After being in New York about eleven months, my maternal grandfather sent for me to return to Boston for the benefit of my education, as the New York schools were very much inferior to those of Boston. My parents being willing, I returned to my grandfather's family, and was put to school. At that time there were separate* schoolhouses for each department of scholarship, so that the attendance was half the day to each, during the summer months, both for boys and girls, the latter not attending school during the winter; and then the four classes were divided into two parts, the first and third made one, the second and fourth the other. The reading and grammar schools that I attended were the old Bingham, at the head of Nassau street, under charge of Dr.
Asa Bullard, and the other was at the head of West street, and commanded by Rufus Webb, Esq. I often look back at my school days, and compare the advantages of that time with those of the present day. Then, the books of the first class consisted of the American Preceptor, a small edition of a dictionary, a very diminutive grammar, called young ladies' accidents, and a little paper geographical catechism, containing about twenty-five pages. The contents of the latter I can repeat at the present time, nearly word for word. We afterwards had an abridged history of England, and a new grammer by Peter Cochran, but notwithstanding the apparent scarcity of school books at this period, some of the most active and intelligent merchants of Boston, New York, New Orleans, and in most of the seaports of the United States, had no other school education than what they received at the Boston public school.
There are also those who are now enjoying, and those who have filled high and responsible positions, and one of the most popular of our modern poets, (whose poetic talents are known throughout Europe,) who were classmates with me, and I believe never attended any other school. Then there were not half so many attractions to lure the youthful mind as at the present time; the reading was more of an instructive character, than much that falls into the hands of young persons now. Although it is certain, that B the numerous associations, composed entirely of young men, such as Lyceums, Public Libraries, Scientific Lectures, and a host of moral and intellectual institutions, cannot fail of producing men of superior attainments.
My comparison was only intended to show that close application to anything, no matter what the difficulties or deficiencies may be, will, with few exceptions, come out successfully. At the early time of which I am speaking of my own education, the discipline and punishments were severe, and in some cases cruel, but visited only on those who were delinquent in their studies, or unruly in their conduct. Mr. Haskell, who was usher, when I first joined the school, was removed and made the principal of another. He was succeeded by a tall, raw boned, sallow looking, New Hampshire man, named Peter Cochran, author of the new grammar. His very appearance struck a terror into those who were to be under his charge, of which, unfortunately, I was one.
On his first appearance and after the school had been called to order, he took a position near his desk, and when all was silent, and every eye fixed on him, he gave a glance round with his fierce, snaky eyes and commenced his inaugural. "Boys, if you are attentive to your studies it will be well, but if not, I shall be very severe with you, be seated." He provided himself with a hugh rattan full four feet long; he then measured off two lines upon the floor, parallel with the wainscoting, one about two feet, and the other about thirty inches, this was intended as an inquisitorial punishment for those who were inattentive to their studies. The application was as follows: the delinquent, if a tall boy, was made to stand with his right foot on the thirty inch line having the wall on his right, he then raises his right arm, and with open hand falls against the wall, thus form-» ing an acute angle4, his body the hypothenuse, the floor a base, and the wall a perpendicular; in this painful position he must stand during the pleasure of the inquisitor.
A sharp lookout was kept, that he did not reduce the length of the base, if lie did, he had a rap on the legs with the big rattan. The two-feet-line, was for smaller boys; I had the painful pleasure of forming this trigonometrical figure several times, but much rather preferred the incipient demonstration of two parallel lines, that is, if my body was to form any part of a geometrical figure. Another mode of punishment, as a sort of change, was to hold out a whole, or half brick, at arms length, during the pleasure of this modern Nero — this, I also tried and should prefer carrying the brick in my hat, than having to hold it in this most painful manner.