The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1909-03-13

and 'Rithmetic," were the chief stud-
les, of no practical importance, and
were pursued only by an occasional
student of mature years. Outside of
spelling and reading there were no
regular classes, owing to the great
disparity in attainments and diversity
of text books. Nearly every publi-
cation extant was represented by the
students of reading, from the back
less Testament to the last years alma
nae. Most everyone had copy of
Webster's bluebacked speller, which
was also used for reader in the more
elementary grades. Others more ad-
vanced read from the Bible, the Co.
lumbar Speaker, and the lives Of
Washington and Jackson. Fragmen-
tary editions of the Revised Statutes
were also to be seen. The copies of
arithmetic most in evidence were those
of Deboe, Pike and Ray. States of
elaborate dimensions were exclusively
used, and many ciphered out the in
tricate problems in Clare and Tret,"
with bits of soapstone for pencils,
gathered from the banks of neighbo--
ing streams.
AS there is supposed to be a time
to or for all things, so there was
time in the Old Field School set apart
exclusively for writing. The copy
book was a home product, made from
the blue FOOLS cap paper, and the
pens were fashioned from goose quills,
under the skillful hand of the teacher.
Copies were set suitable to the vari
Gus capacities of the pupils, and
ranged in character all the way from
the initiatory step of "Pothooks' to
that of MANY men of many minds. ;"
The writing class sat before the pom
derous table facing the wall, aud the
only time of the days session in
school in which there was an approx
nation to quietness in the room was
the half hour devoted to writing
broken only by the musical squeak of
two dozen goose quill pens.
The study of spelling was made
very prominent and the recitations
were always oral. The classes lined
up in a long row, and the words of
the lesson were pronounced to each
pupil in turn. When a word was
misspelled the pupil below who SPELL
ed it correctly took his place above
the one who missed it, and the pupil
standing at the head of the class at
the close of the recitation was given
a head mark, and took his place next
day at the foot of the class. The
pupil obtaining the greatest number
of head marks during the term of
school was given premium at the
close. Then there were spelling
matches in the evening" season of
unbridled fun and frolic. Two cap
tains were designated, who "chose
up" and the house was divided, as
nearly everyone spelt, and a battle
royal ragged for supremacy. The
most exciting time came when both
sides stood up and "speiied down.
each contestant sitting down on miss
ing word. This contest was often
prolonged,for there were good spoilers
at that time, and it frequently hap
pened that some diminutive pupil
most generally a little girl-would
hold half f-dozen stalwart opponents
In check, and ofttimes come off vic
torious.
A prominent incident, ever con-
nected with winter term of school,
and one which was looked forward to
as red-letter day, was the "Christ-
mas Treat" 1t was an unwritten
law, sanctioned by universal custom,
that the teacher must give to the pu-
pills of the school not only a holiday
on Christmas, but also a bountiful re-
past OF apples, or cakes and candy.
Very often this demand was positively
refused, and then came the dangerous
sport of turning the teacher out and
making him treat" To accomplish
this, the schoolroom, in his temporary
absence, was securely barricaded, so
as to prevent ingress, while force Of
the largest boys remained on the out
side to guard against the possibility
of entrance or the escape of the teacher
from the premises. The penalty of
noncompliance was ducking in
some nearby stream or pond of water,
the icy nature of which usually en-
forced a tardy and sullen compliance.
The recreative sports and amuse-
ments of the old country schools were
many and varied in character. The
boys mostly engaged in what were
termed Clown ball, "Mumblepeg,"
and "Roly poly" while the girls
played "Puss wants her corner"
Jumping the rope" "Ante over"
Ring round rosy" and other more
quiet games. Jumping, foot racing
and "blackman" were also favorite
pastimes of the boys; and skating,
coasting and snow balling we're highly
enjoyed in midwinter. Attending all
tneSe were lnnumerdDle HtIle Joyous
pleasures of youthfufassociations that
have passed with the age of the olden
times. "The grape vine swing is
ruined. " and bright-eyed boys and
girls no longer, as of yore, troop the
sylvan shadesin nutting parties, search
for wild strawberries in the meadows,
or ramble beside the icy fettered brook
in early springtime, bedecked with
natures earliest floral offerings Of
''Johnny jump ups" and pendent
blue bells. The cherished, halcyon
scenes come back to US, but only upon
the silent, mystic wings of memory.
A YOUNG farm laborer called one
~1~ok - ~o~s1k1.11 90