The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1896-03-17
THE OLD LOG SCHOOL HOUSE
AND SOME Pr CULIAR
THINGS / SAW
THERE.

| Correspondence of The Progressive Farmer.
The primitive log school house of the
back woods, where the full course of
instruction was often called the ''Chree
Rs" or ''readin', rlting and rithmetic,'
has had its full share of praise and
ridicule. That it is still the sheet
anchor of the public or free school sys-
tenn of q large part of the Union is also
true.
It is not the purpose of the writer to
describe such a school, for they may
be found in almost every community,
except, perhaps, in the more densely
settled parts of our country, but to de
scribe some spe cial features Of a school
he visited many years ago.
1t was a typical old "old field school
house." built of logs, near a small
creek, in the backwoods of North Car
DINA.
The teacher, Mr.. Nicholas, was a
man of 40 years of age, who COM
bined in himself the professions Of
Methodist preacher, surveyor, farmer
and schoolmaster. Although such a
jack of all trades, he was good at all
of them and enjoyed the confidence
aud esteem of ell who knew him. By
the school children he was regarded
more as an elder brother than master.
He readily entered into and en- Eyed all
their sports on the playground and
still retained their full respect.
Il was the fortune of the writer to
visit the school during the Dor recess
on Friday. The scholars had just dis
posed of their lunch, which they had
brought in little baskets. tin pals OF
parcels, wrapped in paper. Some of
them brought milk in bottles, which
they kept cool by keeping them sub
merged in the spring near by.
Under the shade of a great oak, near
the door, was a group of boys engaged
in a game of checkers. The board was
a rude, homemade IF sr and the pieces
were bits of colored cardboard.
The master was deep in the game,
being matched by one of the small
boys, who vas quite an adept, and who
was supported by several others, with
suggestions as to the best move to make.
How the game resulted I do not re
m3m0er, for the master vas called
away to umpire a game of baseball,
then in progress, in the open ground
near by. He often acted as umpire,
and sometimes took the bat himself
and enjoyed it. Toe larger boys pre-
ferred baseball, and usually left check
ers to the small boys and girls.
"Playtime," or moor recess was from
~ o'clock until 1 o'clock, at which
hour the master recalled his pupils by
shouting, 'Booksl'
Inside the school house there was n
line of benches around the room. The
teacher occupied a split bottomed
chair, near the open fireplace. There
were no desks or tables, except one
broad board, or shelf, along one side of
the room, which served as q writing
desk. One log, just above this board
had been cut out, leaving a narrow,
horizontal slit, to give light for those
who sat at writing. The benches
we're each me stout plank, with four
peg legs to support it. There was no
support for the back and the height of
each bench was the same, regardless of
the age of the scholars. Such seats
must have been extremely uncomfort
able to the small boy g, whose feet could
not reach the floor by several inches.
Instead Of the usual eXercies or copies
of the writing books, be often required
the larger boy to write business let
tiers t each other with replies to the
same. He would criticize the style,
not only of the pennmanship, but the
| spelling and m does of expression in
business life.
One girl would be directed to write
a social letter or invitation TO a play
mate. These he would read aloud with
the replies, pointing out the errors in
composition, spelling and rhetoric, or
| social customs. All this was done go
good naturedly that the most comical
plumbers would cause no sting in the
laugh which followed.
Across one end of the room and op
posite the broad fireplace, was
st, etched a width of black Oilcloth.
Ga this surface, in lieu of a black.
board, the master had ruled parallel
| chalk lines and the various notes and
signs for vocal music. Morning and
| afternoon of each school day he would