Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1922-09-16
Common Schools Eighty Years Ago

NY earliest recollections cluster
about the school I attended, begin
ming before my fifth birthday. At
our place were four roads that Joined
and crossed. It was known as 'Latl-
mer's cross roads," far and near.
There was a store, wagon shop,
a blacksmith's shop, a postoff1ce and
stage stand, where horses were
kept, to make 10-mile trip either
to Decatur, or south, towards Gov
ington, Ga.
There was no church nearer than
8 miles. A school house was badly
needed. My father gave the land
and the neighbors with his assist
ance built a well-framed school
house, long house with a big CHM
ney at one end, where big fires were
kept going in cold weather.
When started TO school / was
too small, but I was anxious to go,
and my mother could see me, as
went to the schoolhouse door, every
step Of the way. She was on the
watch for me when time came to go
home, and what my father paid for
my tuition helped to secure a good
teacher.
kept on at it because wanted to
be with other children, I suspect, but
got along famously-took it all in
i@~ously. The big boys studied
arithmetic mostly, with some spell.
ing, reading and writing. The girls
were not expected to do much with
figures, and I suppose they were
generally looked upon as well edu.
Gated when they learned to write
and read and spell. I was always
oh e,fr in6
Aesop's Fables like I was to make
my living by teaching it.
This school was great success.
They had what they called exhibit
TONS" once a year. I was consid-
cred doing my part when I read a
nice piece of poetry and came out
Of the spelling class without having
to be turned down for missing
words.
There were two interested helpers
at our house. Both father and moth
er spurred me on; and I generally
went head in spelling bouts-and I
was SO we'll grounded in the funda-
mentals-plain reading-plain writ
ing and plain spelling-that / have
some strong aspirants about the
| lack Of these things in a good many
of our medium high school pupils.
Off and on for nearly three years
we had the school close to my home
When the schoolhouse was burned
down, as I have always believed, by
some people who sought it's shelter
without asking permission, my IA
Their gave the use of a nearby cabin
to finish out the school term. I
was sent then to Oxford, Ca, in my
eighth year--twenty miles away.
Came home once a month on the
stage when my parents failed to
come to see me. began music les
sons with celebrated blind teacher,
Mr.. Guttenberger. He started me
with the scales and I should have
done well il there had been some
body about to have me practice dill
gently. I played two of three lit
tie airs at the closing concert, and
the devoted ones said they were
proud of their little tot. Next I was
sent to Decatur to DR.. Wilson'S good
school, just before and after I was
nine years old; still kept at the mu-
sic and went home about once in
two weeks.
Then my parents decided against
this boarding from home business,
and they moved to Decatur to school
their two little girls. We counted
with them larger than any other in
terest, and excepting one year, 184S,
we kept steadily with DR.. Wilson,
who was also the great Presbyteri-
an pastor and who finally moved to
new Atlanta and built the First Pres
byterian church of the present Cap.
1tal City. He was a strict one to be
sure. We had to understand the les
son or he would know the reason
why. I am so glad had to submit
to his regular discipline. It was
good for me. We spelt, we read
aloud, and we studied English gram
mar all the time. There was no let
up. 1t had to be. dropped old
Smiths grammar when I took up
the Latin grammar, but I knew ev-
cry rule in the book, and no excep.
ton to the rules, "by heart" before
we left it off. I know but little Of
modern school methods, but I am
here to say that we had drilling in
Smiths grammar that was par ex-
cellence for such youngsters as my
self. When went to college, fifteen
years and six months of age, I went
in junior. half advanced, and the
faculty put me through an examina-
ton 1 never could forget. Training
strictly does tell. / felt as if 1 must
not fail and humiliate that brave old
domino, the big preacher, who had