The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1918-05-16
The Examination OF a Teacher by His
Pupil in BygOne Days


Editor Pilot:
In your last weeks issue. in the
items of o5 years ago, you gave the
obituary of Mr.. Patrick OShes. 1t
brings back to memory the pioneer
DAYS of the town of Meeme, where
farms were few and small, and were
scattered among the virgin forests.
The pioneers have all passed TO the
Great Beyond and their sons are grey
haired men now, and they, too, Will
soon pass away. A Renaissance OF the
pioneer days, may be interesting to
some of the older inhabitants OF Nee
me. Away back in the late SOS n
vacancy occurred in the Meme school
log house among the pines. Teach
ers were scarce in those days. "A
gentlemanly Irish immigrant, with the
genuine Irish brogue, by the name OF
Pat O'Shea, applied for the position
His application was resolved, and the
school board, always alert and anxious
to engage the best teacher the salary
would command, we're little reluct-
ant to earnestly consider him, and they
were in a quandary what to do, as Mr..
O'Shea was the only applicant. How
could they know whether this Irish
immigrant had the necessary school
ing, or sufficient education to teach
their children. The members of the
school board were not competent them
selves to Judge. After some discussion
and delay some one came to the re-
scue, and suggested that Henry Null
holland, considered the smartest lad in
school, should examine Mr.. O'Shea.
This was agreed upon, and the board
informed Mr.. O'Shea, that he would
be obligec TO pass satisfactory exam
nation by the school boy Mulholland,
before they could accept him. With
polite bow and a broad smile, he readi-
ly consented to be examined by the boy
prodigy, as the position offered the
large salary of $25 a month, an amount
considered not so bad in the early days.
The examination began. The appli-
can't, Mr.. O Shea, answered questions
in Geography, Grammar, Reading,
'Riting, and 'Rithmetic standing high
in all the 3 RS correct in spelling,
and answered questions in mathematics
quicker than Henry could put them.
Henry had emptied his fertile brain of
all the knowledge it possessed. Mr..
O'Shea then spoke up, and said,
"Well, Henry, do you think that | will
pass?" Henry assured him that the
examination was satisfactory, and pro-
nounced Pat C'Shea fit for the position
and executed his certificate as teacher
and thereupon the board engaged him.
Henry and many other boys OF the
Meme district found the gentlemanly
Irish immigrant a highly educated
man, and one of the best teachers
Meeme ever had, as he had the faculty
of imparting knowledge to his pupils
IN thorough and lasting manner, and
understood how TO bring out the best
qualities in his scholars, as is evidenc-
ed 10y his former pupils, the Kirwans,
Nagles, Barnes, Bradys, McMahons,
Mulhollands, Carey, and others, many
of whom attained prominence in the
learned professions.
This school section OF the Town OF
Meme has produced more great and
prominent men, than any other section
in our county, and this was largely
due TO the training received at the
hands OF O'Shea, the teacher who was
examined and approved by one of his
own pupils.
When Mr.. O'Shea and Henry met IN
after years, the former would often
iokingly remark, "Weli, Henry, when
will my next examination take place"
And to day, when reminding Henry
OF the time he examined his teacher
and issued a certificate to him, he
smiles at the idea and remarks what
fools we mortals be. "
AUGITSV SqHUE1TE