tary knowledge of all this should be ted on, and it should be taught in that odical but interesting way, that will e the pupil desire to know more for self, and enable him to read history pleasure. And in teaching history, may enforce, in a repetitive manner, leading facts of other studies. Geohical facts are especially to be imsed upon the mind in this way. connection with this, we remember a em pursued by a teacher of note, which intend to speak of, partly because it a degree of merit, and partly because lesire to provoke comments upon the ter by experienced teachers, to whose rs and ideas upon practical things, our es are always open. he teacher of whom we speak, used an nary History of the United States, as a -book. Thrice a week, a short passage the work was thoroughly learned by pupils, who were required to give, in r own language as far as possible, the se of what they had studied. When had been done, a series of questions, rlarded with instruction on collateral ters, was indulged in. he summary of a single lesson, will e a clear idea of the course pursued. he subject was the surrender of Cornlis at Yorktown, So soon as the class ned to have comprehended the facts details of the surrender, the geography hat section of Virginia was brought to r consideration. A large map of the ce was suspended on the wall in full t, and each pupil's atlas was open behim, at the corresponding map there. questions then were put, without regrotation as to pupils, somewhat in this ੩: . Where is Yorktown situated? What was the population and general racter of the town at the time of the ender? . What was its population in 1860? What is the character of the stream? 265 9. What is the character of the stream? 10. What counties does it drain? 11. Name its principal branches. 12. What towns are on the York river? 13. What on its branches? 14. What towns are on the James river! 15. What on its branches? 16. Give the population of those towns at the last census. 17. What is the distance between the two rivers at Yorktown? 18. Why is the ground between the two rivers called the Peninsula? As each question was answered, the teacher corrected errors and supplied defective information. After this, he gave a rapid but clear description of the character of the Peninsula, its soil and productions; spoke of the stratum of shell-marl which underlaid it, the consequent badness of the well and spring water, the use of cisterns, the prevalence of disease during the months of August, September, and October, the scale and shell-fish found in the adjacent waters, and other points of interest. The questions were then resumed: 19. You have named some towns on the James river. What two of these are distinguished for their manufactures? 20. Name the principal articles manufactured at Richmond. 21. Why does the Richmond flour command such a high price in the New York market? 22. What seaport is at the mouth of the James river? 23. What is the name of its harbor? 24. What fortifications are there? 25. What is the distinction between a fortress and a fort? 26. What government works are near Norfolk? 27. What is a navy-yard? And so the subject was continued until exhausted, correcting erroneous views in the pupils' minds, and adding collateral facts as occasion arose. Much of this was doubly repetitive, for a portion of it had been gone over previously, when the action of the Provincial Assembly at Williamsburg had been under consideration; but it was none the worse for that. In the same manner, the battle of Bun L-- T:11 the fight at I the bottle of Brandywine, the capture of Andrè, the contest for the charter in Connecticut, the battle of the Thames, the signing of the Declaration, Fulton's application of the steamboat, and other salient points, were in their turn examined and discussed; and the general facts in geography, natural history, and philosophy, impressed indelibly upon the pupils' minds. It became a matter of amusement and interest to them, looked for thrice a week anxiously; in seeking the answers to the special questions, they picked up more facts, that came readily to their minds at future lessons; and they acquired a love for the studies thus touched on, and a thirst for the acqui I RAN ADKINS. DID not enter into school-life by way of the clock-peddler's cart, as some people seem to think all the old-fashioned schoolmasters did. I made my advent among teachers in a very humble way, however. I began in a field schoolhouse, one badly built at that, in the hilly region of Western Virginia. I was never specially educated for the profession. There were no normal schools in those days. A wandering teacher would come along, generally from New England, and the neighbors would club, together, and send him a sufficient number of pupils. He would teach for a year or two, take up a bit of ground, indulge in speculation and quarterracing, range a few cattle in the neighboring hills, get well-to-do, and then abandon his school to a new-comer, or to itself. In that way, the "rising generation" had the taste of a variety of teachers, and a touch of various systems of instruction. All the latter were based, however, on the knockdown and drag-out plan. A teacher was considered most excellent, who could flog the whole school into subjection in a month; but he who managed to terrify the little boys and thrash the big ones, on the first day, was a pearl of great price, indeed. I was born in that section, and was wellacquainted with the manners and customs of the sturdy mountaineers. When about L to] Ran Adkins. or nearly so, was in debt to them, nobody paid. As the firm had started out capital, it had a capital fallare. was another storekeeper in the e-Andrew Schwindler-but he was wn clerk, and wanted no aid. There s, about the beginning of winter, witha situation, and possessed of capital th, and ten dollars, forty cents. mething or somebody had to be ," as some author with lax notions of ality, puts it. What, or who? was the stion. 267 bright idea came. I will teach wouldn't do, but the attempt to keep bol. he last teacher had left a month before, ng with him a black eye, as a token regard from the biggest boy in the 001. No one had mustered courage to his place. The mass of the pupils ht indeed be managed, by force or tage; but there was one, who was re untamable than the wild hore of desert. Randolph Adkins-familarly an as Ran Adkins-was the Mordecai the Hamans of the rod, the terror of agogues, Lord of Misrule, and chief k of the Walk. had, however, no particular terror of Adkins. He and I were firm friends. was a stout, strapping boy of nineteen rs, with all the thews and sinews of a of thirty. He could jump farther, fa ter, and lift a greater weight, than one for twenty miles around. He was a promising scholar, being only able to d by skipping the hard words, and after ng attended every school opened for years, could only cipher as far as leng sion. He would have done better, but a theory. He took it into his head that teacher coull do him any good, unless was able to pound him first. As RanDe father had let him grow up like a 1 colt-was plucky and stout, for five rs no teacher had been able to take the sary first steps, and the acquirements he junior Adkins had not increased. I - no fear of him, however, partly bese he and I were good friends, and ly for another reason, to be revealed school. "Oh," said I, "that'll be all right. There won't be any one there that you can't whip, and you must help me through." "It can't be did!" was the emphatic answer. "Round yer, it's all right. Ef any chap was to tackle you, I'd pitch in sudden; but no man kin larn me anything that don't lick me fust; and I reckon you dont think you kin lick me.” I had my own thoughts on that matter, but I kept them to myself. "Well," said I, "I'm sorry, Ran; but I've promised, and I intend to keep my word. If we two do have a fight, you must fight fair." "I'll do it," cried Ran, his eyes brightening; "nary gougin', nor hittin' when yer down, but a fair, stand off aila'r. But ye'd better go to somethin' else." I shook my head. Ran endeavored to persuade me to renounce my foolish intention, but in vain. He left, at length, with a mournful air. He liked me very muchhe had a great admiration for my many good qualities; but it was a point of honor to whip the schoolmaster, and before his sense of his duties as a public character, his feelings of private attachment gave way. Monday morning came, and the school children gathered together. A very healthy, honest, and ignorant set they were; with quick perceptive faculties, generally, and good material for fine men and women. But they did not come as participants in school exercises on that nounced that I would open school morning. They were there as spectators. It was understood that Ran Adking was to he se quel. "lick" the new master, and they were there to witness the pleasant and improving spectacle. So soon as nine o'clock arrived, the little hand-bell was rung as a signal, and the pupils entered, with Ran at their head, and took their seats. I explained to them how I expected them to behave, and what I wanted them to do; and after examining them each briefly, I arranged them in classes. Ran I left to the last. "Now," I said, "I am about to examine you, Randolph Adkins, in order to see where I shall place you. Come up to the desk." "It can't be did," said he, shaking his head. "You've got to lick me fust, you know; and I'll be "here he added a word more forcible than elegant, "ef it lies in your boots to do it." 'Randolph,” said I, coolly, “I have just laid down two rules to the school. One forbids profane words, and the other all vulgar expressions. You have violated both these rules, and it is necessary to punish you for the offence, as well as to set an example to others in the matter." I advanced to Ran, who saw I was in earnest. The school was quiet with expectation. The little girls all huddled closer, and the eyes of the boys dilated with expectant delight. Ran waited until I came within arm's length, and then aimed at me a ponderous blow. The blow was weighty, the intention earnest; but what are intentions and blows, against science? My old lessons in fisticuff knowledge were brought into play. I parried the blow with my right hand, and "put in a left-hander," as the fancy say, that "floored" my antagonist. Down went Ran with a force that made the puncheon floor rattle. As agile as a cat, he was on h and in his rage at th mine, ran forward throat. Left open t he received this time hand, and down he a little slower than b with more caution. another blow, which my left arm, and, in right-hander," which back. Ran rose slowly, the blood from his nc chief, came towards m his head, and went to fore he sat down, he addressed the wonde memorable words: "Boys, we've got Ef any one kin. That's certing." count. My throne was now rebel had given in h went to business. I have taught scho for my success in that vocation; I have guid sands in the path to k taught myself a deal; a pupil so docile as R one who made so muc a time. He pursued fashion that Jehu dr now that he is a famo comes to attend the S city where my large a is located, without dev recalling old times to laughing with me ove him upright in the te by first knocking him door-hole at the side. As the cirtances of the emigrant improve, or he ns leisure, he erects him a building of a logs, with a stone chimney, and a le roof. In this he rarely places a Low-hardly ever more than one. e is no ventilation, and a full supply aylight is only had by opening the The schoolhouse is built after a e fashion than the dwelling, and being y ventilated at all times, is uncomfortcold in winter, and unpleasantly hot ummer. For all this there is no need. a teacher and pupils are entitled to er accommodations, and they could e them with no more trouble than that en at the present time. We propose to the ground-plan, and some remarks n the general structure of a building, ch can be erected as readily as any of se in present use. As most of these backwoods schools, ecially in thinly-settled districts, are de up of few pupils, the schoolhouse ed not be very large, but it should be ways of that size that would afford ample om for its inmates. It should be suffintly lofty to allow the voice full play; d should have enough windows to trans 269 mit abundant light, and aid in the passage outwards of carbonized air. Its door should be sheltered from the blast, by a vestibule; and should be so arranged, that, on being opened in winter, a sudden change of temperature will not be effected within. It should have the chimney as much within as possible-if entirely inside the logs, so much the better. The wood-pile should be covered from the weather, and connected with the schoolroom. There should be a substantial stone foundation, banked with earth, and sunk, at least, eighteen inches in the ground, to prevent its displacement by frost. The earth-stopping will prevent the cold, winter winds from coming up through the crevices of the puncheon floor, and cutting the legs of the children. The roof, whether of puncheons, slabs, or shingles, should have a high pitch, and the joints should lap perfectly. In laying the floor, the joists should be supported in the centre by stonę pillars, and should be not more than two feet from centre to centre, unless very heavy. About two feet beneath the roof, there should be small notches cut in one log, on each side, at intervals through its length, for purposes of ventilation. d. The |