Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1902-05-21
A FIGHTING scHooLMAsTER.
He Won the Boys Friendship in an
Unexpected Way.

Unexpected Way.
The experience of a college graduate,
named Levenworth, who taught for a
year In a little Western town, is an ex-
ample of the way in which a teacher
sometimes wins the admiration of his
pupils quite Unexpectedly.
Levenworth was not teacher by
nature or profession; but, as many men
have done, he spent year teaching to
get money enough to. help. himself
through the law school. He was
hearty clear minded fellow, who kept
rather aloOf from the townspeople. The
local paper spoke of him as having
had a promising career in college"
Part of this promising career had, as
it happened been spent in athletics.
He had learned to box and wrestle, and
had won his class championship In the
art which. from its unfortunate asso-
citation with the prize ring, has not so
good reputation among the peaceful
as, in its legitimate form. it deserves.
His school was quiet and orderly
from the start, but he found 1t hard
work 20 get on intimate terms with the
twenty boys under him. They Obeycd
Mt distance. but did not show much
personal friendship for him.
one day at recess. when the school
yard was a clamor of voices, the young
master heard sudden lull. Looking
out the window. he saw the children
lined up against the fence watching d
teamster. who was stupidity trying to
whip his horse up the hill that ran
past the school. The wagon was load
ed heavily with gardenstuff, and the
horse was doing his best to no purpose.
suddenly one of the boys went into
the street, aud evidently demonstrated
with the driver. For answer he got IN
ugly slash of the whip, and reeled back.
holding his hands over his eyes.
This was too much for Levenwortt.
He ran down stairs AID out across the
playground. Coolly pushing a stone
under the wheel with his foot. he com
mandcd the teamster. gaunt, siuewy
| man 10 come off his seat.
! The fellow grew hostile at once, and
/ oheyed. Jumping down. he approached
/ the schoomaster. ready ana eager for
! fight ana heated to dangerous anger
/ by his struggle with the horse.
1t was a real old fashioned fight
with the power of anger and excite
mcut on one side. aud skin. backed by
those almost infalltble allies. right and
/ justice on the other.
There was enough Of the teamstel
TO drive his horse. while dozen boys
put their sho, ierS TO the wheels and
pushed the wagon to the top of the hill
The pupil whose task IL was to ring
the bell for the end of recess was a
minute late that day The teacher was
late, too. II took him a little tine tc
put his clothes In order and wash hl
face and hands Meanwhile the Scloa
assembled, not without some noise d nj
excitement, and took their seats The;
were Subducd aud orderly when Ieycu
worth came in and walked to his desk
Before lac had time TO he seated. am,
is IL ny q precoucelted signal he pa
pills began 40 applaud Discipline api
maj,>Iy made The teacher try ta stu
them. it MAS useless. so he suilet
Then they cheered The disorder q
. tNe next minute was quite against th
rules. hut nobody received hlae
mark on The schoolm3Ster's deporJme.
book. and after that, tp Leyeuworth'
surprise there was IA new and warl
, ( friendship ia the bearing of the boy
p toward him.