Union County courier. [volume] (Elk Point, Union County, D.T. [S.D.]) 187?-1913, 1889-03-27

ny FRANK BLAIR.

sAEfAN yVAs0 WkO 10 siOotAy nc :
can determine by contempory
events, my career as q schoolboy
began. The school. / believe, wat
founded by 1.-THE Episcopal Miss
ionary Society for the promotion 81
education and morality among the
heathen," and was presided over by
the rector Of the parish. There was
no building erected especially fol
the purpose, but school was held al
the church,-a small structure plac.
ed in the outskirts Of the village,
which then contained three or fou,
hundred inhabitants. Although il
was in reality a very small church.
l can remember how large it seem.
ed to me then. The ceiling, and
the stove.pipe which traversed the
length Of the building appeared SO
far above my head, that / often
wondered how men would dare to
60 SO high as to put them there.
The images Of the tin candlesticks
upon the walls, of the tall gothic
windows, OF the long straight-back.
ed pews in which l sat swinging my
little feet (alas! how changedD back
ward and forward, and Of the long
aisies, are deeply engraven on my
memory. The pulpit, the mysteri.
GUS little close. where the good rec.
tor donned his long robes Of black
and white; the rostrum, wherein /
sat many a weary hour, wondering
when the wrath of my superior
would be sufficiently appeased, to
let me return to my seat; the little
organ. the teachers chair, all made
too deep an impression on my youth
full mind. to be forgotten. My ideas
Of scholarship, and the object of at
tending school were vague indeed.
l cannot remember having recited
or studied any myself, but / call to
mind the feeling Of awe l felt for
the young MAJ who was studying
Latin. TO my mind Latin was the
topmost branch of the tree Of know
ledge. IF one had studied Latin, it
seemed that nothing more was to he
learned while in this mortal state.
The next year | attended a public
school in another part of the town.
The building had been originally
occupied by a furniture dealer ard
undertaken, and @ small addition on
one side was still stored with collins
which filled our minds with fear
whenever we peeped through the
little window, and saw them in the
dusky little room. The school room
was long and low, the plastered
walls begrimed with smoke and
stained with rain which found its
way through the leaky roof, How
ever, we had genuine patent school
desks. which ,he boys industriously
whitfield and scratched with knives
and pens, during the teachers un-
guarded moments. Near by the
school house was a livery stable,
containing among other tenants a
quick-temp"r-d old man, and a goat.
both Of whom were much annoyed
by the boys and consequently fur
nished a great deal of amusement.
The old man frequently chased us
with his whip, and the last unfortu-
nate was sure to feel the lash around
his legs, The goat was often Undue
ed to enter the school room, much
to the discontinue of the teacher,
who, being n rather timid lady,
promptly withdrew to a safe dis
tance, and requested some Of the
oluer boys to drive llinl-an opera
ton which frequently furnished
considerable entertainment. If the
wanted to reward highly
any pupil for good behavior, she
would allow him to pass the water,
q ceremony usually performed every
half hour. The Office of ~watet-car-
rier was considered a very honora-
BILE one indeed, and was a continual
bone Of contention among the schol-
are. There seemed to be more in
school to interest the pupils at that
time than there is now. That abom-
practice of whipping scholars
after school was not then in vogue.
The ceremony YVES performed before
the school where every one could
enjoy it; this not only whiled away
the time, but served as a warning to
other scholars, clearly showing them
what they might expect from SINH
lar disregard Of the rules. OF course
no studying was expected during
the progress Of such li.tle affairs,
and thew did much to relieve the
monotony Of the school-rootn. Then
too, the forms OF punishment were
30 varied and of such ingenious ma
that they could not be other
wise than entertaining. TO stand
on the teachers desk, sit on the
floor, stand on n foot, hold a nail
on the floor, we're a few of the COM
mon forms of punishment. Each
teacher had his favorite method. |
Such purishments as these were for
mild offences, but for anything Of a
graver nature, such as fighting, |
.othing was thought Of but the
switch.
This happy school life lasted but
short years, when a public
building was constructed,
more modern methods of teaching
supplanted the old, and gradually
iii these romantic customs were for
Sosten.
AL days.
The minutes parting one by one like rays
That fade upon a summers eve.
= sfa;ra3 ana I Ifovar ~