Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1907-04-09
s1.5o from Monday morning to Friday

/
| for his ability to keep order" The
| schoolmaster of that ancient day was
| the car of an autocra.ic government.
| His orders We're those of the centurian
and obedience was at once a virtue and
| the highest point of discretion. When
| the directors" hired him they washed
! their hands of school government. 1t
was up to him. He ruled by the di-
vine right of kings or abdicated abrupt
| ly. Often this abruptness was accen-
| tuaied by a dive into Il convenient
snowbank accelerated by the Drawn of
half dozen 1usty youths who had
imbibed from the tales OF similar ex-
ploits at the parental fireside the un-
written law that schoolteachers were
fair game and that "if he wasn't man
enough to run the school he better get
out" SO they often helped him and the
old men stormed in public and grinned
and winked. well pleased in private.
The district school of the youth of us
who have grown MEDIEVAL was no Sit
uation for a mollycoddle.
Truth be said the molycoddles We're
few and far between. Most Of us re-
member crouching terrified behind our
homemade plank desks while Big Bill
Thompson and the teacher came to
al nj l,g,u 'sIlitr Ejl1f' rnarnH
for mercy shortly after "the teacher"
had cleared ship and gone into deadly
action We remember how meekly
.Big Bill stood after the melee was
over while a little boy went out after
a whip, and nerved by recollection OF
previous builyings and wrongs suffered
at Bills hands, came back with goad
to fell an OK Bill took his licking"
and saw his dream of glory melt as
has many another usurper before and
since his time. He went home In
chastened mood. He was back next
studiousness written on his brow along
with sundry bumps received the day
previous. The story got around to
"his folks after while and they
grinned and that was the end of 1t.
Bill never told any story of alleged
wrong at home. 1t might have oc-
CURED to dad" that boy who got
licked at school ought to be licked at
home" Such Draconian code existed
lin some households of that remote day
and was put in force without much in
curry except as the principal fact that
was held prima facie evidence of Of
fence.
But the keeping of order was only
part of the versatility and success of
the teacher" Amid his struggles with
every branch of learning from the class
of odd little girls and mischievous lads
in Sanders primer, 10 the big boys and
big girls who We're deep in that ne plus
ultra of the district school, advanced
arithmetic. even beyond common frac-
lions in some cases, he found time to
organize and carry on a debate" that
made a gathering place for his own
and surrounding districts. Sometimes
he preached Of Sundays in the school
house, exhorting, they called IT then.
II he was wise he kept clear of the
dances, for his high station made him
a conspicuous mark and example. Cards
he never played. To "set such an ex-
ample before the children was not to
be dreamed of or tolerated. If he
chewed tobacco and some of the old
teachers had the habit, he did it very
slyly, very slyly. Not even the pioneer
whose whiskers We're his own condem-
nation and whose stove front shouted
his story to nose end eye. would send
his children to teacher who chawed
tobaccer.''
But if much was required much was
given. His position was command
ing one He outranked the other young
men and was freely conceded a respect
and Difference none of them had
granted. Next tn the preacher the
teacher represented the higher life.
Consequently he Very often had a
choice of the prettiest girls outside the
school and many miss found her
education complete and was ready to
leave school to keep company with the
"teacher." He sat in the seat of honor
Incidentally he was not generally pop
ular with the young men.
He did an astonishing amount of
good If he was conscientious and in
dustrous. and he was all that as a
type The men who come out of the
district schools have had more infu-
ence on the making of this country
than all that has been done by the
higher scholastics. He came to a
manly and self-reliant people and
taught them to think. From that think
ing. plain, Straightforward, simple
has come the best that is in our gov
eminent and social system.
UNDER HIS SHIRT.
A little silver cross in a jewelers. win
dow drew the attention of the news
paper man. Little spikes protruded