The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1913-03-20

'SDSN
enc
With no inviting prospects to
adorn.
The latent spark Of genius brighten
ed forth
The greatest lives in history were
born.
backward, far Backward, in the
}im vistas of bygone years. there is
no dearer or more revered spot in
memory than that of our early school
days. To most OF those of advanced
Years these enc We're enacted amid
he primcval shades of the "Old Field
School House" This pioneer land
mark was conveniently situated upon
some country thoroughfare within a
grove of natural forest trees. and,
if possible, in proximity to q spring
of water. The district. of which this
rural temple of learning was the nu-
.cleus, included an irregular area of
twenty or thirty square miles in eX-
tent, and embraced an isolated popu-
lation of from forty to sixty children
of school age.
The present system of free schools
was unknown in those days. All
terms of school were and
conducted upon the subscription plan.
that is. the patrons subscribed to an
article of agreement with a teacher
Tor a certain number of pupils at a
stated rate of tuition per scholar.
and paid therefor out of their own
pockets at the close of the term.
Board for the teacher was generally
Included. whereby 1t became neces-
isary for him to board round" visit
ng each patron With a frequency pro-
portionate to- the number of pupils
sent by him TO school. These peram-
bulating sojourns We're often very
onerous to the schoolmaster, as they
frequently took him miles away from
the seal of his labors, where, In ex-
"eedingly cold weather, his early
presence was necessary to have the
room comfortable. They were, also
not conducive TO preparatory study.
nor always rewarded by that quality
nf diet satisfactory to one engaged
al sedentary occupation.
The school building, erected by the
counter labor of the citizens of
he district, was made of logs from
the adjacent forest, or handmade
brick. and seldom exceeded i'm dimen-
sion twenty-five OIL thirty feet square.
The furnishings of the room We're
wholly the handiwork of the anna
.eur mechanics of the neighborhood,
and consisted of Two or three stout
wali-tables some three feet wide and
en- feet long, used for writing, and
upon which We're placed the divers
dlnch buckets and baskets, and a
motley array of sundry wearing APP
7arel not convenient to hang upon
The wooden pegs that orpamented all.
he vacant spaces between the one
ioor and the four little windows Of
he building.
The seats for the pupils we're rough
benches of various heights and
engths. made from slabs, and placed
parallel TO the sides of the Dom
he lower mes for the smaller pupils
on the Notwithstanding a central
~foctangle. at one end of which was
ne widc-open fireplace and at the
other. the ink-bespattered desk of the
.eacher. There was not a semblance
of a blackboard or wall map; and the
only decoration, aside from the gall-
" network of the geometrical spider
n the corners of the ceiling, We're
:he hieroglyphics of keel and char
foal on the walls, made by spectacu-
lar urchins.
School was called by the loud rap
pings of the teacher upon the win
low sash, and the entrance of the
mixed throng of knowledge seekers
the room was characterized bv
an indiscriminate rush for the more
desirable seats. 1t was strictly q
'ase of first come, first serve" and
everywhere there might be observed
minated bevies of both sexes In
promiscuous and hilarious enjoy
loyment. Nothing but the most flag.
rant violation of decorum was no.
by the instructor. and the rod
and ferule We're the panacea for al,
severe offenses. Pupils came into the
school at all hours of the day and
questions asked; and seldom did a
rebr&e the social communi-
cations and sly mischieyousness of
The young Vro. But wilful misde-
meanors and serious disturbances
We're common, and the severest chas-
tisements we're promptly inflicted.
There was 10 schoolboard to which
to appeal for assistance In subduiug
the u%nruly, and the tutor was truly
a monarch OF all he surveyed. and
governed and controlled The infant
republic or abAicated the realm. The
contest for supremacy between the
and the combined force of
disorderly boys was often spirited
and sometimes tragical.
"LlcRen and larnen" We're consid-
cred indissoluply allied in the Old
Field School of antebellum DAYS and
corporal punishment was an every
day occurrence. A bunch of strong
switches was always kept in store.
and it was IL of the funniest of
sinh r. - sI~