Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-02-01
OCR SCHOOLS. ANCIENT AN0 Mob.
ERN.
ED. Posi- INrELLIGEsCEB:

Ed. Posi- INTELLIGEsCER:
The following sketch is written OK.
| pressly for tine benefit Of the youth of
our land who may feel dissatisfied with
the facilities offered them in our CON-
mon schools, and to illustrate my sub
ject shall give true picture of the
schools Of my native State Virginia
fifty years ago. l shall first describe
our school houses as follows:
Most Of them we're built of round logs
with tho cracks between filled with
blocks of wood or stones, and covered
with mortar made of clay and some
times little cut straw or chat mixed
in it. 1t was
by one of these cracks being left open
and small sticks SGT across 1t at inter
walls, and then covered with creased pa
per. Our
WRITING DESKS
were made by laying wide boards upon
pins driven into the logs facing the
aforesaid paper windows.
OUR SEATS
we're rough slabs from the saw mills
with large pins stuck in the round side
Of them, without the least regard to the
length Of our legs. Some of us would sit
so exalted that our feet did not come
within six inchess of the floor, and all
OF them without backs or rests Of any
kind. The house was heated by huge
fire Of logs kept in rude fireplace that
occupied most all one end of the build
ing. The larger boys of the school took
turns in making and keeping up these
fires.
OUR SCHOOL BOOKS
were "Dillworth" and United States
spellers," New Testament" and ENG
lish Reader"
QUE ARrTHNErrcs
were "Walsh," and Federal Caloulat-
or" Anything beyond these was of
rare occurrence. Blackboards, globes,
maps and such like were nnknown.
THE SCHOOL MASTER"
Gas he was then Called took his seat en-
one side of the fireplace where he re-
manned fixture from . a. m. till II M,
and from p. m. till and sometimes i
p. m. No recess except the noon hour
was ever given. Sometimes a paddle
was hung near the door with the word
"in" on one side. and "out" on the other.
This We had to turn each time we went
out or came in. We would become 60
weary with the long confinement that
this paddle became an object of great
interest. and We were ready to spring
for the door the moment We saw the
latch lifting.
our PENS ron WHITING
were made from goose quills, and thu
making and mending OF these occupied
a large portion Of the master 3 time. The
remainder Of il was occupied in vritinr
copies, examining states and brushin0
our backs. Without the latter. An IN.
time school would have been moon.
Plete, and sometimes il would prove
mighty beneficial at the present day.
STUDYING ALOUD.
In some Of these schools the pupila
studied aloud, aud the noise made bv
them WAS intolerable, and could b
heard quite distance. Those of M
who read in the "New TESTAMENT or
English Reader were classified. and
read las We called it, verse about
We had to yell at the top OF our voices
TO DO heard and when We quit making Q
'scsss, the master would cali out:
why don't You grspn?e
We would reply, "We're DONE"
next" '
La all probability he had heard MOTH
ing OF all We read save the noise. We
we're never told how to find the page in
book. or that word had a meaning.
much less 10 give rs its meaning.
mus our youthful days we're spent in
trying to get an education. Now LET the
youth Of today compare their privileges
With ours Of fifty years ago.
Respectfully,
r. n. Hosxrxsos,