Show the ilard hard school in the autumn of 1852 2 1 I received a visit from one of the superintending Super intending school committee of the town of G in the state slate of new hampshire ic ile he introduced himself as mr air brown and at once lie proceeded with his business he wished to employ a teacher for one of the schools in his town ile he ran lan his eye over my 1113 frame and I 1 s saw w the result was satisfactory y for lie immediately in expressed a desire to secure my services I 1 asked him what sort of a school it was wal lie he said with a peculiar twang 7 arid and a pronunciation not set down by our lexicographers its a booty hard school kaow I 1 tell ye but youve got the bone an muscle an ail I 1 reckon as aa hadow ye might 0 dew i it t ile he again ran liis his eye over my large sinewy fume flarrie arid and rubbed liis his hauda with evident satisfaction have scholars been in the habit babit of 0 gaining control of the school I 1 asked loid bless yo yes why no master can call start stand it a week ye see squire thebes some booty alfered stout boys in that etc eie school ye see they woi k in swamps and kind 0 rough in their ways we heirn hearn tell 0 you an ail I 1 was privileged 41 to offer oner ye yc forty dollars a month ef only conic come arid and keep it twice as much as we over ever paid afore how large is the school wal nigh onto sixty scholars all told when they come souie some boys an all spine some gals I 1 had headd of the school before arid and had been acquainted with tit an excellent teacher who had been thrown out of the school house and rolled in it a s I 1 snowbank snow bank by the large boys yet I 1 resolved solved ic to go and try it of personal I 1 dan dinger daner 0 er I 1 had no fear for I 1 hap belled to possess a large 6 fiame and proportionate amount of muscle I 1 had exercised cicely in our gymnasium and there was riot not another man in tile place who could at all hold III his strength strength by the side of mine nature had haa b been cen lavish in her favors and evil habits had riot not impaired the faculties god had given me I 1 told fold mr brown I 1 would keep the school 1 it was to com commence merice on the first day of december arid and continue three months but I 1 told him that I 1 must have my own way that in all things to the school I 1 must be master that my will must be abse absolute oven even to the casting r out of the scholars ho he said I 1 should have my own way arid and pledged ins his word that the committee com mitlee should not interfere in any way nor under any circumstances e cum um stances at the appointed time I 1 packed up tip rny my wardrobe and school books arid and started for G when I 1 reached tit alie village I 1 learned that my illy babool was in tile distant part of the town in a rugged region known as hollow on oil the follow following inC morning mr me brown took me over in ill liis his sleigh I 1 found my schoolhouse school house upon the edge of quite a settlement was located in a wide valley with high bleak mountains on all sides I 1 was taken at one once to the place I 1 was to board and in the latter respect I 1 was fortunate my hosts nama w wa s elias bonney ile ho was waa a bolto well to do farmer aaa ic t V forty five years of age a firm intelli gant ant man mail arid and one of tile select met or of tile the town lie ile had five children that were to attend the school the eldest being a gill of nineteen name named lydia and the yonn youngest gesta a bojor boy of seven mr brown remained to dinner arid and then their took his leave and as I 1 was alo alone ne will mr bonney I 1 began boin quire particularly about the school my host shook his head with a dubious expression you yon know what boys are he be said gl especially if had their way vay for a ions oil e time for six winters weve had no school that could be called a school there are quite a large number ber of stout boys and they aliey generally gene rilly contrive to got get the mater master out at tho end of tho the week but I 1 think find it haid ivnik to put you out 1 11 I dont know I 1 replied but I 1 re really ally want them to try it for int not apt to lie be very considerate when acting on the dell defense enso of mere brute force bonney s said aid lie should think it would be dangerous r for the alie sch olais to make the attempt but lie added with another dubious shake of the alie head tile the boys are not only stout arid and hearty but you must ri remember member there is a number of them once got get em cm started and they dont fear anything they have had masters to deal with but how many are they in the school I 1 asked who are really had bad alio ho are read ready y to lo go ahead in at any y evil pranks 11 bonny pondered a few moments and then replied ir why theres only two of them that are really ugly and even they aint bad neighbors kind ani and ready in case of need lint they seem determined to resist the schoolmaster school master 11 wo we kept up ill the conversation at intervals ter vals until bedtime bed bod time and when I 1 retired for the night I 1 had about made up tip my mind a as to tile the nature of tile work I 1 had to do I 1 had learned enough to a asure assure sure ric me of several important facts rn in the first hi at place each succeeding teacher had bad gone into to the schoolhouse with the firm belief that it he had to fight his way through this very feel feeling in ra had served to excite his cor combativeness bati veness so that his first position to the scholars was an antagonistic one the result had been inevitable at fighting the large scholars were handy thy they had prepared for it and tit expected it and consequently were easily led to to an exhibition of fugn cious qualities on the next morning I 1 found t the he building nearly new and looking clean and neat I 1 liked biked that I 1 went in and arranged my books on the desk mr bonney had given tile me the key to that desk informing 0 me ine at tho the same time that lie he believed there were sorn som implements there I 1 might need I 1 found a heavy rock maple ferule fertile some two feet long by two indies inches wide and three quarters of an inch thick it was a perfect club and was moreover enough 0 tu to excite the ire or of any decent person 1 who ivilo might see sec it brandis brandishes brandished bran dished lied about in tire the hands hand of a superior it was riot not alone it had a companion in tho the shapo shape of a ion lony stout heavy raw hide or green hide as they ale aie sometimes called I 1 let them remain in the desk at nine 1 rang the hand band bell with which my iny host boat had bad supplied me iiii tile buh olais toofe their seals beats 1110 school way was till lull and as I 1 gazed careful y around I 1 was pleased with most moat of tile ilie scholars there was a comely in L ielli ilig gent ailt bet fur for such a place but imon tho the largest boys there were ome faces which I 1 to study john putney arid and stephen Step lien oliver had beenson thoroughly described them the moment I 1 put my eyes upon them they were two bar liand d look 5 ing customers custom cis especially tho the fl finier putney was waa tall arid and stout with a licad head and riot not unlike those of a a lull bull he a scowl upon his face arid and seemed to loan lean back in ins his seat like one who held sway y oer all around when I 1 first came tu to him in my sweeping glance I 1 cati caught lit liis his eye he tried nai d to keep up tip ins his gaze but in ill a very lew secund seconds i ins his lids trembled arid and ilia hia eyes sank 1 knew I 1 could conquer linn hini tit in some way stephen oliver waa not so tall as jahu putney although komu said stronger but lie was wab k a a better man mail ills his face was snoie inter arid and lie he seemed see ined to have pride As soon boon as all was still I 1 made a few ler narks 1 opened the deak and di deiv lot coith th the ponderous ferule arid and i la 1 bhide tilde do these belon belong to any one in the school I 1 asked holding them up no onu one answered I 1 then asked aked lydia bonney lf if she knew to whom alicy belonged she said baid bile believed their last teacher bi ought them I 1 then ilien stepped down und and put them in llie elie stove after this I 1 told the scholars I 1 had come collie thele to teach them to help them t tj an ail education which would he fit them better lor for the various paths in life e they might be called upon to pui pill cue bue I 1 pictured red to them tile the educated man inan and woman in ill contrast to tile ig nobart and urged them to weigh beio gli well tire the I 1 gave them I 1 called up all tiry my of imagination arid and simplification tit in portraying ying the llie happy rei aults of af education 11 aud and moie inui e 11 said 1 I I 1 have come to help give you tins this education if only receive it arid and in order to gain it properly prop eily ly in m order or der to have a profitable school we must have order andi regularity we must all behave properly now I 1 an all sure you do riot not know as much geography history glain giammar arid and other branches of common school education as I 1 do consequently I 1 feel it my duty to impart to you all the information on oil this subject that I 1 can call but I 1 believe of that other qualification of a sc scholar horar you know as much as I 1 do you certainly know how to behave you know how to behave properly prop Pru etly Pelly how to be quiet studious arid and peaceable if is a scholar present who does doer riot not know how to do this will he or bile I 1 use so I 1 am in earnest if no one rises I 1 will consider that I 1 have an a ura from each cadi arid and every one of you that you know liow how to behave properly iro perly in school I 1 waited some moments but no one arose but I 1 could seu see that mr john putney was uneasy he seemed to fear that I 1 was compromising him in advance of his will however I 1 appeal pealed ed riot not to notice him 11 very well said 1 I I 1 thank you for tile the assurance arid and now I 1 am going to place tire the government or of lio lie s at your disposal you aro are all voters and I 1 want you to exercise the privilege shall we have during tho the continued to foeth ray 3 corning coming three months art an orderly model all in iii favor of eliat will hold up their light hand the gills first come colne I 1 ili avd 1 I awant want you yon to nil all vote one way ur or the other 1 ahall think all who to do not vote on the other bide all up 1 P by this time every right hand was up lip save Put putneys und and Oli olives veis the latter atter had got his half up when I 1 saw pit catch him by tile the aim and pull it down do it wain again w 0 ain tl down I 1 I 1 said now aie there any ally of the opposing 0 mind V jolin john putney hesitated but I 1 saw he was anxious to aibe hib hand if there aio it e any ones who do not wish visit tit an orderly school I 1 bu be pleased to know it I 1 ic burned foi I 1 ani am debei not to have beho scholars lars heie buic who need to bu be loicel lot ced into obedience 1 ani am not fond of Put hand cattle up with a ajnik jet k lind and I 1 taw haw imn him try to olivai up lip but I 1 had caught the latter latt eib eye and alid lie gave up tip to tile thu influence of hii al alaice gl aice what in ib your name 11 1 I asked my ay balile is john putney tile world over y lie le plied in ili a coatse impudent tone toile but yet thero there waa ivas an air ellort in it and do you not desire a good orderly school i 1 te sinned wai I 1 dont care caie much one way or tile the other he it replied in ill tile saint banu tone toile and I 1 could bee too that lie was tie nibling 0 ins his strength away fast very ave well 1 I 1 I 1 said baid in a fit inn tit but yet kind tone toile it such is your opinion then your presence hoiu lei e wll not only be useless to youl telf but ot ol gic gibat at to tile the rest lest air 0 tit the befool so you can call retire bercic we proceed lily any further lurl lier but should Ii you at it lily any time make up your mind nj ind it in with a debei initiation to bo be and gentlemanly you can call nii it As 1 I spoke I 1 stepped down and opened the door id 11 i uther stay here Vs 11 lie returned turning tinning pule pale but you cant stay here I 1 relied cd tit in a tone toile and with that tjade him stai t we cannot have you here for the good ut or the school and for the gald af pf the school alone you inuss leave lei vc I 1 cau call wait buta clit long er cr alid fellow was debei mined milled tu to try rny lily strength but lie light as a wull well have thought bf i dicing a alinn daib lei b lt it I 1 was waa nerved tu to my iny mood I 1 felt i in iny illy arnis and liandi batih that vele I 1 then ahme sampson once I 1 could havo have pulled down the or of tile 1 I 1 walked up tip to tire the mans seat scat for lie was a man inan in hi age age ta and size coming coining on onu and twenty within a month and placed my lily hand upon ins ills collar while lie he grasped the edge ot of tile the low desk hini ln rn and held on oil with one mighty 0 eforoi benoit t an ella inert ort that sui pi ased myself I 1 tore the fellow froni from his its heat rind and raised him above my lily licad I 1 on to tire outer anti N and when I 1 had the door atone stone I 1 cast him birn upon the snow ile iio scrambled to ins his reet t edit and an ail oath to abai anda Is ine inc I 1 sti rick win between tile eyes and knocked knock kno cled cil hin down I 1 beni and lifted him upland tip and thun then told liim hirn to RO go home ile cast ono one glance into my faeo biorn aiom out his almeady eyes e vs and then their with of vell bealice ge alice lio lie walked away I 1 returned to the schoolroom school room and of bouno ho found the scholars at the windows or rather rat lier iii in liing back to their seat scabs now said 1 I with a kindly smile suppose we try that vote over again for really I 1 feel a deep deane to have the whole school with roc me all who ate aie de deai sious ions or of having at an order I 1 ly v model school and are aie resolved to laboi labi tu to that cud clid will raise tho right baud evary hand went up tip in ill a moment and so I 1 commenced rny my school I 1 went to stephen Step lien oliver and asked hini him how bow far lie he had bad gone with his hib studies ile he told no me and I 1 then in 11 hini ln m that any evening even ing when he wished tor for assistance which I 1 might inight not be ablo to lender during school houri should be happy to grant it if lie it would call upon rile me at my lily ro room m ile he was waa as grateful as ever I 1 saw a person I 1 had made the scholars understand that I 1 should have no whipping going on oll itally if any one could not behave lie must leave the school I 1 had come to teach the various branches of coi common ninon english Ei iIi ii education and those who had not 0 yet learned to behave properly prope prop eily far enough advanced to be admitted ai to that m hool the scholars thenis themselves elvea had debei mined to have order I 1 had nerver 1101 had a better school I 1 have at times found it necessary to punish chialdi children chil dien en but I 1 knew tile the school had had al altogether torether too much of it und and I 1 ic lesol solved veit at tile the outset not to sti sanke lie a blow save in self defence and to turn aiom ft oni the school every child thit tha t would not obey oliver was of great assistance to me when 1 I fisli t d to tell leave tile loom for a S hoit bitne 1 I mt felt pi factly confident of oi 01 der in leaving hill anni tit lit charge cli aige ue he studied haid and VIV en long lie became a chii chiist st for knowledge lie ile spent many evenings t s envall rile and they profitable talle to both I 1 kept tile the school three weeks on oil the sabbath evening 0 following the thil a saturday satin day a aa I 1 bat with mr boll uey |