Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1907-01-08
ECHOES FROM THE SCHOOL
ROOM.
BY PHIL. 0. sorHER.
Continued from last ,peek. J

Locking in the tree-tops may be very
!; line fun for boy, but even play car
ried to excess soon becomes irksome
and partakes of the nature of work.
Rest after all is only5a change of en-
ployment, and so Ferdinand and Joe,
for this was the other boys name,
deciding to rest while, forthwith des-
cended to the ground.
But now what to do? That was the
question. They were ashamed to go
back into the school room at this tardy
hour for fear of the ridicule of the other
pupils, or perchance out of whole
some dread of the teacher for whom
they held lingering suspicion of fear,
not, however, from what he had done
but from a knowledge of their past
experience with the valiant and noble
tribe to which he belonged. Then cast
ing around to see where they might sit
down and rest in unmolested security
they spied the books upon the ground,
and picking them up walked leisurely
to the foot of large tree some distance
away under whose benificent shade
for it was early autumn) they seated
themselves in boy fashion with their
backs resting against its massive trunk,
and there in the solitude of the forest
they opened their books and read while
they rested, or which is the same thing
rested while they read.
This was a novel experience for the
boys-studying in the woods. Some
how they never relished or enjoyed
their biographies so much before The
hills, mountains and rivers, of which
they read, took on a new phase of in
terest, and the very animals in the
book seemed to be imbued with life and
could hardly restrain themselves from
jumping out of its pages. And who
will say that the cause of education
was not benefited thereby?
The two boys were suddenly apprised
of the noon hour by hearing the merry
peals of laughter and joyous shouts of
the children as they scrambled through
the doorway and ran out upon the
school ground, wild with the JOY and
excitement of being out in the free and
open air again.
Presently they saw the teacher, in
thoughtful mood, vending his way to-
wards the farm house where he board
ed. This was their opportunity; and
deftly hiding their Biographies under
their coats, they ran back in a round
about way, unperceived by the other
children to the school house which they
entered, and quickly slipping their
books into the desks, took their dinner
pals, sat down in their seats and ate
their dinners ip silence. Here the two
boys still sat nearly an hour later, when
the teacher re-entered the school room
after having returned from his dinner.
Not mentioning the incident of the
morning in any way whatever, he asked
Ferdinand and Joe in kindly tone if
they would assist him in rolling togeth-
er some of the half-burnt logs which
lay scattered in such disgraceful pro-
fusion on the school acre. This they
were glad to do and quickly throwing
off their coats went to work with will
to assist Mr.. Fairfield in piling up some
of the heavier logs, while the smaller
boys and even some of the girls lent
hand in picking up the debris that lay
all around. Soon they had built up a
handsome log pile, and were made
happy by the announcement of Mr..
Fairfield that they would set it afire on
the following day at noon.
So intent were. they all upon their
work of cleaning up that Mr. Fairfield
himself would have forgotten the noon
hour was up had not little Rosie just
then brushed up very close to his side
with large armful of sticks and things
to throw on the pile. The sight of her
reminded him of school, and speaking
gently to the child, he said, "Why,
Rosie, you are my little time keeper,
such dear little watch, amt you ?"
Then speaking to the other children in
louder tone, he told them to wash
their hands in the open trough or spout
that ran from the well while ne pumped
the water. "When you have washed
your hands" said he, 1--WE will all go in
and wrestle with our books while. |
This work will not run away and we
can sweeten up the school yard at odd
times between There was a lively
scramble for the trough from all hands
round, and presently the children
emerged from the melee, in little groups,
like a lot of young ducks in a spring
shower, all fresh and glowing with ex-
citement and the cooling influence of
the running water. This beats swim
ming" said Ferdinand, as he stuck bis
head under the nozzle of the pump and
got the full benefit of the stream on his
luckless pate; and thus it was that Mr..
Fairfield and Ferdinand became per-
sonally acquainted, an acquaintance
which later ripened into warm and
lasting friendship.
From under the nozzle of that old
wooden pump, that September after
noon, Ferdinand came out a new boy,
re-christened as ii were in the light of
new day, and imbued with new spirit,
the spirit of willing obedience and
loyalty to the teacher, and a determina-
tion to emulate him in christian faith |
and manliness. Then Ferdinand |
pumped the water while the teacher |
washed his hands and side by side they
walked into the schoolhouse together
Most of the children were already in |
their seats, and with one accord they |
took up their lessons of the afternoon |
with vim and spirit heretofore un-
known in that schoolroom.
The reading class to which Ferdinand |
belonged had for their lesson that
90 et,@