sion and in three or four weeks had become probationists.

I had adopted the New England custom of having each pupil read a verse
from the New Testament at the opening of school in the morning, and in a
short time Deacon Morrill and Elder Curray came to me with the
suggestion that I open the school with prayer. I replied that it would
not be just the thing for me to be very active in this for I was not a
professor of religion but that I had considered the matter and if the
boys were willing I should be very glad to call upon them in
alphabetical order for a prayer each morning. I submitted this question
to the pupils and found that, without exception, they were anxious to
adopt the plan. I then said that if it was adopted it would have to be
followed to the end of school, no matter what their wishes might be.

I made out a roll, putting the names down in order and called upon one
boy each morning for prayer. This worked well for a few weeks, but one
evening Mr. Hurlbut said to me that Charlie had told him, while they
were feeding the cattle, that night, that he would refuse to pray next
time I called upon him. I had found it unnecessary to inflict corporal
punishment upon a single pupil up to that time, but had in my desk a
good stout switch. A few mornings afterwards when it was Charlie's turn
to open the school with prayer, I called upon him and met a point blank
refusal. I directed his attention to what had been said at the outset
about continuing this as a school exercise when once adopted, and he
still refused. It became necessary for me to stop the insurrection
without delay. I took the switch, seized Charlie by the coat collar, as
he was attempting to get out of his seat, switched him around the legs
pretty smartly and the rebellion was at an end. Charlie prayed briefly,
but fervently. After that there was no more trouble but many of the boys
had somewhat fallen from grace before school ended. Yet they kept up
their devotional exercises without any urging on my part. Mr. Hurlbut
was something of a scoffer at religion and my prompt action with his boy
made me extremely popular in the district.

I boarded around as was the custom in those days and built my own fires
in the schoolhouse. Some of the pupils are still residents of that
neighborhood and I rarely meet one who does not remind me of my whipping
Charlie Hurlbut until, as they say, he dropped on his knees in prayer.

For my four months teaching I received