Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-12-29
WHIPPED THE WHOLE SCHOOL.
An Incident of Early Days in the His
tory of Missouri.


tory of Missouri.
From the Kansas City Journal.
group of teachers who attended the re.
cent meeting of the Northwest Missouri
Teachers Association in ST. Joseph were
discussing in the hearing of a local news.
paper man the great changes that had
taken place during the last few years ir
the manners and customs prevalent in ths
district or country schools. Much of the
rowdyism that formerly was such prom.
nent feature in some of the schools in re-
mote settlements has entirely disappear &c
and as a rule the pupils are as we'll be-
haved and conduct themselves in az becom
ing manner as they do in the cities. One OF
the teacherS-a Mr.. S. related an eXperi-
ence that he had number of years ago In
one of the southern counties of Missouri
The school to which he had been appointed
for the winter was one of the toughest IN
the county. The teacher during the prevl-
Gus winter had been thrown bodily cut OF
the school one day by the pupils and was
compelled to resign
Mr.. S. resolved that nothing Of shat kind
should occur during his admins ira ten and
from the first he ruled things with an iron
hand. The school term was pretty we'll adj
vanced before some of the older pupils en-.
tered. SO that he had little trouble at first
Some of these were strapping fellows SIX
feet in height, short in book learning but
long on physical strength. For savcra
weeks their behavior was above leproach
One day Mr.. S. went out to line coal shed
which stood some distance from the school
house, to get bucket Of coal. When he
returned he found the school door locked
and about fifteen of the largest and mos,
powerful Of his pupils upon the INSIDE OIL
the building, where they were having q
-, 49, 81, -, E
admittance were received with shouts of
derisive laughter and it looked for time
as If the days session had been abruptly
brought to a close.
There are two locks on the door, a spring
lock and one Of the common variety. and II
occurred to Mr.. S. that if the pupils lad
only secured the spring lock he WIS all
right for he had the key In his pocket. II
took him but a short time to put the Key
in the lock, and great was his surprise when
the door yielded and he was again Upon she
inside. The sudden appearance of Mr.. S.
among the rebels disconnected them, as they
were not expecting any such ending TO
their sport. One of the young men tried to
brush past. but he was hurled to one side
and the others In the school room. were
ordered to their seats. The few scholars
who still remained upon the playground
were admitted to the schoolroom and the
doors locked. Mr.. S. is a man of powerful
physique and is as strong the proverb.al
OK. He determined then and there to put
an end to any further INSTRUMENTATION. He
asked why he had been locked out and wh9
had suggested 1t. There was no reply.
Mr.. S. took off his coat. laid it upon a
chair and called out the pupils who had
been concerned in the uprising one at 9
time Most of them came out promptly tc
receive the severest whipping they had ever
had in their lives. Several refused to come
out. but they We're numerically whipped in
their seats. One strapping young fellow
the bully of the school, tried to mix up
with Mr.. S.. but he received a stunning
blow in the face that sent him spraWling.
When Mr. S. got through he had the meek
est school in the district and from that time
on until the end Of the term he had Ito
trouble wha He was given vote Of
thanks by the school directors and several
of the parents of the pupils whom he had
so severely thrashed called at the school
room to thank him for the beating he had
given their offspring. Such things" said
Mr.. S. In relating the story. do not OCCUR
nowadays. The rough element in the coun-
try schools has almost entirely disappeared
and large proportion of the district school
teachers today are women"