Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-04-15

had gotten acquainted Win some
of the larger boys, and had visited the
bench at which they sat. I had made
some remarks out loud that made them
laugh or had committed some other
breach of the peace, and, although l
was visitor, Mr.. R. called me to the
Judgment seat for trial and execution.
On my road to school in the morning
Ihad passed some men who were shuck-
ing corn, and Uncle Henry Moore, an
old colored man, had said to me, as
yo' gwine to school, honey? If 70 IS
vo' bettah watch dat teacher. Yo'
know in dat coat sleeve wha' his arm
used to be? Well, he has only got
little stub lef, and dat stub have got
teef. Dey tells me dat when a boy
don't behave hisself de teacher makes
dat stub bite him" So when l was
called up thought I was gone, for
sure. Mr.. Richard, always courteous
to visitors, gracefully led me by the
ear up on the platform, and after
scolding me fol my evil deeds, turned
me across his knee, placed my head
under the stub mentioned by Uncle
Henry, and as | with horror thought
of the teeth that were to bite me, "the
hand of the oppressor fell and con-
tinued for brief season TO raise trou-
ble around the rear part Of my anato-
nv. 1t is needless for me to say that
after this occurrence was glad when
school was dismissed and that when l
got home I was not anxious to 90 to
school again.
Mr.. Richard taught school for many
years and was better teacher than
many Of his day and generation. HIS
pupils remember him kindly, and If he
is yet living in his home in the West,
to which he removed some years ago,
| know those whom he taught will join
me in wishing him comfort in his old
age. If he is gone to the better land
they will say with me, May he rest
in peace.
There was one teacher, though, who
taught school about the close Of the
war, to whom | went, who | am sure
will not be remembered very kindly
by the boys and girls who were so un-
fortunate as to be his pupils. This
man was Of medium height and com
pactly built. He had long, flowing,
light beard, fair complexion, eyes cold
grey in color, lips thin, mouth cruel
and forbidding; teeth white, even and
sharp, and a smile, when he had one
wicked and tantalizing. This make
up, indicating vicious temper coupled
with hard heart, made the teacher
in question dangerous customer for
poor helpless boy or girl to come into
contact with. This teachers name
was Jacob B., and as the free
schools had been broken up by the
war, he taught what was then called
subscription school Mr. B. was, l
reckon, fairly well posted man for
that time. He could teach geography,
grammar, arithmetic, reading, writing
and spelling. He had read the Bible
little bit, for he remembered that it
said spare the rod and spoil the child,
and if obeying that part Of its teach
ings counts for anything, Mr. B. should
have a seat in heaven right mp beside
Moses. He had also read The
Hoosier Schoolmaster, and agreed
with the Indiana backwoodsman that
"whar thar was no lickin thar was no
larnin'." He had never read that ii
was better to rule by love than fear
he never distributed teaspoonful Of
the milk Of human kindness that can
remember, and if he wanted to catch
fly he would pass by the molasses
pitcher, go into the cellar and roll out
a barrel Of vinegar to bait the trap
with. School was taught by this ur-
bane (?) gentleman in little old log
house on the road leading from Hard
Scrabble to Swan Pond, about mid
way between those places. This school
room was furnished about as the one
before mentioned that Is, it had an
old stove that smoked, the same kind
of backless benches, probably the same
number Of rat-holes in the floor to let
in the chill winds Of winter, and likely
required the same number of the hats
and wraps of the children to stuff IN
the windows to take the place Of the
glass that had been shot ont by the
brave boys who followed the army
afar off, playing soldier by day and
horse thief BY night. This school was
soon broken up, for some Of the brave
boys" one night broke down the rick.
ETY. old door, destroyed all the furri'
ture, tore the books into shreds and