Omaha daily bee., 1897-03-27
wEnsTER,s SCHOOL DAYS.
He Was Considered n Dull boy m
broke Down as u DccInimcr.

He Was Considered n Dull BOY and
Broke Down as "a DecIaimcr.
at is doubtful if, among that group of
intellectual prodigies whose efforts in the
| courts of justice and in the national halls of
legislation have besn materially felt during
our career as a nation, there can be found
one whose early school days were associated
with such humiliating and unfavorable cir
cumstances as were those of Daniel Web
ster, the foster-father of our American ma
ti5nality." Such is the opening sentence of
an article by Forrest Prescott Hall in the
| Arena. The observation is amply justified
by the facts that follow concerning Web
| ster's school days, and his difficulties in
making a speech and even in reciting his
lessons.
Daniels parents were humble folks in
straitened circumstances, in what Is now
called Salisbury Center, N. II. 1t took con-
siderable contriving TO enable him to get the
education for which he had a passionate
longing; but on May %, 1876, he and his
father set out for Exeter, where he was
placed in a school kept by a Mr.. Clifford.
The house is still standing, the pride OF
the town" Mr.. Hall proceeds as follows:
"When Daniel was given in charge OF the
worthy Mr.. Clifford it was the first time he
had ever been away from home, ana ms
feelings cannot be better described IMAM ny
himself:
1.-THE change overpowered me. / hardly
| remained master Of my W senses among
ninety boys who had seen so much more
| and appeared to know so much more than i
did,
ut is not to be wondered that the change
| overpowered him, a rough, unframed coun-
try boy, at IA years of age.
at is said that Webster, upon leaving his
son at Mr.. Cliford's house, remarked 10
this gentleman that he must teach Daniel
to hold his knife and fork, for he knows no
IT,. IL 49,, n nnuv nhnnt hnlhlnD a
spade 1t seems that the comparison was
a good one. for his manners at the table
were so rude that the other students re-
uuested the landlord to send him away. But
the kind-hearted man would not consent 10
this, and refused even to demonstrate with
Daniel, for he knew that the boy was SEN
sltive and knew no better
"He hit upon a plan, so the story goes,
which resulted in teaching the boy now TO
use his knife and fork. Webster was ac-
customed to hold them in his fists. Mr..
clifford one day held his in the same way,
and continued to do so until Webster saw
how ungraceful it was and corrected himself
The knife and fork episode is not much IN
itself. but 1t shows how ignorant Wepster
was when he came to Exeter anu uhueI
what adverse conditions was MS stFuBsic l'
an education. ,
.'As to his studies, his success at Exeter
was not great. He himself says so, ne
seemed unable to recite In a room nlled WIN
bows, ana tDOubn He sluuleu h"i'i ""' ~"
far from stupid, he could never make a good
recitation. But what Is to be wondered at
most of all Is that he could not be induced
ia sneak in public. When the day came on
which tho class was to declaim, although ne
had learned his piece, he was utterly In
capable of rising from his seat when his
name was called. The kind and excellent
Buckminster,' says Daniel in his autobiog-
raphy, Sought especially to persuade me TO
perform the exercise of Reclamation, like
other boys, bur / could not do 1t. Many a
time did | commit the pieces to memory In
my room, yet when the time came Wheh the
school collected to hear declarations, When
my name was called, and / saw all eyes
turned to my seat, ! could not raise myself
from 1t. Sometimes the instructors frowned'
sometimes they smiled, Mr.. Suckminster
always pressed and entreated most wlnnlhsly
that / would venture. but ] could never COM
mand sufficient resolution. When me DC
casion WAS over l went nome anu "ePt V'''e'
tears of notification a.
"And now, when we think OF )aniel WeD-
ster. the orator whose speeches nave become
classic and who lowered above his leIioWs
like the peak of Teneriffe, we cannot help
smiling at the picture Of Daniel Webster the
bow blushlng and stammering before ms
and unable TO pronounce a Word
of the speech which he had learned ana
studied for the occasion.
III is said that Daniel was so much dis
couraged by his inability to declaim IN pun
lie, aud by his treatment at the hands or hls
fellow students, that at the end OF the first
term. when DR.. Abbot called him up and
asked him II he intended to return after
Christmas, his answer Indicated something
like reluctance. The principal VOL knew
that Webster's rustic manners and coarse
had drawn upon him the ridleule !