The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-03-04
Memories of the strap.


lot.
Memories Of the strap.
Well do ] recollect the teacher. Os-
valid. and have more than once felt The
effects Of his success I'm throwing the
leather strap. Yet 1 have no unpleasant
recOllcctions Of him as a severe master,
| there was nothing tyrannical in his rul-
| ings nor unkind i'm his administration
Of discipline: only few blows upon the
hand with that wcil-amcd strap, and
they not heavy ones.
The next school / attended was located
on the west side of Ninth street, be-
tween Franklin and Grace. and between
Mr.. Robert Stanards law-Oliice, which
adioined his dwelling house. and Mr.
j. A. GOddins lumber yard and shop
which then occupied the ground upon
which ST. Pauis church now stands
This school was kept by a Mr.. Shaw,
Oliver think. was his given name
Re was a nothern man. perhaps from
way down east Ny recollections Of him
are not Of the most pleasant kind. IL
was his custom TO take in school an
hour before breakfast and TO keep in
until a or I'm the afternoon. giving
an internission for breakfast and then
another at - ". Such boys as had got
ten a certain number OF bad marks. be-
sides receiving whippings. not few were
required to come TO the school-house on
Saturday and remain there from \.
NJ. to =. NJ. He did not remain with
them. but locking them in. occasionally
called to see that all was right, 10 hear a
lesson. and perhaps TO use the rod.
Perhaps in the days Of yore there was
no Richmond school so generally known
none more popular. and deseryedly So
than the one taught by Mr.. William
Iea fab vol Irfe
graduate of Dublin University. by him
many Of the Richmond youths We're pre-
pared for college. and by their good
standing as scholars sustained the we'll
earned reputation OF Mr.. Burke's school,
several of them taking the degree of
a. NJ. at the University of Virginia.
Mr.. Burke came 20 Richmond about
1926 or 1871 When ] first knew OF him
he was teaching in small, frame house
fronting on Grace near EigAtn street
adjoining a lot on which Mr. Thomas
the father of Wray. Greed. and Reese.
lived. What became Of Wray and Reese
/ do not know, but Greed became a ply
stefan. having his Office on west Eighth
between Broad and Grace and afterwards
went into the apOthecary business on
Broad street
A Challenge Recalled.
10 was while Mr.. Burke occupied the
school-house just spoken of there oc-
CURED an incident which but for the
prudence of some of the parties concerned
might have been a serious matter. TWO
Of the students living in Manchester
had a difficulty, and challenge followed
The challenger was in dead earnest but
the challenged. who was a merry Wag-
gish fellow, readily accepted to the pro-
position Of the seconds TO make a joke Of
N. f..t.
peaIed upon the ground on French Car
den Hin, 1 think, and after the usual
prciiminaries in such cases the Drinci-
pals being instructed according 10 the
code, Were stationed at their respective
places. At the word fire " the challenger
discharged his weapon and the chal-
lengcd, being a good actor. fell In a very
natural way and his second Immediately
approached him. and with his pocket
knife slightly cut his own finger and
stained the shirt bosom Of the fallen one.
The surviving principal advanced. and
seeing the bloody stain beat a hasty re-
treat hOmeward. IL was said that he was
not overtaken until he reached Mayo's
bridge. and with difficulty could be per
suadei 10 return, and that his opponent
was unframed / do not know that
this ever came to Alr. Burlies ears bat
if it did it was some time after the
AZ / proposed tc speak OF the Richmond
schools IN bygone days, l must refer to
others known TO, though not attended by
me
There was a school for small boys,
taught by Mr. Crutchneld. ON Grace
street. above Third. which / cannot locate
exactly.
IN the carly Sos, possibly before.
northern gentleman, Curtis by name.
taught female boarding school In a two
story frame house, with a high porch in
front, on Grace, between Second and
Third streets. This house was. ] believe,
afterwards occupied by a Slodd family,
of which family DR.. Sledd. pastor OF
Centenary NJ Il. church. is perhaps a
member. as | know one Of the members
of that family was Methodist minister.
About the time Mr.. Curtis was teaching
on Grace street, Mrs. Turner. wife of
Rev. lessee Turner. son of Parson Tur-
ner, Presbyterian minister OF consider
able reputation in Bedford county, Va,
was teaching a female school about three
miles from the city. She had formerly
taught in Richmond. but moS ed TO the
country. and had select boarding school.
Mrs Turner was an accomplished lady
and Of the many superior female teachers
of Richmond, none eXcelled her.
The most noted girls school OF It's day
ia Richmond was located for several
years on north Franklin street. between
Firth and Sixth, and was conducted by
Miss Jane Mckenzie aud her assistance
Who that ca. look back 10 the early Jus
and remember the schools OF that time
does not recall Miss Jane Mckenzie and
her school for girls and Young, ladies; a
number oI whom were from different