Very few teen nowa days have read these Latin authors. their emulation and exertion, nothing would have been wanting in him to an entire qualification for his office. But unfortunately, he had no dignity of character, and was no less destitute of the art of making himself respected than beloved. Though not perhaps intolerably severe, he made a pretty free use of the rattan and the ferule, but to very little purpose. As my evil star would have it, I was thoroughly boys of four- tired of books and confinement, and my mother's advice and even entreaties were overruled by my extreme repugnance to a longer continuance in the school. So, to my lasting regret, I bid it adieu when a little turned of fourteen, at the very season when the minds of the studious begin to profit by instruction. We were at this time reading Horace and Cicero, having passed through Ovid, Virgil, Cæsar, and Sallust. 80. A Word about Schools BY DR. ABEL ABBOT (ABOUT 1780) A WORD about schools. These were poor enough. We used to read, spell, write, and do numbers. The primer, spelling book, and the Bible were the books. My father became aware that the schools were useless and hired Mr. John Abbott, who was then in college, to teach a month in his vacation. He then invited other people to send their children free. This made the schools there of a different sort. For a number of years after this good teachers were hired for about eight weeks in the winter. They were usually students from college. Other places then began to have as good schools. I respect my father and mother deeply for their anxiety and sacrifices to give their children the best education possible. Their children, grandchildren, and so on to the twentieth generation will have reason to bless the memory of parents of such true worth. Now for something else. For breakfast in olden times there was bread and milk, as soon as the cows were milked. About nine o'clock there was a luncheon of bread and cheese, or fried pork and potatoes. For dinner we had a good Indian pudding. Often there were blue-berries or suet in it. We had also for dinner pork and beef, through the winter and spring, besides potatoes, turnips, and cabbage. At four or five o'clock in the summer evenings, we had some bread and cheese or the like. For supper we had bread and milk. When there was company chocolate was used for breakfast, but no coffee. Pewter basins and sometimes wooden bowls were used. Wooden plates were used for dinner. When a friend dined pewter plates and spoons were used by father, mother, and the friend. I do not think that swearing was ever heard in the town until after the Revolution. I do not remember seeing my father or mother angry; but they were sometimes displeased no doubt. I do not remember more than one man being drunk. Rum was commonly used at the raising of buildings. If the raising was finished before night, the men amused themselves with wrestling, goal, and coits. Goal was the favorite game of the boys after thanksgiving and Election days, the only holidays which I remember. 81. From Childhood to College BY SAMUEL KNEELAND (ABOUT 1750) THE most remarkable thing in my childhood was a wonderful talent which I possessed to imitate anything that I saw or heard. I could grunt like a hog, roar like a lion, or bellow like a bull. I was once very near being worried by a pack of rascally dogs, who took me for a fox, I deceived their ears with so natural a squeal. I was a particular favorite of all the hens in the neighborhood; I rivalled the cock with a crow as exquisite as it was inimitable. I will add for the satisfaction of my enemies, that when I hoot they would infallibly take me for an owl. Also on occasion, I can bray so very advantageously, that few donkeys can go beyond me. Nay, to such a perfection am I now arrived in the art of mimicry, that I am able not only to make any sound that I hear, but I have a faculty of looking like anybody I think fit. There is no person whom I have ever seen, but I can immediately throw all his features into my face, assume his air and monopolize his whole countenance. I remember when I was a school-boy my master once gave me an unlucky rap on my pate, for a fault committed by Giles Horror, whose visage I had at that time most unfortunately put on. Esau Absent may remember to this day, if he is living, how his mother took me for him, when I marched off in triumph, with a huge lunch of bread and butter, that was just spread for Esau's dinner. When I was three years old, I was sent to school to a mistress, where I learned to read with great dispatch; in my fifth year, I was taken away and put to a writing master. In my seventh year I could flourish a tolerable hand, and began my grammar. By the time that I was fourteen, I was considerably proficient in the Latin and Greek languages, and was admitted into Harvard College. Fithian was a went down to Virginia to be the tutor of the children of the wealthy Carter family, at their estate called Nom ini Hall. Horse races were the favorite amusement of the time in the southern 82. A Tutor and his Pupils BY PHILIP FITHIAN (1773-1774) We began school. The Two of Mr. Carters sons, Monday, November 1. school consists of eight. one nephew, and five daughters. The eldest son is reading Sallust; grammatical exercises, and Latin grammar. The second son is reading English grammar, and reading English writing, and ciphering in subtraction. The nephew is reading and writing as above; and ciphering in reduction. The eldest daughter is reading the Spectator, writing, and beginning to cipher. The second is reading now out of the spelling-book, and beginning to write. The next is reading in the spelling-book. The fourth is spelling in the beginning of the spelling-book. And the last is beginning her letters. Thursday, November 25. Rode this morning to Richmond Courthouse, where two horses ran for a purse of 500 pounds: besides small bets almost innumerable. One of the horses belonged to Colonel John Tayloe, and is called Yorick; the other to Dr. were usually Flood, and is called Gift. The Assembly was refollowed by a markably numerous; beyond my expectation and exceedingly polite in general. The horses started precisely at five minutes after three; the course was colonies, and ball called the Assem bly. |