Iron County record. [volume] (Cedar City, Utah) 1893-1982, 1913-12-19
OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
written for the Christmas Record by M. II. DALEY

house was filed with children
of the hardy pioneers.
These once cherished temples |
of learning have long since
crumbled to dust or gone up in |
smoke and ashes, but their his
tories have been fairly well pre-
screwed on tablets formerly used
as hearth-stones, which were
recently discovered hid away in
the catacombs of the Old Fort,
and beneath the ancient ruins
of Cedar City. BY using a very
strong X-ray with one or more
Of the "Old Timers" as inter-
prefers the history is very wildly
brought to light. 1t takes a per-
son of very strong constitution
and "unassuming" mentality to
withstand the brillancy Of some
of the tricks played upon the
weary teacher, such as putting
hot Goals in his pocket, bulk
heading" the chimney, stuffing
the bell putting cayenne pepper
in the fire, and many other such
tricks of an illuminating nature.
On the now cold tablets is writ
ten some of the punishments
freely and voluntarily admon-
ished by the teacher as a warn
ing against disobedience
obstinacy or deviltry. Don't
some of your ears Jingle now?
Do you still feel the smart of the
belt or cut of the switch or cat
of nine tails across your pants?
These tablets record no cases of
the teacher stuffing his frac-
tious pupils with sugar plums to
get his good will. Some of you
whose locks are turning gray
now feel a little ashamed of
some of the tricks you PLAYED
upon your good old faithful
teacher. and you would hold up
your hands in solemn protest
against the playing of such
tricks now a days." In bold
relief stands out upon these
tablets when properly X-rayed
and Interpreted, splendid ac-
counts of the earnest and faith
'fdi work Of the tsachsf and Of
the studiousness of many of his
pupils who were ever eager to
swallow and digest the tails of
the "three Rs" There is a rec
ord of many ups and downs Of
the teacher as he piled his task
of Learning" the willing ones
and using "coaxers ITO help the
| indolent, careless and mischief
bent to understand. Many in
teresting accounts are given of
the night schools. spelling
matches and games and spark
ling days'-these accounts APP
pear to have been engraven in
gilt letters.
On account of the crowded
condition of the school here as
lin the "Old Fort" it soon be-
came necessary to open up de.
partments of the school ir
private residences, and later the
Old Ward Hall was used fol-
school purposes. What a com
fort it was and how soothing tC
the nerves of the weary teacher
to 90 to the Hall at daylight ir
the morning and find all the
school benches piled up outside
of the building after a dance Oh
| to find them all disarranged after
a theatre or entertainment Of
. some kind. On many occasion!
during the school year he took
his physical training between
daylight and nine in the morn
ing arranging desks anC
! benches and arranging for open
: ing school. There was no gym
then and it was necessary t
get other good physical exercis,
to harden the muscles. The bow
} and girls spent much of theil
surplus energy helping mothe
, in the kitchen and at the spinn
ing wheel or loom and in assist
ing father in doing the outsid,
chores. There were no regula
T ianitors in those good old schoo