The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1910-03-03
GOING TO SCHOOL IN THE GREAT
SMOKES.
(From Midland MethodIst. }

(From Midland Methodist.)
first attended school In the au-
tumn OF 1856. It was taught by
Ben Morgan, who is still living, and
who has been for many years a Bap-
tist preacher. 1t was taught In what
was then known as the white
house" not far from the present
town OF Judson. Swain County, n. c.
/ say town with due respect to other
such places, and beg their pardon for
such familiar and common use OF
this term; for while Judson Is a very
large lumber camp, the town is yet
to be-mostly. The white house was
on the opposite side of the Little
Tennessee River. about half mile
above and about the same distance
below the mouth OF Alarkee. | have
already stated in a former letter
that while on this tramp through the
mountains l had the privilege of
standing on the spot. though the
house is now gone. It was a frame
dwelling house, and at some time
had been painted white, and the
name stuck long after the paint wore
off
| snail never forget the morning |
entered with my blue-back speller
! had been told about the rules so
often and of the dire punishment
meted out to offenders that | fully
expected, as l had been often told
| would be thrashed within an inch
OF my life" the first day; and espe-
cially when l saw the teacher armed
with good switch about four or five
feet long. 1t turned out, however,
that he was too kind to thrash" any
one; and he never whipped a boy
through the whole school, although
he carried his switch every day. His
kindness was his only fault. There
were few things worthy of mention
in this school. First, nothing was
taught but the spelling book, and
each pupil was in class by himself,
except the spelling classes just be-
fore dinner and just before night.
Of course some Of the pupils read
what reading was in the spelling
book. Beyond that there was no
reading. Secondly, those who came
to school first were first to recite;
and as that was a point of merit,
there was great hurrying to school
in the morning. 1 have been at
school by "sun-up" in order to be
first. When the teacher arrived and
called books" he gave us few
minutes to spell over our lessons, and
then called first; and the first one
to arrive went forward to recite.
Then he called second" third"
and so on till every pupil had re-
cited; then he called recess" and
away went books as we scampered
out for game Of base" or a
hickory race" or jumping the
rope" which was only a grapevine,
or jumping "half-hammond." (No
charge for the spelling.) When re-
cess was over the teacher called
books" Other lessons were recited;
and as soon as he was around he
cried out, Get your spelling les
sons" just as if every lesson was not
spelling lesson! Another pecu-
liarity about this school was that
every pupil studied aloud; and the
louder he hollered the better he
studied. When the teacher called,
Get your spelling lessons" the fun
began in earnest. The small chill
dren were spelling in monosyllables;
some were at baker" some at
horseback" some at botany" some
at publication" and some at ''im-
materiality," and every one spelling
as loud as he could scream. OF
course this lesson was to be spelled
by heart, and the best speller stood
head. They were required to spell
the word, pronounce each syllable,
and give the diacritical marks-that
is, "key" the word. The typos" and
proof readers will no doubt be sur
prised when 1 tell them that in later
years 1 became one of the best spell
ers in the school. They will either
think l have forgotten much, or the
others were poor spoilers. AS long
as they do not know in which class
to place me l can at least keep up
my boasting.
But the strangest part of this
school was the Friday afternoon ex-
ercises. This consisted in making
manners" This I never witnessed in
other school, though I understand
it was quite common up to that time
throughout this regions. The object
was to teach the pupils polite man
ners, and these were fashioned after
the court manners of England. When
the hour arrived for this exercise,
two boys were called out, and each
chose a girl who was to act the part
of his wife for the time and assist
him in the exercise. The first couple
took their seats near the door, and
acted the part of host and hostess /;