men endowed with a practical common-sense education, eminently fitted for the work of the pioneer. They were capable of grasping and successfully solving the problems of every day's need, and, at the same time, the more talented among them received the stimulus which prompted further study, and gave to the country when necessity arose, the wise speculator who developed the business resources, the trained surgeon, the skilful engineer, the studious. scientist, and the brilliant statesman.

The first school taught was presided over by Amos Comly, but the location of the school is Location. not now known. One of the very earliest schools was situated about a mile and a half north of Union Springs on the corner opposite the place now occupied by George Hibbard. Another log school-house was on the north side of Schoby street, and later a stone school-house was built west of this one. A very old log school-house was situated in the northeastern part of the town near what was later known as Thompson's Mills. The brick school house south of the village was built about seventy years ago.* The school house at Power's Corners was also a very early one, and afterward a stone building on the west side of the road north of Union Springs was used. Then came a school on what is now Center street in the village.

*One of the earliest teachers in this school was Justus Gage.

In those days the boys all wore "butternut" suits, and the girls were dressed in "linsey-woolsey." Quill pens and ink horns were used. The children came to school when very young, and attended off and on until half grown. On account of the distance to walk, the younger children went chiefly in the summer when the going was good, while the older boys and girls attended more regularly during the winter months when there was less farm work.

Studies.

For a long time after entering school they studied nothing but a little, square primer, highly colored, and containing such edifying "literature" as a bab, and when that was thoroughly comprehended, they learned that b a spelled ba. These books cost about a shilling and were sometimes given as a reward for good conduct.

More advanced pupils "did sums" and studied the three R's in arithmetic, spelling, geography and other common branches. In 1780, Thomas Dilworth published in Philadelphia, a "New Guide to the English Tongue." This is printed in old-fashioned text on coarse paper, curiously illustrated with rude woodcuts, and is a combination of spelling; grammar; reading, chiefly fables; and has also some of Addison's hymns and various forms of prayer for infants. Through the courtesy of the Lowry family who have loaned a copy which was used by James Lowry I, in 1792, I am enabled to give the following introduction and two fables from this work.

STUDIES

INTRODUCTION

"To Mr. Dilworth on his New Guide.

What Thanks, my Friend, fhould to thy Care be given,
Which makes the Paths to Science fmooth and even?
Henceforth our Youth who tread thy flow'ry Way,
Shall ne'er from Rules of proper Diction ftray:
No more their Speech with barb'rous Terms be filled :
No more their Pens a Crop of Nonfenfe yield;
But chofen Words in due Arrangement ftand,
And Senfe and Elegance go Hand in Hand.
Attend ye fprightly Youths, ye modeft Fair,
Awhile be Arts of Drefs your flighter Care:
Awhile the Precepts of thefe Pages heed,
And richer ornaments will foon fucceed;
Your Friends delighted fhall your Talk attend,
And think too foon your pleafing Letters end.
How do we blufh to hear the untutor'd Tongue
Of fome gay Idiot, painful Speech prolong?
The dark Difcourfe, no Ray of Reafon clears,
An uncouth Chaos, void of Form appears :
What Pity to behold fome beauteous Toaft,
Whofe piercing Eyes a thousand Conquests boasts,
With fuch prepoft'rous Terms her Billet fwell,
As prove the Nymph can neither read nor fpell.
With fuch Reproach no more fhall ftain the Fair,
Who make thy early Rules their timely Care :
Nor Teachers more bewail their ill Succefs,
Who on young Minds these useful Lessons prefs."

J. Dick.

59

These fables are good examples of the moral nature of the reading. The moral of the first one will be readily recognized as being the same as is embodied