River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1890-03-06
GETTING AN EDUCATION.
What Came Of Wasting Ny
Time" at School

" nat Odt16 OF w dSIlu2 II
Time" at School
Taint no use 70 talk about IL, Phebe,
for / shant consent 20 fool away emmy
of nv money in sendin' that boy to no
hifalutin' scaule- All ever learned,
got at the old deestrict schulz, an
guess it's good enough for any Of our
boys"
but times have changed since then.
father. Fifty years ago young man
could begin life with a smaller amount
of bOOk-learning than is now necessary
for him 70 possess, il he would compete
with others for the hOnors and posi-
tiOns We hoped TO see our boys gain.
We have toiled early and late for thirty
years. on this farm. Joseph, and while
there has been much OF happiness in
our lives, yet the knowledge that we
have never bees able to gain much TO
lay aside fO- rainy day has caused Us
anxiety for the future"
Eyes, that Is Just what I am trying 70
make you understand We haint got
but thousand dollars in the bank now.
an want TO buy that piece OF medder
OF Deacon Asher, 200; but you want 10
fool il away in sendin' that boy OF 20
college. / yum, ! never could mOre'n
half understand you. Phebe-"
was an unwilling eavesdropper 70
this conversation between my parents
had come in from the yard with a pail
OF milk in each hand, and 70 tighten the
too heavy burden the care of the dairy
placed upon my little mother, | stood
in the milk-room straining the milk
for her, when they came into the gar
den BY the side of the room. and
was made an involuntary, yet, l must
confess, 4 most anxious listener. NV
entire life had been passed upon the
farm, and one who has endured the
hardships OF farm life for a few years
knows how irksOme such a life can be
made, IL the main idea is to work more
with Drawn than brain. / was in my
eighteenth year. and the only surcease
from labor had been the few winter
months passed az the district school.
These few months Of each year had in
deed been an oasis in the hard life, and
the grains Of knowledge CLEANED from
the chaff threshed among MS by the too
often incompetent teacher. who was Sc
cured more times because he could be
gotten cheaply than because he pos
sessed any particular ability for a
teacher Of the young, were eagerly
picked up and added 70 as opportunity
would permit / had at last, by hard
work evenings, after the chores were
done, fitted myself 70 pass the prepare
tory examination at the State Industrial
University. and now desired she consent
and assistance Of my father to take the
four years course in mechanical engi-
neering.
Nv father was not an unlxind man al
heart. but he had become So surrounded
with the ideas of his own Importance
and power that he could conceive of
nothing higher OF grander in a boys
life than to be able 10 initiate himself.
No one in the whole neighborhOOd could
keep up their station" in binding grain
with him. while at barn-raisings. corn
huskiRgs. hog-killings or lOg-rOllings
no one who knew him would for a mo-
ment attempt 10 equal. let alone trying
20 excel him II was true that Deacon
Asher's new hired man. stranger in
hAAt1F NaA - Ao4 So Az NANA ~ NhAtha hAAAA
in a wrestling match at one Of the rails
ngs: but he was quickly sent to earth
with q bruised head and chagrined
spirit, which raised NV father another
notch in local fame. although IL gained
him an enemy in his defeated antago-
mist Father was heavy, muscular
man. "a may be imagined. and I gave
promise Of nearly equaling him physical
". but there the resemblance ceased.
He was light-haired. while I resembled
my dark-haired mother in complexion
and disposition. I was fond u athletic
sports. but did not care - indulge in the
rough matches of the neighbOrhoOd
which so frequently engendered ill-feel-
ing. MY three b-pshers. ali older than
myself. took naturally u the farm life;
they had grown NJ uneducatcd,
and while not my equal physically, they
resembled my father in more respects
than did As NAV he presumed from
this. they were seemingly drawn closer
70 him. while I always looked 70 my
mother for sympathy and needed spend
ing money. She had been better cd
ucated than my father in early life, and
by insisting upon taking her favorite
magazine, a treat always 10 me. she had
kept fairly abreast of the times. and
sympathized with my ambition TO make
something Of myself
We had talked over my hopes and
plans the night before and. like the
dear little mother I had always found
her. she insisted upon gaining fathers
consent 70 our arrangements And this
was the conversation l was Overlooking.
must confess that / leaned my head
a little closer tn the window 70 catch my
fathers reply, and in doing so was az
foricd a view Of his face. From the
stern look could see gathering in his
eyes. knew nv hopes we're doomed 70
disappointment even before his next
words confirmed this opinion. My moth
err had added another in reply, which
did not hear. but could see him turn
ing neryouSly on his heel as il anxiou:
20 have disagreeable task ended.
Il didn't intend % tell il. jest yit, bat
the fact of it is. mother. Jed thinks o
gettin' married this fall. after the work
is out Ot the way. an we must buy the
DeacOn,s medder TO make the farm
large enough for another. Jed spoke Il
me las night
But Joseph, You have already helped
Jedediah 70 a thousand dollars, and
should think that in the spirit OF fair
ness 20 all OF our boys. he should now
be willing 10 wait"
faint no USE TO throw up about
what Jed lost in buyin' that race boss.
retorted my father sngrily- for my
mother had touched him in tender
spot
My brother had purchased high
priced trotting horse = season Or tv9 be-