Well had the boding tremblers learned to trace
The day's disasters in his morning face;
Full well they laughed with counterfeited glee
At all his jokes, for many a joke had he;
Full well the busy whisper circling round
Conveyed the dismal tidings when he frowned.

Yet he was kind, or, if severe in aught,
The love he bore to learning was in fault;
The village all declared how much he knew:
'Twas certain he could write, and cipher too;
Lands he could measure, terms and tides presage,
And even the story ran that he could gauge;1
In arguing, too, the parson owned his skill,
For, even though vanquished, he could argue still;
While words of learned length and thundering sound
Amazed the gazing rustics2 ranged around;
And still they gazed, and still the wonder grew,
That one small head could carry all he knew.

CLASS ACTIVITIES

1. Read aloud the lines that show five leading characteristics of this schoolmaster.

2. Compare this schoolmaster with the one described in Whittier's "Snow-Bound," on p. 37. Compare him also with Williams, in "The New Teacher," p. 94. Which would you prefer for a teacher? Give reasons.

Find

3. Contrast the school life of these early days with your own. three differences. When you have written on the board three words suggesting the differences, all write sentences expressing the meaning represented by each word. Read your sentences aloud; choose the best, and write it after each of the key words on the board.

4. Suggestions for two-minute talks:

a. How our schools of to-day secure good order.

b. Three characteristics of a good schoolroom.

1 gauge: to find the position of a vessel in regard to the wind.
2 rustics: country people.

c. The school my grandfather tells about.

d. How pupil officers help keep order in our school.

e. The difference between noise and disturbance in our classroom.

ADDITIONAL READINGS. I. "The Old-Fashioned School," N. Hawthorne, Grandfather's Chair, Part II, 80-85. 2. "Daniel Webster's School Days," in Home and Country Readers, Book I, 31-41. 3. "School Life in Colonial Days,” A. M. Earle, Child Life in Colonial Days, 63-89. 4. "Women Teachers and Girl Scholars," ibid., 90-116. 5. "The Oldest School Books in America," ibid., 117-149. 6. How Our Grandfathers Lived, A. B. Hart, 317-371. 7. "The Rules of the Game," S. E. White, in Joy in Work, 121–135. 8. "Schools of a Hundred Years Ago," A. Repplier, in St. Nicholas, 23:901-903. 9, "Schools of Long Ago in Pennsylvania," E. Eggleston, in St. Nicholas, 12: 643-645.

3. DOTHEBOYS HALL

CHARLES DICKENS

It is hard to believe that any schoolmaster could have been so cruel as Squeers in the following story. But the narrative is true about some of the schools of England a hundred years ago.

Read rapidly through the entire story, finding passages which will help you give an oral report on "Three Characteristics of Squeers." Read thoughtfully a second time the passages you select, keeping in mind the topic, "Three Characteristics of Squeers."

"EDUCATION.At Mr. Wackford Squeers's Academy, Dotheboys Hall, at the delightful village of Dotheboys, near Greta Bridge in Yorkshire, Youth are boarded, clothed, booked, furnished with pocket-money, provided with all necessaries, instructed in all languages living and dead, mathematics, writing, and arithmetic. Terms, twenty guineas per annum. N.B. An able assistant wanted."

When Nicholas Nickleby read the above advertisement in a London paper he carefully copied the address of Mr. Squeers and hurriedly set forth in quest of that accomplished gentleman. Nicholas was greatly in need of a position and this

opening seemed very attractive. Full of anxiety lest some more fortunate candidate might have preceded him, Nicholas arrived at the Saracen's Head, where Mr. Wackford Squeers was temporarily lodged.

Mr. Squeers's appearance was not prepossessing. He had but one eye. The blank side of his face was much wrinkled and puckered up, which gave him a very threatening appearance, especially when he smiled. His hair was very flat and shiny, save at the ends, where it was brushed stiffly up from a low protruding forehead, which assorted well with his harsh voice and coarse manner.

Mr. Squeers was standing in a corner of the room near a very small trunk, and on the trunk was perched a small boy, with his shoulders drawn up to his ears, and his hands planted on his knees, who glanced timidly at the schoolmaster from time to time, with evident dread. Suddenly the little boy gave a violent sneeze.

"Halloa, sir!" growled the schoolmaster, turning round. "What's that, sir?"

"Nothing, please, sir," said the little boy.

"Nothing, sir!" exclaimed Mr. Squeers.

"Please, sir, I sneezed," rejoined the boy, trembling till the little trunk shook under him.

"Oh! sneezed, did you?" retorted Mr. Squeers. "Then what did you say 'nothing' for, sir?"

For lack of a better answer to this question, the little boy screwed a couple of knuckles into each of his eyes and began to cry; wherefore Mr. Squeers knocked him off the trunk with a blow on one side of his face, and knocked him on again with a blow on the other. "Wait till I get you down into Yorkshire, my young gentleman," said Mr. Squeers, “and then I'll give you the rest. Will you hold that noise, sir?" "Ye-ye-yes," sobbed the little boy, rubbing his face very

hard.

"Then do so at once, sir," said Squeers. "Do you hear?" As this command was uttered with a savage leer, the little

boy rubbed his face harder, and between sniffing and choking, gave no further vent to his emotions.

"Mr. Squeers," said the waiter at this juncture, "here is a gentleman asking for you."

"Show the gentleman in, Richard,” replied Mr. Squeers, in a soft voice. "Put your handkerchief in your pocket, you little scoundrel, or I'll murder you when the gentleman goes."

The schoolmaster had scarcely uttered these words in a fierce whisper, when Nicholas Nickleby entered. Affecting not to see him, Mr. Squeers feigned to be intent upon mending a pen, and offering benevolent advice to his youthful pupil.

"My dear child," said Mr. Squeers, "all people have their trials. This early trial of yours that is fit to make your little heart burst, and your very eyes come out of your head with crying, what is it? Nothing; less than nothing. You are leaving your friends, but you will have a father in me, my dear, and a mother in Mrs. Squeers."

At this point Nicholas interrupted with an inquiry concerning the advertisement in the paper.

Mr. Squeers, after offering objections to his youth, finally engaged Nicholas as assistant master of Dotheboys Hall. Nicholas, overjoyed at his success, could almost have worshipped Squeers on the spot.

"At eight to-morrow morning, Mr. Nickleby," said Squeers, "the coach starts."

On arriving at the coffee-room next morning he found Mr. Squeers sitting at breakfast, with five little boys, whom he was to take down with him, ranged in a row on the opposite seat. Mr. Squeers had before him a small measure of coffee, a plate of hot toast, and a cold round of beef, but he was at that moment intent on preparing breakfast for the little boys.

"What a rare article milk is, to be sure, in London!" said Mr. Squeers, with a sigh. "Just fill that mug up with lukewarm water, William, will you?"

"To the wery top, sir?" inquired the waiter. "Why, the milk will be drownded."

"Never you mind that," replied Mr. Squeers. "Serve it right for being so dear. You ordered that thick bread and butter for three, did you?"

"Coming directly, sir."

"You needn't hurry yourself," said Squeers, "there's plenty of time. Conquer your passions, boys, and don't be eager after vittles." As he uttered this, Mr. Squeers took a large bite out of the cold beef, and recognized Nicholas.

"Sit down, Mr. Nickleby," said Squeers. "Here we are, abreakfasting, you see.'

Nicholas did not see that anybody was breakfasting, except Mr. Squeers; but he bowed with all becoming reverence, and looked as cheerful as he could.

"Oh, that's the milk and water, is it, William?" said Mr. Squeers. "Very good; don't forget the bread and butter presently."

At this fresh mention of the bread and butter, the five little boys looked very eager, and followed the waiter out, with their eyes; meanwhile Mr. Squeers tasted the milk and water.

"Ah," said that gentleman, smacking his lips, "here is richness! Think of the many beggars and orphans in the streets that would be glad of this, little boys. A shocking thing hunger is, isn't it, Mr. Nickleby?"

"Very shocking, sir," said Nicholas.

"When I say number one," pursued Mr. Squeers, putting the mug before the children, "the boy on the left hand nearest the window may take a drink; and when I say number two, the boy next him will go in, and so till we come to number five, which is the last boy. Are you ready?"

"Yes, sir," cried all the little boys with great eagerness. "That's right," said Squeers, calmly getting on with his breakfast, "keep ready till I tell you to begin. Subdue your appetites, my dears, and you've conquered human nature. This is the way we build strength of mind, Mr. Nickleby,"