The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1907-11-29
MEDITATIONS.
The Did Time SChOmaserH he Made Quill Pens With Penknes
That Had Real, Genuine SaghOrn Handles Race
Of SChOOmasers That Is no More

T. hoe baan several wears since was inside school
house. but know the schools are run quite dIereII;y
from what was the custom half century ago. Woulon
sound queer nowadays to hear scholar sing 0uI 70 Is
teacher, "Please sir will you mend my pen Iney ap
this in the very first schools attended ana ne
wavs carried particularly sharp pen-kne especially 10
do this work 1t had genuine stag-horn nandle a
imitation used to think that the hrs thng q puy
when manhoods estate was reached, would De ake JuS
he able to make and mend quill pens one OF the
essential qualifications of teacher in those early days
Wontng in this It would have been useless 10 make apP
aon t0 the patrons of any district school, 10 1or lhe
nornitv to board rouno and instruct the young ueaS
in target practice 1t was pleasure 10 watcn .ose JiU
time pedagogues make pen The qullis were usuay f
saved IN at home small flock of geese being kept for
that express purpose, as well as 10 lurhlSi 'e uo"''
the feather bed. ,. . GOOD c,,;r
oen his knife and carefully feel the edge Then ne wouid
reach down and strop the blade OF the kne deerousy
few times his eud fo make the
desired length The remaining feather portion Oh tne
ouill was noched by way OF ornamentatloh anu n 5v
with one dexerous scoop of the knife ne would give se
~ The non After few more careful cuttings sllt was
made in the end and the point OF the pen formed. - =.
The teacher always remained after school hours 10 9
around and mend all the pens 1or the "ii'iis '"'
set COPIES" in their copy booKs .,. ,oornod
Occasionally pupil ingenious than the rest eaTeo
TO keep his own pens in order, but TINS was rae'
sentiments expressed and the lore displayed Dy I
IN tbe writing of these COPIES had great deal 70 uo Il
the matter of creating good impression among .S e
blowers But pen making now almost losI ar
II lone ~
doctor or LAWYER who still cling to the practices OF youth
which is about all the practice they have IN these type
Rt most of these old pedagogues have long since peer
gathered to their fathers and many OF US VINO were otc aJ
5unis are fast approaching the ~
t one Of these old fellows the last time visited Tn
old stamping ground He up in the eighties S ahr srs y.
@ that once made us trouble has grown dm ana us.ie
The tb form that ooed up such formidable man
ner when he drew the hazel switch and oraereu Us
ADVANCE to the middle of the school room TO receive ~
ooar dressing down was bowed and shrunken ana IN
thin locks that were black midnight when we t msten Kv
them had become white the driven snow: oo Od.1m
nanned to whip our teacher when we grew TO am %
but we entertain nothing but the kndest ieeng nol an
IN his old age When he addressed US we were y
Conscious Of feeling little of that awe with which ne III
pressed US child; ho,,o hoer little roue
bs wav but he usually had rough set OF boys 10 ue
with in the country district school over wmcn nrol ne
called to preside The first day he assumed conttI to- Il
onantlv decided whether not he was master Oh Tue
aton His proportions were critically measures Anv uac
ton Of physical or moral weakness would De ne
and taken advantage Of whenever opportunity one'e