Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1891-11-28
IN oLDEN TINES.
The Grammar school of Aberdeen and how
IL was Conducted.


IL was Conducted.
The school-house was low. one-storied
building in the Schoohill, in the form Of
the letter II, the public schoo in the cen.
ire, and four class-roems in the four wings.
The little quadrangle in front was the only
play ground, silent as the grave during the
hours Of teaching, but bursting with life
and resembling with the shouts and shrieks
Of some 100 boys during the intervals Of
play. The games were simple but varied.
following a sort Of scholastic calendar
which regularly brought round marbles.
buttons, hand-balls, peg tops, and what
not in due season. Beyond the precincts
of the school there was abundance of rae.
ing, chasing, hunting and humping. for
police were yet unknown. ard the streets
were not too crowded to be turned intoa
general playground. Everything was sing
ularly inexpensive The fees in Byron's
time were but five shillings a quarter; and
the sports of the school had to be betrayed
by the boys out of their. pocket-money,
which seldom exceeds a penny a week
Nothing could have shocked thrifty A Der.
deem burgess more than to be called to pay
entry-money or yearly contributions for
cricket or footballs indeed, such games
we're quite unknown. Ii must be remem
bered that hundred years ago Scotland
was really very poor country, and In
provincial town like Aberdeen living was
very simple, and the people very thrifty
In Byron time Latin was literally the
only branch of instruction in the gram
tuar school. IL was Latin, 'semper
Unique, ct omnibus, year in and year out,
summer and winter, morning and evening;
only Latin, and that continually. And
the manner of teaching was usually dull,
as the matter of it was monotonous The
rector, DR.. James Dun, was very Oldham,
approaching ninety, but his duties were
performed by coadjutor. There was no
effort to make the work interesting, and
no resource for Weakening up the intellect
of boys vino had no turn for languages and
the classics.
Byron did not apply himself to the work
HIS name never appeared in the prize list.
Usually, in d class of about thirty, his
place in the quarterly lists ranged from
fifteen to twenty. The highest ever record
ed was fifth, and ii is an interesting cir
cumstance to the present writer chat in
that list the name Immediately above it
was James Blake To boys that applied
themselves earnestly to the work the
course of study had at least the effect Of good
mental discipline, and TO this extent it
was a useful preparation for after. life
But 70 one who merely endured the thing,
it must have been alike a WEAKNESS OF the
flesh and a dissipation Of the mind.
The school hours we're very rigid, and
the vacations few and short. Eight to
nine o'clock to begin with, summer and
A inf
mornings seemed to have a bitterness all
their own From ten to twelve and from
three TO five at the grammar-schooi, and
for writing there was another school, from
twelve to one. and fot arithmetic from one
TO two The vacations were just three
weeks at midsummer, week at Christmas,
and an occasional day or two at other
times On Wednesdays lessons ended at
twelve, and on SATURDAY at eleven.
II the holidays were short, they were all
TIE more appreciated. The painting and
outstretching of soul for "the play at
midsummer rose to an enthusiasm I'M
known for anything else. Weeks before,
the boys would assemble In the classrooms
before the master appeared. and beat time
on the desks to "a rhyme OF which they
never tired:
'olt Tor the play IOgrt yin loE lAt ptAs
Oh, for the bonnie, bonnie, bonnie summer
playt
The last week there was busy co.lec-
ton of pence for "buskiug, or decorating
the school, and on the evening before the
vacation was given out, the boys sal.leI
forth in a glorious exu3eranCe OF SPIRITS,
making in groups for every available nur-
sery, garden, wood, or villa in the neigh
borhood, to beg, buy or borrow toTers
and branches for the work of decoration
BIS dint Of early rising, the decoration
was completed by eight O'Clock IN -AC
morning, aud for once in the year the duu
and dingy classroom, locked like lovers
bowers And when the play was given
out, and the school dispersed, the yelso 81
delight that burst from every throat re-
sounded through all the neighoorin1s
streets, and in fainter echoes reached the
furthe>t outskirts Of the town. Harper
Magazine