Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1896-12-03
1he Endl
WERSTER'S SCNOOI. DAYS.
Not Much Of a Success while a Student
at Exeter

The house where Daniel Webster
/ boarded while he was scholar at the
Phillips academy, Exeter sttlI stands
at the corner of Water ana Chttoru
streets in that little New Hampshire
town. The external appearance of the
/ building mas been changed somewhat
the protruding logs in the back part
of the house have been covered with
plaUsd boards, and the large, old fash
toned chimney that stood until within
u few years has bHn tom down, nut
| the little room on the second floor Ia
still TIA about the same condition az It
was in the days when Webster studied
there
He was II years of age when brought
by his father to Exeter and placed in
| charge of MIR, Clifford, a worthy gen
tlcman of the town. The precise date
OF Daniel Webster's entrance at the
academy is the 18th of May, 1896 1t
was the first time that the boy had
been away from home, and he de-
Scribes his feelings himself as follows
The change oycrpowercd me. /
hardly remained master Of my own
senses among NINETY boys who had
seen so much more and appeared to
know SO much more than did
When Wcbstcr's father had hidden his
son farewell he said to Mr.. Clifford
that "he must teach Danei to hold his
fork and knife, for Daniel knows no
more about 1t than COW does about
holding spade.
From all accounts this comparison
must have been a good one for Daniel
Websters table manners were SO rude
that 1t is said that the other boys who
boarded at MIR. Clfford's requested
the latter to send Webster away. Mr..
Clifford, Of course, never for moment
considered this, and, knowing that
young Webster was of a most sens
tive disposition, he tried to correct
the lad by example RATHER than by adj
vice and rrmonstrHnrc Webster was
accustomed to hold lis knife and fork
in his fists One day Mr.. Clifford hclu
his own knife md fork in the same
way, and continued doing 80 at inter
walls until Webster saw how ungrace-
ful it was and corrected himself
Daniel Webster was not much Of n
success as a student while at Exeter,
He admits this in his autobiography.
He seemed unable TO recite in a room
full Of boys; and although he spent
many hours in study, he could never,
having learned his lesson make a good
recitation The strangeSt thing Of all,
however, IL that he could not be In
duccd TO speak In public; and when
the day came ON which it was usual
for his class 10 declaim, although he
had learned his piece, he was utterly
incapable OF rising from his seat when
his name was called, The kind and
excellent Buckminstcr, says Webster
in his autobiography sought eapc
cially TO persuade me to perform the
exercise Of defamation, like olifr
boys, but / could moi do it, Many n
piece did commit 10 memory yp'
when n" day came when the school
elected To hear dcclamations, when my
name was called and saw an eyes
turned to my scat ! could not raise
myself from IT, Sometimes the in
structors floHncG sometimes they
smiled Nj Bnckminstcr always
pressed and eatrcatnd NOS winnnRly
that would venture but could
never command sufficient resolution
When The occasion was over wen;
home and m,ept bitter tears " NORTH
cation To think that such shout
have been the nature of the boy who
aftcrward became 80 famous al an
orator, and whose speeches. MS man,
have become classical, and whose
presence has graced the courts Of jug
tioe in the national halls u legsla-
ton"
Daniel Webster was 50 greatly dis
couraged al his inability 10 declaim
before his comrades and by the trea.
ment he received al the hands Of hts
fellow students because Of his awk-
wardness and shyness, that at the end