Z3I7 
 H7AZ
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 THREESCORE AND TEN 
 
 1. Boyhood Days ; II. Reminiscences of 
 
 school experiences from twenty 
 
 to seventy-two 
 
 BY 
 
 J. W. HOOPER 
 
 SYRACUSE, N. Y. 
 
 C. W. BARDEEN, PUBLISHER 
 1900
 
 Education 
 Library 
 
 M 
 
 nto 
 
 NOTE BY THE PUBLISHER 
 
 I have known Mr. Hooper for more than 
 twenty-five years. During this time his work 
 has been in the immediate vicinity of Syracuse, 
 and I have seen him frequently, in school and 
 out. He is not only a man of scrupulous verac- 
 ity, who would cut off his right hand sooner than 
 make an intentional mistatement, but he is also 
 characteristically methodical and accurate, as 
 likely as any man I ever knew to be exact in 
 his memory of incidents that happened even 
 fifty years ago. 
 
 This narrative therefore seems to me of decided 
 historical value. Many of the incidents here 
 given he had told me from time to time, and it 
 was at my suggestion that he gathered here 
 these reminiscences of a long, an honorable, and 
 a useful career. There are few living men able 
 to give us truthful pictures of the school and 
 home life of half a century ago, and the com- 
 munity should be grateful to Mr. Hooper for thus 
 putting on record much that otherwise would 
 have been forgotten and lost. 
 
 C. W. BARDEEN 
 
 Syracuse, April 21, 1900 
 
 (5) 
 
 881628
 
 CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER PAGE 
 
 I. Early Years, 1827-1837 9 
 
 II. An Interrupted Journey, 1838 13 
 
 III. A Long and Hungry Tramp, 1838.... 17 
 
 IV. Asa Brickmaker, 1839-1847 20 
 
 V. My First School, 1847 24 
 
 VI. A Case of Discipline, 1847 27 
 
 New York Country Life in 1847 29 
 
 VIII. In Business Again, 1847 34 
 
 IX. The Waterbury District, 1847-9 36 
 
 X. Another Case of Discipline, 1849 41 
 
 XL Tobacco in School, 1852 48 
 
 XII. In Various Schools, 1853-1872 50 
 
 XIII. A School Commissioner, 1873-8 54 
 
 XIV. Teachers Associations 57 
 
 XV. Principal at Solvay, 1879-1884 60 
 
 XVI. Final Experiences as a Teacher, 
 
 1884-9 62 
 
 XVII. Attendance and Tardiness 65 
 
 XVIII. Whispering 69 
 
 XIX. Corporal Punishment 71 
 
 XX. Responsibility of the Teacher 74 
 
 (7)
 
 Three Score and Ten Years in Eetrospect 
 
 CHAPTER I 
 EARLY YEARS, 1827-1837 
 
 I was born in Livingston County, N. Y., July 
 5, 1827. 
 
 My parents both died before I was eight years 
 old. I found a home with a cousin in St. Law- 
 rence county. I think my cousin was a good 
 man ; but, unfortunately for me, I soon fell into 
 disfavor with his wife, who seemed to improve 
 every opportunity to make my life unpleasant. 
 Two incidents will be sufficient to indicate some- 
 thing of the means to which she resorted. 
 
 My cousin was in the habit of making from 
 one to two thousand pounds of maple sugar 
 every spring, and on account my faithful work 
 he had promised me the last run of sap for my 
 own. I should gather it, boil it down to syrup, 
 take it to the house, his wife would convert it 
 into sugar, the sugar should be sold and all the 
 money should be mine. 
 
 I think I never experienced more pleasure than 
 during the two weeks that followed, in building 
 
 9
 
 10 EARLY YEARS, 1827-1837 
 
 air castles and contemplating what I would buy 
 with the money that would come from the sale 
 of that sugar. I gathered the sap, boiled it 
 down, and found myself in possession of two 
 buckets full of nice maple syrup. I put my 
 neck-yoke on and carried the syrup carefully 
 half a mile to the house. It was put into an 
 iron kettle, the kettle was hung on the crane 
 and swung into its place over the kitchen fire. 
 Through neglect of my cousin's wife it was 
 boiled too long. It was burned and worthless ; 
 and my air castles fell to the ground. 
 
 The family had received an invitation to a pig 
 party to be given at a neighbor's house that eve- 
 ning. Pig parties were quite common in St. 
 Lawrence county in those days. Whenever a 
 pig was killed the neighbors were invited in to 
 eat fresh pork. It was thought best for me to 
 remain at home and look after the fire. The 
 sugar had been turned from the kettle, but quite 
 a little was left on its sides, and I thought I 
 would scrape the kettle and eat a little burned 
 sugar. Getting an iron spoon I scraped off a 
 good spoonful and put it into my mouth. Judge 
 of my surprise and indignation when I realized 
 that the woman who had just burned up my 
 sugar had sprinkled fine-cut tobacco over the 
 sides and bottom of the kettle. I survived, but 
 for an hour I was very sick.
 
 MY Co IJSIN ' s WIFE AND PAILS OF WATER 1 1 
 
 It was a part of my regular work to bring 
 water for washing from a brook nearly half a 
 mile away. So on a Monday morning I donned 
 my neck-yoke and went for water. Filling the 
 pails and staggering under the heavy weight, 
 it was only after frequent resting that I reached 
 the house. As I passed through the gate I 
 noticed my cousin's wife at the wash-tub in the 
 yard. Before I reached where she was, I 
 stumbled under the heavy load, and as I fell 
 much of the water dashed over me. Before I 
 had time to rise to ray feet a heavy blow on the 
 side of my head knocked me back on the ground, 
 and after having my ears well boxed, the neck- 
 yoke was put (not very gently) upon my shoulders 
 and I was ordered back after water. I went 
 back to the brook, sat the pails carefully down on 
 the bank, laid the neck-yoke across them, and 
 skipped across the lots, crying ; and I have ever 
 since imagined those pails still standing by the 
 brook, and my cousin's wife turned into a pillar 
 of salt, standing by her \\ash-tub in the yard, 
 waiting for the water. 
 
 I was now ten years old, and I wish right here 
 to ask the young boys and girls who may read 
 this st-ory a few questions. Do you appreciate 
 your home ? Do you know what it is to have 
 kind friends who are interested in your education 
 and your success in life? Do you have, down
 
 12 EARLY YEARS, 1827-1836 
 
 deep in your heart, a pure, lasting, devoted, 
 tender love for the precious mother, who is 
 spending her life in trying to build you up in 
 character and make of you true, loyal girls and 
 boys, who shall reflect honor upon your parents 
 and friends ? I knew none of these privileges, 
 but I had endured enough from my cousin's 
 wife ; and while she was waiting on that Monday 
 morning for me to come with the water, I was 
 getting several miles away, seeking for another 
 place to live.
 
 CHAPTER II 
 AN INTERRUPTED JOURNEY, 1838 
 
 I succeeded in finding a place where I could 
 work for my board and go to school. This was 
 a good home, and I think I received as good 
 treatment as I deserved, for I imagine I was 
 becoming a tough boy. 
 
 About a year later, while in my eleventh 
 year, a change seemed to come over me. I began 
 to have some desire to obtain an education, 
 I became uneasy, I wanted something, and 
 could not tell what. About this time, at a pro- 
 tracted meeting, I experienced religion and united 
 with the Baptist church at Sprague's Corners, on 
 the line of Jefferson and St. Lawrence counties. 
 
 Although I tried to live a religious life, I was 
 not satisfied. This feeling of discontent grew 
 upon me until on the 10th day of November, 
 1838, at about 8 o'clock in the evening, I put a 
 few articles of clothing into a handkerchief, tied 
 it up and went out into the darkness. I have 
 never forgotten that long, dark, dreary night. 
 I was naturally timid, and frightened at every- 
 thing I saw. The country was then compara- 
 tively new and the forests contained many wild 
 
 (13)
 
 14 AN INTERRUPTED JOURNEY, 1838 
 
 animals ; yet I was impelled to go on by some irre- 
 sistible will-power. I was thinly clad, but that 
 same Hand that helped me amid greater dangers 
 in the near future sustained and kept me alive on 
 that cold November night. 
 
 I had no thought of turning back. When I 
 came to the deep forests, I would start on a run 
 and never lessen the speed until I had reached 
 the open country. 
 
 On the morning of the llth of November I 
 hired out to a farmer somewhere near Carthage 
 in Jefferson county. I was to husk corn a 
 month, for which I was to receive five dollars 
 and my board. I fulfilled my contract, took my 
 five dollars, went to Sacketts Harbor, and, after 
 buying me a pair of shoes and some mittens, I 
 paid the rest of my money for a passage on a 
 steam boat to Rochester, intending to go to my 
 uncle's home at Bergen Corners, Genesee county. 
 
 Soon after leaving port, December 12, we were 
 struck by a storm of wind and snow that seemed 
 for a time to threaten the destruction of the 
 boat. All day the captain tried to reach port at 
 Oswego, which he succeeded in doing at about 
 nine o'clock in the evening. I was told that the 
 boat would go no farther for several days, as it 
 needed to be repaired. 
 
 I soon noticed that the fires were burning 
 down, and the lights were being extinguished.
 
 A SOLEMN EESOLUTION 15 
 
 I started up street in the city, hoping that I might 
 find some place to keep warm. 
 
 At about ten o'clock that night I stood upon 
 the platform of a public house in Oswego. And 
 my young friends, that was the grandest plat- 
 form that I ever stood upon! My feet never 
 stood in a place more sacred ! I believe the spirit 
 of my Christian mother was right beside her 
 boy ! I believe an angel was hovering over me ! 
 
 The lights in the public house had been ex- 
 tinguished. It was intensely cold. My clothes 
 were frozen from the water that had swashed 
 upon me while on board the boat in the terrible 
 wind. The snow was blowing around me. I 
 had eaten no dinner, no supper. I had no money, 
 and not a friend to go to. I had reached a crisis 
 in my life! I was afraid I should freeze. 
 
 As I stood there in the darkness, these words 
 came to me with great power. I do not know 
 whether I spoke in an audible voice or not, but 
 I said, " I will earn an honest living, and I will 
 perish before I will beg. ' ' 
 
 I started at once for the boat. I tried door 
 after door and found them locked. I finally 
 opened a door leading down a dark gang- way. 
 Feeling for a door at the foot of the stairs I 
 opened into the sailor's cabin. They had a warm 
 room, had their table spread, and were playing 
 cards. They noticed that I was nearly frozen,
 
 16 AN INTERRUPTED JOURNEY, 1838 
 
 and recognizing me as a passenger on board the 
 boat, they gave me a warm berth. 
 
 In the morning, I went to the captain, told 
 him my circumstances, reminding him that I 
 had a ticket from Sacketts Harbor to Rochester, 
 and as the boat was to be laid up for repairs I 
 thought he should pay me back a part of my 
 money. The only satisfaction that I received 
 was the privilege of riding to Rochester if I 
 waited until the boat went. 
 
 It had now been twenty-four hours since I 
 had tasted food, but I had no more thought of 
 asking for a meal than I had of cutting one of 
 my fingers off.
 
 CHAPTER III 
 A LONG AND HUNGRY TRAMP, 1838 
 
 I said to myself, ' ' I cannot wait for the boat, 
 for I shall famish here, and I can but perish if I 
 go afoot. ' ' Not expecting anything to eat until 
 I should reach my uncle's house, ninety miles 
 away, yet believing that I should in some way 
 get through, I pushed out into the wind and 
 snow. 
 
 I was now suffering intensely for want of 
 food. In passing an orchard a little out of the 
 city, I saw a cluster of apples hanging from the 
 limb of a tree. I soon found that, although 
 frozen like rocks, they were not decayed. I 
 filled my pockets and went on my way. I think 
 I will not say what my experience was in eating 
 those frozen apples, but I will say that I had not 
 one morsel of food from about thirty hours be- 
 fore I left the city of Oswego until I reached my 
 uncle's house at Bergen, excepting frozen apples 
 that I found in the orchards as I travelled along 
 the roads. 
 
 A little after dark that night as I was passing 
 a country tavern I noticed a ladder reaching to 
 a hay-loft over the shed. I climbed the ladder, 
 
 (17)
 
 18 
 
 and burying myself as deep as I could in the 
 hay I slept soundly until morning. Watching 
 my opportunity to get on the street without be- 
 ing seen, I commenced my second day's tramp. 
 
 The strongest temptation that I had during 
 my journey to break my pledge and ask for 
 something to eat, was at the noon hour that day. 
 The weather had cleared up and a farmer's fam- 
 ily were eating their dinner. The sun was shin- 
 ing a little warm, and the kitchen door was open. 
 It seemed to me that I would be willing to take 
 off the only coat I had and give it for a meal. 
 I was famished for something to eat. It seemed 
 to me that I must have food or I should perish. 
 I said, ' ' I will go to the open door and ask for a 
 drink of water; perhaps they will ask me to 
 eat." I received my glass of water but no 
 further invitation ; and I went on my way. 
 
 I will say right here that during the forty years 
 that I sat at my own table no person ever came 
 to my door hungry but he was fed. It made no 
 difference whether he was drunk or sober, filthy 
 or otherwise. If I believed he was hungry, he 
 had something to eat ; and I have never seen the 
 time when I would not be willing to go without 
 my own dinner to feed even a hungry dog. 
 
 My second day's experience was much like the 
 first. After it had become dark, so no one would 
 see me, I crept into a straw stack in a farmer's
 
 AMONG FRIENDS AT LAST 19 
 
 barn-yard, and, covering myself as best I could, 
 I knew no more until morning. I was on the 
 street before day-light, as I was sure if I was 
 found in the man's barn- yard I should be arrested 
 and sent to jail. 
 
 I have never been able to tell much of my third 
 day's journey. I have no recollection of having 
 any desire for food. I passed through Eochester, 
 went to the depot, and was directed to the rail- 
 road track leading through Churchville and near 
 to Bergen Corners. I imagine that I travelled 
 that seventeen miles in less time than any other 
 seventeen miles in my three days journey. 
 
 I received a warm welcome at my uncle's, 
 where, I was afterward told, I arrived about nine 
 o'clock. They soon discovered that I was sick. 
 A doctor was called and I was forced to teU them 
 that I had been four days without food. 
 
 Under the kindest of care I speedily recovered, 
 and as soon as proper clothes could be procured 
 I was sent to school. I spent the winter pleas- 
 antly and was happy in my school work. The 
 school closed in April and I told my uncle that I 
 was going to find work. He said : ' ' Why not 
 stay here, there is plenty of work here." I re- 
 plied : ' ' No, I started out to earn my living 
 among strangers and I am going. ' '
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 As A BRICKMAKER, 1839-1847 
 
 I was now twelve years old, and started out 
 the third time to face the world alone, seeking 
 for a home. But I was comfortably clad and 
 had money in my pocket. 
 
 Just at night on that day I engaged to a man 
 to make brick at nine dollars a month. I was 
 located a little north of Albion, Orleans county. 
 This was destined to be my home for a number 
 of years. I boarded with my employer and 
 went to school in the winter; and as the brick 
 making season lasted but about six months of the 
 year, I had a long time to go to school. I rapidly 
 came to the front as a brick burner, and in a few 
 years was receiving seventy-five dollars a month 
 and my board. 
 
 I remained with this man five years, when I 
 was offered such inducements to take charge of 
 a large manufactory in Geneva that I was obliged 
 to accept. I remained in Geneva two seasons, 
 going back to my old school in the fall. 
 
 I was now in my twentieth year and I had a 
 great desire to go back and visit the scenes of my 
 early boyhood, to go into the old log house from 
 which I went out into the darkness on that 
 November night eight years before. I will say 
 
 (20)
 
 THE SPORT OF FIFTY YEARS AGO 21 
 
 that I kept clear of that other place, where I 
 got my ears boxed, for fear I should see that 
 woman standing by her wash-tub, and she would 
 want to know where those pails of water were. 
 
 I had been at my old home but a day or two 
 when I received application from a board of 
 trustees to teach their winter school. I said, yes ; 
 if I can get a certificate. As they wanted the 
 school to begin the next Monday they told me 
 to go on with the school and they would see the 
 town superintendent about the license. A few 
 days later I received my license and the school 
 went on all right. 
 
 Before speaking of my experience as a teach- 
 er, I would like to review that part of my life 
 from fourteen to twenty years. I want the 
 young men and the young ladies who may read 
 this book to realize that I am drawing a truth- 
 ful portrait of my life from the age of nine years, 
 when I commenced to paddle my own canoe, un- 
 til I was twenty. I would not try to leave an 
 impression that I was all goodness, as I grew up 
 to young manhood, that I was very meek, that 
 I never did anything wrong, that I was down in 
 the corner by the fireplace every evening study- 
 ing my lessons. 
 
 Oh ! no ! no ! Such a nature as mine could not 
 remain quiet. If there was mischief going on 
 in the neighborhood I knew it and was in it,
 
 22 As A BRICKMAKER, 1839-1847 
 
 and I never fetched up in the rear. If a couple 
 were married they must have a serenade. If a 
 young man went to visit his lady-love he usually 
 realized when he started to go home that the boys 
 had been around. Bern ember that this was more 
 than fifty years ago, and many things that were 
 thought little of then would be ail wrong now. 
 
 As I remember it now, we were somewhat 
 wild, yet I believe there was a gentlemanly prin- 
 ciple manifested in our lives. We knew when 
 it was time for fun and when it was time to be 
 quiet and gentlemanly in our deportment. 
 
 As to our habits, the society in which I mingled 
 used to play cards, and I soon become so fascin- 
 ated with the game that I would rather play 
 cards all night than to sleep. One night I retired 
 at an early morning hour, and before sleeping I 
 thought the matter over and came to the con- 
 clusion that I was a fool to spend my nights in 
 card playing, and become so excited over the 
 game that I could not sleep even after I retired. 
 I finally said to myself " I will never play another 
 game of cards in my life. ' ' And I never have. 
 
 Again I was carried away with what we call 
 now "yellow covered literature", or cheap 
 novels. I do not condemn novel reading. It is 
 the low, trashy, simple, love-sick stories that 
 are flooding the most of our news-rooms and fly- 
 ing all over the land, that I condemn. This is
 
 NOVEL-READING 23 
 
 the kind of reading that will be selected by most 
 of our young people if unrestrained by their 
 parents; a kind of reading that weakens the 
 intellect and destroys a taste for histories or 
 other solid reading. This is the kind of reading 
 that I enjoyed; and on a certain night after 
 reading until near the morning hour, before 
 sleeping I came to my senses, and said to my- 
 self, " I will never read another love-sick novel 
 in my life. ' ' And I never have. 
 
 Many years ago I saw advertised and heard 
 much said of " Roderick Hume", a novel writ- 
 ten and published by C. W. Bardeen of Syracuse. 
 I said, it is a novel and I do not care to read it ; 
 and it was only a fe .v years ago that I was in- 
 duced to read it. I will say that my prejudice 
 against the reading of a certain kind of novels 
 vanished. I think I was made a better man and 
 a better teacher by the reading of that book, 
 first by its clearness and freshness; second by 
 the simplicity and purity of the language; and 
 third by the plot itself, so entertaining, so natural, 
 so true to life. Just what one would expect 
 would happen comes to pass all the way through. 
 
 Parents, see that each of your girls and boys 
 has a library case, and let it be gradually filled 
 with the latest and best standard books. Your 
 children will grow not only into a habit of read- 
 ing but into a habit of reading good literature.
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 MY FIRST SCHOOL, 1847 
 
 Now, my friends, let me take you back fifty- 
 two years to a little log school-house a few miles 
 from Antwerp, in Jefferson county, near the 
 line of St. Lawrence county, where I was en- 
 gaged in teaching my first school. My wages 
 were fourteen dollars a month, and I was to 
 hoard around. 
 
 This boarding around was jolly fun if one en- 
 joyed it ; but I confess I did not enjoy it as well 
 as perhaps some others would. For instance, 
 the schoolmaster was a very distinguished indi- 
 vidual ; he must have the best the house afforded, 
 and at bed time he was ushered into the spare 
 room off the parlor, with a zero atmosphere. 
 We had good board and a plenty, consisting 
 largely of rye-and-indian bread, good butter, 
 potatoes, pork or mutton, boiled cider apple 
 sauce, and delicious mince pies. 
 
 The school-house was comfortable. Wherever 
 the chinking between the logs had become loose 
 mud-mortar had been used to plaster it up, and 
 every crevice had been closed. A large open fire- 
 place graced one side of the room. 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. Slabs with pegs driven in for legs 
 made pretty good seats and, of course, the pupils 
 sat facing the wall, an advantage to the teacher 
 that the modern school-room does not afford. 
 
 We had plenty of good hard wood and lots of 
 back-logs. The wood was cut four feet long, 
 and in preparing it from the tree a length would 
 often be found so knotty that it would not split 
 easily and it was saved for a back-log. A log 
 four feet long and from ten to fifteen inches in 
 diameter was something of an affair to handle. 
 But the teacher with the help of the boys could 
 usually manage it, and the log was placed at the 
 back of the fire-place, where it would last in 
 cold weather about a week. The fire was built 
 in front of the log, and the wood was held in 
 place by large andirons. 
 
 Now for the school. I found myself sur- 
 rounded on Monday morning by forty or forty- 
 five as bright, as intelligent-looking a class of 
 boys and girls as I have I have ever met in school. 
 
 I thought those young women, some of them 
 as old as their master, dressed in their home- 
 made plaids, were perfectly beautiful, and I have 
 never had reason to change my mind. 
 
 I am unable to find a full list of the books in 
 use. I find the Old English reader, Daboll's
 
 26 MY FIRST SCHOOL 
 
 arithmetic, Webster's speller, and Kirkham's 
 grammar. I do not remember to have used any 
 geography. Our writing books were composed 
 of several sheets of fools-cap paper folded and 
 sewn together by the mother or sister, and the 
 master was expected to set the copies and mend 
 the goose-quill pens. I think there was no chart 
 or map of any description in the school-room. 
 All from seven years old up were expected to read, 
 write, spell, and cipher from the same text-book. 
 The school was organized and ready for work. 
 I think I never felt more proud than when stand- 
 ing at my little home-made table in about the 
 centre of the room, surrounded by that class of 
 boys and girls. And, think of it, they called me 
 master ! And I was their teacher.
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 A CASE OF DISCIPLINE, 1847 
 
 I never felt more confidence in my ability to 
 teach a school. I never felt less concern regard- 
 ing the discipline. I knew I could manage the 
 school, for I could see intelligence in nearly 
 every countenance and knew the children were 
 subject to discipline at home, and must know 
 what gentlemanly and lady-like deportment was. 
 
 But there are exceptions in nearly all schools. 
 The trustee had told me that there was one boy 
 who would give me trouble, and that they would 
 probably have to turn him out, as they did not 
 think I could manage him. They said he was 
 very quarrelsome, and was fighting the other 
 boys every few days. 
 
 Of course I knew who the boy was. We 
 had a few days of quiet, which gave me an op- 
 portunity to study his character, and also to 
 study the character of one or two others. 
 
 I noticed that this " bully ", as he was called, 
 was a large, somewhat green, good-natured boy, 
 disposed to mind his own business if let alone. 
 I also noticed that he was the butt of the jokes 
 of two or three others, who lost no opportunity 
 to annoy him. One in particular seemed to be 
 the leader in making game of him. 
 
 (27)
 
 28 A CASE OF DISCIPLINE 
 
 I allowed the matter to go on, knowing it 
 would come to a focus. This happened one day 
 during the noon hour, when human endurance 
 could stand it no longer. Thomas went at those 
 three boys, and the result was they got so thor- 
 oughly whipped that they begged to be let up ; 
 and they came into the school room with what I 
 supposed had been their usual complaint, that 
 Tom had been pounding them. 
 
 At the usual time I called the school to order 
 and told Thomas to rise. He stood up. Now I 
 believe nearly every one in that room had sym- 
 pathy for him, and they believed he was going to 
 be punished, as he had been before on similar 
 occasions. While Thomas stood at his seat I 
 told the other three boys to step out on the floor, 
 and I went at that ring-leader of the three with 
 a good hickory ruler. When I was through 
 with him, he had promised to obey every rule of 
 the school. I then said to Thomas : " If this boy 
 annoys you any more, if he insults you until 
 you cannot endure it any longer, you go at him 
 again and give him a good whipping, and when 
 he comes in I will give him another. Between 
 you and me I think we can teach him to mind 
 his own business and let you alone. You are all 
 excused. ' ' 
 
 Discipline was established and there was no 
 more occasion for punishing during the four 
 months that I taught that school.
 
 CHAPTEE VII 
 NEW YORK COUNTRY LIFE IN 1847 
 
 As to social enjoyment, I have never been 
 with a class of school boys and girls who loved 
 fun better than they, and I have never known 
 a class who could get more enjoyment out of a 
 twenty- minute recess or the noon hour intermis- 
 sion. The character of the games was some- 
 times a little questionable, but as they never tres- 
 passed upon morality I seldom interfered. 
 
 The snow lay for many weeks from three to 
 four feet deep on a level. Many a morning 
 when the snow was drifting on arriving at the 
 school-house I was obliged to shovel the snow 
 away from the windows to let in light. I have 
 never seen such perseverance manifested in get- 
 ting to school under difficulties. Many times 
 when it was impossible for teams to get through 
 the drifts, I have seen twelve or fifteen boys and 
 girls coming from different directions, wallow- 
 ing in Indian file through the snow. Of course 
 they were all dressed for the occasion and I do 
 not know that one of them ever took cold. 
 
 I will now give you a sample of a noon-time 
 exercise. There was a series of meetings being 
 held a few miles away, and great interest was 
 
 (29)
 
 30 NEW YORK COUNTRY LIFE IN 1847 
 
 manifested. Many of the older pupils attended. 
 It became quite common for them to advertise a 
 meeting of their own to be held at a certain 
 stump some distance from the school-room, at 
 the noon hour. Nearly or quite all of the older 
 pupils would hasten to eat their dinner, and 
 away they would go to attend the meeting. The 
 minister would mount the stump and conduct as 
 regular a prayer meeting as one ever attended. 
 At the end came the speaking, and usually some 
 one had experienced religion and must be bap- 
 tized. The whole congregation then moved out 
 a little into the deeper snow and the candidate 
 was as formally immersed in snow as ever one 
 was in water. Everything was conducted in an 
 orderly way, and to some I think it was real. 
 
 About once a week, when the weather and 
 going were suitable, we must have a spelling 
 school, or we must visit some other spelling 
 school held in one of the surrounding districts. 
 
 I remember on one occasion we had received 
 an invitation to a spelling school over the hills, 
 about three miles away. Two of the young men 
 put their teams together, a four-horse rig waited 
 at the school-house, and we were soon climbing 
 that immense hill. 
 
 We had just had our January thaw. In the 
 midst of the thaw the weather suddenly became 
 very cold ; and as a result a thick, strong, slippery
 
 A SLIDE WITHOUT SLEDS 31 
 
 crust was formed on the snow. Just over the 
 brow of the long steep hill we found the sleigh 
 tracks led into the field, as the drifts in the road 
 had not been shovelled out. Our team was a lit- 
 tle fractious, and as we turned into the field the 
 sleigh, with its load of forty girls and boys 
 went over upon the crust, on the lower side. As 
 I said, the crust was very steep and slippery and 
 we were helpless. There was nothing for us to 
 do but to go to the foot of that hill as gracefully 
 as we could. A few lodged against the stumps, 
 two or three reached the street fence, but nearly 
 all fetched up in the valley below. 
 
 Reader, did you ever ride down hill with the 
 girls without a handsled ? It is jolly fun to ride 
 with them on a handsled, but I tell you it's a 
 hundred times jollier to ride without one. The 
 girls won't generally ride with you if you have 
 no handsled, but on this occasion they were 
 rather obliged to, by force of circumstances. It 
 might be a point to be settled in such condition 
 whether it would be proper for you to sit in the 
 girl's lap or for her to sit in yours, but in our 
 case there was not much time to discuss that 
 matter, so we each chose our own position; 
 some went feet first, some went head first, and 
 some took it sidewise. The main thing was to 
 keep going, which I assure you we did. 
 
 I won't trouble you with a detailed account of
 
 32 NEW YORK COUNTRY LIFE IN 1847 
 
 our tribulations in climbing that hill to where 
 our sleigh was waiting. We climbed mostly in 
 couples. Occasionally a couple would drop out 
 of sight, we would see a descending streak in 
 the darkness, and presently they would land at 
 the bottom. But finally we succeeded in reach- 
 ing the sleigh, but the time was reported as 
 quarter past nine and it was voted that we go 
 home. 
 
 One more incident, a result of boarding round, 
 will close the history of my first winter of teach- 
 ing school. 
 
 We usually spent a week in a place and I spent 
 a week with a family where I found six young 
 children. The family seemed quite poor. The 
 little log house had three rooms on the first floor, 
 kitchen, parlor, and bedroom and of course, I 
 occupied the bedroom. The second floor was 
 composed of loose boards laid down but not fas- 
 tened. They had warped so that some of them 
 seemed to rest almost on their edges. In fact 
 there was little to prevent one in the lower room 
 from seeing into the upper or from the upper 
 room into the lower. It seemed to me that all 
 of those six children occupied the room directly 
 over mine. 
 
 But presently we all settled down, and the 
 snoring indicated that the household were asleep. 
 I rested well, but tribulation came in the morn-
 
 BOARDING AROUND 33 
 
 ing. I had placed my boots in a convenient 
 place on the floor, and laid my socks carefully 
 on the boots. I was somewhat surprised, as I 
 was about to draw on my socks, to find they 
 were wet ; and also that water had leaked into 
 my boots. I said, u Surely it must have rained 
 in the night," and the roof leaking, the water 
 has dripped clear down through onto my boots. 
 ' * Queer ! Queer ! Queer ! " I said to myself, and 
 stepping to the window I could see no appearance 
 of its having rained. 
 
 I drew on my socks, but very soon learned 
 that, as the boots fitted a little tight, I could not 
 draw them on over wet socks ; so I put the socks 
 into my pocket, drew on the boots, went out to 
 breakfast, went to the school-house, readjusted 
 my socks and boots, and was ready for the day's 
 work. I will say that the weather was dry all 
 the rest of the week and as I took the precau- 
 tion to put my boots under the bed every night, 
 they were always dry in the morning. 
 
 Oh my friends ! It is fun to board round if 
 you enjoy it.
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 IN BUSINESS AGAIN 
 
 In the spring of 1847 I entered into partner- 
 ship with Mr. E. B. Hinsdell, to make brick. 
 We were located about three miles north of 
 Salina on the Brewerton plank road, at what 
 was then called the Old Log Cabin place. It was 
 at this time that I made the mistake of my life. 
 I should have chosen teaching as my profession 
 and fitted myself for it, but I could not see that 
 teaching was my work ; or rather, I would not 
 see it, for I think it was clearly made known to 
 me that I ought to finish my education, thus 
 fitting myself for teaching. I could earn high 
 wages during a part of the year, and put the 
 rest of my time into college work, and in a few 
 years come out a college graduate. I knew this, 
 but my ambition to get money overcame my 
 desire for a higher education. 
 
 For a few years I made money, but there came 
 a time when I realized my mistake. I had con- 
 tracted for the delivery of large quantities of 
 building brick in Syracuse, and, with ten labor- 
 ing men in my employ, not one of whom knew 
 anything of burning brick, I was taken sick from 
 
 (34)
 
 IN BUSINESS AGAIN 35 
 
 overwork, and did not recover until near the end 
 of the brickmaking season. On looking about 
 after my recovery I found the few thousand dol- 
 lars that I had saved had been swept away, 
 and I was broken in health and poor. 
 
 But I was not standing alone. My noble wife, 
 who had come to me two years before, stood right 
 at my side ; and her words of encouragement, her 
 comforting influence, her Christian confidence 
 and trust in Him who doeth all things well, be- 
 came an inspiration to me. I realized that He 
 in whom I thought I trusted knew better than 
 I what I ought to have done when I refused to 
 follow my impressions of duty. 
 
 I will say before closing this chapter, that we 
 were content to start again at the foot of the 
 ladder, and by prudence, industry, and continu- 
 ous climbing, in a few years we found ourselves 
 in comfortable circumstances again.
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 THE WATERBURY DISTRICT, 1847-9 
 
 It is the design of this narrative to deal more 
 particularly with matters relating to my school 
 experience. So I will ask you to go back with 
 me to the fall of 1847, when I contracted to teach 
 my first school in Onondaga county. This school 
 is situated about one mile north of Liverpool in 
 the town of Clay. We called it the Waterbury 
 district. 
 
 The next thing after securing a school was to 
 get a license to teach it. 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. J. F. 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, 1847-9 
 
 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 think if I had lived where it was practicable, 
 I would have employed Doctor Johnson as my 
 family physician all the rest of my life ! 
 
 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 little 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, Fullerton, 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: " Oh! the 
 school house is on fire! " Not a boy in that 
 room would bring a pail of water. 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, 1847-9 
 
 pleasure of teaching my second winter in the 
 new house. 
 
 Perhaps the reader would like 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-wheat cakes with plenty 
 of. mutton and mutton gravy made pretty good 
 living.
 
 CHAPTER X 
 A CASE OF DISCIPLINE, 1849 
 
 One instance of discipline in my third year's 
 experience is perhaps worth telling. 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, 1849 
 
 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 said ' ' No ; we shall have our recess 
 in ten minutes ; please wait until recess. ' ' He 
 sat down but in about a minute rose and said, 
 " I'm goin' out," and started for the door. 
 
 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. ' ' 
 
 Do you think he went to his 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 opened 
 the window and said, " William, come into the 
 school-room." With a terrible oath he refused 
 to come in for me or anybody else. 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, 1849 
 
 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 received for reply a number of 
 strong oaths with a flat refusal. 
 
 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 runniDg 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. 
 Knowing he was in no condition to study I said, 
 " Yes." I have not given this boy's full name
 
 THE TRUSTEES SUSTAIN ME 45 
 
 but will say, his father kept the Old Eed Tavern 
 about one and a half miles south of Podunk. 
 
 Three of the most noted places on that street 
 were Podunk, Owl's Head, and the Old Eed 
 Tavern. 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 : John F. Hicks and 
 J. 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 : ' ' Mr. 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 will stand between you and all harm. 
 It shall not cost you a cent. ' ' 
 
 I wonder how many of the trustees of the 
 schools realize how much good an encouraging
 
 46 A CASE OF DISCIPLINE, 1849 
 
 word does a teacher. I went back to my school 
 the next morning feeling as strong as a lion. 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. I remember at one time 
 when eight or ten railroad conductors came out
 
 PODUNK FIFTY YEARS AGO 47 
 
 there on what they called a lark. 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 listened 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. Under the march of 
 civilization, Centerville with Plank Road P. 0. 
 has taken its place ; and with another stride on- 
 ward in the scale of knowledge, it is now honored 
 with the name of North Syracuse. Owl's Head 
 has long since been forgotten. The old Ked Tav- 
 ern has been swept away, and the places that 
 knew them will know them no more.
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 TOBACCO IN SCHOOL, 1852 
 
 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. Some three or four weeks after the 
 school had commenced I met one of the trustees 
 who asked me to visit the school and see how 
 the teacher, whom I had recommended to them, 
 was getting along, as they understood he was 
 teaching all of the boys, and he did not know 
 but the girls, to smoke. 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 : ' ' Oh ! grandly, ' ' they said. 
 They never had so much fun in school in their 
 lives. 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.
 
 CHAPTER XII 
 IN VARIOUS SCHOOLS, 1853-1872 
 
 My two years' or two winters' experience in 
 the Brown school was marked by no inter- 
 ruptions. I had some boys who were regarded 
 as a little 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: "You used a year ago to 
 call that little teacher that we had from Syra- 
 cuse, Kinky! Kinky! Kinky! Why don't you 
 call this one Kinky ? ' ' The reply was : ' ' He 
 is nothing but a kinky, but darn him we dare 
 not tell him so. They knew they could handle 
 him, but for some mysterious reason they dared 
 not undertake it." 
 
 My next two winters were spent at Pine Grove, 
 about one mile north of Podunk, where teachers 
 and pupils enjoyed the work and were happy. 
 This school was represented by such families as 
 those of Rev. Earl P. Salisbury, Merritt Belden, 
 Merriam, Lilly, and other representative men, 
 and the school was intelligent. 
 
 (50)
 
 PINE GROVE, AMBOY, FAIRMOUNT 51 
 
 After nine years of teaching in the northern 
 towns, I settled in the school at Amboy in the 
 town of Camillus. 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: " Mr. 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." 
 Rather radical advice for a trustee to give his 
 teacher. I said: " I am abundantly able to 
 manage my school. I shall not call on my trus- 
 tee to help me. ' ' 
 
 The school was pleasant and I think as a rule 
 we were all happy. 
 
 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. This school was represented by 
 such families as the Driscoll, Plumb, Murphy, 
 Whedon, Gaylord, Canally, Hubbard, Wads- 
 worth, and Leddy families.
 
 52 IN VARIOUS SCHOOLS, 1853-1872 
 
 I think could James Driscoll have lived he 
 might have reached the Nation's capital sooner 
 than his brother Michael. He was a tall, fine- 
 looking young man, full of fun and full of work. 
 He died at the age of twenty-nine. 
 
 Some of my older readers will remember 
 Jeemes of the Baldwinsville Gazette, or rather 
 James Clark. If I am not mistaken Mr. Clark 
 filled out a term as school commissioner made 
 vacant by the resignation of Alonzo H. Clapp. 
 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 en until half-past eleven, when at 
 the ringing of the table-bell the folding door& 
 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 following language : ' ' Well, 
 Mr. Hooper, I have found an oasis! I have 
 been travelling in the desert all the week and 
 truly this is an oasis! " 
 
 In the fall of 1863 I had a call to the Geddes 
 village school, then consisting of two hundred 
 ten pupils, with four teachers. 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.
 
 CHAPTER XIII 
 A SCHOOL COMMISSIONER, 1873-1878 
 
 In the fall of 1872 I was elected to the office 
 of school commissioner of the second district of 
 Onondaga county, and re-elected in 1875, holding 
 the office six years. 
 
 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 well, 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 BEADING IN THE 70 's 55 
 
 condition. For instance I stayed at a farmer's 
 house over night. In the evening a little 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. No. 2 with the same 
 pitch and in the same tune read the second verse. 
 The boy who had read this piece so nicely in the 
 evening at home was No. 3, and taking the 
 same class pitch and tune read his verse in that 
 same strange, unnatural voice. 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
 
 56 A SCHOOL COMMISSIONER, 1873-1878 
 
 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.
 
 CHAPTER XIV 
 TEACHERS ASSOCIATIONS 
 
 I think that ever since commissioner district 
 teachers meetings were first organized, it has 
 been conceded by the better class of teachers 
 that much good came from them. We had in 
 those days usually four meetings a year, and 
 they were well attended. 
 
 The most good that I ever realized from teach- 
 ers meetings was in town gatherings. 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 less frequent in Onondaga county, 
 and I know of no reason other than that school 
 
 (57)
 
 58 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. 
 French. 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.
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 
 SOLVAY, 1879-1884 
 
 At the termination of my term of office I en- 
 gaged as principal of school No. 2, Geddes, now 
 Solvay, where I remained six years. 
 
 I enjoyed my school at No. 2 very much, and 
 I think the boys and girls of that time, now 
 grown to men and women, are glad to meet and 
 shake hands with their old teacher. 
 
 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.
 
 CHAPTER XVI 
 FINAL EXPERIENCES AS A TEACHER, 1884-1899 
 
 In the spring of 1884 I engaged to teach in 
 Baldwinsville, on the south side of the river. 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- 
 life. 
 
 After six years of school work at Fairmount, I 
 went into the Euclid school, in the town of Clay, 
 where I remained five years. Forty -five years 
 before, I had taught my first school in the county 
 in the town of Clay, and I had some desire to 
 
 (62)
 
 MY LAST YEAR OP SCHOOL 63 
 
 finish my work in the same town. After five 
 years of happy experience in Euclid I found I 
 had described a fifty year circle, and on advising 
 with my doctor as to the probability 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. "But," I said, "it is my 
 fiftieth year of school in Onondaga county ' ' ; and 
 I prayed earnestly that I might have strength to 
 finish the 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, 1899. 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! " 
 
 And now my dear readers, my school life is 
 ended. 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, 1884-1899 
 
 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.
 
 CHAPTER XVII 
 ATTENDANCE AND TARDINESS 
 
 I have often been asked by teachers, especially 
 of the rural schools, one or more of the following 
 questions : 
 
 (1) How do you secure regular attendance ? 
 
 (2) How do you prevent tardiness ? 
 
 (3) How do you prevent whispering ? 
 
 (4) Do you advise teachers to play with their 
 pupils out of school hours ? 
 
 (5) Do you believe in corporal punishment ? 
 I have been accustomed to reply as follows: 
 
 (1) To secure regular attendance, be attractive 
 yourself, full of enthusiasm and interest in your 
 work. 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. 
 
 (2) To prevent tardiness, never be tardy your 
 
 (65)
 
 66 TARDINESS 
 
 self. 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. I told him I had to mind the baby 
 while my mother washed the dishes, and I had to
 
 WHY I MISSED THE TRAIN 67 
 
 chop some wood for my mother to get dinner. 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 ? I wanted to go to Auburn 
 and he was going right that way. 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 we 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. 
 
 Oh ! but you say, he will lose all of his lessons 
 of that session. 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. It was this: when I wanted to take 
 the train at Camillus again to go to Auburn I 
 was on time.
 
 CHAPTER XVIII 
 WHISPERING 
 
 (3) To prevent whispering, the best way I 
 have ever found is to crowd it out with hard 
 work. 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 will work well 
 in some schools; in others it should never be 
 used. If you find that even one pupil is not 
 reporting truthfully, 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-REPORTING 
 
 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. ' ' 
 
 They much preferred to settle the matter with 
 me rather than to have it go to their mothers, 
 and they explained that all the while they were 
 in the junior room the rule was that they must 
 not whisper to each other in study hours. 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. 
 
 (4) As to whether teachers should play with 
 their pupils out of school hours, I will say that 
 any game that is suitable for pupils is suitable 
 for teachers, and I am sorry for a teacher who 
 cannot enter heartily into the sports of the 
 children.
 
 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. 
 
 (71)
 
 72 CORPORAL PUNISHMENT 
 
 Other punishments were the dunce-card, the 
 red cap, and the printed card. 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. 
 
 Next, the sweat-chain. 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 1872 and 1873. 
 In the winter of 1873 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.
 
 CHAPTER XV 
 RESPONSIBILITY 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 Reformatory, 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. 
 
 (74)
 
 PERSONAL INTEREST IN PUPILS 75 
 
 Good nature is one of the graces that a teacher 
 should possess. 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 ? ' ' 
 
 Tears ran down his cheeks as he said: " Mr. 
 Hooper, I do want to learn; you don't know 
 how much I want to learn. Will you let me 
 come to your school ? " By this time tears were 
 running down my cheeks, and Johnny and his 
 teacher had a good crying spell together. He
 
 76 RESPONSIBILITY 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 ? ' ' when he shook his head for me 
 not to come. I saw him as I had seen him sit- 
 ting before me at the recitation, month after 
 month for more than two years. As I turned 
 and went up the stairs, I said to myself, " To 
 what extent am I responsible for the condition 
 <of that young man ? " 
 
 There graduated from the junior to the senior 
 room with his class, a young boy whom we called 
 Eugene. He was a favorite with both teachers 
 .and pupils. He was small for his age, then ten.
 
 PATIENCE, PRAYER, PERSEVERANCE 77 
 
 He was just that kind of boy that everybody 
 loves. He was bright, of a nervous tempera- 
 ment, perfectly reliable, 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 troubling 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 ? No. 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: patience, 
 prayer, and perseverance. 
 
 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 ? ' ' Impulsively he put his arm 
 around my neck, and said ' ' Mr. Hooper, I will 
 be a good boy ! I will be a good boy ! I won't 
 do so any more. ' ' Tears were running down his 
 cheeks and they were running down mine as 
 well, and Eugene and his teacher had a cry 
 together. 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. Hooper any more. Some two weeks 
 after the little 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! 
 
 As I sat at my table in the school-room at 
 Baldwinsville at the beginning of the noon hour, 
 a young girl in passing out to go to her dinner 
 said to me, ' ' Mr. Hooper, I am afraid I shall 
 not be at school this afternoon, as I am not 
 f eeling well. ' ' I said, ' ' Louise, I have noticed 
 that you do not feel well. Is you school work 
 troubling you?" She said, "No, I think I 
 will be back to-morrow. ' ' In three days Louise 
 died and we laid her beautiful form in the flower- 
 lined grave in the cemetery beside the Seneca. 
 
 Fellow teacher, have you ever missed a dearly 
 loved pupil from your school-room ? Did you 
 think as you went back and saw the vacant seat,
 
 80 RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TEACHER 
 
 that but yesterday you, with your remaining 
 pupils, followed that loved one to the grave and 
 saw them cover him down deep in the ground 
 with the cold damp earth ? Did it make you a 
 better man? A better woman ? A better teacher ? 
 And now, kind readers, my task is done. I 
 have tried so to write up my little history as 
 that you would be entertained and benefited. 
 With my seventy- two years experience in life, I 
 find I am inclined gradually to let go of life here, 
 and take a firmer hold of the life beyond. I am 
 contemplating with all the power of my imagina- 
 tion, the beauty, the loveliness, the grandeur, 
 the glory of that life, of that home. And I 
 say to myself sometimes, Eugene will be there, 
 Louise will be there, hundreds of my pupils as 
 precious as they will be there. She whom many 
 of my readers knew, and who was as precious 
 to me as my own life, will be there. All of those 
 teachers who have been so kindly associated with 
 me in the school-room, will be there. And I 
 desire that my mansion be so large, so broad in 
 its dimensions, that I may invite all of these, 
 and all of tbe noble men and women who have 
 so earnestly worked with me in the schools of 
 Onondaga county, and all my host of friends 
 everywhere, to come over and make us a visit 
 in our new and beautiful mansion in Our Father's 
 House.
 
 OTHER STORIES OF SCHOOL LIFE
 
 -STANDARD TEACHERS' LIBRARY, NO. 8- 
 
 Bardeen's Koderick Hume. 
 
 The Story of a New York Teacher. Pp. 319. Cloth, $1.25 ; manllla, 60 
 cte. This is one of the 22 best books for teachers recommended by Chancel- 
 lor W. H. Payne in the New England Journal of Education for Nov., 1893. It 
 Is also one of the books described by W. M. Griswold in his "A Descriptive 
 List of Novels and Tales dealing with American Country Life." 
 
 Roderick Hume took possession of me, and the book was finished la one 
 sitting that lasted beyond the smallest hour. I have Joined the crowd in 
 your triumphal procession. The characters are as truly painted as any In 
 Dickens, and the moral is something that cannot be dodged. Professor 
 Edward North, Hamilton College. 
 
 My confinement at home gave me an opportunity to read it carefully, 
 which I have done with great delight. I can certify that it is true to life. 
 I have had experience in country and village schools as well as in the 
 schools of the cities. The picture is true for all of them. I know too well 
 how self-interest, jealousy, prejudice, and the whole host of meaner mo- 
 tives are likely to prevail in the management of school affairs anywhere. 
 That the people should know this and yet entrust the management of their 
 schools to men who are most likely to be influenced by personal considera 
 tions is strange indeed. My memory brings to mind an original for every 
 portrait you have drawn. Andrew J. Rickoff, former Sup't of Schools, Cleve- 
 land, O. 
 
 Teachers cannot fail to be greatly benefited by the reading of the book. 
 Roderick's address to his pupils is a compendium of the best points in the 
 highest kind of school management. Miss Duzenberrie's victory and Vie 
 Blarston's closing remarks ought to teach lessons of warning to many 
 teachers who are even the most in earnest about their work. Mary Lowe 
 is a beautiful model of a teacher, and no one will be surprised that Roder- 
 ick should make her his helpmate instead of his assistant. It is a capital 
 story, and we recommend it strongly to every Canadian teacher. Each one 
 should get a copy for himself, as he will wish to read it more than once. 
 Inspector James L. Hughes, in Canadian School Journal. 
 
 In the columns of Tlie Bulletin, in 1878, appeared a serial story which at- 
 tracted the attention of educators in all parts of the country. It was en- 
 titled Roderick Hume, and was professedly " the story of a New York teach- 
 er." It was written with the specific view of portraying certain phases of 
 the modern graded school. The narrative was not designed as a satire, 
 though a vein of humor ran through it all ; nor was it to be taken as an au- 
 tobiography, though the author's own experiences were more or less inter- 
 woven with it. The interest of the story increased from month to month, 
 and widely extended the reputation of The School Bulletin and its editor. 
 Letters received from all parts of the country revealed, in fact, a phe- 
 nomenal interest in its outcome. * * Subsequently it appeared in book 
 form, and it has since held a unique place in American literature. Th 
 Schoolmaster in Comedy and Satire, p. 453. 
 
 C. W. B AttDE EN, Publisher, Syracuse, N. T.
 
 OPINIONS OF RODERICK HUME 
 
 ' I got Roderick Hume yesterday. I began it in the afternoon, and fin- 
 ished it at my office last night at 10 o'clock. It is just like you, full of your 
 usual candor, fearlessness, and humor. I haven't laughed so heartily in a 
 good while as I did over your book-fight: and its other characters are all 
 drawn ad unguem. Send me 100 copies, and the bill with them. I want my 
 teachers, and directors too, to read the most enjoyable book on education I 
 have ever read." Sup't H. C. Missimer, Erie, Pa. 
 
 " We have just finished Roderick Hume a story of a New York Teacher. 
 We began after ten o'clock at night expecting to read an hour. But the 
 story was so life-like, so full of that interest which comes from truth well 
 portrayed, as to chain us to the end. This book should be in every library 
 in Arkansas and school children trained to read it." Southern School 
 Journal. 
 
 " I did not want to eat or sleep till I had read it all. One of my school 
 directors picked it up from the table and read a page or two, and although 
 he is a man who reads but little he begged the loan of it to read it all. He 
 said it was so applicable to the average school-board. I shall circulate it 
 through my county, and hope to have all my school directors read it and 
 apply its teaching." Sup't C. W. Foreman, Meeker, Colo. 
 
 " I took the book up with a cynical smile, expecting to glance through 
 it to satisfy my conscience and the friend who gave it, and then to lay it 
 aside, mentally requesting a waiting world to be patient until I should 
 write the book of our business. But, alas! and alack! I don't think I will 
 write it. I was surprised, pleased, entertained, and ashamed that 1 had not 
 read it before. You certainly know teachers, and have given a sensible 
 man excellent food for reflection. Those of us who know enough already, 
 of course to us, it can make little difference. I acknowledge that I stick in. 
 Vanity Fair and read Sentimental Tommy without a smile or a tear, present 
 or remotely prospective, but I revelled in Roderick Hume and shall read it 
 again." 8. B. Gilhuly, Principal Reading Academy, Flemington, N. J. 
 
 " This is a novel, as the name might indicate, and it possesses the novelty 
 of having school people, teachers, pupils, and members of boards for its 
 leading characters. Even the much-maligned school-book agent is not left 
 out. The action and interest of the story centre in and around the schools 
 of a New York town, whose superintendent and lady principal are hero 
 and heroine, and who, like all other sensible heroes and heroines, fall in 
 love with each other and finally succeed after great difficulty in getting 
 married, or at least impressing the reader that they will get married. It is 
 a mighty good story, but its chief merit lies in the fact that under the guise 
 of a novel the author shows up many of the weaknesses of our public school 
 system, the foibles of teachers, the schemes of text-book agents, how poli- 
 tics and religion are used to hamper and hinder the progress of the schools, 
 etc., etc. It is fiction with a purpose, and a good purpose too. The writer 
 of this 'article picked up the book one evening and became so interested 
 that he could not lay it aside until finished. Every teacher ought to get it, 
 and read and re-read it." School Record.
 
 STANDARD TEACHERS' LIBRARY, Xo. 63- 
 
 Commissioner Hume 
 
 " Mr. Bardeen is a born story-teller, and his Commissioner Hume, a story 
 of New York schools, abounds in pathos, humor, and fidelity to human 
 nature. As a type this story ought to be widely read, and if every school 
 trustee in the land could read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest its moral, 
 pub'.ic education in the United States would receive a mighty uplift. De- 
 spite the fact that it is a story with a moral, it is intensely interesting from 
 the first page to the last. Gottlieb Krottenthaler is a character that ought 
 to live." Educational Review." 
 
 " This timely little book is a decided addition to our historical literature. 
 The author portrays the inner workings of early New York schools in a 
 book as readable as any novel. Special stress seems to be laid upon the 
 power of political intriguers to dispense school patronage among the high- 
 est bidders. Even the press is attacked as not always being that champion 
 of higher education one would expect it to be. Self-interest, jealousy, 
 prejudice, and the whole host of meaner motives that prevailed in the man- 
 agement of school affairs were gradually rendered of small consequence as- 
 a result of the determined stand taken against them by that marvellous 
 man, Commisioner Hume. Truly no book shows better the good that one 
 man can do, when all his heart and soul are in his work. There are teach- 
 ers living to-day who are the counterpart of the original characters por- 
 trayed in this work, who would do well to read and profit by this delightful 
 story. The moral of the book cannot be dodged." Philadelphia Teacher. 
 
 ' It is a story of New York country and village schools and county school 
 administration in 1875. Since, however, human nature and school nature 
 in New York does not differ much from those of her Southern sisters, and 
 since the ways of the wily politician of 1899 are pretty much the same as- 
 those of 1875, there is scarcely an incident in the story that might not have 
 been taken almost literally from the history of school affairs in Florida last 
 year, and it is a safe assertion to make that there is not a teacher of any 
 considerable experience in the State but is more or less intimately ac- 
 quainted with every character in the book from ' Mute Herring ' and ' Silas 
 Jones ' to ' Prof. Slack ' and ' Mrs. Arabella .' As a piece of fiction, sim- 
 ply, it is a work of art and absorbingly interesting to the general reader; but 
 it is as a satire, keen and relentless, on the prevalent evils affecting school 
 management and administration that it finds its highest value. It is a 
 strong and wholesome book and should have a prominent place in every 
 teacher's library and on every school official's desk. It contains more prac- 
 tical suggestions and hints of value to the ordinary teacher than any half 
 dozen works on 'methods' with which we are acquainted. There's laugh- 
 ter, tears, instruction and warning in abundance in it, and few will take it- 
 up but like the writer hereof will hurry on to finish it at a single sitting, 
 but not so fast, however, that he will not leave on almostevery page some pas- 
 sages pencil-marked for future study and use." Florida School Exponent. 
 
 1 61110, pp. 210. Manilla 5O eta.; Cloth 81.OO
 
 OPINIONS OF COMMISSIONER HUME 
 
 " We believe that the conditions it represents have been bettered by more 
 enlightened educational methods, but politics are still sufficiently mixed 
 with school questions for us to relish Roderick Hume's experiences in gain- 
 ing his election as school commissioner, and the original methods he adopted 
 in his desire to find out the real character and efficiency of the schools and 
 teachers under his care." The Literary World. 
 
 " The features that distinguished the earlier book are present in this one, 
 and the picture it contains of the rural schools of New York twenty years 
 ago is valuable as well as interesting. The author's quiet humor, long ex- 
 perience, and sound sense make this little volume well worth reading." 
 Popular Educator. 
 
 " Commissioner Hume, a story of rural New York school life in the 
 seventies, is a book that will greatly interest teachers. We know of no 
 work that does more to point out the evils of partisan politics in matters 
 educational. It is a book one lays down with reluctance and resumes with 
 avidity. It is a capital work." Cincinnati Public School Journal. 
 
 "A unique story, containing not only wit, humor, instruction, and enter- 
 tainment to the reader, but considerable educational history. The charac- 
 ters are all well drawn and represent true life. The story is of special 
 interest to the teacher, as it gives many points in the highest kind of school 
 management." American School Board Journal. 
 
 " The story shows us rural New York in 1875, and especially its ideas and 
 practices in education. It describes the methods of newspapers, politi- 
 cians, ministers, and book agents at that time, and as an illustration of the 
 schools and methods of teaching it is of rare interest. The school com- 
 missioner who visits the country schools in the disguise of an ignorant 
 German pedler sees startling conditions of ignorance, carelessness, and 
 vice. * * * Examinations for teachers were unheard of, and certificates 
 to teachers were given by caprice. In no more convincing and entertain- 
 ing way can one learn about rural schools of that day than in this story, 
 and we are very glad that Mr. Bardeen has reprinted it." N. E. Journal of 
 Education. 
 
 " Mr. Bardeen certainly knows all about the failings of our present 
 school commissioner system and he has written a story that is replete with 
 many truthful comments. The story in many particulars is highly amus- 
 ing, particularly those chapters leading from the preliminaries to the nom- 
 inating convention through the candidate's experience's in the campaign 
 for election. But it is quite true to nature and we know it is almost an exact 
 reproduction of the experiences of numberless candidates for school com- 
 missioner throughout the State. Mr. Bardeeu's commissioner in the con- 
 cluding chapters of the story is disguised as a German pedler who knows 
 more about good school methods than various teachers of the commissioner 
 district. Mr. Bardeen has so completely disguised the character that the 
 reader wonders what has become of Commissioner Hume till the last chap-, 
 ter is reached. The book is something of a severe but clever satire of the 
 state school commissioner question and may do a lot of good toward inu 
 proving present conditions. One thing is sure, however, and that is that it 
 is a very readable story." Schenectady Union.
 
 THE STANDARD TEACHERS' LIBRARY, No. 61.- 
 
 Nicholas Comenius. 
 
 As Roderick Hume is a picture of the New York school principal of 
 1870, so Nicholas Comenius is a picture of the Pennsylvania schoolmaster 
 of 1860, when new ideas of educational methods began to come into conflict 
 with the old. It is a vivid portrayal of the schools, the teachers and school- 
 officers, the institutes, the book-agents, and all the educational features of 
 that period, and deserves a place in every collection of books on education, 
 From the Governor of Pennsylvania, Daniel H. Hastings. 
 
 " For the last few nights the disturbances in Luzerne county have com- 
 pelled me, together with General Snowden, Adjutant General Stewart, and 
 the Attorney General, to be in almost constant communication with our 
 troops at Hazleton; and while sitting about the telephone and telegraph 
 for two nights, the intervals have been occupied in reading 'Nicholas 
 Comenius.' During that time I read every chapter aloud to my comrades, 
 and we unanimously agreed that I should write you this letter of thanks 
 for such an interesting and delightful contribution to our Pennsylvania 
 literature. I have always thought the ' Vicar of Wakefleld ' the most 
 charming book in our language. I now think your book comes very close 
 to it." 
 
 From the State Superintendent of Pennsylvania, N. C. Schaeffer. 
 
 " Many books are made of nothing and for nothing and get nowhere. 
 The book here presented is not of that class. In my judgment it is a valu- 
 able contribution to our educational literature. . . . The author of Nicholas 
 Comenius deserves the special gratitude of those who feel an interest in 
 rescuing from oblivion the factors that gave us our beneficent system of 
 Common Schools." 
 
 From the Deputy State Superintendent of Pennsylvania, Henry Houck. 
 
 " Nicholas Comenius is one of the most interesting books I ever read. 
 It is written in charming style, eloquent and tender in the tribute it pays to 
 the pioneers in the cause of education, and yet full of encouragement and 
 inspiration for every teacher. This book should be in every library and 
 every home." 
 
 From the School Gazette, Harrisburg, Pa, 
 
 " Nicholas Comenius, or Ye Pennsylvania Schoolmaster of Ye Olden 
 Time, by William Riddle, of Lancaster, Pa., is the latest addition to educa- 
 tional fiction. While it is being sold with such books as the Hoosier School- 
 master and Roderick Hume, it is being compared to the Vicar of Wakefleld 
 and to the schoolmaster of Drumtochty in the Bonnie Brier Bush. . . . The 
 volume has in it wit, humor, instruction and entertainment. Its illustra- 
 tions are as expressive as those of an illustrated volume of Dickens, and 
 there is as much flavor in it as in Roderick Hume, and as much substance 
 us in the Evolution of Dodd." 
 
 Kimo, pp. 492 ; 42 Illustrations. Manilla 50 cts; Cloth, $1.50. 
 
 C. W. BARDEEN, Publisher, Syracuse, N. Y.
 
 OPINIONS OF NICHOLAS COMENIUS 
 From County Superintendent M. J. Brecht. 
 
 "The book is written in the form of a story and through the medium 
 of a strong caste of characters some historical and others of the author's 
 own creation, but typical of the period in which they lived it pictures 
 reminiscences, narrates incidents, describes events, and delineates condi- 
 tions of the fight for Free Schools in Pennsylvania that should be read and 
 read again by every one who is interested in the growth and expansion of 
 our Common School system. While the work is largely historical, giving 
 the reader clear and well-defined views of the great epochs which work the 
 transitional stages in the evolution of our school system, the author carries 
 forward in a parallel line with the historical past, a series of sage pedagogical 
 comments that are radiant with good sense, and are sure to give the book a 
 rating among the world's works upon pedagogical literature. The teacher 
 will find its pages suggestive of much that will come directly into play in 
 solving the daily issues of the school room, and suggestive of more upon 
 broad professional lines that will enrich his knowledge of child-nature and 
 psychology, enlarge his sense of personal responsibility to his profession, 
 and inspire him to read up with some degree of enthusiasm and purpose 
 the history and science of education. In my judgment, every teacher 
 should make it a point to read the book." 
 
 From Superintendent Edward Brooks, Philadelphia. 
 
 " The book is unique, and without a parallel in educational literature. 
 One begins to read it with surprise and a feeling of wonder to know the 
 exact purpose of the author; but after reading a chapter or two he catches 
 the drift of the work and begins to enjoy it. Beneath the stream of grave and 
 dignified humor, there will be found many interesting historic facts and 
 much suggestive thought in respect to educational doctrine and practice. 
 The work is a valuable contribution to educational literature, and no edu- 
 cational library may be regarded as complete without a copy of it. I have 
 placed Nicholas Comenius in the Pedagogical Library belonging to the 
 Department of Superintendence." 
 
 From Superintendent R. L. Edwards, Portland, Oregon. 
 
 " After the receipt of your book, for which find enclosed $1.50, I opened 
 np a subscription list and have so far twenty-two signatures. If you will 
 send me forty copies I will take pleasure in placing them." 
 From the Harrisburg Telegraph. 
 
 " Mr. Riddle has made a departure on a new line which promises to be 
 a success. There is not a dull chapter in the book. The one devoted to the 
 history of the free school fight throws bright light on those days and in- 
 creases our admiration for the great men who did that pioneer work. . . . 
 The characters are all marked personalities, and the author makes them 
 live we feel acquainted with them, and are sorry to bid them good-bye. 
 The book is just out of press, and the few who have had the chance to read 
 it are unanimous in its praise. Teachers especially will find both enter- 
 tainment and instructive suggestion in its pages. We can recommend it 
 unreservedly to all readers, especially to those who are connected with 
 educational work."
 
 -THE SCHOOL BULLETIN PUBLICATION- 
 
 Anecdotes and Humors of School Life 
 
 No department of human employment or effort, perhaps, is more rich 
 in anecdote and incident than the school-room, and in none certainly can 
 judiciously chosen illustrations be more effectively used. The present 
 volume by a well-known Pennsylvania superintendent, Aaron Sheely, is 
 therefore offered to teachers and students in the hope that its many illus- 
 trative examples may be useful in helping to enforce and impress the daily 
 lessons of the school-room, and as a respite from severe school work. 
 
 Many teachers have found it an admirable exercise to read a short story, 
 like many of those here given, and ask for comments on the part of the 
 .school. To give a single illustration, a teacher read to a grammar grade 
 the story of ' Diluted Milk ", on page 90. 
 
 " Now, children," she said, as a smile passed around, " what is the point 
 of this story ?" 
 
 " Please Miss ,'^said a little girl eagerly, " I think it is that if you 
 
 cheat you are sure to get caught." 
 
 " I think the point lies in the ' sagacious '," suggested one of the boys. 
 
 "How is that?" 
 
 " Why, he asked about whether it was warm water or cold, as if there 
 wasn't any doubt that it was water of some kind, and so the carrier-boy 
 answered before he thought." 
 
 Thus the conversation went on for ten minutes, branching off on 
 whether college-boys would like to live that way now, whether the hard life 
 " some of them used to live made them better scholars, whether education 
 was worth so much sacrifice, whether "devour" was a wholly proper word 
 to use of eating bread and milk, and so on. Perhaps no class-exercise of 
 the day was more thoroughly profitable. 
 
 " The collection is singularly rich and varied, and the volume is a 
 worthy contribution to the literature of anecdote." N. T. Evening Post. 
 
 "Here we have brief incident, lively anecdote, and the flash of wit in 
 keen repartee. The articles are of necessity brief, varying in length from 
 4 few lines to one or two pages. The reader familiar with books and cur- 
 rent literature will find many things that he has seen before, but, we think, 
 still more that he has never seen. He will probably sit down, as the writer 
 has done, turning the leaves and laughing over old things and new, until 
 to his surprise the evening is gone. This compilation which is the only 
 one of its kind we know of is worthy a favorite place in the library of the 
 teacher, or the general reader." Pennsylvania School Journal. 
 
 " This collection of anecdotes, grave, humorous, and witty, is the most 
 complete and interesting compilation of its kind it has ever been our good 
 fortune to examine. Mr. Sheely, with rare good taste, has selected some 
 of the most side-splitting stories we have ever read, interspersed with many 
 of a more serious turn, so that both teacher and scholar may find profit and 
 amusement in this volume. A strong, healthful moral tone prevades it, and 
 it affords pleasant recreation for leisure moments." Ben tley's Book Buyer. 
 Cloth, 12mo., pp. 3SO. S1.5O
 
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