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→A Year in Berlin
==A Year in Berlin==
Oh no! Not the Berlin we we hear so much about in these days, but a thriving city in [[Wisconsin]]. Father's brother, John, was a farmer, living a few miles out from Berlin. I knew Uncle John and Aunt Hannah, but had never seen my cousins, William and Edgar. Uncle wrote, inviting me to make them a visit. Father and Mother urged it. I had worked hard, they said, and a change would do me good. So I gave up the thought of teaching that summer and went to Uncle John's. Never having traveled alone, it seemed quite an adventure; but I undertook it with less trepidation than I should have felt at any time in coming from Plainfield to New York alone.
The summer passed pleasantly. We always went to Sunday School and Church in Berlin. One Sunday, uncle and aunt and I were asked to dinner at Mr. Keys'. Mrs. Keys was charming, and Charles and Edward became my friends at once. At dinner, someone asked when I was going home. "In time to engage a school for the winter", I replied. Mrs. Keys then remarked that there was to be a teacher's examination the following week, with some thirty or forty candidates. "Whey do you not take the examination, and get a position here?" she asked. "Oh! That is not to be thought of. My parents expect me home."
Now people were as interesting to me then, as now. In the city, at the seaside, at the mountains, the <u>people</u> interest me, scarcely less than the scenery. I thought, why not take the examination? It would be great fun to see so many teachers together, and I would like to know if I could get a first grade certificate. Never having taught in graded schools, a certificate had not been necessary. I decided I would do so, but, of course, I would return home shortly.
The examination lasted three days. One day, there were blackboard examinations, diagrams in parsing, what I liked best; and various things in arithmetic. The Greatest Common Divisor and Least Common Multiple had been demonstrated by several; but the conductor said: "Well, if I knew nothing about the matter, I don't think your explanations would make it plain to me. Will somebody else offer an illustration?" Being the youngest there, and a stranger, I had simply written with the others, escaping any direct notice. But here was my opportunity; had I courage to grasp it? I was fresh from teaching beginners; and the two things in question were as familiar as the alphabet. I went to the board, wrote down two examples and demonstrated them precisely as I had done so often to my classes. "As clear as daylight" was the comment, as I went to my seat. I know now that it was <u>then<u> my certificate was won.
The examinations were ended and we were told we would be notified of the results the following week. Monday morning I received a letter containing a first grade certificate, and saying I had been appointed to a certain grade. I wrote home. Father and Mother's answer said, "Stay if you want to, but we are sure you will be homesick, and come home at the end of the first term."
Uncle found a nice boarding place for me. The gentleman was a traveling salesman, so most of the time there was only Mrs. Saxton, her little daughter Clara, and the few boarders; these were the Methodist minister, his wife and myself. A delightful room was given me, such as I had never had before. My vocation, I realized, and not my merits, secured me much consideration, and I was happier than I had ever been, I thought, I who had <u>always<u> been happy.
The first of September came. My room was a very large one; the grade below the grammar department. There were several schoolhouses in process of building, and all departments were crowded. The principal came in to see me and we had a little talk. I opened my desk and took out a small raw-hide I had discovered. "What is this for? It seems just the thing for horseback riding, but rather out of place here." "You may not find it so" he replied. "I thought I would come in and tell you that this grade is a difficult one. There were three teachers during last year, and the last one quit before her time was up." "Thank you, this is news. I might have been told this before." "Oh! I don't think it was necessary, but 'fore-warned, fore-armed', you know."
The pupils were coming noisily in, I wondered if they would ever cease coming! I registered the names of seventy-five pupils in my book, and the <u>average<u> attendance during the year was sixty-five. Teachers had more liberty in those days. I had always opened school by reading from the Bible, and prayer; not reciting the Lord's prayer, but by praying for what I wanted for myself and my pupils. This was so unexpected that the noise died away into a delightful hush. Then I sang a little school song, in which many were able to join, and said a few cheery things that appealed to many.
There were the ABC classes in Reading, Writing, Spelling, Geography, Mental and Written Arithmetic. The forenoon passed in getting the classes seated as I wished, and their lesson apportioned.
==Meanwhile and Afterwards==
==Evanston==
