The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-11-07
"A N OLD-TME
-. PUNISHMENT.
By r. B.. c. ROBBINS.
&C SesSSssSSSSSSSSSSGs


ment glared along the row Of boys
and girls who We're "toeing the line"
ON the floor Of Il country schoolhouse
.one afternoon some sixty years ago.
Then he spoke in tone of deep
displeasure: This is pretty piece
of work! Not half the words put out
yet, and everybody has missed, except
George Dole, and he is the youngest
Of all! / wont hear such a lesson!
Go back to your seats and take your
spelling books! I'm going to give
You fifteen minutes to study. 1t will
be the first time to-day for some OF
YOU. Then will call the class again,
and the very first one that makes
mistake shall be punished
The exact form of the threatened
punishment was not specified; but
that was not AT all necessary. Every
body knew. Punishment at that time
a0d place did not mean copying
verses, or loss of recess, or being kept
after school, or even marks-except
such as might be left temporarily on
some smarting palm by the heavy
ruler that lay on the masters desk.
Master Dunton was teacher of no
little local fame. 1t was well under
stood that he was "a master hand"
at figures, could set copy almost as
pain as print, kneW all the rules of
grammar by heart, although he was
not unduly hampered by them in con-
versation, and could parse anything
in Pope's Essay on Man." or in
paradise Lost"
:. Perhaps his greatest lack, educa-
tionally speaking, was in spelling.
But as the spelling in schools of that
day was oral. and as he could always
have the book before him when hear
ing the lessons, his weakness in that
respect was hardly worth considering.
His special claim to distinction,
however, came from his govern
ment." There was no school in all
the country round too hard for him
to keep it OUT" no boy, however
bad or big, that dared to dispute his
authority.
AT the appointed time the first
class in spelling was again called, and
its members came struggling forward,
elbowing cne another into place. The
long row, as finally arranged, was
graduated according to achievement,
rather than height. At the head was
stationed GeorGie Dole, the minister's
ten-year-old son, who seldom missed
and never misbehaved. while at the
foot lowered Joseph Niles, braWny
yoatb who generally missed, and who
by his conduct doubtless deserved the
frequent chastisements that fell to his
lot
1t was evident that the allotted
fifteen minutes had been well spent,
and the first two journeys of the
spelling lesson down the line passed
without accident.
. All the words that had been put
out before had now been taken care
of, but there remained the as yet un-
tried portion OF the lesson.
"Victuals." shouted the master,
turning to George at the head Of the
class.
But instead Of piping back the
prompt reply expected, George hesi-
tated, blushed, and rolled his big blue
eyes round wildly, as if he had been
t-ken by surprise.
''Victuals," repeated the master.
glancing at the book, and wondering
az the delay.
Then George, after apparently
searching his memory. ventured eau
tiously, "V-i-c-t-u-a-l-s. yictuals."
''Wrong!" cried the master, in a
tone of dismay. Then, forgetting in
his astouishment to pass the word to
the next, he asked sorrowfully, why,
Georgia, how came you to make such
a mistake"
~ you please. sir faltered
George, Il didn't see that word i'll
the speiiing-book."
Didn't see it," roared Master
DuntoE, his mood changing at once.
Wasn't it right there before your
eyes-sccond word, third column?
What do you mean by such prevari-
cation, as that"
Just then a knock at the door di-
verted the strained attention Of the
school, and Mr.. Dole. the minister,
who was also school committeeman,
was ushered into the room. He at
once discovered that his son was in
trouble; for George, although he was
a brave little fellow and did not fear
whipping. had completely broken
down at the sound of that word pre-
varication. 3.
Answering the ministers look Of
inquiry, Master Dunton explained the
situation.
"Ah, yes. missed on 'victuais,' you
aay," said Mr. Dole, glancing over
the masters shoulder at the book.
'FIfow did he spell it,"
Tell your father how you spelled
It, Georgie said Mr. Dunton.
"V-i-c-t-u-a-l-sr" sobbed the boy.
Indeed; and how should it be
spelled, Nj. Dunson?'
why. y-i-t-a-l-s!" answered the
master, in :. tone of surprise. There
it is in the speller," he added, Offer
lug the book.
Suppose You look I'D the word in