Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-02-06
My First "D00StTiGk School. .
BY Sarah Buckley. in "The Youths
Companion"

'hC COL dOCSbilSh SCnOOlo VI No"
England-not an analytical or statis-
tlcal work, but rather one descriptive
of that remarkable educational insti-
tuition. in which should he ,incorpor-
ated some of the most striking occur.
ances - amusing, comical, pathetic.
even tragic, of which the old-tlme
country district school, houses were
the scene. Such book would be not
only entertaining. but valuable, as
throwing light upon the unique feat
ures of our public school system a
generation ago.
was one of the first female teach
ers' who ventured to take charge of
Winter school in a certain county dis
trict. AS such for several years I
encountered an absurd but very preva-
lent prejudice against women teach :
ers, as well as the unruly instincts of
the 'big boys in the back seats and
the deep snow-drifts of the county
roads.
OF the numerous experiences of
those years it is not my purpose now
to speak in detail, but l will under
take to describe single incident,
which the reader may possibly be in
clined to rank as comical-and so In
deed, do now, though at the time of
its occurrence l was not sure that it
might not have tragic ending.
The adventure befell me during my
first winter school. ] was then about
twenty years old. During the early
autumn had resumed my studies at
a we'll known New England seminary
where had already been for two
years. Then, in September my faith,
er died suddenly. He left small
property which, with prudence and la
Dor, might perhaps enable my mother
to give her children home until we
should. one after another, be old
enough to 60 forth to strive with the
great world.
/ went home to The funeral of ms
father with the knowledges that coulc
not return to the seminary, but wa
still resolved to earn enough to finlsl
my studies there. At home / met my
Uncle John. brother of my mother
who lived in northern Vermont, anc
who, when | told him my trouble. of
fered me the position of teacher of th'
winter school IN his district. Th,
rate of pay was six dollars a week
for term Of sixteen weeks duration
Ninety-six dollarsl That would g
a long way toward paying my bills a
the seminary for another year Th,
opening seemed propitious, and l &C
cepted the offer and entered upon my
duties at once.
. The school was country school
where the teacher boarded around
and took the consequences l suffered
few minor inconvenience, such u
havinglto warm the spare bed in ever
. house at which took up my quarters
and running the risk ofdyspepsia as (
result of the endeavor of every cleve
) housewife to set the best table TO
the schoolma'am. But, on the whole
the first five weeks of my teaching
passed very agreeably to me.
There was one other circumstanc
: which gave me annoyance. Many o
the families in the district were afrait
of kerosene, which was then just com,
ing into rater general use in the bacl
country. They feared that it Nigh
explode, as the burning fluid which
it superseded used to do, and in thel
conservatism they clung tenaciousl,
to the lard-oll lamp or the dim and
sputtering tallow candle.
One old farmer would every even
ing put the solitary candle lighted ii
the sitting room between his nose anc
his newspaper, and thus would leav'
the rest of the family in darkness
But one night he received well de
served punishment for his selfshness
tor, getting his face too near the pre-
cious candle, he set fire to his volumi
nous yellow beard, of which he was
very proud, and it was singed to hi
chin before the blaze could be extin
guished.
Many of my boarding places wer'
quite mile distant from the schoo
house. But | was strong and full o
health, and in pleasant weather fount
the walk to and from school very in
vigorating and enjoyable. When tn
day was stormy l was conveyed t.
the school house In the farmers big
lumber box and l took lunch o
the good, crisp 'twisters' and sag
cheese, for the incoming.
The school house was an old fash
ioned one, strongly built, with heav,
doors and small, high windows. Il
one corner Of the great room was
broad, shallow closet, in which tn
, children hung their wraps. Thi
closet sometimes served as place o
solitary confinement for very youn,
offenders against The good orders o
. the school. Its heavy door was fast
ened with a great clumsy button
$ against which, when once 1T wa
turned upon him, it was useless fo
/, the prisoner to contend.
!, It was the 23d of November ant