THE NEW ENGLAND COUNTRY SCHOOL.

THE following sketch of a Country School in New England-" as it was," is copied from the "Columbian Muse, a selection of American l'oetry, from various authors--published by Matthew Carey, Philadelphia, 1794,"-where it is credited to the New Hampshire Spy.

"PUT to the door-the school's begun―

Stand in your places every one,—
Attend,-

"Read in the bible,-tell the place-"
"Job twentieth and the seventeenth verse-
"Caleb, begin." "And-he-shall-suck-
Sir, Moses got a pin and stuck—”

66

Silence,-stop Caleb-Moses! here!"
"What's this complaint?” “I didn't, Sir,”-
"Hold up your hand,-What is't a pin ?"

"O dear, I won't do so agin."

"Read on." "The increase of his b-b-borse-'

"Hold: H, O, U, S, E, spells house."

Sir, what's this word? for I can't tell it."

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THE COUNTRY SCHOOL

"Can't you indeed! Why spell it.”
'Begin yourself, I say." Who, I?"

46

"Yes, try. Sure you can spell it." "Try."
"Go, take your seats and primers, go,
You sha'n't abuse the bible so."

"Will pray Sir Master mend my pen?"

Say, Master, that's enough. Here Ben,

Is this your copy?" "Can't you tell?"
"Set all your letters parallel."

"I've done my sum-'tis just a groat-".
"Let's see it." "Master, m' I g' out?

"Spell it."

"Yes,-bring some wood in-What's that noise?"
"It isn't I, Sir, it's them boys."

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"Come Billy, read-What's that!" "That's A-"

"Sir, Jim has snatch'd my rule away-"

"Return it, James. Here, rule with this

Billy, read on,"-"That's crooked S."

"Read in the Spelling-book-Begin."

The boys are out"-" Then call them in-"

"My nose bleeds, mayn't I get some ice,

And hold it in my breeches ?"-"Yes."

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'John, keep your seat." My sum is more—”
"Then do't again-Divide by four,

By twelve, and twenty-Mind the rule.
Now speak, Manassah, and spell tool."
"I can't"-"Well try"-"T, W, L."
"Not wash'd your hands yet, booby, ha?
You had your orders yesterday.

Give me the ferrule, hold your hand."

"Oh! Oh!" 66 There,-mind my next command."

46

"The grammar read. Tell where the place is." "C sounds like K in cat and cases." "My book is torn." "The next."

"Here not-"

"E final makes it long-say note.
What are the stops and marks, Susannah?"

"Small points, Sir."-" And how many, Hannah?"

"Four, Sir." "How many, George? You look :"

"Here's more than fifty in my book." "How's this? Just come, Sam?" "Why I've been-" "Come in." "Who knocks?" "I don't know, Sir."

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Your most obedient, Sir?" And yours." "Sit down, Sir." Sam, put to the doors." "What do you bring to tell that's new!" "Nothing, that's either strange or true. What a prodigious school! I'm sure You've got a hundred here, or more. A word, Sir, if you please." "I willYou girls, till I come in be still."

"Come, we can dance to night-so you Dismiss your brain distracting crew, And come-For all the girls are there. We'll have a fiddle and a player." "Well, mind and have the sleigh-bells sent, I'll soon dismiss my regiment."

"Silence! The second class must read

As quick as possible-proceed..

Not found your book yet? Stand—be fix’d—
The next read, stop-the next—the next.
You need not read again, 'tis well."

"Come Tom and Dick, chuse sides to spell.
"Will this word do?" "Yes, Tom spell dunce.
Sit still there all you little ones."

"I've got a word," "Well, name it."
"You spell it Sampson." "G, I, Z."
"Spell conscience, Jack." "K, O, N,-
S, H, U, N,
S."
"Well done!"
"Put out the next"-" mine is folks."

"Tim, spell it"-"P, H, O, U, X."

"O shocking! Have you all try'd?" "No."

•

Say Master, but no matter, go

Lay by your books-and you, Josiah,

Help Jed to make the morning fire."

"Gizzard."

INDEX TO ENGLISH PEDAGOGY.