Of the pupils who attended that school, King Stewart was my favorite. He was about my age and we had the same studies. We both took great interest in our spelling lessons and we frequently got the permission of the teacher to be excused from the schoolroom for 20 or 30 minutes to prepare our spelling lesson, and taking our spelling books along we would study the lesson diligently that on our return to the school we would have the lesson almost, if not entirely, committed to memory. We pursued this plan so industriously that when the term of school expired, we had memorized nearly, if not quite all of the Lessons in the book including what we called the dictionary. The back of the book in which words as "air", the atmosphere, and "heir", one who inherits, (words differently spelled but with same pronunciation) were defined. Frequently at our Friday afternoon spelling contests, if King and I were on opposite sides, as we usually were, and were the final contestants, we would spell words about page after page, without the teacher having to pronounce a word. As a matter of fact, we learned but very little at that term of school except spelling, to which we gave our attention to the exclusion of all other studies. As Mr. Hale was almost a "crank" about spelling, he encouraged us in making a specialty of this study. I found in subsequent years of my school days that the knowledge I gained of spelling at that school was a great benefit to me and the correct spelling of a multitude of words in ordinary use in the English language then thoroughly learned were never forgotten.

The last day of school we had our usual lessons upon which we had made special preparations anticipating some visitors on that day. We had a big spelling match in the afternoon which, as well as the exercises in the forenoon was attended by many of the people of the neighborhood. As previously arranged my chum, King Stewart, and I were appointed captains of the opposing divisions chosen, as was our usual custom, by alternate choices. We spelled that day the old fashioned way of two spellers, one from each side beginning with the last two chosen, standing before the teacher and spelling alternate words pronounced by the teacher, and the spelling match continued conducted as had been our Friday afternoon spelling contests heretofore explained. Finally after quite an exciting and lengthy contest, for we had a number of good spellers in the school, all had taken their seats in consequence of misspelled words except King Stewart and I, and then the big battle began. Those who had preceded us had already spelled the lessons for as much as half way through the book and when we began spelling the words pronounced were almost as difficult to spell as any in the book and many anticipated that one or the other of us would soon be "turned down". But neither of us had any fear of misspelling the words. We had had experience in spelling and although there was a number of visitors, some of whom were from a neighboring school, we were not embarrassed and confident we would not fail because we had absolutely committed the lessons in the spelling book to memory. The teacher began by pronouncing the first word in a lesson, and, in accordance with a prearranged understanding we spelled, word about, for lesson after lesson without any but the first word being pronounced by the teacher. The spelling continued hour after hour until it was getting late in the afternoon. We had accepted a challenge to engage in a spelling contest with the school, at the Day Schoolhouse, which was four or five miles from the Hagan Schoolhouse. As we had nearly spelled all the words in the book and the teacher knew our ability to spell the remaining lessons which were what was called the dictionary, that is words spelled and defined. He called the contest off, deciding that neither side was victorious. Then after a very fine address by the teacher, who was a very entertaining speaker, the school closed. We all regretted parting from each other and from our kind teacher, realizing that many of them we would never see again which proved true as far as I was concerned as to Mr. Hale and most of the pupils, except that he and some of the pupils went to the Day spelling.

The evening after our school closed, two wagon loads of our best spellers, about twenty, I think, went to the Day Schoolhouse and engaged in a spelling match with that school. There were some real good spellers in the Day School and for a long time the spelling was hotly contested. Our teacher and the Day School teacher pronounced the words in alternate lessons, Mr. Hale taking the lead in pronouncing. The Day School as well as ours were doing a good job of spelling. We spelled that night each side standing in a row and spelling as if in a class. Finally all were turned down except two on the Day School side and King and I on our side. Then after some time, one, and a little later, the other Day speller misspelled a word which King and I correctly spelled and we were the victors. After the spelling, both teachers and the Day spellers congratulated us, and the spelling was over, King and I parted and we all went home. I never saw King Stewart again.

Copyright ©2004 Larry Slavens. All rights reserved.