The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-01-09
"reminiscences Warren Coun.
~ Fifty Years Ago.
Lp, Rsv. selonsn u. Z Ralelga No.

~ Fifty Years Ago.
by Rev. soiom5n Lea. IN RAlcirA Aasecs,-f
~ to day, Nov. 2lst. is my birthday
my 18th, and my faniy propose 10 OBJ
serve it by an extra dinner, will you per
init me TO give you a sketch Of my ex
perience a a teacher. After graduating
AT Chapel Hill under old DR. Caldwell. a.
President, aad Phillips. Mitchell aud
Hooper as Professors my first attempt
It teaching was in Warrenton. \. {.
tn reaching the town, stopped al
motel kept by Col. Green, well known in
The State for his hospitality his generos-
ity. and especially for his superiority in
'elling "a good joke. ], being rather
reticent aud quite timia. having no ex.
peIierce with the world, the Col put
two test questions to me, a. 10 my fitness
a Principsl Of a large Male Academy
Tfs first one was this do you wear
green spectacies?h No. sir. DO you
dance p No, sir. We'll, said the Col.
perhaps y2a may pass The reader
might ak what has these questions TO
10 with the qualifications Q. teacher.
Here is the solution. My predecessor IN
the Academy wore green spectacles and
sas devoted to dsncing, spending all hi.
spare :ime at Shocro Springs some few
miles off, where the dance and carts
were the principal amusements, aud as a
teacher he was a failure in the Coils
estimation, hence every one who wore
green srecracles. and danced. must be a
failure. The second test question wa.
pointed Here it i: Have you ever
heard of Col. Green before q No. sir.
We'll then " quickly replied the Col
you amt much them This took the
fea' her out of the Young teacher cap.
| did not, nor could rally. Il set ne
20 thinking 10 rather a pensive mood.
BY way Of defense might have remark
ed what chance had to have heard OF
you, being buried in College and i'm
mersed in books. However much or lit
t lie at the appointed tine, the school was
opened Here the pupils came from the
towp, the vicinity ard the adjacent coun-
ties soon numbering about fifty, one.thrd
Of whom we're nearly grown To classify
and govern such a number, was, indeed,
no little task for one who had no expe
rlcncc. naturally timid, and of rather
feeble constitution. soon found that
the position required courage and physi
cal strength. a well as literary dualitica-
ti0ns. In the mean time the Trustees
| Instructed me not to spare the rod.
soon found had my hands full and
little more besides, as the following facts
will show. Well do remember one boy
| from Halifax who was proof against the
rod. He boldly. and | must confe-s tri-
"."s s.han.L-. s-..ared- ho. would find q
back as long as could find switch, and
- he did, as failed to conquer him. On
al y l. =
knife and dared me to touch him. 1 sue
ceeded in thrusting him out Of the door,
ordering him to go to his boarding house.
He boldly stood his ground outside in the
rain, daring me TO come out. After his
| fit of anger was over. he subsided and
went to his boarding house. wrote to
his father to come and take him away,
that could DO nothing with him. His
father came and begged me to give him
another trial, saying ID my presence and
that Of the boy that if he did not behave
properly, he would come aud tie his
hands tehind his back and whip him
from one end of the street to the other
The was no use in trying him again. 10
few days he was just the same as he
was before. lie would quarrel, fight, or
DC in some kind Of mischief ! had to
dismiss him from school | heard that
alter he grew up TO manhood, he was
killed in u tracas And is not this the
natural result ct his cary training? His
father was lue-icad,r in the then cele-
brated game ot cock fighting. Again
well do | remember now wild and rcck-
/ e-s some Of the boys were. 1t was unsafe
ior the teacher to take an evening walk by
with friend. huge rock came whIZZlnq
by, brushing my clothes, ran with my
friend to catch the guilty one and soon
came across large boy, one of my pupils
disguised, and armed with club to give
the teacher sound beating. After a lee
,ure, told him should call the Trus-
tees together to decide rpon his case.
Manage the school yourself" was the
reply of the Trustees. Nothing was done
with him, but another lecture. BY kind
treatment and forbearancc, had no fur
ther difficulty with him. One Saturday
while was visiting a cousin the country,
TWO Of the boys got into a fight and one
Of hem bit off the ear Of the other. ard
a hysician had to be sent for to sew il
on To cap the climax, at the close q
he session, the whole school had a grand
froIic, got drunk and went through The
own from orc end to the other yelling
ike Indians aud throwing rocks at ran
dom. Most of thlse boys were the sou:
sons OF wealthy parents who doubtes.
lid not check their children, but allowed
hem 10 do as they pleased. Permit ne
to give a brief sketc1 of the condition o
-oclefy and morals Of the town durinQ
this period. There were three prominent
citlzens, professional gambler, VIII
spent their whole time, day and night
from year to year, in playing cards, anc
besides many others a visitors from dIs-
tant places. WarrentOn too, was the
central point for cock fighting; HALIFAX
county arrayed against Warren. Ins
uets were no little sum. often running az
TO thousands. The battle would last iol
weeks, being renewed every day Within
he limits OF the town, huge ring would
l,rmed, sprro III ded by hundred. oi com
yetitors. a. d ii spectators, betting and
ursing and yelling. At The close Of th'
,attle, scores upon scores Of cocks eItheI
killed or wounded What a srectacle fol
christian nation, What derioIablc
state of society! There was no Presby
.e,iaD, nor Baptist church in the town
The Me- hodl-tS had a small church witt
out few members, preaching. once
| u0Dth- Inc Epl>COpaiIdbo DdC hta
ruo church, preaching every sabbath
lot q male member in It. My friend Jo'
SomerYille aad myself regularly attend
d divine service 10 the Episcopal church
slng the prayer book and going through
he responses, fer which the mlnlste
banked Us.
1t was in this condition Of society
, when a dreadful conflict took place in th'