Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-05-16
BISHOP PHILLIPS BROOKS.
One OF HIS Old Pupils Tells of the Tricks
tho Boys Played on Him.
TWaehingtcn Star1

"In the sketches that have been pub
lished Of the Rev. Phillips Brooks, recently
elected bishop in the Episcopal Church"
saws Well-known newspaper-man. men
ton has been made of the time when he
was O teacher in the Boston Latin School
and the trouble which he had with his un--
ruly pupils. / remember that period OF
his life very well, tor was one Of the
boys that made life burden 20 him. SO
far as his teaching went be was an excel
lent instructor and was always ready to
explain anything that the boys did not
understand. He was kindly in disposition,
too, and the boys all loved him. But boys
have q keen sense Of the ludicrous, and at
that time Mr.. Brooks was not what would
be called O handsome man. He was very
tall, very thin, and he stopped somewhat.
He was very near-sighted. and | believe
that weakness runs in the family, for. l
know that his brother Fred, who was in
NV class. was afflicted in that way.
MIR. Brooks seemed 70 have an an
tipathy 70 wearing glasses, and only used
those aids TO defective vision when he was
hearing lessons or reading. We boys used
60 play upon his weak vision very badly.
We would put books down IN the aisles
between tho seats. and when he would
walk along he would stumble over them.
Then we had a great time with him in
regard to the temperature OF the
school-room. He always regulated it
by the thermometer, and in the
winter some boy would 90 out and
bring in bit of ice and quietly
drop it into the chamber of the thermome-
ter. Soon some other fellow would raise
his hand and complain of being cold, ask
if the register was turned on, and if he
might not put on his oyercoat for awhile.
Mr.. Brooks would say Bring me the Their
a. nd VIII a
way down would give the desired permis-
sion, remarking that 1t was really very
cold. Other boys would put on their over
coats. Tho windows would all be shut up
and we would stand the heat until it
became almost sufocating. Then one boy
would pull off his overcoat. saying, Oh,
MIR. Brooks, it has got entirely too hot.
Can't window be Opened?'
"Of course his first request would be for
the thermometer and the boy who carried
il up TO him would tip it so that the ice
water could run out and then press bis
warm thumb on the bulb, when the mer-
curry would mount up a good deal higher
than summer heat. he would, of course,
order the windows pulled down, the regis.
ter turned OFF, and the boys would peel
their overcoats and cool of.
HOW TE LOST A Fat.
"Lots of little tricks like these we used to
play upon Mr.. Brooks out of the pure mis-
chief that there is IN all boys; but | think
the worst affair was this: Just up above
the school on Bedford street there was a
tin-shop and every now and then there
would be barrels of refuse tin placed on
the sidewalk. One morning there were
some of these barrels of tin out there and
| don't remember who started it, bat
every boy in BroOks's room got strip of tin
Ia a of lg
bell rang we all took our seats. Mr.. Brooks
came in and said, Good morning. aud
then put on his own eyeglasses to read the
usual chapter in the New Testament.
When he looked over his class he found
every boy sitting bolt upright staring at
him through O pair of tin eyeglasses.
thought he was mad then, but have since
come to the conclusion that he was hurt at
our making fun of his own Intirmity,
although / don't believe a single boy In
tended TO do that. 1t was Just one OF those
pranks that schOol-boys will indulge in.
" He stopped the devotional exercises
and told US all to bring those.eye-glasses up
and deposit them in the waste basket.
That receptacle had been spirited away
and finally be told us TO put them into the
tall silk hat which he placed on the end OF
his desk. 1t didn't take many of the tins
to fill the hat TO overlooking, and then one
of tho boys undertook 10 press the mass
down. He did so and pressed the top OF
the hat right out, and OF course spilled
the tin all over the floor.
The boy who did this injury TO the hat
was profuse in his apologies, and offered
70 buy a new one, but that IVES not TO be
allowed, and 50 aste-basket was Dor
rowed from Mr.. Capen, whom we used tC
call old Guido and the tin spectacles all
deposited in that Mr.. Brooks sent one OF
the boys around TO his house. which,
think, was in Chauncey street, for another
hat and everything was all right.
HE COULD NOT HAVE HELPED IT.
"Some years afterward L met the boy
who had Knocked the roof of the hat out,
and who had then grown up TO be a gallant
officer in the navy. We were talking over
our boyhood days, and the incident l have
spoken of came up. Yes, remember il
WE'LL said he. couldn't have resisted
the temptation to bust that hat If had
known that Brooks would lick rae SO /
couldn't stand
Notwithstanding we were all so mis-
chieyous and caused Mr. Brooks 80 much
uneasiness we all loved him and respected
him, and | think we have all watched his
development-I know / have. | have
never seen him to talk with him since he
was my tutor, but have read everything
connected with him with deep interest. He
isprobably to-day the foremost preacher in
the Episcopal Church. Heis deep thinker
and be has brought religion to the hearts
of many who before simply looked upon il
as the name Of something intangible. lie
has shown it 10 be a living. vital force, and
that il ought to be part of every mans
daily life. He has made useful and dis
tinguished rector, and he will honor the
position TO which he has been elected