Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-12-09
An t,la-Time SCHOOL, BOARD

The following amusing story is an
excellent illustration OF the differences
between old and new educational
methods and expenditures. It also
proves that the boys OF the olden
time paid dearly for the things that
gave pleasure. The schooi.board Of
the Pine Ridge District had met to dis
cuss methods of economy in conduct
ing the winter term of school, since Il
was evident that the teachers saIar-
OF three dollars and twenty-five cents
week would exhaust the emount Of
cash in the school treasury before the
end OF the usual four months term, il
demands were made upon it for Incl
dental expenses.
The teacher being a woman. it had
been the custom of the board to pay
boy the munifcent salary OF twenty
cents week for building the FIRE and
sweeping the house.
'.Now," SAID Mr.. Aaron Cratchett.
president OF the board, "kaint We de-
wise and construct some means ofsay.
in the deestrict this here twenty cents
! a week. 1t mounts to e'namost four
dollars for the term, and we kin i'll
afford to pay it.
"That'sso," said Hiram Dillworthy,
solemnly. "Ain't there boys that'd
do it fer say ten cents week. A boy
amt nothin' to do but scratch round
a little in the snow, and git his wood
an kindlin' out an cut up, an his
fires goin' in no time.
1--WE ort to be able &c find boy
that'd do it for the splendid exercise
it'd give him." said Jonas Dill, the
| most economical of the trio that
| formed the board. "How would it do
to have it a rule that the boy who
got there first in the morning. had TO
| build the fire."
"Pm a leetle afeerd that wouldn't
| work." said Mr.. Cratchett, doubtfnlly.
"Im afeerd there wouldn't be any Of
'em fust to git there" an illogical
| objection that seemed to have weight
with the other members OF the board,
as nothing more was said about this
| plan.
WELL" said Mr.. Dill, "why couldn't
we say that the boy that GOT the fust
| iicken' had to build the fires until some
body else got licked, and so on?p
"Bnt what would wedo while We was
waitin' fer some doy to git licked IN
the first placer" said Mr., Dillworthy,
with wise foretbought.
overnight haveit understood tween
| us an the teacher that she had to lick
some boy the fust day. I'd jess as
leave as not she'd tan my boy Bill
down fust day as not. He never gifts
| a lick amiss."
| But Mr.. Dillworthy's innocent and
unsuspecting son Bill was saved from
| the "lickin'" proposed by his affec-
| tionate father through the medium OF
! brilliant thought that struck Mr..
Cratchett.
II know jist what to do" he said.
''We're goin' to burn white oak wood
| this winter, an they amt no ashes
makes as good soft soap as white oak.
! And them kind o. ashes kin be sold
fer ten cents bushel. / amt no man
ner o. doubt we kin git a boy who'll
build them fires fer the ashes, gintle-
men, fer the ashes"
"And it'll be big pay" said Mr.. Dill.
| in gleeful acquiescence.
$50 it will" said Mr.. Dillworthy.
"rd take the job myself, or I'd make
my Bill do it, il we hadn't so much
stock.feedirg to do this winter.
A hoy was found to do the work
for the compensation named. and
only that boy knows with what pains
taking care those ashes were garnsred
away in barrels that winter. he
! sold the ashes, snd the next winter be
had new par OF skates as the result
of hisslabor.