The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-05-14

In the Prospect school in Cleve-
: land, in 1851, there was a principal
of the pronounced dull master type.
"Mind what | say and learn it as
the book gives it," was his ultima
tum--his ideal of the proper method
to train character and mind.
Among his pupils was girl of
thirteen who had the misfortune to
be not only genius, but one Of a
very peculiar type. The eyes of her
mind were telescope. She had the
sweeping gaze, the daring imagina-
ton, the capacity for seeing wholes
rather than parts, that mark the
great generalizer. But few possess
such a vision for the trend and sig
nificance of historical events, and
such perception of the spiritual
significance of phenomena. Add
that she was puny and timid, andit
is small wonder that Principal X.
formed the opinion which he was at
no pains to conceal-that the girl
was little better than an idiot. AS
for the child, her soul was congealed
and her intellect paralyzed in the
presence Of the terrible school mas
ter, and she scarcely pretended to
recite.
But one day there came into the
Prospect Street School a very young
man "lithe and tall and slender"
black haired and grey eyed, with a
face at once strong and sympathetic.
This was Emerson 4. White, since
one of the most famous teachers OF
the country, but then at the outset
of his career. The Prospect Street
School was to be divided, and Mr..
White was to take charge of the new
school on Clinton street as soon as
its building should be finished.
Mr.. Y. courteously invited Mr..
White to take charge of the class
then in recitation-a class in the
ever memorable Colburn's Mental
Arithmetic.
"The pupils have their numbers
read a problem, and call on some
number for the solution," he said.
Mr.. White took the book, read
out a problem, and called on No. s
to solve it.
''Ohl" said Mr.. Y. in disgust,
"don't call on her; she never can
do anything"
Mr.. White glanced along the line
and at once identified No. S-the
sensitive, shrinking face dropping
in an agony of shame and misery.
He grasped the situation at once.
81 will read it again." he said,
gently, $50 that you may be sure
you understand it," He read it.,
slowly and clearly, then walked
down the line of pupils to No. 8, SO
that he was between her and Mr..
X, the sight of whom he perceived
filled her with confusion and
terror.
"Now you can do it," he said,
reassuringly; and to her own de-
lighted astonishment little No. 8,
who had never had the courage to
speak an audible word to Mr.. x,
spoke up distinctly and went
through the solution without a
hitch.
"The child came home from
school that day perfectly transfig-
ured," said her mother. 81 could
not believe my eyes when looked
at her."
Pre- emily the Clinton Street build
ing was finished, and Mr.. White
came into the Prospect Street School
and read out the names of the pupils
who, by the division Of the district,
were assigned to him. Happy No.
8 was among them, and several other
girls who have since become distin-
guished women, while the boys in
cluded Marcus Hanna, also Sylves-
ter Everett, Albert Tutt,e, two dis
citizens of Cleveland,
and, in the lower class, John d.
Rockefeller and A. l.. Bartholomew,
now Judge Bartholomew, of Iowa.
One would suppose that even a
drill master might have discerned
some signs of ability in that collect
ion Of young people; but Mr.. x, y
perhaps vexed at their evident
pleasure, made the ungracious re-
mark, as he surveyed the line Of
pupils:
81 don't begrudge you the lot;
there isn't scholar among them. VI,
To his utter amazement, ard the
CONSERVATION Of the school, timid, K
silent No. 8 turned in blaze Of in
iigpation and cried:
"How dare you say such a thing?
We will be twenty per cent. ahead
q your school in two years! Mark
I'll" and walked out Of the door.
The gauntlet had been fairly