Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1886-10-30
THE MARTINSBURG HERALD, SATURDAY. OCT 80
SAN FRANCISCO LETTER.

From u late issue of the STATESMAN, l learr
lhat Prof William ID. Gerhardt has resigned
burg Schools, an,office that he has long an(
credftably filled, not alone to himself but the
city as well. / well remember the morning
he assumed the principalship of the Martins
burg Grammar School. formerly the site O
keneaster's old stable. l was then a new boy
and as look back with sadness and sorrow te
those days, wonder how many of the boys
sat with then are still residents of your CITY,
fear there are few. Occasionally / ind name
in the Mariinsburg press that / recognize az
one OF the number that occupied a seat in that
building, but the majority of them have long
since left the scene of their boyhood days. and
are scattered far an wide. probably some Of
them tonight thinking of childhood, home
and mother.
In my fancy | can see the form of Prof Ger
hardt before me as write, as he stood in the
school 10 wears ago. He was a remarkable
man. a good man and kind and honorable
man, indulgent without weakness and strict
without severity. Some of the precepts that
he endeavored to ihculcate in my calloused
nature are as fresh in my memory tonight as
they were when spoken while was endeavor-
ing to plaster the face of the clock with wad
OF wet paper two decades ago. Ihave said that
he was strict without severity that / consider
a very honest admission for me to make. Prof.
Gerhardt, in common with most Southern and
Western school teachers, did not believe in
sparing the rod and spelling the child. | think
can assert without fear of successful contra
diction. that was not one of the number, il
any such there be, who was spoiled by any
lack of application of the rod. There were five
school days in week, and l think on an aver
age was threshed once in each of those five
days. Some days when was in luck, fell in
for two and there have been occasions when
1t ran up to four per diem. IL was as custom
airy to hear No. 80 called up front as it was to
have recess announced. Sometimes | was
alone in my misery, but generally No. 81 ac-
eompanied me when filled an engagement
" up 'front.'" These threShingS were all right
and could be stood well enough in winter when
wearing apparel was heavy, but when taken
i'll summer, when there was nothing between
oil hsrt of fnV
the effect can be better imagined than explain
ed During this season the lower portion of
my anatomy presented all the variegated hues
OF the rainbow. AS 10 getting out and going
home With the remainder OF the scholars, that
was the exception rather than The rule. 1t
was very cold day, or perhaps very warm
one, when Nos. 30 and 81 repaired to their re-
spective homes with the good pupils. The de-
tention after school was the greatest punish
ment of the two ordeals, for it always involved
a lecture. have taken the hardest whipping
that was ever administered within the walls
OF that old school building without tremor
visible in my frame or contortion of the face,
but q lecture from the kind-hearted Professor,
who would sit down with tears in his eyes and
beseech us for the future of our lives to pur-
sue different course, always made me feel
like criminal. There is nothing like time,
and nothing pretty generally will, but time,
to convince schoOlboy of the terrible truth
of the lost opportunity doctrine preached to
them by the teacher. Should this strike the
attention ofany companion of schoolboy days,
he will probably recall Nos 30 and 81. 1t was
the most familiar sound during school hours
Should there be an inquiry as to FASTING the
leaves of the Webster Unabridged together
with mucilage or filed the stove on cold day
with fine coal SO as to smother the fire, or the
ink bottle be found on the outside of the WIN
dow frozen tight, all eyes were turned in the
direction of 50 and 81. In rare instances, In
nocent. invariably self convicted. There are
o number of the fair sex, girls then wearing
short dresses, young ladies now, who well re-
member 30 and 81. They $50 and 81, not the
girls stuck to each other in school, went out
in the the world together, and are here on the
confines of the Western Continent together.
Communities can i'll afford to spare such men
as Prof. William Gerhardt. May his years be
heightened to ripe old age is the earnest and
heartfelt wish of one upon whose anatomy he
made many an impression. and who, had re-
ceived his just deserts, would have been award
ed many more. He was an excellent teacher,
and it is a misfortune that the schools of Mar
tfnsburg must suffer the loss of his valuable
services.
San Francisco still remains intact, notwith-
standing the terrible prediction of Virgins,
the alleged weather sharp. Science has not
yet attained that perfective state when an
earthquake can be predicted.
The political pot is just boiling over at pres
emit Six tickets in the field, and several dis
tricts yet to hear from, of VIII ch, more anon.
October I'd, 1886. w. II. Saskatchewan.