The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-11-27
TAUGHT AMI ALSO FOUGHT.
LIVELY SESSIONS AT Old ZINE VIM
TBR SCHOOLS IN MAINE.

Knock-Dovn and Drag-Out Exercises Mt tn
Opening to Decide whether the School
master or the Pupils Should Rule
New Workers. Story of Tanning His Pupils
ut was only an old red schoolhouse that
came upon last summer In the course OF
country drive in Maine; but l stopped the oar
rage and nliGhted to visit IT," said Enoch d
Davis OF New York, who was talking will
friends in the Fifth Avenue Hotel ONCE las'
evening. "Thesteacher. q pretty young cir
from the village four miles away, looked como
what astonished at the appearance OF a stran'
ger when I knocked at the open door. but she
invited me IN and I remained while two OF
three classes went through their recitations
1t was the summer school Of my boyhood
days, with few changes, and those for the bet
ter. The desks we're not 80 badly whitfield up.
the w~hitewashed walls were cleaner. the pu-
pills were neater' OF attire and more studious
and orderly. But there was the same arrange
ment Of the desks fronting the teachers plat
form and the blackboards, and In O vase on her
table was "a bunch OF wild flowers such as l
remember TO have helped to gather OF n morn
ing for the teacher in days long past, The
pupils were young. IL being the season when
the larger children are needed at home to help
in the farm and house work. In the winter the
big boys and girls come to the district schools.
and then q master 10 usually required.
~ Iuduuko u WluteT bCnOOi III ~ OIu uSSb
was usually u knock down and drag-out bust.
ness on the teachers part until 1t was delnite-
ly settled whether he or the pupils were to
have the upper hand. Almost Invariably
there was a set Of big. insubordinate boys not
yet old enough to go to work in the logging
camps. but quite large enough to put up a
serious fight with n teacher. Their highest
admiration was for the riotous lumbermen
who came whooping through the towns in the
late autumn on their way to the plne woods.
In imitation Of them they wore blue or red
flannel shirts and hip trousers. and. outside
the larger villages. they came 20 school as
they went everywhere else. without coat or
waistcoat. When the master on opening the
winters school saw Il row Of e. -shirted young
fellows ranged along in che back seats 1t meant
trouble. and when trouble came 1t was to his
benefit to meet 1t decisively in the outset and
have 1t over with; after that, II he won out, he
might hope to go through the remainder OF the
term with q reasonable amount OF peace
and comfort, OF course. there was a differ
ence In schools. For the VIGOROUSLY hard ones
certain teachers, rough-and-tumble fighters
like Chris Page and Jock Lawrence, were al
ways In demand, Just as noted bronco busters
are in the Western cattle rankes. and a single
experience with one OF these muscular peda-
Eogues was always enough tn make the tough
est gang OF big boys anxious to be good.
With the civil war there came n great
change for the better in the behavior of pupils
in country schools. Most Maine boys who
reached the age Of 10 during that epoch went
into the army. where they were disciplined
and taught to obey. and the effect Of this train
ing was evident in those who got back. and 1t
was impaired to the Younger generation. Since
the close of the war there has been an in.
creased am bition among pupils to excel in
their studies, pToportionate to the improve
During. my college course | taught in coun-
try, schools for four successive winters. l
had been bred on q farm. and was strong and
active, a good wrestler. and In nv first term 10
college had picked up. some points in spar
ring; mi, The iI, tough Ito6 boys inf in my {h schools gave inc:
of those that | had to DISCIPLINE afforded me
exercise and a healthiul variation from the
was with big girls. or owing to them. that |
had my most serious troubles in teaching. A
master. or is animated by a spirit OF pure
deviltry. can annoy him moro and demoralize
boys 10 manage bis. girls in a country
school calls for tact and fnesse on the masters
fE%rt: and nd s Noe b9 ,, to Kiln In II e. II or 9%t Of Ssfho9l
%tentions uneqnally among the girls old enough
1T was in teaching my second school. the
year before the civil war began. that the real
tug of war came for me. Among the big
sim ply was determined from the start to be dew
ilish. Persuasion and punishment were equal
ly wasted y her; What. she did not do in the
~tcntion and downright impudence il would be
use e" to try y, to lind OUT; | could not catch
three or four desks and down the aisle to the
middle, Of the floor. which was the approved
days. and all mild punishments. like keeping
her in during recess or having her. stand out
other pupils were disposed to Behave well. but
Whfn they say that was unable to assert my
hiHf'nG}iE51y T AND t eyer gtFhlii se began esnm to GO S sTSns'
] would not give up. and had made up my
mind TO cast the die by giving her q sound pun
the. school agent called on IN in the evening
with a warning to give.
toms. Teller, The, SHOWS too deep Tor
teamin,; 50 he and some of the other boys
means to come to schoo Tomorrow. and II he
does. he'll try 10 make trouble: He's past the
like to have me do so ri notify him he cant
LET him come I answered quickly. for
OF a way To- even NJ matters with Nance Gro
cation shall DO glad to help him,
soh ,,All og risht' since si,"t yo Ta,r say ~ t 81, vs said the
hard nut 10 crack. and he has no good viii
f. N,r you GI HE says Ss.i that bo i You out try to punish
mans man 20 shirtma toHgh,lo9king fellow; q per
~ - NhNAt 40 AAAh go - WI NLlINA IlCuN lNI.
and with muscles hardened by WORK. He was
haved reasonably well. Nance looked tri-
umphant. but did nothing to call for a repri-
mand during the morning session. In the
afternoon Mahaney was in his seat n the back
woodsmen were beside him. Nance began
early. as soon as the, school was called to or
der, signalling to Mahaney. passing notes. and |
generally doing everything she could to make
me speak to her. said nothing 10 her until
after the first class in reading had finished It's
recitation. Nance was cutting .up her worst,
but ! pretended not to notice il as | walked
with a careless air up the aisle nearly to |
where Mahaney was sitting. | still had In
my hand the thick. heavy reading book that
| had used in the recitation. Nance took oc-
casion to turn in her seat and throw O paDer |
wnd directly past me at Mahaney.
Nancy Groton. go out into the floor |
said,
She laughed. flung her head back. and re-
manned in her sent. I repeated my command. |
but she only looked at me, deiantly, Tom
That's right! Don't yer go n step. Nance
he shouted, rising from his seat as he smoke.
He dasseni'--
That was as tar as he got, The Towne's
Fourth Reader / had been holding In my hand !
landed full in his face. and then l came Ia after |