The Newtown bee., 1899-11-17

no p&rGlcUlAr Hy9eem OF iesB0ua. Helm
and Chronicles were quite unknown. and
each teacher did exactly as he pleased.
la consequences OF this. much more de-
pended upon the teacher than WeuId be
the case In other schos Is; and while some
classes We re slwsys excellent In results,
others would be always ragged and dis
Organized. But Solomon Stones class
vas SO small, and the teacher was 30 UNI
noticed and unimpOrtsnt q parsonage,
that no one took the trouble to classify
It at all. 1t was simply one out Of twen-
ty-three.
The teacher did not attract, 80 it never
Increased in number. Perhaps one boy
would pass out of it in each year, and
after while another would drift in. But
those who entered seemed to become as
sleepy and slow-going as the teacher him
SELF. and as they passed ont so seldom
few noticed what became OF them. Thes
belonged to Solom on Stones class, which
meant great deal; they were only four.
80 they were not important, and it wal
never suggested or expected that the
class in the gallery would startle the
school with magnificent results or unex-
ampled brightness.
At the time fpeak of, John Lyons
was elected superintendent. He was al
most a newcomer, but had worked well
more.
On the Sunday of his election-the day
had first noticed Solomon Stone-I
walked home with the newly appointed
chief. He was full OF work and arior,
and spoke freely of his plans for the
good of the Echool.
sit, wants reorganization and method, %
he ga d emhatically; then he went on to
show how these could be introduced.
The International scheme must be adopt
ed and the examinations prepared for
This movement would provide both sn
organization and stimulus. Then Il g
old method OF appointing teachers hal :
hazard by nomination must De disca rded,
and only those selected who would really
suit the classes.
ssAnd we want new spirit In the
school," he went on. 1--WE mnst pro.
gress. At present there seems TO be no
life: the teachers nave no ambition, and
the classes know nothing of the spirit of
emulation. Everybody seems to have
fallen into groove, and to rest there
Somehow found myself thinking of
the quiet, unnoticed man who had been
sitting by the gallery pillar; and as
| though he had guessed my thoughts, the
! superintendent continued
'There is boys class upstairs. They
are from thirteen to sixteen years of age
only four of them. The same teacher
has had the same class from time imme.
mortal, and understand it has always
| numbered four. It ought to be larger
far larger and boys of that age ought to
be under a'living, vigorous teacher, who
could inspire them with bis own enthu.
siasm, land impsrt to them his own
strength. Mind, believe the present
teacher is good man. His long service
proves it; but we require some one who
is more spirited, and who would exercise
la stronger and wider influence.
| "Of course, sll these things cannot be
done at once" Mr. Lyons concluded.
"But as for he..teachers, think we may
be able to make some changes in that
| direction at our next quarterly meeting.
We shall see.''
| He was still thinking of the class up
| stairs, and when 1 Left him wondered
| what would happen IL Solomon Stone
| would go as he had come, utterly unno-
ticed, and no one would remark that the
quiet four had found another teacher.
| For some weeks the matter passed from
my mind, and things went on as usual.
Every Sunday afternoon the report of
| the class in the gallery was the same, and
when it's number wss called the voice OF
| the teacher was heard in reply-tfour In
class" 1t had been so for such q
length of years that nobody noticed IL
now.
Nor had any one noticed that Solomon
Stone had been looking thinner and paler
| of late, and that his stoop had increased.
But one Sunday in November his place
was empty, and Mr. Lyons came over TO
me.
ST have a note from Mr. Stone" he said
| sit appears that he is i'll and cannot come.
Might ask you to take his class for to-
| dav?"
| So minute later found myself in the
gallery, facing the four. They we've
more than surprised at my appearance
among them, and one, an impudent look
ing boy of fifteen. asked his neighbor in
a stsgesswhisper =
"Hello! where's old Solemn I'm to-
day."
/ told them presently that Mr. Stone
was i'll, and inquired what work they had
| been doing. In reply they said that he
had given them chapter to commit to
| memory, and that they were to have it
to-day. Three of them knew it, but the
impudent boy did not.
81 don't learn it," he said lazily. 81
never learn anything Solomon asks me.
What's the good?"
did not argue the point, but led the
others into discussion of the chapter.
They seemed to be steady, Intelligent
boys, and at the end was bound to ad-
| NIT that in their case Mr. Stones slow
going method had been thorough enough.
But the fourth, whose name was Marks,
proved to be incorrigable, and at last L
gave him up for the day.
On the following Sunday Mr. Stone was
still absent, and then the superintendent
decided to pay him visit. He went ON
Monday evening.
The teacher was bachelor, and his
private life was as obscure and unnoticed
a. his Sunday-school work, yet there was