The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1886-03-11

KAep up your courage. ana WORK ana wait,
n foiiers who toll with an aim sublime!
me eyes of the years shall discriminate.
And read your purpose Alright in time.
--EEla Wheeler WilcoI, IN Chicago Tribune.
PROF" SMITHS SCHOOL.
Forcing Young Ideas in the South
west Many Years Ago.
Thirty years ago education in the
Southwest was a lucky accident. Any
man who happened to know more than
bis neighbors became teacher. There
was no system of schools, the only
common belief being in the birch rod
IS quickener of the intellect.
Throughout this section of country
were number of families from the
older Southern States, and chiefly from
Virginia. These families were usually
Of good lineage, and drawn to the new
er country through land grants for mil
itary and other services. With them
they brought the habits and opinions of
the mother State. These included,
above everything else. devotion to some
PARTICULAR religious sect and respect for
letters. The sons of the families were
usually sent to college, and were con-
sidercd oracles of learning when they
returned.
Such teacher, belonging to one of
these old Virginia families, was Will
lam Smith. His grandfather had
moved with his numerous family at an
early day into the famous blue grass
region Of Central Kentucky, in conse-
quence of grant of six thousand acres
from the mother State on account of
military services. Owing to the inper-
feet surveys OF that day and the result.
ing litigations, he threw up the grant
in disgust and retired to a neighboring
State.
When William Smith was bov, the
center of all accessible learning in that
country was the Miami University, at
Oxford, O., and to it the youth was
sent Such an event in those days is to
be compared with that of modern ex-
plorer to unknown lands. The family
seamstress who got up his wardrobe,
was much in demand in social circles,
owing to her acquaintance with its de-
tails and her opportunities for compre-
hending the family's state of mind in
view of the great event.
When William Smith returned from
college no youth was thought to have
ever carried away so large burden of
learning. All disputed questions-such
as the spelling Of word, puzzliug
problems among the bricklayers, and
bitches in the exchange of butter and
eggs for calico-were brought before
him. Parents were fired by his sue
eesses with ambition for their own
sons; and William Smith, instead of
Becoming the teacher in ordinary as
the other college men had been, opened
q school for boys preparing for college.
INTO this it was the hope of every
iasher and mother to get their boy.
The school house was large brick
building, painted white, with a portico
and those imposing columns that were
apart Of the digniiied architecture of
that country, and was called the col
Rse. In keeping, William Smith was
s.yied professor. Years after, when
we school was only a memory, middle
ased men would occasionally drift
around to William Smiths home, then
Y 2 different State, and to the astonish-
h'ent Of his family, who knew him only
q an active business man, call him pro-
lessor-a title that sent his grandchil-
elen giggling behind tho tables and
At that time, however, as if to make
amends for the restraint of the title,
~ ooys out OF school spoke familiarly
Y MN as Bill Smith. 4 real college
i1olessor has since told me that his life
Nas made miserable at one time, when
g mstailment of William Smiths boys
N sent to his college, by being con-
ssusaily told ''that wasn't what Bill
sn.ln said" Bill Smith didn't do it in
william Smith himself used to tell
mth glee how little Drake Beasley.
nose father begged to have him sit In
~ school room and gather what
~s'nns OF learning he could, since he
-1 700 young to be admitted, too pre-
so1aous = Tor other schools, and too bad
y aeep at home. used to twitch him by
s - eloow in the midst of a lesson:
ny, Bill Smith, lend me a chaw OF
Inc familiarity was all the more
liked liked since little Drake might have
s.owed tobacco from any of the bows,
M wooden boxes filled with sawdust
s;ss1 49, g much part of the school fur
1sare as the desks.
80 ARew William Smith as an elderly
s;.a' .,sa' although for some time familiar
NJ, ~ tne reputation of this school.
cr..s ..sa g one of the traditions of the
9 sty ha he had long before left. Since
n ~ retired from active business as
h.raasn nsn whom circumstances have w
n;es asa ! sslde from chosen pursuits. h;s
- eelights to dwell on those early
ins pleasure isparticularly keen