TEACHING AND LEARNING.
First Term at College--The Pleasure of real Success--James Garfield
meets his Wife--He applies for a Schoolmastership--A Generous Offer.
It is sometimes said that education spoils lads for hard work. As a
teacher in after years, Garfield had often to argue this point with the
fathers of his pupils, who feared lest the college should unfit their
boys for the farm and the forest. But better than any argument was his
own example.
His first duty on returning home from school was to build his mother a
new barn. "It spoils some boys to go to school," said his brother
Thomas at the beginning of the first vacation, but it had not spoiled
James Garfield.
With his brother's help, he built the barn, and then set off to find
work among the neighbouring farmers. Haymaking occupied him for
several weeks, then a
[Transcriber's note: pages 81 and 82 missing.]
It was this moral courage which gave Garfield his great influence over
his companions all through life. And when, after his second term at
Geauga; he felt himself able to undertake the charge of one of the
winter schools, which were started for small settlers' children, it was
this quality, above all others, which made him a successful teacher.
He finished his second term at the top of his class. His mental powers
were now thoroughly awakened, his mind was quick, his memory retentive,
and he soon out-distanced all competitors. Every evening during the
session he had found his way into the carpenter's shop, and with such
results, that he finished the term in good health, without debt, and
with nearly a pound in his pocket.
Now he was resolved to try his hand at "keeping school." But at first
he had some difficulty in finding a school to keep. His youthful
appearance frightened the managers at one place; they did not want "a
boy to teach at their school." His second and third applications were
too late; the vacancies were filled up. At the next place he was even
more discouraged, for, said the manager, "We had one fellow from Geauga
Seminary, and he made such a botch of it, that we don't want another."
As frequently happens, the opportunity came just when hope was lowest.
He reached home thoroughly discouraged with these repeated refusals,
and almost too hopeless to respond to his mother's kindly, cheerful
words. But there was a purpose in all this apparent failure. At his
own door lay the task which was to try the metal in the man, and it was
here that young Garfield was to prove the master spirit that was in him.
At a place close by, called The Ledge, was a school without a teacher.
And next morning one of the members of the committee of management came
over to offer the post of master to young Garfield.
James was eager enough to secure a school, yet he hesitated to accept
this offer. The Ledge was a district notorious for the roughness of
its inhabitants, and for the unruly character of its young people.
Besides, many of the youths in this school were old acquaintances of
Garfield, and the young teacher naturally shrank from undertaking such
a charge.
After duly considering the matter, however, Garfield accepted the post.
His pupils were the sons and daughters of the neighbouring farmers, and
many of them were quite grown up. They worked on the farm in the
summer, and then attended school for a few months in the winter.
Garfield, of course, knew well enough that while among such a class
there were a few like himself, anxious to get an education, a still
larger number were quite indifferent, and looked upon the school as a
place for unbridled fun. Two previous masters they had already driven
out, and the committee had experienced as much difficulty in procuring
a master, as Garfield had found in securing a school.
James feared that his scholars, knowing so much of his early history,
would be likely to hold both his scholarship and his character somewhat
lightly. He found, however, that this acquaintance was really his best
recommendation.
His manly, straightforward character had an attraction for them; his
skill and strength as an athlete, and his known courage, ensured him
the respect even of the most turbulent among his scholars. The lads
felt that their master was a boy who was making his way in life; they
knew that he was no mere bookworm, but one of themselves, only stronger
and abler.
His shrewd native wit saved him from many a mistake. He was prudent
and firm, ready and resourceful, and his sharp tongue was a weapon they
feared even more than his heavy hand. His wildest scholars admired
him; while his sympathy with those pupils who, like himself, possessed
no advantages save such as could be gained by their own hands, endeared
him to the more thoughtful.
Thus, when his first season as a teacher was ended, he returned home
with the reputation of one of the most successful common schoolmasters
in the country.