The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1891-11-20
THE SCHOOLHOUSE.

l. AI OOlus
Jack came down to breakfast hold
ing both hands to his jaws as if with
. out that support they would inevitably
fall off. His face was the picture of
. gloom, appropriately framed in by the
white handkerchief tied around his
head.
How do you propose to teach
school to-day, Jack?" inquired my
Uncle Peter.
"And oh, Jackr' l exclaimed. syou
were going to take me out with you
to-day"
Twas visiting Jack for the first time,
and he had promised me for that day
a private exhibition of his pedagogic
methods and subjects, in which mat
tiers / took mild interest, since l
looked forward confidently to a pro-
fessorship after graduation, if not at
Harvard or Yale perhaps in Hardin
ston Academy. Said Jack to me,
why can't you visit the school as
you intended, Will, but as teacher?"
Here was a chance to test my pro-
fessional possibilities. The school
was two miles distant and after hasty
directions as to my way, for / was
entirely ignorant of the local geogra-
ply, | set out with a confidence as
high as Mt. Everest while the hand
kerchief-muffled imposter of cousin
waved me to victory from the sitting
room window.
After l had scudded over more than
a mile, l came short up against an
unfortunate difficulty-a fork in the
road.
Jack said nothing about fork in
the road" grumbled 1 to myself
'.Now what's to be done? l must
hurry, or those young ones will go
home again and miss some excellent
instruction. That would be too bad
Stay! There is native. Can you
tell me where the schoolhouse iso"
There's the Peacock School ouse
an the Bensley School ouse. Ones
down that away an tn other this-a-
way"
(which does John Lawrence teach?"
Dunno; b'long to the Coon Crick
distric'. an dunno. Has yourn big
elm out IN front?"
Yes, that's it. Jack told me about
that"
We'll, you jes' follow on down that
road there till you come to a school
'ouse a settin' by the road, an that
there's it.
A short walk soon brought me to
the building. l found the door al
ready unlocked, but no crowd of mis-
chievous boys hailed my entrance. No
one was there but a quiet little girl
sweeping up kindling chips.
Your regular teacher will be I'M
able to be with you to-day, Miss, but l
will fill his place with what ability I
can command What's your rame?"
I do not think 1 ever saw any one
look quite SO surprised as that girl did
then. However, saw nothing strange
in the matter and repeated:
whats your name? / am to teach
you to-day"
Alice Stanley"
How old are you, Alice?"
Eighteen.
'Whew!" thought to myself. she
does't look fourteen!'
The desk as a whole was quite a
contrast to jacks study table at home
The last bell rang, and Alice STAN
ley came in. Iquietly remarked, Il
am to take the place of your teacher
to-day. Will some one start song?"
Calling class, Peter Thompson
failed to come forward. / urged him
to no avail.
l took hold of Peters shoulder. If
commands are not obeyed use force.
That's my motto. Immediately Peter
gave such yell as l never heard from
mortal lungs. sprang back as if
had touched off mine. Peter did not
desist but to the first burst succeeded
an avalanche of blubberlngs that came
down like the cataract of Lodore. I
retreated in dismay and Peter halted
with strange suddenness. He sulked
behind his apron. however till recess.
Confronted by those five infants the
query rose impeEiously before my be-
wildered mind, How in the name of
Pestlozzi do they teach children their
letters?" l took the reader and pointed
to the first letter of the alphabet.
What is the name of that letter."
/ inquired.
They gazed at me in stupid amaze
ment.
You surely know what that letter
is Tell me at once" said l severely.
Munitions of rain in one or two eyes.
Alice SANKEY'S hand goes up.
Question, Alice?"
please, sir. teacher uses the word
method"
The word method? What might
that be? My course in college so far