The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1892-04-30
FIFTY YEARS AGO !
BY UNCLE SILAS.
No. II.

n the county Academy closed. leaving
me financially unable to continue my
studies.
concluded to teach school and was
successful i'll obtaining one, within
three miles OF my mothers home. To
secure Il school, in those days, an APP
plicant had to visit, with a subscrip
tion list, tile parents, whose children
We're expected to attend, and ascertain
how many each one would send. My
lis: was not very large, but as | would
live at home, l decided to open the
school. With many misgivings and a
full schedule OF doubts expressed by
parents and others, that | was to
Young to manage a school, began the
session. IT brought me the magnifi-
cent salary of ten dollars per month,
but at the end OF the session. the par
ents insisted that l should teach tn :
number Of pupils. and, Of course, 3
much better salary, that enabled me
to attend another session at the Acad-
envy.
Teaching school is not generally a
financial bonanza ; but it is an occu-
patton in whici, Il young person vii !
learn a great many things that will be
found servicedble III subsequent ears
The singular dispositions, and pecu-
mar characteristics of the children will
he ever IN interesting study, and fur
nish much information that will be
found practically beneficial in ones
intercourse with his fellow citizens
along the journey Of lie.
The variety of talent, the capacity of
acquiring knowledge, the ease with
which some children will master their
studies, the haId work and diligence
required by other pupils to learn their
lessons, all furnish TO a thoughtful and
observant teacher, mysteries that will
demand his earnest thoughts to I'M
iold, and excite both his woeder and
admiration.
And III investigating these differen-
ces he learns 10 syinpathise with the
weak and find many tIoits Of charac-
ter to admire in the hard student.
He also learns that a pupil who can
not keep up with his class demands
generous consideration, and not pun
ishment from his preceptor, and in
subsequent experience, he tinds the
same inequalities among his friends,
and readily comprehends Why one
man sulpas>es another il the various
pursuits of actual life.
He also observes that the hard,
plodding student. in after life, runs far
was apparently his superior, and sees
that constant and p~erseverIng work
will i'll the end, surpass unsteady,
waver.ng, though brilliant flights.
School teaching furnishes many
amusing scenes aud acts TO excite the
risibIlities Of both preceptor and pupil.
l found it preferable sometimes to per-
init the whole school to enjoy a good
laugh at some amusing incident than
to have the children struggling for "a
half hour to smother their propensity
to laugh and grow fat"
Once had a little boy who came to
my school. His Sunday school ill.,
struction had been neglected, and his
choice of language han been allowed to
become more forclble than pious.
He had, doubtless, heard OF tie let
ter "a" but had never had it shown to
HIM. WHAT sort Of an idea H. had con
coIyed about 1t is not known, hut his
ideas Were evidently far different iiolu
the actual appearance OF tnag ~Iet5e..
Icaiied him 10 lie and tu.,ln5 lis
spelling bJoN ro.A,ed 70 ,le te,te1 -
and SAID Dave, wiaC le,,rr j. g4..e III
III dou't know Wyil. tna5i is thu Icc-
ter 81" Looking me iii tlia tace wlt..
aston4shnient lie said "L-o-r-d Jesus
Christ, is that a! :"
Another boz who WAS Studying
. A..