Waterbury Democrat., 1902-01-14
NEW DEWEY STORY.
Naughty George and the Vermont School Master that Licked Him.

Scn0ol Master that Licked dln-
 Commodore George Dewey was very obstinate when he interviewed the Spaniards at Manila on the ist of May, 1898, and equally so when lie rendered verdict contrary to the majority of the naval board of inquiry at the re cent trial of Commodore Schley, put he was still more obstinate as boy of 14 ill a public school Ut Montpelier Vt.
 The story of George Dewey and his school teacher has been told before, but during my recent visit to New York I met that teacher and heard the story from his own lips, and it led me to some serious reflections on the sub ject of naughty school children. and how to deal with them, which may be worthy of expression here
 The teacher in question was then q student of the University of Vermont and had gone out to teach one year as q means of paying his way through college. He is now widely known as Major z. K. Pangborn, an editor and publisher of Jersey City. He was i9 years old and George Dewey was II when this incident occurred and which is briefly IS follows, emitting some of the details which the major does not care to have published at this time. It was a "hard'' school. The former teachers had been whipped out by the big boys and when young Pangborn ap- peared before the trustees as a candi- date for the place he was plainly told that he was not big enough to govern those boys, for he was not only young and inexperienced, but | very light l weight
 Nevertheless he told them that he would like to try it if he might dictate 1 the terms. These were hat instead of the $45 a month usually paid he should have $75 and that he should be allowed 1 to govern ill his own way. His reso- lute appearance and seeming originali- l ty won the confidence of the trustees and after some consultation they agreed to his terms, since the case was a desperate one and no ordinary teaca- CT dared take the school, for the last teacher had been dragged to the hill- side and stuffed with snow and ice until he was half dead Of the small Dewey, and I would describe some of his pranks. as related by the major, # I felt at liberty to do so.
 The teacher wasted few words i'll appealing to the sense Of right and ] duty among his pupils. They knew l all about that before. He just armed himself well in advance and when the time came to open the battle he called up George Dewey and fold him he must apologize for certain fragrant misconduct before the whole school, and when George squared off for an T 11a 1pS~s collar and lashed him with rawfide
 until blood flowed and George lay limp and helpless on the floor, and when the big boys came to his rescue he laid one of them out with 5 club and
 terrified the remainder into subjec-
 tion.
 l Then he sent for rags and linime.t and bound up Georges bleeding hand
 and left the torn coat to be mended
 later. After school he led George, now completely subdued, home say
 ing to his father, "Dr Dawey, have
 brought your boy home a little the
 worse for wear, but I believe no
 bones have been broken Dr Dewey
 was sensible man, and had previous ly authorized the teacher to whip the boy, saying only: Don't kill him. stop short of that but suhdue him if you can and I will justify you." The next day George was at school and all those big boys were there ex- cept the one who had been knocked
 senseless with the club. He had been : carried home and never returned, and the school went on in excellent ordar After that no one threw iced snow balls at the primary children as they went home. No one remained out at recess and sent word to the teacher to go to --" when he sent for them.
 No one attempted to drag the teacher
 out of the house to fill his mouth
 with snow. That spunky little teach CT had taken all the mischief and all the fight out of a dozen fellows big, ger than himself and, best of all. had
 converted a future famous admiral of the American navy, the hero of Ma nila, from the mischieyons and un goyernable boy into an cbedient and
 studious one.
 Five years later the same teachnr.
 then graduate of the university. was
 engaged in preparing young men for college, When one day, in walked George Dewey, and after the usual
 salutations Dewey said: T always said that l would lick you when I
 got big enough"
 . All right" says Pangborn, s.do you want to try it now?"
 No. don't, I came on a different errand. My father says I must 20 10 college and told him I would if vol
 would fit me. You are the only
 man who ever put me in the way of right study and would rather fit Tor college under your tuition than un- der anybody else.
 r And so it was arranged. Dewey
 fitted for college under the only man that ever licked him." before or
 since, but although he entered col
 lege he did not complete the course.
 He was bent upon going into the navy
 and by the advice of his old teacher
 the father procured his appointment
 to the naval academy at Annapolis With what result all fha world knows