Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 3, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 September 1885 — An Old-Time Schoolmaster. [ARTICLE]

An Old-Time Schoolmaster.

A hundred and fifty years ago,among the German settlers of Pennsylvania, there was a remarkable old schoolmaster whose name was Christopher Dock. For three days he taught school at a little place called Skippack, and then for the next three days he taught at Salford. Whenever one of his younger scholars succeeded in learning his ABC, the good Christopher Dock required the father of his pupil to give his son a penny, and also ask his mother to cook two eggs for him as a treat in honor of his diligence. To poor children in a new country these were fine rewards. At various other points in his progress, an industrious child in one of Dock’s schools received a penny from his father and two eggs cooked by his mother. All this time he was not counted a member of the school, but only as on probation. The day on which a boy or girl began to read was the great day. If the pupil had been diligent in spelling, the master, on the morning after the first reading day, would give a ticket carefully written or illuminated with his hand. This read: “Industrious—l penny.” This showed that the scholar was now really_ received into the school. There were no clocks or watches; the children came to school one after another, taking their places near the master, who sat writing. They spent their time reading out of the Testament until all were there. But every one who succeeded in reading his verse without mistake stopped reading, and came and sat at the writing-table to write. The poor fellow who remained last on the bench was called Lazy Scholar. k The funniest of Dock’s rewards was that which he gave to those who made no mistake in their lessons. He marked a large O with chalk on the hand of the perfect scholar. Fancy what a time the boys and girls must have had trying to go home -without rubbing out this O,! —Edward Eggleston, in SL Nicholas.