The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-06-01

a day. 1t is education that makes a
nation, The less education the more
vice and wickedness."
''That's jest the way l look at it,"
says the squar. 81 say education be-
fore everything else, but we've got
men in this town who differ with me.
You wouldn't think that leadin men of
a town would be agin schoolhouses,
would you"
"They must be queer sort of men.
Don't they want their children to know
who discovered American"
THAT'S mighty strong pint, mighty
strongr says Deacon Spooner. as he
turks his cane on the floor and looks at
Abner Jones.
81 reckon you're hittin at me-" re-
plies Abner after Within away for a
moment, land I've got a few words
to say. I'd like to ask this stranger
America"
why, certainly, sir said the man.
~Has it ever done you any good? Has
It ever made any difference to you
whether it was Smith, Green or
Brownw
but it is knowledge"
Yes, it's knowledge, and that's
strong pint" whispers the deacon.
''Yes, it's schoolhouse knowledge"
says Abner "but let me ask you sun
thin. What month in the year dyou
plant pumpkin seedsY'
"Pumpkin seeds! Why, what have
pumpkin seeds got to do with educa-
tion?"
"Quite little bit, l reckon. This
county ships huff pumpkins every
year to make 100000 10 cent pies.
don't believe ten farmers kin tell you
when America was discovered, but
they know when to plant pumpkins.
Which is the best fur 'em? | reckon
you kin tell what year George Wash
ington died in, which | can't, but d'you
know whar to fasten rope when you
want to drive hog to market?"
"By lingo, but that's strong pint,
and Abner's got himr' shouts the dea-
con as he jumps up and down.
The stranger appeared to be sort of
confused and taken down, but tried to
git out of it by sayin they were
triflin with the subject
"Pm one as isn't opposed to schools
and education" says Moses Plumber,
''but l don't want too many Of 'em,
Pm sayin that everybody orter know
how to read write and cipher, but
nowadays they want to stuff children
with n heap that's no good to any
body"
but what man kin know too much ?"
asks the stranger. "But fur higher
knowledge how would we know that
the earth revolved ON it's axis"
"But spose we didn't know? S'pose
we fggered that the earth stood still?
Wouldn't we have licked the British
at Yorktown jest the same, and
wouldn't the price of wheat be the
same as today? | was talkin with
young Jim Benson t'other day. He
could tell the distance to the sun with
In a mile. but he couldn't tell how
many rails to rod of fence. He could
give the names of all the stars, but he
didn't know that cuttin hogs tail off
would make him root the harder, prob
ably hopin to find new one. He could
tell when every state come into the
Union, but he didn't know that cow
kicked sideways Instead of straight
behind"
HBy lingo, Moses, but that's oratory
and a strong pint besides!' exclaims
the deacon. I'm the face of them facts
/ can't see how we are to git another
schoolhouse."
you have been i'll at some time or
ether in your life?" queries the stran-
ger of Moses.
II hev. Three years ago l was down
with fever and everybody thought I'd
die"
"But you were saved and how? II
the doctor who was called in bad sim
ply known about fence rails, hogs
tails and the way cows kick, where
would you be today? lie had gone
beyond readin, writin and figurin.
1t was his higher education that saved
your hfe."
~rhats strong pint agin you,
Nxoscs,~ says the deacon.
Eyes, but didn't call doctor" grins
Moses. my old woman pulled me
through with herb teas and good nurs-
in. and you all know she can't figger
she value of two dozen eggs"
.sThen the pint is on the stranger,
and I'd like to see him dodge 1t"
.srhe stranger was stubbin his toe