Connecticut western news., 1911-12-07
OLD TIME SCHOOL DAYS (Continued from First PaGe.1

others. not only their associates but
 their elders and superiors, and even
 strangers, and if they met or passed
 them on the school grounds or highway
 and were noticed by them, boys were to
 doff their caps and make their bow, and
 girls to make their courtesy, and thus
 show respect for others and also for
 themselves. which was very beneficial
 to them in their after life. have men, tioned these things to show how differ
 ently schools are conducted and children
 taught, and teachers responsibilities are looked upon now, than they were seventy years ago, also to show that much better results should be expected Ill graded schools where each grade has
 separate teacher. l know there has
 been 8 great improvement in means and methods of teaching and I suppose also in efficiency in the school room; but from what have heard and seen and know of the conduct of scholars on the
 school grounds and on the streets I
 think there is room for great improve ment.
 Teachers no longer seem to feel any responsibility for the conduct of pupils outside the school house door. and chil- dren are allowed to quarrel and fight and bruise each other on the school grounds and on the streets, and snow ball people and pile on theIr wagons and sleighs to the breaking point, until it becomes a nuisance, as has been done in my own case. do not know whether it belongs to the teachers or parents or to the town authorities to correct these evils. but it ought to be done for the
 comfort of the people. and also for the good of the children.
 While am speaking of these things I am moved to say a word about another
 matter which think parents ought to feel it their duty to correct; that IS, of allowing children from five to ten or twelve years of age to be on the streets nights, making night hideous with their noise and racing, on the sidewalks, making It dlscomforting and dangerous for pedestrians. But must refrain from saying more or I shall be called 8 croaker. But really. I think some one ought to croak until some one who has authority sees that these evils are abated But my thoughts have led me to write what I had no intention of writing when I commenced, and will return to my original subject. In speaking, will say of our school days, for it concerns my associates as well as myself, the longer we associated together and became better ! acquainted with each other we began to have our likes and dislikes. and in most cases they were likes instead or dislikes, although have learned by observation that in almost every school there will be one or more scholars that never be- ! come favorites. either with teachers or ' scholars, 8 fact which is to be regretted. As the scholars became along in their teens, both boys and girls began to have their favorites and many friendships ! were formed. which ripened into true ! love and later resulted in matrimony, and thus was lasting as life. and l do not now recall an instance of such M mari iage which has ended in 8 divorce. As think over those long ago days, \ and my associations with teachers and scholars, my thoughts bring many ! pleasant memories and recall them with great deal of pleasure and satiH- faction, and might mention many other things which were of interest to me, the relation of which would not interest 2 others, as they do me, and will refrain from saying more on this subject and ! will close this article by relating a little experience that had little later, after | my school days were over.
 In those long ago days there were no ! boys clubs nor girls clubs nor society clubs, as they now have, but young peo- pie had their social gatherings and places of meeting for pleasure and amusement, winch think were enjoyed with more ! satisfaction even than club meetings are | now. Some of the meetings l have men, 1 toned were for young ladies only, and some were only for young men. At these meetings plans were laid for future meetings or occasions for pleasure and enjoyment. In the early fifties, don t 2 remember just what year. as the summer advanced and the Fourth of July drew near, the young men came together and began to consider plans, how they could | most agreeably spend "the Fourth, and [ it was finally decided that we should q have a Fourth of July ride. (another Fourth of July experience little earlier in Iife); that each one should invite a young lady to accompany him, and pro- vide their own conveyance, and we be- ? gan to lay our plans accordingly. Of ! course the first thing to be done was to get the consent of the young lady. but this was easily accomplished, as there were plenty of them that were glad of an in.