The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-05-01
TELLS TEACHERS TROUBLES
Former Resident Of Chouteau County
Relates Varied Experiences.

Former Resident Of Chouteau County
Relates Varied Experiences.
Reside, Is 1T this vicinity who REL
memoe Basil z. D'Easum, q young
man who taught school 10 some OF
the country districts IN the early nine
ties, will be interested in a recital Ut
his experiences which appe ared re-
Gently in the Review. MT.
D'Easum tells a story OF some III III
inp incidents in his career as a Mon
tana school te acher, the names Ut toe
localities being ,hlnly disguised 10 the
narrative. bu. the scene of the follow
ing may be readily identified:
My next school was at Pinewood
creek, In the Pinewood mountaius.
Pinewood bad the reputation OF being
q hard school to hal die. Oae OF The
trustees had a red.headed son who
had routed several teachers In eucce.-
sion. My predecessor, a mild mat
nered, specialized gentleman, had beer
ducked in the waters OF Plnewood
creek. OF course l had heard OF the
though ou.f.'' a; Pinewood school,
and, at a meeting Of the school board,
before took up my duties, the trustees
frankly told me that l might expect
trouble from the gang, but thai the
trustees would back the up If | "knock-
ed the stufing out OF Tim" Tins
father was loud 10 expressions OF his
hope that l would give his promising
eon a good licking.
The first day of school at Pinewood
opened with a full attendance. That
is generally the case when a new
teacher has charge. al first day le
: usually the crucial time for the new
. teacher. Each and every boy ano
girl is "sizing up the rew teacher
with diabolical accuracy. Looking
, over the rows of staring young faces
, I noticed in the back seat the flaming
head OF the redoub.able Tim. He wa
. q husky looking youth of Is, broad
shouldered and horny.handed.
Everything went along smoothly 10
the greater part of the morning, bu
toward noon the novelty began 4
wear of. Tim made two or three ten
tative efforts to find out what the ne,
:, teacher would "stand for" He 500
found out. Seeing that host;litie
:, we're inevitable, l was just as anxiou
as he to precipitate matters. l Gale
It,. 49,, . - -, a, dash on6 in an nndQI
:, tone, told him he would have to ODE
- orders or gel ous. Loudly and pre-
fanely be declared that he would d
az he pleased, whereupon l jumped 9
him, seized him by the throat, hustle
and showed him u of the open schoo
room door. giving him a fnal shak
which caused him to lose his balan<
= and roll down the three or four step
He was a badly surprised youth, az
it wac only the complete unexpected
ness of nv attack tn at enabled me
- put him outside.
Enraged at the laughter OF the otht
pupils, he arose to his feet, with
rock in each hand, and dared me
come outside. 1t was q few momen
from noon, go I tapped the bell AZ
10 dismissed school. Then, inward
quaking, somewhat, I stepped outsid
first telling the boys and girls to ke
~. away.
As soon as Tim caught sight OF I
he threw both rocks, but missed. Th
followed some very lively and crowd
moments. It was not an edifyi
sight for my pupils, especially VIII
Tim knocked me fat with q lefthar
er in my right eye, then jumped
me and started to chew my ear. II
unsportsmanlike way OF fighting p'
voked me considerably and when
fually got on top. l fear I was ratf
-, rough with him until he owned that
had had enough. Quite in accordar
y with the rule we we're firm friends at
that day, and his father handed me
rope-yarn cigar on the occasion
our next meeting.