River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-09-17
NOT WISHY-WASHY.
Clarence Gorse's style of Teaching a Dis
trict school,

NOT WISHY-WASHY.
Clarence Gorse's style of Teaching Dis
trict school.
Ia those merry old times in Merry
England, whose shadow, after centuries,
is still passing dark and upas-like, when
the only learning among the rich was
in hawks and hounds and the art OF
arresting a poaeher, and, among the
poor, in clutching from sullen soil,
with hardly better tools than finger
nails, harvest sufficient to keep the
narvesters alive and their masters in
waste and idleneSs; when the only craft
of the rich and great was in treason
and straagem, and of the poor, in
concealment and humility or in treach-
cry to more faithful comrades; in those
merry times-if merry is the blacklist
word in the language-when the cruel
est of laws were distorted by the cruel
est of men, or set aside if, haply, some
genius of barbaritv might devise some
thing worse-in those times, then, there
was one law so destitute of any show
of reason that generally, no king, lord,
or prelate desiring its suspension, 1t
was allowed to have something of the
force of settled rule. Under this law,
a person charged with any crime might
decline to plead, and ask, by right of
the realm, shield of faithful subjects,
permission to prove his innocence on
the body of his prosecutor. In the bat
tie then given, if the prisoner were
victorious, his innocence became mani
fest; if he were beaten, his guilt stood
revealed as if by the light of MONDAY.
This was one of the more prominent
and even liberal features of English
Jurisprudence, and when it became
obsolete in the courts it still remained
in force in the society which those
courts had helped to mold.
Fifty years ago, in our own country.
the tribunal of force was the only tri-
bunal recognized in at least one of our
institutions-the public school. The
teacher was a sort of plaintiff, charging
the pupils with ignorance, and bidding
them learn from him. The pupils, in
defence, answered according to the
old rule, by giving battle. Such, even
five years ago, when this little tale
begins, was the rule in remote lake
district of Ohio; and so firmly was the
rule adhered to, so brave and de-
termined were the pupils, that it be-
came impossible for the school trustees
to find in the vicinity and among the
ranks of veteran pedagogues a person
bold enough to as~lme the position Of
instructor In thi- terrible pass and
menace to education. he trustees caus-
ed notice of their wants to be placed
in the post-oilice of ncighboring
college town.
There, to while away an idle moment,
Clarence Gorse, sophomore and richest
student of the college, read it. Poorer
Young enread it. But the reputation
of District No. was known, and
for a month there were no applicants.
At the end of that time. however.
Clarence Gorse walked from his
boarding-place to the post-otfice to
read the notice again, and when he had
the address of Mr.. H. Clark, Ochreville,
O, he put himself in communication
with that gentleman with no delay
The school was still vacant, the answer
came; and laconic directions We're
added whereby Mr.. Gorse might find
! the house of Mr.. H. Clark. where
| the trustees would assemble to consider
| his candidacy. Gorse put the letter in
his side pocket as carefully as if it
contained the clue to another island of
| Monte Crist0, for a turn of fortune 5
| been rich. At the time set he
district, and by dint OF inquiry
| arrived at his destination. Mr.
| Clark $ was a rambling white house.
| quite the finest about; but perhaps it
was too fine for, knocking at the front
door, Gorse was presently startled by a
! pretty voice inside, which com
municated the intelligence that the door
was fastened, and would he ''go
round2' Going around he was met at
| the side door by the owner of the pretty
voice. who proved to be remarkably
pretty girl She colered when he re-
| garded her intently and on receiving
| his name conducted him to the parlOr
| Here she cast q deprecatory glance
| about. murmered in the pretty voice
! that she would ''tell father and dis
appeared. Gorsc thought the room
rather plain nor did he notice how
much had been done to make it cosy
and agreeable In some things. truly,
! it was rustic to conventiOnality. For
instance, the picture Of a battle in
which the leading Rebel. about to saber
| the leading Federal, was covered by
4. the revolver of a second Federal about
/ to be haVon6ted by a second Rebel, who
was in imminent danger of death from
a third Federal attacked by third
Rebel grappled with by a 70 nth
| Federal. and so on until the two. great
armies of fifteen or sixteen men were
hopelessly involved. This was unnatural
| and confusing; but there were other
pictures which atoned somewhat for
its enormity. On a homemade easel
was A crude water-color of pretty
subject The carpet was bright. and
the old furniture had tides and covers
worked with thousands of patient
stitches All in all, if the room was
/ not an aesthetic success, it was, at least,
pathetic failure. and so worthy of
consideration. The young lady,
+ creator of this interior, was soon back
with a message that her father would
come presently. and again. before
vanishing, she gave an appealing look
around her.
Her work, said Clarence to him
self and Immediately added: 1T ism t
so bad.
Mr. Clark. soon appearing, was seen
to be a large man, iovial-faced and red
whiskered. He gave the young man a
frank survey, then hearty welcome,
and immediately after wished him sue
cess.
When the other directors arrived the
atmosphere became one of business.
Gorse began by handing his letters OF
recommendation to Mr.. Perkins. bony
milkv-eyed gentleman, with spottv,
white whiskers and blue overalls.
/ Without committing himself on his abil-
itv to read, Mr. Perkins gave the letters
to Mr. Clark.
This is to certify read the latter.
THAT the bearer is competent to instruct
in the ordinary English branches; also
in Latin. Algebra, Geom-
Here the third director. "a small,
fierce man. with black whiskers, who
had been eveing Gorse with eager
Glance. was distinctly heard to eiacu-