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I thought if the trus- tees would only be so kind as to get a license for me, as they did over in Jefferson county, it would be very convenient ; but teachers cannot always rely upon trustees to procure their certificates for them, so it was evident to me that I would have to face the fire alone. I learned that the town superintendent for the town of Clay was Dr.
Johnson, and that he lived at Clay Corners, six miles away. I knew by the name that he was a very learned man, and a doctor too! I wondered how many medi- cal questions he would ask me, and how much I would have to know of physiology and hygiene, 36 Getting a Teacher's License 37 Then I knew there was another word connected with physiology but could not remember it. I knew it referred to the cutting up of the body after a person is dead. I hoped he would not ask me about that word. I started very early in the morning after put- ting a lunch in my pocket, as I supposed the ex- amination would last all day, and perhaps two or three days.
I could walk six miles in those days in about as short a time as a horse would travel that distance, so I went on foot. I found the doctor at the store and made known my errand. After we had talked fifteen or twenty minutes he said we would go over to his office. On arrival there he told me to be seated and he would return in a few minutes, and I soon saw him in his gig driving down the street.
I waited nearly an hour for his return. To say I was angry would hardly express it. I had come six miles almost on a run to begin my examination early, so that I might finish and get home before dark. Nearly two hours had already passed and the examination had not commenced. But the doctor soon came into the office, filled and lighted his pipe, asked me if I would smoke, and began a conversation on matters and things in general which lasted about thirty minutes. He was then called to some other part of the 38 The Waterbury District, house, and I was left to wonder for another half hour why the examination did not commence.
At length he returned, and after refilling and lighting his pipe he sat down to his desk and commenced to write. Again I said to myself, why don't the old fool begin the examination? At the expiration of about five minutes he handed me a paper, saying he was satisfied that I could teach that school. That was my certifi- cate.
The examination was ended while I was waiting for it to begin. I started to go, when the doctor said, " Oh, no, our dinner is just now ready, and we must have some dinner before you go. I was living at the old log cabin on the Brew- ester plank road, and on Monday morning I started, armed with my certificate according to law, for my school. I had never seen the school- house, and you may imagine my disappointment when I found a httle dingy building, so old that it had settled into the ground and the clapboards were dropping off.
The squeaky old door was not locked, and I opened it and entered in. A better state of things existed inside. I found a good stove, and plenty of good wood in the woodshed. The desks were fastened to the The Schoolhouse Burned 39 wall and there were pretty good benches for seats. Some pictures, maps, and charts hung on the walls and altogether the old house looked better inside — much more encouraging. In referring to the registry of that year I find that seventy-four pupils were crowded into that little school- room. I have never taught a school that was easier to manage.
The Dunham, Price, Weller, Vickery, FuUerton, Waterbury, Moshell, and Green families were represented by pupils who gave character to the school, and the disci- pline took care of itself. No marked event occurred to interfere with the school until eight days before the end of the term. A number of district meetings had been held to make arrangements for a new school- house, but had failed to get a favorable vote. An adjourned meeting was to be held on a Fri- day evening. On the afternoon of that same day a little girl jumped up and cried: The school was called to order, the pupils were admonished to gather all their books, and by the tap of the bell they marched out in perfect order.
Thus ended my first winter school in Onondaga county. During the summer the trustees came over and purchased brick for a new school-house. The present building was built, and I had the 40 The Waterbury District, pleasure of teaching my second winter in the new house. Perhaps the reader would hke to know more of my experience in boarding round.
I will say I came to enjoy it pretty well. I had little diffi- culty in finding boarding places. I was in the habit of sending word about the middle of the week that I would like to board with a certain family next week. Usually it was all right. Sometimes, however, I would be requested to wait a couple of weeks until they had killed their hogs; or " until the beef critter was killed ", but usually if they were out of meat they would kill a sheep, and buck-w heat cakes with plenty of mutton and mutton gravy made pretty good living. My school was at Podunk.
A large, fine class of girls and boys greeted me on Monday morning but I soon learned that it would require strong discipline to hold those girls and boys to such order as I wanted and would have in my school. It must be remembered that in those days teachers were expected to fight their way in maintaining order, more than they are now.
The first questions that came into the minds of the boys as they came into the room on the first day of school, and looked upon the teacher the first time, were, How tall is he? How much does he weigh? Can we handle him? They made no allowance for moral force. It was only physical strength that they feared. I labored under great disadvantage, through being small of stature and low in the scale of avoirdupois. Now I would not be understood to say that all the boys in that school were ready to thrash the teacher if he did not behave according to their ideas of propriety.
There were young 41 42 A Case of Discipline, men there who came to school to learn, and whose influence and sympathy were with the teacher. It is the few, — three or four or five, who clique together in opposition to the teacher — that sometimes give trouble. School had been organized, lessons were as- signed and I began to call the classes, when a tall boy on the back seat rose and said, ' ' May I go out? I was in the back part of the room but about three jumps carried me to the door, and with my back against it, I faced him as he stood about six feet in front of me.
I stood a moment try- ing to get his eye, but you never can get the eye of a coward. I finally said, ' ' My friend, you never will go out of this school- room alive until I let you go. You go to your seat. He knew very well that he could push me aside, open the door and go out.
Do you think I feared him? I had no more fear of him than I would have of a ten- year-old boy. I was as sure that he would go to his seat as I was that I was standing at that door. With no hesitation whatever he turned about and went to his seat and the school went on. Surely moral force is stronger than Will that Counts, not Weight 43 physical, but in cases of emergency, I have found it necessary to have on hand a supply of both of these virtues.
The school had been going on quietly for some days when at the boys' recess in the forenoon an old fashioned tin dinner- horn was tooted out in the yard. I stepped to the window and saw it in the hands of my friend William. I will here say that this is the only instance in all of my experience in teaching, that a pupil refused to mind me, or to do what I told him to do in con- nection with the order of school.
As we all occupied the same yard, it was neces- sary to have separate recesses. So I rapped on the window for the boys to come in, that the girls might have their recess. All came in but William, who remained standing in the yard near the front gate, evidently not inclined to come in, or to leave the school ground. Now here was a dilemma!
A pupil standing in the yard, and refusing to leave it, and time for the girls to have their recess. Fellow teach- ers, what would you have done under those cir- cumstances? The young man was nearly six feet tall, heavier and stonger than I, and I knew he could handle me if he should get hold of me, 44 A Case of Discipline, and yet I was as sure that boy would come in as I was that I was teaching that school.
He was a large, strong boy, yet I knew I could make six motions to his one. I stepped out at the rear door and said, " William, you must go into the school-room. I was not as well acquainted with school-law then as I am now, and did not know as I had a right to go into the street for the boy, for I be- lieved he would run. But the law was of small account to me then ; that boy was going into the school-room. I started for him and he did run, but his running was of small account for I could run two rods to his one and soon came up to him.
Before he had time to think what I was after, my two hands had a good grip in his hair, he was doubled over with his head about two feet from the ground and was trotting toward the school-house. He did not get his head higher until we were inside, and I went at him with a good ruler. When I let him up, it was after he had promised to obey every rule of my school, never to be saucy to me, and never to use an- other profane word on that play-ground. He went to his seat peaceably and at noon came to me and very civilly asked if he might go home. I was obliged to pass the Old Red Tav- ern in going home.
In the middle of the street I was met by the father of the boy and, leaving out the profanity and the threats, I listened to a very eloquent lecture, in which he assured me that he would have me in the penitentiary be- fore the next night. I listened attentively, and without making reply passed on. I imagine that I did not have much appetite for supper that night, for I did not know but he could put me in the lockup. After tea I went up to the corners and called the trustees together. The board was composed of three representative men: Kincaid, both acting justices of the peace at that time, and James Chesbro.
On the assem- bling of the board, I stated the circumstances, and the president said: Hooper we have hired you to teach our school. If that boy comes back and does not obey your rules, you go at him again, only be a little more severe the next time, and we wiU stand between you and all harm. It shall not cost you a cent. I went back to my school the next morning feeUng as strong as a hon. I had not only my own strength but also the strength of the three strong men just back of me. The question of discipline was settled. I think those boys believed that I would climb a boy six feet tall and wring his neck if he did not mind me.
There was no more trouble on that line during the three years that I taught the Po- dunk school. I will say before closing this chapter, that William came to school after a week's absence, and never gave me more trouble. Some years afterward I met him at Amboy, where he had married and settled. While teaching at Amboy I raised several acres of tobacco and used to hire William to help me hoe it. While working to- gether in the tobacco we used to talk and laugh over our little scrap at the Podunk school, and I think the man respected me much more than if the incident had not occurred.
Podunk was a place much better known fifty years ago than it is now. That is, it had a far reaching reputation. It was said that one travel- ling in western States, if he chanced to speak of Syracuse would find that little was known of it ; but if he mentioned Podunk he would find that it was well-known.
Soon after they arrived they cut the flagpole down and stretching it across the street made a tollgate of it, and every man who came along must pay toll. If he had a woman with him, however, the pole was carried back and all stood with uncovered heads while she was passing. The constable was notified and came in haste. They hstened re- spectfully while he explained the law and told them that they would be arrested if they did not desist at once. They gathered around, took him in their arms, and carrying him to the bar, told the landlord to fill the glasses.
The constable being a strong temperance man, some friends in- terfered in his behalf, and he was told that if he would go right home and be a good boy they would let him go. But Podunk is no more.
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Under the march of civilization, Centerville with Plank Eoad P. Owl's Head has long since been forgotten. The old Eed Tav- ern has been swept away, and the places that knew them will know them no more. CHAPTEE XI Tobacco in School, As we are writing under the head of incidents of school experience, and that my young readers may compare the old with the new, permit me to say farther of this same school that after three years of happy experience I went into what we called the Brown district school, and a man of long experience was engaged in the Po- dunk school.
Being then a resident of the Podunk district, I embraced the first op- portunity to visit the school. I found a fine class of pupils present, many of them young men and women. I noticed a general confusion in the room, yet all were busy and the work went on until recess. The progress of civilization had made it apparent that it was better to have seperate yards for girls and boys, so the recess came at the same time. Immediately after recess was announced, the 48 Liberal Notions of Discipline 49 teacher filled and lighted his pipe, several of the boys lighted cigars, and they all had a visit and a smoke together.
I spoke to the teacher of the impropriety of smoking in the school-room. He replied that he could not get along from morn- ing until noon without smoking and as he was obliged to smoke he could not deprive the boys of the same privilege.
As the school went on after recess I noticed that the boys were free to cross the room and sitting beside the girls to talk over their lessons, and I suppose, their parties. They all seemed very free to change about while the teacher kept hard at work. At noon I had an opportunity to ask the young folks how it went: They never had so much fun in school in their Hves.
I asked the teacher about the whispering and general confusion, and he said he did not be- lieve in still schools. By allowing the pupils to change their seats, they could help each other, and it saved a great deal of time. And then he loved to hear that buzzing sound in the room. It sounded like the mill grinding corn. It seemed as if there was business going on. I will add that there were sensible pupils in that school. They had become a little intoxi- cated with the fun, but as soon as they sobered up, they realized that they were not learning, and one day they had a quarrel with their teach- er, and the school was closed.
I had some boys who were regarded as a httle rough, but we got along very pleas- antly. I have heard my friend Mr. Fred Smiley of North Syracuse relate an incident of that school which I will repeat. He said that in the spring, just before the close of my first year, one of the trustees in conversation with a young man who had formerly given some trouble in the school, said to him: Why don't you call this one Kinky?
They knew they could handle him, but for some mysterious reason they dared not undertake it. This school was represented by such families as those of Rev. Salisbury, Merritt Belden, Merriam, Lilly, and other representative men, and the school was intelligent. I spent four years very pleasantly at Amboy. The only incident that I care to relate is a little advice given me by the trustee about three weeks after the school had begun.
As I went into his grocery store one evening he made this remark: Hooper, there are three boys in your school who do not intend to mind you. Now you may do as you have a mind to, but I will tell you what I would do. The first time one of those boys refused to mind me, I would knock him down with a stick of wood or anything I could get hold of. I shall not call on my trus- tee to help me.
I then spent two years at the upper or western Fairmount school. I have never taught a school that gave me more satisfaction than this one. There are two departments, and we were obliged to use the second room for a study room, as there were many more than one room would accommodate. He was a tall, fine- looking young man, full of fun and full of work. He died at the age of twenty-nine. If I am not mistaken Mr. Clark filled out a term as school commissioner made vacant by the resignation of Alonzo H.
I can hardly forbear to say just here of Alonzo H. Clapp that it was a costly war that required the lives of such men. He was young, thor- oughly educated, true to the principles of right. Could he have lived he would have reflected honor upon his chosen profession. An incident of this school occurs to me which I will relate. On a certain morning, when the seats in the senior room were all filled and the arithmetic recitations were going on, a tall, dark- complexioned, black-haired gentleman entered the room and announced himself the school commissioner.
We gave him a seat and the work went on until half-past eleven, when at the ringing of the table-bell the folding doors were thrown open, and fifteen girls and boys, as intelligent a class as I have ever had in any school, passed out to the recitation. The com- missioner leaned back in his chair and expressed Geddes 53 himself in about the f oUowing language: Hooper, I have found an oasis!
I have been travelling in the desert all the week and truly this is an oasis! During my principalship it grew in numbers including the Magnolia branch to nine hundred sixty pupils with seventeen teachers.
I do not care to say much of my experience as principal of the Ged- des school. They told us we had a good school, but I have to confess that as I look back upon the methods of doing school work then and com- pare them with the present, and see how much more is being accomplished, and how much less time is required in which to accomplish it, I hardly feel to admit that my school was even then a good school.
Perhaps before closing this chapter I should say for the satisfaction of the more than nine hundred Contibutors to the beautiful tribute of their kindness and generosity, that after almost thirty years have passed it is ticking off the time in my pocket by day and by night as correctly as ever. The school commissioner has always been con- sidered, like the schoolmaster of olden time, a distinguished individual. It is an honorable office, and any man may consider himself hon- ored who has been elected to it by a fair majority of the voters of his district.
But when a man has to buy influence and pay for it in money, in whisky, in beer, and cigars, in order to be elected, there is not much honor in it. I was at this time suffering for want of out- of-door exercise. Through the kindness of my friends in giving me the office, I got all that I wanted, and from January to April I thought a little more than I needed ; for I came near freez- ing to death.
I found the larger schools doing weU, and some of the more rural schools were doing their work well, and producing good results. But they were like fertile spots in the desert, few and far between. The most of the rural schools were in a sad 54 Teaching of Reading in the 70 's 55 condition. For instance I stayed at a farmer's house over night. In the evening a httle boy about seven years old who was playing with his toys was requested by his mother to get his school reader and read for the commissioner. The little boy read some stories that I selected for him in as pleasant, natural, story -like way as one could wish.
I visited the school the next morning, and when the class of which this little boy was a member was called, I turned to one of the pieces that had been read so nicely the evening before and requested the teacher to allow the children to read it. To say that I was sur- prised would hardly express it. The boy at the end of the class pitched the key — struck the tune and read the first verse. The boy who had read this piece so nicely in the evening at home was No.
He dared not read naturally, the class would laugh at him, the whole school would laugh at him, and I do not know but the teacher would. The intelligent mother was teaching her boy to read correctly. The teacher was undoing every day what the mother was trying to accomplish. Now this is a fair sample of the silly work that was done in many of the schools of the 66 A School Commissioner, 8 county in the teaching of reading less than thirty years ago. What was very strange to me, and for which I have never been able to account, was the fact that wherever this strange pitch and tune was found in a class, it was in all classes, not only in the reading but in the other recitations.
And it was precisely the same in schools twenty miles apart. I learned the tune so perfectly that I can take the pitch and sing a verse in that tune now as well as I could then. It is the second tune that I ever learned. My wife used to tell me that I knew but one tune, and that was ' ' From Green- lands Icy mountains ".
But I learned this tune as perfectly as the other, and can sing both of them very nicely now.
We had in those days usually four meetings a year, and they were well attended. I would visit the schools of a town and at the same time see the trustee of each school, and ask him to allow the teacher to close her school at noon on Friday without deducting from her salary, as I wanted her at the teacher's meeting. Not in a single instance did a trustee refuse to allow the teacher to go, and almost always, if necessary, he would provide means for her to get there.
Many a Friday afternoon have I spent pleasantly with ten or twelve teachers, discussing our suc- cesses and our failures, and advising each other how to overcome difficulties such as we must meet in the school-room. I am sorry to note that teachers associations are becoming fess frequent in Onondaga county, and I know of no reason other than that school 57 68 Teachers Associations commissioners are receiving a higher salary now than they got thirty years ago.
The first teachers institute that I attended was held in Syracuse, and was conducted by John H. The second was held in the old White school house in Baldwinsville, and was conducted by James Johonnot. These two men were types of the noble men sent out by the State depart- ment, to build up teachers institutes in New York State, and well did they do their work.
One of the strongest evidences of the growing efficiency of the teachers institutes from those days to the present, is found in the greater effi- ciency of our teachers and the improved methods of doing school work. The department has sometimes made mistakes, and men have been sent to conduct our institutes who were good for nothing as teachers.
But I will say of the present administration, if a single mistake has been made on this line, Onondaga county has not found it. It is but a few years since the law requiring attendance at the institute was in force, and there were more liberties taken in the old days than now. I remember an incident at an institute held at Skaneateles, while I was principal of the school at Geddes. One morning, while the bell was being rung Teachers Institutes 59 for the morning session, as I was sitting by the window fronting the lake, I saw my whole corps of teachers, to the number of seventeen, headed up the lake under full sail, waving their handker- chiefs.
After an hour's sail they came in look- ing as fresh, as innocent, and as good-natured as one could wish. I will say that I never whipped a girl in my school in my life. But if I could have taken one of those gads spoken of in an- other part of this book, and laid it onto those seventeen young women's shoulders about six times apiece, I think it would have been perfect bliss — for me.
I enjoyed my school at No. I can hardly forbear to relate a little incident of this school which occurred while I was in the school commissioner work. A young man with a good education, so far as book knowledge was concerned, was engaged to teach the school. It soon became evident to the commissioner that he lacked one of the principal requisites of a successful teacher, — that is common sense. The school amounted to nothing for want of disci- pline. The school had two departments, and there was a large class of older pupils who had evidently been in the habit of running the school about to suit their own notion.
The young man was obliged to quit, and Peter B. McLennan, then reading law in one of the law offices of Syracuse, was engaged to finish the term. I was told by the pupils, that the school passed along quietly for some days, when, as the teacher was hearing a class of young boys and girls re- 60 A Stalwart Teacher 61 cite their lesson and talking with them about their geography work, a couple of young men sitting a little back took it upon them to cut up. The teacher, with a book in one hand and continuing the conversation with the class, quietly walked back and taking one of the young men by the collar lifted him up over the desks and carried him to the front.
Not breaking his conversation, he lifted the other with one hand and, carrying him to the front, passed on as if nothing had happened. Discipline was established and there was no more trouble on that line. I will add another anecdote of this teacher, now a distinguished justice of the supreme court. At our teachers institute one of the conductors had made himself disagreeable by putting on airs and talking down to the teachers. He gave a lesson on local geography, in the course of which he asked how long Onondaga lake was. Some thought it was five miles, some five and a half, some six, some six and a half.
He burst into a tirade against their ignorance, saying these lakes of central New York were world famous ; a teacher in Louisana or in Liverpool or in Vienna ought to know their dimensions. How disgrace- ful for Onondaga teachers not to know, and know for certain, that Onondaga lake was six miles long. When he was through young McLennan quietly asked him how wide it was.
The con- ductor could not tell ; he had not looked that up. I had a very pleasant school experience in Bald- winsville for three years, when I engaged to go to Cayuga, in Cayuga county. My nervous sys- tem at this time was nearly prostrated, and after trying two months to overcome my nervousness and settle down to school work I was obliged to give it up. I rested the remainder of the school year, and the next year I went into the West Fairmount school, where I taught the children of those who were my pupils thirty-one and thirty-two years before.
To say I enjoyed this school is unneces- sary, for I have never taught a school that I did not enjoy; and I suppose that the fact that I have always been happy in my school work has had something to do with prolonging my school- hfe. Forty -five years before, I had taught my first school in the.
Pegs had 24 The School of Fifty Years ago 25 been driven into the logs; and slabs reversed, reaching around three sides of the room, served as desks. The constable being a strong temperance man, some friends in- terfered in his behalf, and he was told that if he would go right home and be a good boy they would let him go. It shall not cost you a cent. He should be on time at school, on time at church, on time everywhere. I found a fine class of pupils present, many of them young men and women. It was worked by passing the chain around the pupil's body, drawing him up, and locking him to the pipe.
After five years of happy experience in Euchd I found I had described a fifty year circle, and on advising with my doctor as to the probabihty of my being able to describe another such a circle I followed his advice and retired. I shall never forget my last year of school. I had some misgivings at the beginning of the year about being able to go through.
The first half year of school passed, and I felt that I could not finish my year. That same will-power that had so many times come to the rescue seemed to impel me on, and I finished the work of teach- ing on the seventeenth day of June, On that, to me, memorable afternoon, as the last pupil bade me a pleasant good-by, I settled back in my chair and said to myself, " It is done! The story of my young boyhood, the struggles that I experienced, the pledges that I made, the power that was given me to keep my pledges sacred, the Divine help and procecting care that were given me amid dangers, have all been recorded.
I have narrated my experience from the age of twenty, when fortune seemed to smile upon me and I was enabled to earn my 64 Final Experiences AS A Teacher, living, and also to get an education ; my return to St. Lawrence county and my first school ex- perience; my boarding around; coasting down hill on the crust on our way to the spelling school; the commencement of fifty year's ex- perience as a teacher in Onondaga county. I have been accustomed to reply as follows: Never let time drag with yourself or your pupils.
Make your school-room attractive. Engage the interest of your pupils to help you to make your school-room and play-ground just as beautiful as possible, and secure the cooperation of the trustee ; visit the parents of the habitually absent, stay to tea, and talk the matter over. If absent again, go down that same night and talk it over again.
Be sure to stay to tea every time you go, and it won't be long before Johnny will be in school regularly. A teacher should be a pattern of punctu- ality. He should be on time in meeting all of his engagements, both social and business. He should be on time at school, on time at church, on time everywhere. Teach the parents that there is no excuse for tardiness ; and if necessary send a printed circular to all the parents setting forth the importance of children's learning les- sons of promptness.
Just such a circular as you can write and as will cost but a few cents to have seventy-five or a hundred printed, will prove of great help. But, you say, suppose after all some do come in tardy, what will you do? Always let them come in, and never whip them. But you may talk to them, and you can soon make it unpopu- lar for pupils to come into school-room after the school has begun. On a certain Saturday a number of years since I started from a little west of Syracuse to go to Auburn. I walked up the turnpike to Camillus, and as I reached a point on the east hill near the station I saw the train moving out.
The conduc- tor was standing on the rear platform. I called loudly to him to stop the train. I told him our clock was too slow, and I did not mean to be tardy. I told him my mother was sick and I had to go for the doctor. He just stood looking at me and laughed. I finally told him that my little brother had just died ; I thought surely that would break his heart, but he kept going right on all the time, laughing at me.
Now do you not think that conductor was a hard-hearted man? To be sure I was about one minute late, but I had brought the very best of excuses, just such as nine-tenths of the teachers would accept, and this man would not accept one of them. Now let us look a moment at the position held by this man and see if Ave can find a reason for his treating me so shabbily. This train was loaded with men, women, and children ; and the conductor was legally and morally responsible not only for their safety, but also for their reaching their destination on time, and he had no time to stop for a laggard.
Again the train in that one minute time had reached a velocity that hah carried it beyond the power of the conductor. He could not stop it if he would. Its own momentum would carry it on. Now my school carries as precious a load as any railroad train, and I am legally and morally responsible for the safety of the pupils, and also for their moral and intellectual development into 68 Tardiness good business men and women. If I find a fault growing in the character of one of these pupils, it is my business to try and remove it, and a lag- gard will never make much of a business man.
I love to look upon my school, although it may be far away, hid among the hills in the country, and contain but ten little children, as a part of the great educational system of my country, and feel that I am one of the great army of teachers, working faithfully to develop the girls and boys in my charge into true manhood and womanhood. Would I send a tardy pupil home? Yes if I had a right to.
But as 1 have not, I will make it so unpleasant for him that he will rather go home than come into my school-room tardy. Yes, he will, but what will he gain? Perhaps I can answer the question by telling you what I gained by the conductor's refusing to wait just one minute for me at the station. Another good way is to vote it out. Ask your pupils to sign a pledge that they will not whisper in study hours. And after you have crowded it out and voted it out and pledged it out you will find some from whom you would like to thrash it out. I have sometimes worked the reporting system successfully.
It wiU work well in some schools; in others it should never be used. If you find that even one pupil is not reporting truthfuUy, either silence that one, or discontinue the plan. A case in hand will show to what means pupils will sometimes resort to avoid telling a falsehood, and yet have their own way. In my own experience in one of the larger schools a class graduated from the junior to the senior room. Among the graduates were three girls who were close companions, and more than usually bright. It soon became evident to me that those three girls were whispering every day and reporting perfect.
In my conversation with them after school, they admitted that they whis- 69; 70 Danger of Self-Eeporting pered in study hours, and that they reported pre- fect. But they indignantly denied that they told falsehoods. I told them that I had confidence in their in- tegrity. I said, " It would break your mothers' hearts if they knew that you were telling a false- hood here every day, and you will have to ex- plain. So whenever they whispered they always said ' ' Miss White " first, and then said what they wanted to. They had done the same since they had been in my room, so they had never whispered to each other, but to Miss White in the junior, and to Mr.
Hooper, in the senior room. So I say be cautious in the use of the report- ing system, but if you use it make it thorough. CHAPTER XIX Corporal Punishment 5 As to corporal punishment, I will say that the more experience I have in dealing with chil- dren, the less I believe in punishing ; and I have come to believe that the enactment of a law making it a misdemeanor for a teacher to pun- ish a pupil by inflicting pain upon his body as a means of preserving order in school, would be a wise law.
We are expected to use such means to preserve order in our schools as a judicious parent would use in governing his children in the family. There are injudicious parents; and we have inju- dicious teachers who never ought to be allowed to punish a child.
Under this head let me state a few facts that have come under my own observation. The first implements of torture in use in the schools that I remember to have seen, were ironwood ox-gads, four or five feet long, and steamed in the fire to make them still more tough. Sixty years ago, five or six such gads laid up overhead in the school-room were considered a part of the winter teacher's kit, and he was not considered much of a teacher if he was not able to use them.
I do not know but these are still in use. Another was the wheel-platform ; this consisted of a board about one foot square with a small wheel, like a castor, under each corner. I never saw this worked, but have been told that the pupil was required to stand on the platform with his book, when the teacher, watching his opportunity, would kick the platform from behind, letting him down on the back of his head. This was a small trace chain prepared with a slipping noose at one end to attach to the stove-pipe or crane of the fire-place, and a lock at the other end.
It was worked by passing the chain around the pupil's body, drawing him up, and locking him to the pipe. Then a good fire in the stove soon sweated all the evil out. This convenient ap- paratus was in use in some of the schools of On- ondaga county less than forty-five years ago. Another quite popular method of punishment, and one that I have seen worked, was for the teacher to draw a chalk line on the floor, which the pupil must toe and bending over put the end of his fingers on another line drawn some dis- tance in front ; then, holding up one foot, he was in a position of agony during the pleasure of the teacher.
This mode of punishment was Implements of Torture 73 somewhat common in the more rural schools of the 2d district of the county in and In the winter of I found it in use as I stepped into a school-room I immediately in- formed the teacher that I was there to inspect his methods of teaching and not of punishing, and would like that boy to be released. There were intelligent young women in that room who blushed with shame and indignation at that spectacle.
CHAPTEE XV Eesponsibility of the Teacher I think it would be well for our department of public instruction to appoint a committee whose duty it shall be to prepare specimens of the bull- gad, the dunce-block, cap, and motto, the plat- form-car, the sweat-chain, the paddle as used in the Elmira Eeformatory, and the hickory ruler, and deposit them in our State capitol at Albany as relics of the means used to preserve order in our schools during the barbarous ages.
I would like just here to speak of a subject that is not connected with discipline. I have visited institutes and other teacher's gatherings outside of our county, and I believe the conductors will bear me out in making the statement that there is no class of people more neatly and reasonably dressed than a class of Onondaga county teachers at their institute.
I have said that teachers should be patterns of promptness. I want to say just here, that teach- ers should be patterns of neatness. I have seen men teachers in their schools with their trowser- legs inside their rubber-boot tops, while a ridge around the ankle indicated just how deep they had got into the mud in coming to school.
A kind heart, indicated by a radiant face and pleasant voice, will cover many faults. I know there come times and circum- stances in the school-room when it seems hard, but we do not want to forget that it pays to be good-natured. Cultivate a kind heart and let kindness mark every step of your school life. Every teacher of experience can recall times when a kind word to a pupil gave him courage and ambition such as he had never felt before, and perhaps changed the whole course of his life.
A boy came into my school at Geddes one morning, ragged, untidy, and altogether in a sad condition for the school-room. After a little time I asked him about books, and found he had none. I picked up some books for him for the day, and at the close of school I had him remain.
Some way I had been drawn toward the boy from my first conversation with him. When we were alone I sat down close to him, and putting my hand on his shoulder, said, '' Johnny, do you want to learn? Hooper, I do want to learn; you don't know how much I want to learn. Will you let me come to your school? He 76 Eesponsibility of the Teacher then told me that he had just come from driving on the canal, and as navigation was about clos- ing, he was discharged in Syracuse, the captain telling him that he had no money to pay him at present.
Johnny was soon properly clothed and happy in school. I will add that two years and a half afterward I went into our coal office to order some coal, and this same young man took my order. He was a trusted clerk and earning a good salary. A few years ago I visited the State prison at Auburn. As the party were led into a large empty room with windows and doors barred, I saw, leaning against the door on the opposite side of the room, a young man dressed in the prison suit.
His face was so familiar to me that for a moment I forgot where I was, and was go- ing to shake hands with him and say, ' ' How do you do, Frank? I saw him as I had seen him sit- ting before me at the recitation, month after month for more than two years. He was a favorite with both teachers and pupils. He was small for his age, then ten. Patience, Prayer, Perseverance 7T He was just that kind of boy that everybody loves.
He was bright, of a nervous tempera- ment, perfectly rehable, easy to learn, and full of mischief. Fellow teacher, did you ever know a temperament such as I have described that was not mischievous? In a few days I found he was writing and pass- ing notes to his classmates in study hours. What was to be done? Shall we punish him? I think I would not have struck that boy a blow to save my right hand from destruction. I did as you would have done, kept him and talked with him alone.
Please remember I asked him to make no promises, for I believed if he did he would break them. Again and again the same thing was repeated, and again and again we had a talk alone. I had asked for no pledge that he would discontinue writing notes in study hours and he had not volunteered to give me one. Fellow teachers, I come to you for advice. I am in trouble. This little boy is troubhng me and I do not know how to overcome the trouble.
My patience is gone. I worried about it all last night. Is it time to whip him now? I have studied this little boy. I know what his nature is, and I would not whip him for all the gold in the mines. But what shall we do? We are driven to the wall. My wisdom is not equal to the task, but, fellow teacher, as I can- 78 Responsibility of the Teacher not direct you, I will cite you to three words, each commencing with P, that will always help you out in every school emergency: It was late in the fall, and on a dark, gloomy day about three o'clock in the afternoon, I took the little boy by the hand and went down to the primary room.
The children had all gone home. It was dark, gloomy, and silent as we went into that large room. I sat down on a desk and drawing him to me and putting my arm around him said, ' ' Eugene, do you not think I ought to whip you? Hooper, I will be a good boy! I wiU be a good boy! I won't do so any more. Please notice he had given me a voluntary pledge, and I knew he would keep it. I said, it is too lonesome here.
Let us go back to the school-room. During the few weeks that followed I believe that pledge was kept sacred. We noticed one morning that Eugene's chair was vacant and we heard that he was very sick. Each morning as we inquired after him, the re- port was that he was not as well, and every eve- ning I called to see him. During his spells of delirium his school was in his mind.
His exam- My Anticipations 79 inations seemed to trouble him, and his mother told me he would frequently say he would not trouble Mr. Some two weeks after the httle boy's chair was vacant, word came about two o'clock in the afternoon that Eugene was dying and wanted to see his teacher. I hastened down to the sick room, and as I sat on that bedside and looked into that beautiful face, his eyes seemed to be lighted up with heavenly light. I had never seen them so bright before.
Some one said, he is penetrating the veil; he is looking into the beautiful kingdom. I said to myself, my dear boy, I never struck you a blow. I never spoke an ill-natured word to you. I shall meet you before the Great White Throne! The New School is Blessed. Reverend Egidius Smulders, C. Alphonsine Appointed Superior by Bishop Lefevre Progress towards Perfect Organization.
A School is opened at St. The Departure of the Redemptorist Fathers from Monroe. Death of Sister M. His Coming to the Detroit Diocese. He is Appointed Pastor of St. His Works as an Educator. Progress of the Institution. Growth and Development of the Congregation. Foundations in the East. Mother Mary Joseph is appointed Superior. The Opening of Parochial Schools in Detroit. Death of the Right Reverend Bishop Lefevre. A new Impetus Given to Education. Death of the Right Reverend Bishop Borgess. Right Reverend John S.
Foundations in the Diocese of Cleveland. Friends and Benefactors, Foundations in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia. The Right Reverend John N. Mother House Established at Villa Maria. Aloysius Academy for Boys at West Chester. New Villa Maria Established at Frazer. Numerous Schools in Philadelphia and throughout the Diocese Chartered under the Title Laurel Hill Academy. John's Academy at Pittston.