Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-01-01
ECHOES FROM THE SCHOOL
ROOM.
BY rHrL. o. soPuER.


teacher, barely eighteen years of age,
fairly good looking, with finely
shaped and well poised head on a long,
lean, somewhat angular-looking body.
He had large, expressive blue eyes, a
genial countenance when in repose,
seemingly as though he saw little fun
In everything; although at times his
physiognomy could assume very stern
and serious aspect.
He was inordinately fond of outdoor
sports, a great runner, good wrestler,
and excelled in all kinds of physical
games and exercises. This endeared
him to the boys who regarded him as
much in the light of a play-fellow as a
teacher. The girls also admired him
for his genial ways, ready wit, happy
disposition and his superior skill in the
manly arts and games.
He had taught one term of school in
small, country district, at twenty-six
dollars per month, eleven pupils being
the sum total of his flock. In the year
of which NC write he had been called to
teach the school in district number 4,
in the town of Urwald,-a strong Ger
man community. As he entered the
school house the first morning, with
the school clerk, who accompanied him
ostensibly to initiate him into his new
duties, bat really out of a spirit of
! curiosity and concern as to how the
new teacher would open school, that
doughty dignitary, the clerk, pointing
to a medium sized boy who was just
then entering the door exclaimed in a
loud voice as he nudged the teacher
with his elbow; Say, Mr.. Fairfield,
you see dot big boy vat is yust now
coming the door through Look out
for DOT feller. He is req lar duevil."
The "reg'lar duevip' alluded to was a
comely looking lad about fifteen years
old, quite tall and slender, with a heavy
shock of light brown hair tousled all
over fair and intelligent looking fore
head. He had a mischievous twinkle
in his light-blue eyes that boded no
good, and masterful smile on his
handsome face that seemed to say, $50,
this is the new teacher! Watch out,
my fine fellow, and see how soon I'll
fix you. | know some tricks in this
school-teaching business that you never
heard of" His name was Ferdinand
H., and in passing to his accustomed
seat he gave one quick, nervous, side
long glance at the teacher who tried to
catch his eye but failed in the attempt.
Mr.. A, the school clerk, frowned
fiercely at Ferdinand as he passed, as
if it would have been a real pleasure
for him to eat him up
The Lord be praised for school boards,
that is, nice, large, clean white
boards, not these little narrow two-by-
fours. We fully appreciate their value
in the educational fabric of the state.
The select and well seasoned timber
is an indispensable and highly accept
able material in the process of school
building; but the culls and commons in
the rough are tough and wretch9d stuff
enough for erection of barns and out
buildings, not saying anything of their
use for school purposes.
But to resume our narrative. The
teacher called the school to order,
spoke few simple words of hope and
cheer to the pupils, and started in to
hear the classes, beginning where they
cleft off, last year. The sschool clerk
after satisfying himself chat everything
was running smoothly and after a few
minutes whispered consultation with
the teacher, the meanwhile casting
ominous glances at that "duevil" in the
back seat took his departure; while
Ferdinand to repay him for his marked
attention, with the dexterity of a
sleight-of-hand performer extended an
arms length of farewell at his depart
ing form. The teacher noticed this
questionable act of Ferdinand's but
nevertheless sympathized with the boy.
A few minutes later, however, he was
grieved and disappointed to notice the
boy paying the same unwelcome COM
pliments to himself. The teacher was
puzzled. What had he done this boy to
merit his displeasure? He was thought
full but said nothing. He realized that
| something was wrong somewhere and
resolved to discover that wrong and
right it if possible Can you, my gentle
reader surmise what the wrong was and
suggest for it a remedy?
Recess time came, and Mr.. Fairfield
opened one of the windows to let in the
cool fresh air, then walked out upon
the playground where most of the
children had already preceded him
He watched them at their play, and
took notice of everything that was go.
ing on, not in the spirit of a spy but
rather as a pleased and interested spec
tator.
The school house was built on the
edge of wood beside a country road
The school-ground presented an un.
gainly sight. 1t was rough aud hilly
and strewn with an innumerable
amount of sticks. stones, brush, half
burnt logs and other rubbish The
trees had all been cut down even unto
the tenderest sapling by the rude hands
of some uncouth son of the forest in the
merciless process of clearing up" the
school acre, and now many large ami
blackened stumps stood there like SO
many grim sentinels to tell the last sad
tale of their departed glory. If this is
civilization, o, Lord, relegate me now
to the dim and shadowy past of the
dark ages.
The teacher had a keen and whole
some sense of the eternal fitness of
things" and as he gazed upon the
desolation wrought upon that spot his
soul grew sad within him and he
walked around among the children like
one in a dream, until one little girl