The Red Cloud chief., 1892-10-21
100 Doses One Dollar
Educational Department.
ID. M. HUNTER, Editor.
MY First Day In q District schoO
(BY ALBERT N. wINsHIp.)

tcIcu tuo .ittic W6y-bluc ScuOOl'uOubo,
"away down East" / had graduated
from the Bridgew atcr (Mass.) State
Normal school, and had been five
months in the army when, with only
q single day at home, l started for
the unromantic little neighborhood 10
Main known as G., where I was hail
ed as 'the new schoolmaster." l was
appointed at $50 4 month, to pay my
own board out Of this amount.
l was on the ground Saturday night
and was we'll looked over on Sunday
by boys and girls, men and women.
l was being 'sized up IN the lang
uaRe Of the day; but on the principle
that "those who know nothing fear
nothing" ! was usually u~nconcerned.
I had been we'll taught how to teach,
aud proposed to do It by rule.
Very early Monday morning I was
up and sleigh-riding Two miles to see
the chairman Of tbs town committee
to be examined. II was not the Gus.
tom to do this 10 advance. The town
committee preferred to have one
teach a few days first then If he was
not a success it was an easy way Of
disposing Of the new sohoolmsster
for the town committee to refuse .
certificate. 1 had been taught, hcw.
ever, never to begin o school without
Q certificate in my pocket. The dis
trict committeeman was quite annoy.
ed that / insisted upon this document
in advance. He regarded it as put
ting on airs, and styled 1t as one Of
the normal notions. But I did dread
the examination. / realized even
then the difference between saying
what you please as you please when
ever you have anything to say, and
being obliged to say what another
man asks you to say as he wishes you
to so it when no require, it to be
said. l did not then know as l now
do that the ability to pass q good ex'
animation is proof Of inability to dc
better things in better ways.
With no such unconcern as appear
ed upon the surface, I entered, single
handed and alone, the presence o.
the august chairman Of the town com
mittee, who greeted me cordially and
asked, care you . nephew OF Deacon
W." to which I proudly respont
ed in the affirmative, and be proceed
ed to certify that shaving passed
satisfactory examination in regard Il
intellectual attachments and mora
qualifications" l was duly appreciated
! to teach school in the town Of G.
!. as much amused as relieved l rod
, back and walked through . group 0
: BOYS and girls Of all ages into tn
. wee bit Of a school. house under tn
hill. There was one lone abecedariai
ana a few struggling pupils ia tn
lower grades" but the great major
ty of the youths and maidens pretend
ed to be in the higher classes.
All my theories Of graduation wer
at once violated, but l had the goo
sencs to relegate to their proper plso
theories did not apply, and began
once to interest, discipline and inspir
the young people to try to gil th
places had assumed to occupy. I hs
Q no special or anxiet
about my first day. l knew l coul
shank" for a few days 1T least upo
reputation Of my uncle, and my chic
concern was to sustain myself.
n began by beginning. In half q
hour I felt as If ! had been there Il
months, amp the only remark Of th
is day that has had an abiding place |
y my memory was that Of a lad VIII
:, said at recess, "Seems's though you
always been here,"-a complime,
more appreciated than better phrase
's praise Of later years.
. recall distinctly how conscience
"a stricken l was that first night
think that nothing had been done a
cording to the notebook mcthot
with which I was well equipped, "a
with a sigh Of relief wrote q schoc
U mate Ut night. "Have enjoyed the d.
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