Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-05-14
DEAR OLD NO. 2.

Buren, Babbidge, of Colts Island.l
When Swans Island was first incor-
porated into plantation, it was divided
into two school districts, known as Nos.
and 2. This was somewhere about 1888
No. was on the eastern part of the island,
now known as Atlantic.
The people OF this district were nearly
all descendants OF two families-Staples
and Joyce. Moses Staples, sr., and James
Joyce, ST., were the heads of the two fami-
lies. Both came from Deer Isle. Mr..
Joyce's daughter Mercy married Cortney
Babbidge, Of Deer Isle, and her sister
Ruth married John Stock bridge, also Of
Deer Isle.
All the members OF the families had fine
voices for singing. Well do remember a
remark made by Rev. B. f. Stinson, who,
officiating at the funeral OF Dea. James
joyce spoke of him as a sw eet singer.
The above named were large families
ten or twelve children each. 1 remember
well the first school / attended,
taught by Miss Keturah stinson, sister
OF the late Rev. B. f. Stinson, above men
toned. She was kind and good, and l
think all the children really loved her; at
least, did. / was four years old in Octo-
Der, and this was the next spring. II
was the custom then to name some of the
children of families for presidents; thus
came to me the name of Martin Van
Buren,. The teacher always called me
Van Buren,, which | liked much better
than Martin.
I went to school with my two Older
brothers, they sitting in one of the middle
seats and 1 on the seat in front OF them
with my feet five or six inches from the
floor. OF course could not make much
noise with my feet, even if they had
touched the floor, as all the children at
that time of the year went bare-footed.
After had read for the last time in the
afternoon, the teacher used to let me take
her knife-then called pen-knife, as all
the pens then used were made
with a sharp knife, from the feathers OF
the goose wing.
One day / cut my finger quite badly.
The teacher took her handkerchief and
kindly wrapped up the cut hand, and
always remem bered it as one OF the little
kindnesses which my first teacher did for
me. l remember hearing her say to my
mother one time: u do love little Van
buren," Such sayings as that are re-
membered fondly in after years.
My father lived just one mile from the
schoolhouse, which had been built only
few years before my first term, and he
thought best to keep me at home winters.
There was SO little travelling, the road was
seldom fit for children to walk in winter;
therefore was ten years old when first
went to school in winter.
My father had made me a pair OF shoes
from the legs of his old cow-hide boots,
shoes made Of boot legs. The first time /
started out we thought we would go
through a wood-road instead OF the high
way, as 1t would be much warmer. We
had to cross q slough which was very
springy and seldom froze solid all over,
leaving holes in some places. The night
before started for school there had fallen
about eight inches of light snow, which
covered the open places in the ice. I was
walking OF as big as life, when / poked
one foot into hole about foot deep, into
soft mud, and when pulled it out, it was
larger than mans head, my shoe full OF
mud and water and covered with the
light snow up to my knee.
OF course went back home. The next
day l went without meeting with any
mishap. Our teacher was young man
about nineteen years old. liked him, as
had all the teachers / ever went to.
There were some large boys who had
arrived at what is known as the "bateful"
age. Some of these thought it would be
fun to stop out when they were called in
from recess, that they might be out MIA
the girls. When they came in they
laughed, thinking, of course, that they mad
done fine thing. The teacher told them
they would have no recess the next day.
But the next day, when recess-time came,
these same fellows went out with the rest.
When they came in they were reproved
for going out. One who was not there
the day before took up the talk, and it be-
ing the teachers first term, he dismissed
the school without even calling in the
term of about three weeks.
About twenty years later was working
in Massachusetts,, and boarding at the
home of one of the young men who had
set at defiance the teachers authority.
He had been successful, and was in bust
ness for himself. His education was
limited, and his penmanship was SO poor
one could hardly read his writing.
One day Le came home to his dinner,
and while at the table, he said: ~ have
got to find book-keeper, for / cannot
keep my books in any kind OF shape. !
might have had better learning IL had
behaved myself better when | went TO
school. Only think. helped to break up
Nathaniel fuckers school, and he was one
OF the best little fellows that ever lived.