The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1924-08-15
HARD SHEDDING TO-
GET AN EDUCATION
Youth of Early America
Had No Primrose Path.

We often hear 1.-THE good old days.
spoken Of with much feeling, and do
not stop to consider that the present
days are far and away better. In the
matter of an education, for instance, 1t
was so difficult a matter to acquire one
that only the most determined student
had the courage to face and overcome
the obstacles which beset his path, re-
marks writer in the Kansas City
Times.
The schOolhouses were poor and I'M
comfortable, but the books and the
teachers were worse. Every one of the
thirteen colonies, except Rhode Island,
required the building Of schoolhouses
and the education of children at very
early date. In 1886, only six years
after the settlement of Boston, the
central court voted one-half of the in
come of the entire colony to the estab-
lishment of a school, and later this
became Harvard college.
However, this thirst for knowledge,
1t may be noted, was not always APP
proved. Governor Berkeley, that mar
row-minded Englishman, wrote home
in 1870, THANK God that in Virginia
there are no free schools, and no print
ing, and hope we shall not have
them, for they bring heresy and DISC
bedience."
But up to 100 small groups were
gathered in Virginia neighborh0ods
Tor r,1oY w
sent to England for an education.
Sometimes, In an old deserted tobacco
house, a number of the neighborhood
children from nearby plantations were
gathered for daily lessons. In one Of
these old fieldhouses, as they were
commonly called, a certain character
Of the times--a man known as Hob
by"-taught such little school for
some years 1t is from him that George
Washington is said to have gained
much of his education. Hobby was
sexton, pedagogue, and the most con-
ceited man Of his times, If records
may be relied upon.
After this, Washington rode on
horseback to smaller school ten miles
away. The next year he rowed across
to Fredericksburg each morning to
teacher, and back again at night. and
this completed his attendance at
school.
Gaining even this degree Of education
had not been easy, but, as with ALI
other tasks undertaken by Washing
ton, his own part was conscientiously
performed. The notebooks and PAM
phlets used in the classes at Fredericks-
burg have been carefully preserved
and prove painstaking care. They are
now in the library of congress.
In 1647 1t was required that every
county Of so families provide school,
and If family had children and no
means to pay for their schooling 1t was
ordered that they be sent free OF
charge. But 1t was not until after
the Revolution that free schools as we
know them existed in America-that
is, schools provided for by taxes.
When the schools of Boston were
made free, the country was at once
marked for its liberality, not only at
home but in Europe, as such an expert
ment had been tried no place else In
the world.
But 1t was the teacher who took the
chance at this early date, for her pay
was in beans, peas, skins, corn meal
or any of the exchanges used for
money. A child was kept seated by the
open window. to watch out for possible
purchasers of these things. In 1888
all children were ordered barred from
the fire whose fathers had. not sent
their share of fuel. But this must not
have been popular ruling nor one
which long endured.