Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1894-08-23


tree stealing apples, was very interest
ing to Us. and the story Of a milkmald
going to market, with a pail OF mlik
on her head. and how she upset the
pail IN her anticipations of future glo-
rv. and a lot of other stories, Illus
trated. a. We then thought, in very
artistic manner The first classes IN
reading used "Scott's Lessons and
the art of Reading;" but the small
scholars used Webster's spelling book.
The first lesson in it began thus: NO
man NAV put of the law of God.
They did not have many pencils IN
those davs but used what was called
plummet, or fiat piece OF lead. Inc
inkstands were frequently made OF
soapstone cut ont in the center, and
goose quils were used for pens. II
was common to call out 10 the teach
er. .'Please. master, mend my pen.
The winter schools were always taught
bv men. They used 10 enter the house
the first DAY Of school, looking very
stern. with their roll OF books, and
ruler. which was intended as a mem
ace to unruly boys and girls. re-
member that on one occasion, the
teacher forbade the scholars going on
TO the Ice to slide, but they all went,
Notwithstanding: and when they came
in, the teacher arranged them around
the room in single file and ferilled ev-
ery scholar in school. Another way
of Furnishing was TO make the bad boy
hold the biz, long-handled fire shovel
ont at arm, length; and sometimes
the teacher would cause the mrnly pu-
pil TO put his head between the legs OF
the cross-legged table, and would ply
the ruler 10 his posterior parts. In
those DAYS. there were some pretty un-
ruly boys ii school and the teacher
had all that lac could do 10 keep them
straight. In the meantime the school
house grew old, the boys nsed their
iackknives freely. big notches were cut
in the desks, and the window cases
were decayed and loose. 50 in ls3a,
new house of brick was built ON the
spot where the first one stood. The
location was bad, the plan OF the
house was poor and never gave salts
faction to the district 4 good many
present remember the old brick school
house. bounded on one side by frog
pond. and only few feet from the
highway. The desks were upon a
slanting floor, and graded, the smaller
desks being in front. The house was
used up and repaired many times; so
i'm 1867. new house was built-a big
one compared with the other three
too bio for the small number OF sellol-
ars we now have in the district. There
| will leave the schoolhouse question,
and go back TO old times-way back
into the dark ages, almost-betore we
had railroads, telegraphs, telephones,
or even ''locofoco" matches, as they
used to be called. Fifty, sixty, and
even seventy and eighty years ago,
there were many more inhabitants in
the district than now. Families had
from six to ten or twelve children
each. and there were many more fam
lilies in the district than now. There
were very many poor families living
in small, cheap houses'that have long
since been torn away. Among them,
on the kibbee road, were five such
families. two Of them shoemakers, who
went over the neighborhood whip
ping the cat" as it was termed; :. g,
Going into families, who furnished
| leather. aud making and repairing
boots and shoes. On that hill lived
Elder Iiba Pope, farmer and a
preacher. 1t did not require higE--
colored. high-steepled, cushion-seated
house for him to preach in. lie held
his meetings in barns and private
houses. On that Hill lived Mr.. Dyer
who had seven pretty daughters,
a Observation-Disclosures, who became a tol-
lower of Dr. Thompson, the father Of
the team-doctoring, red pepper ana
llobelia system. Ii is said that the eel
ebrated Joe smith. the father of the
Mormon church, once lived with ms
parents near the foot OF bradford hill,
then the south end of this district.
Ten wears ago, made Il historical
sketch for the reunion, and have en-
deavored not to repeat that which was
written then. and will not now carry
this history farther.
The historical sketch was followed
by music. '.Home. sweet Home, sung
by all. \. T.. Paine then read letter.
from absent friends. One from Dr
samuel Keith of Minneapolis, Minn.-
was particularly interesting,as he gave
his recollections of the school and dis
7 trict 90 to 20 years ago. The follow
i'm" : brief summary:
My recollcctions of the old Paine
, schoolhouse. from ISIS TO 1880, th'
: teachers, pupils and patrons OF tn
school. are vet vivid. The schoolhous'
:. was located across the street from Mr.
!. Samuel Paine's, was about 24N36 feet
F, with front entry 6Xs feet. The bacl
I. seats were next the wall, with desks II
: front. and seats for the small scholar
! in front of the desks. The district wa
: about four miles from north TO south