Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1886-05-20
A COUNTRY SCHOOL.
Correct Pen-and-Ink sketch OF y Small
Connecticut Village.

III Otu SCnOOl-nouSts Mnoot WtNlutI-
stained boards show the marks Of NJ
least century
Alone, upon the summit of high
hill, this unprctcnding temple Of learn
ing has been the structure used for gem
crations IN climbing the hill Of science.
Ghe mar IN of improvement has been
carefully kept back from its surround
ings, the only adornment being beds
Of rock and piles of stone, which are
only changed as the careful farmer or
labor-saving road-master finds it a con-
venient place to add TO its already
overburdencd stock.
The same old plank on which our
grandfathcrs so industriously used
their jack-knives is to-day the writing
desk around the wall, save where n
place has been whitfield too much to
be of further service new piece has
been inserted, giving the youth of the
present day enlarged facilities for dec
oratiou. In front are the sam. old
wooden benches over which the chill.
dren Of to-day swing in and out after
the fashion of their grandmothers in
days Of long ago. The presiding
genius of the place is even in keeping
with the Surroundings; n master in win
ter to manage turbulent boys, and
while his farm demands his attention
during the summer months, some
schoolmarm fills up the interval and
aids overburdcncd parents in the care
Of children who are in the way at home.
As one old master is Obliged to lay
aside the duties of his office on account
- flan fVN NVts Of 10, 80, hta
last resting-placc, a new one is found
so nearly like the old that the change
Is hardly perceptible. Even the very
ferule and hickory club are carried and
used as cfiectually as by the masters of
a century ago.
The children of to-day spell out the
words in the Testament at the opening
of school with the same moderation as
did their ancestors in '76, and the same
old blue-coyercd spelling book is vet in
the hands of the pupils, keeping alive
the momentous questions whether the
man who made spelling-books and the
one who talked politics were one and
the some, and if so why should he live
so much longer than other folks, and
questioning the propriety of changing
the old catechism so as TO read Noah
Webster, and not Mcthuselah, was the
oldest man. But at length the march
of improvement reaches our rugged
hills and invadcs our territory. A
young lady from the city, n graduate
from prominent high school, appears
at the door of our district committee as
a candidate for the school. He stages
a departure from our custom. but
will consult the people of the district
and let her know. Unanimously they
say: "We'll try the city lady She
enters upon the duties Of her Office.
Leaves all the attractions of one of our
prominent Connecticut cities TO enter
upon her life work as teacher. A AJoung
lady full Of life, energy and deter
TO make her first effort Il sue
cess.
The old school-house is made to look
more cheerful by the addition Of few
yards Of wa.te cotton cloth at the VIM
dows, and the blackboard instead OF
being used for drawing caricatures of
the teacher, is kept filled with wcll-ex-
ecuted school-work.
Tho very school-room seems to be
filled with a different air. No instru-
ment of torment is in view. and two
dozen pairs of prying eyes have tired in
vain TO discover its hiding place. What!
n school with no whip! The city is flied
with horrible means of torture and
some dreadful thing must be here in
visible. One sharp pair Of eyes dis
covers near the blackboard two oblong
articles. 81 have found OUT Is the
first confidential talk with a-pompan-
ion. "Shc'll box us side the head
with those things by the blackboard, ,"
and at the close of the session pupils
scatter hOmeward 10 make known
to parents the wonderful discovery.
"Catch her using them things on my
says one parent. and his
children return to school to tell what
pa says.
Another session and the quecr-look-
ing things are taken in hand. Breath
less silence rcigns in the school-room.
Who is the victim? The teacher quietly
uses them for cleaning the blackboard.
and the great mystery is still unsolved.
Still wonders do not cease. A spelling
class il called and a pupil spells cow,
ke-ow. Teacher says pronounce the
word COW, not kc-Ow.
Glass dismissed and at close Of school
teacher SAYS: Children, when YOU
meet q person on the street say, How
do YOU do.' not 'HcllOHn
Children look amazed and report to
parents. "Thc teacher is overstepping
her duties. meddling with outside mat
ters. and besides, is casting a reflection
on the manners of the people Mem
bers Of the board OF education are con-
suited rs 20 the limits Of teachers
power. The six members OF the board
have all presided as teachers in the
town, and it is against the rules 10 crit
icise any thing out OF schOOl-hours,
and surely it shows . great lack Il IA
between teacher and pupils
not 10 say "Ilcllor' Now, here Is our
chance. We have always succeeded
in keeping city teachers out of the
place. We have teachers enough Of
our own and need the money ourselves,
and we have quietly revoked city teach
er's certificates on two occasions and
they have been obliged 10 leave: so IL
we can only manage this one success
fully, probably there will be no at
tempt ~ clly teachlng Tor some time tO
come. We will not have any new meth.
DDS introduced here.
The committee Of the district is con-
suited, tut says: "Not complaint has
reached his ears from a person whom
be considers competent to judge Of the
merits Of a school. He ha, visited the
school. considered the teaching SUPER
or, discipline excellent, and every
hing satisfactory
A meeting Of the board Is called in a
'etired place and the certificate Is re-
'Okcd bccause"new methods are in
reduced
Is it to be wondered at that In such
district, with thirty families four Of the
male heads Of the families can neither
cad nor write, and the generation
low coming on promises TO even outdo