The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1913-06-06
IN THE early DAYS.
How Teachers Were Selected on Big
Sandy Nearly Half a Century Ago

uc ScdSOn VI hCdShSio cAamiho
tion naturally causes the minds Of
some of our older people, the old
time educators especially to turn
to former days. 1t also suggests
thoughts which lead to the penning
of few things in a desultory sort
of way, concerning examinations,
past and present.
1t is a fact not known, perhaps,
by the younger teachers of to-day
that county boards of examiners did
not always have an existence as part
of the educational machinery of the
great commonwealth of Kentucky.
The writer of this was member of
the first board of examiners for this
county. II he mistakes not the board
was appointed in 1863 or by
School Commissions" j. r. Dean,
OF revered memory. There we're no
State Board questions, the examin-
ers being forced to formulate their
own list of questions, which includ-
ed the Fundamental RS and a
question or two on geography and
grammar. To many Of the old time
knights OF the Birch and Blueback
Speller grammar was foolishness and
a stumbling block. One of the a.
foresaid knights of the B, and B.
went to certain up the river town
to take his first "zamination." He
was an old hand in the business of
pedagogy and could cypher to the
single rule OF three and was what
they call a right speller. He got
along swimmingly until the board OF
examiners told him they would have
to ask him some questions in gram
mar. He swore he didn't know a
"dern hate" about it. At this juno
ltYre a canary In a cage opposite
the office where the examination
was going on began to sing. This
Igave the examiners an idea. and one
of them asked the applicant what
part of speech "bird" was, in the
sentence 1.-THE bird sings sweetly."
l"What in d does that bird have
| to do with my teachin' school on
liBeaver," impatiently demanded the
victim. He probably got his certifi-
cate, for at that time clause in the
law requiring an examination allow
ed the usual of special license to
those who. in the judgment of the
examiners, were fit to teach school
| in certain district. 1t was good
for one term only, and the holder
could not obtain another special IL
cense. Before the day of certificates
in order to get public school II
was only necessary to stand well
with the trustees. All schools were
for three months only, and the
| teacher taught for the draw" be
1t much or little-and it was usual.
ly very little. The examiners had
regular and irregular times for hold
ling their meetings. The irregular
times when the Commissioner the
superintendent-and one member Of
the board could get together, and
VERY often when the Judge-goo
old soul-could not come to towr
he would send the applicant <to one
of us with note, telling us to eE-
anime Mr.. Blank, and If he got a
certificate he-the Judge would
sign it. He trusted to the honor OF
his examinerss and to their credit
be 1t said. they never abused the
confidence reposed in them. The ex-
aminations, though short and crude,
we're thorough and we're honestly
conducted.
Those old-field schoolmastefs, as
they we're called, were usually good
spoilers. Some of them, however,
were prone to spell as they pro-
! pcunced. Curiosity, for instance.
many of them spelled curiosity,
simply because they pronounced It
that way. "Cornice' would catch
them everytime. To them 1t was
cornish" and "trestle'' was invar-
iably turned into ''trussel." Bou-
quet was another obstacle in the
way of making high grade in
spelling. On one occasion an exami-
naion was held in he old Masonic
Academy, conducted by the Commis-
missioner and his board. Spelling
was under consideration. and in the
list of words given out was bouquet.
As fast as one applicant finished
the list was handed to one of the
examiners. AS one list was inspect
ed the examiner gave an amused
chuckle, and the other examiner
Uncle Jake Rice-took a look. When.
he saw how the embryo teacher had
spelled bouquet he laughed until
the split bottom chair in which he
was sitting broke and let his $50
pounds fall to the floor. To this
good hour the writer remembers the
spelling Of that word, and he would
be glad II those who think they can,
tell how It was spelled will tell the
NEWS how It was the paper will
publish all the different answers,
with the true one, On another oc-
casion, after we had begun to use
the questions sent by the State su-