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The Hoosier Schoolboy, a novel by Edward Eggleston |
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Chapter 21. The New Teacher |
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_ CHAPTER XXI. THE NEW TEACHER The new teacher who was employed to take the Greenbank school in the autumn was a young man from college. Standing behind the desk hitherto occupied by the grim-faced Mr. Ball, young Williams looked very mild by contrast. He was evidently a gentle-spirited man as compared with the old master, and King Pewee and his crowd were gratified in noting this fact. They could have their own way with such a master as that! When he called the school to order, there remained a bustle of curiosity and mutual recognition among the children. Riley and Pewee kept up a little noise by way of defiance. They had heard that the new master did not intend to whip. Now he stood quietly behind his desk, and waited a few moments in silence for the whispering group to be still. Then he slowly raised and levelled his finger at Riley and Pewee, but still said nothing. There was something so firm and quiet about his motion--something that said, "I will wait all day, but you must be still"--that the boys could not resist it. By the time they were quiet, two of the girls had got into a titter over something, and the forefinger was aimed at them. The silent man made the pupils understand that he was not to be trifled with. When at length there was quiet, he made every one lay down book or slate and face around toward him. Then with his pointing finger, or with a little slap of his hands together, or with a word or two at most, he got the school still again. "I hope we shall be friends," he said, in a voice full of kindliness. "All I want is to----" But at this point Riley picked up his slate and book, and turned away. The master snapped his fingers, but Riley affected not to hear him. "That young man will put down his slate." The master spoke in a low tone, as one who expected to be obeyed, and the slate was reluctantly put upon the desk. "When I am talking to you, I want you to hear," he went on, very quietly. "I am paid to teach you. One of the things I have to teach you is good manners. You," pointing to Riley, "are old enough to know better than to take your slate when your teacher is speaking, but perhaps you have never been taught what are good manners. I'll excuse you this time. Now, you all see those switches hanging here behind me. I did not put them there. I do not say that I shall not use them. Some boys have to be whipped, I suppose,--like mules,--and when I have tried, I may find that I cannot get on without the switches, but I hope not to have to use them." Here Riley, encouraged by the master's mildness and irritated by the rebuke he had received, began to make figures on his slate. "Bring me that slate," said the teacher. Riley was happy that he had succeeded in starting a row. He took his slate and his arithmetic, and shuffled up to the master in a half-indolent, half-insolent way. "Why do you take up your work when I tell you not to?" asked the new teacher. "Because I didn't want to waste all my morning. I wanted to do my sums." "You are a remarkably industrious youth, I take it." The young master looked Riley over, as he said this, from head to foot. The whole school smiled, for there was no lazier boy than this same Riley. "I suppose," the teacher continued, "that you are the best scholar in school--the bright and shining light of Greenbank." Here there was a general titter at Riley. "I cannot have you sit away down at the other end of the school-room and hide your excellent example from the rest. Stand right up here by me and cipher, that all the school may see how industrious you are." Riley grew very red in the face and pretended to "cipher," holding his book in his hand. "Now," said the new teacher, "I have but just one rule for this school, and I will write it on the blackboard that all may see it." He took chalk and wrote: DO RIGHT. "That is all. Let us go to our lessons." For the first two hours that Riley stood on the floor he pretended to enjoy it. But when recess came and went and Mr. Williams did not send him to his seat, he began to shift from one foot to the other and from his heels to his toes, and to change his slate from the right hand to the left. His class was called, and after recitation he was sent back to his place. He stood it as best he could until the noon recess, but when, at the beginning of the afternoon session, Mr. Williams again called his "excellent scholar" and set him up, Riley broke down and said: "I think you might let me go now." "Are you tired?" asked the cruel Mr. Williams. "Yes, I am," and Riley hung his head, while the rest smiled. "And are you ready to do what the good order of the school requires?" "Yes, sir." "Very well; you can go." The chopfallen Riley went back to his seat, convinced that it would not do to rebel against the new teacher, even if he did not use the beech switches. But Mr. Williams was also quick to detect the willing scholar. He gave Jack extra help on his Latin after school was out, and Jack grew very proud of the teacher's affection for him. _ |
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