupil more ingenious or initiative than
the rest, learned 70 make his own pens,
bat this was rare.
We noticed that the pens of the big
girls needed repairing oftenest, and the
teacher took great deal of pains mend
ing them. There is good deal of hu-
man nature even in school teacher.
bat rem mending il all out of date nov.
No one uses quill pens any more. except
occasionally an old fashioned attorney
or doctor, Who still olinRs TO the practice
Of his youth, which is all the practice
some doctors have, by the way.
II some editors we're writing this
they wOuld sigh and ask where those
old pedaVoRues who used TO mend the
ouills of my youth were? And where
are the boys whose copy books we're de-
faced with pens that persistently and
maliciOusly ''splattered2'' and where,
tell % where, are the big girls. whose
pens had to 70 onto the dry dock 50 OF
ten for repairs? 1t does no particular
good that We can zee to PROFOUND these
inquiries, and II We should, echo would
only make it's usual and unsatisfactory
answer "WhereY''
The pedag0Rues are mostly dead.
We met one of them the last time We
visited the old stamping ground. The
eye that made az tremble had grown
dim and lusterless the form that
doomed mp in such a formidable man.
nor whom he produced his ferule aud
ordered % to advance into the middle
Of the sch0ol-room to receive our regu-
lar dressing down, was bowed and
shr1nken, and the thin locks that were
black a. midnight when We first knew
him had become white as tho driven
snow. We felt kindly toward tho old
master, but whom he addressed rs w
were sinRularly conscious of feeling a
little of that ave with which he i'm
pressed M az child.
The old-time scho0lmaster was a
rough one in his day. but he usually bad
ROACH set of boys to deal with in the
country district school over which he
was CALLED TO preside. The first dayshe
assumed control he frequently had Il
decide whether or not he WAS master OF
the situation. His proportions we're
critically mea ufed by the big soyt
and his manner closely observed
Any indication Of physical or mora
WEAKNESS would be detected and takeT
advantage Of whenever opportunity
offered. We have seen contests foI
supremacy carried on between mas
Tor and scholars on the school hous>
floor in bloody way. The master VA
nearly always victorious. yet We remem
ber one instance where lie was pitche(
bead onR out Of doors into the snow anC
the key turned on him. The trustees
tried 70 sustain him, but he was com
PEELED to give up the school.
The next one Who came, warned BY
the fate of his predecessor, repressed al
indications Of characterization with
great severity. We have seen him hur
a heavy walnut ruler across the sshOO
room at the head of a boy who val
whispering. And his favOrite way Oi
celebrating the movements Of tardy
scholar was 10 catch him by the collar
and drag him over the seats. The boys
never tried TO run that teacher out Oi
the school house, but be had to stand .
long lavspit for beating boy witt
undue severity. We presume that race
of school teachers has entirely died ont