But that was a boy’s view; and boys’ views of teachers are well known to be entirely unreliable. Ma’am Kilbourne was highly respected in the community and her curriculum, though not wide, is known to have gone very deep. In fact we may say that in her school the character and influence of the teacher, together with the “New England Primer,” formed the main body of the instruction. “Come here and learn your Primer,” the teacher said, and Harriet’s curly head bent over the little book as she spelled out the words, “The cat doth play, And after slay.” “You see the picture?” Her teacher pointed out the right one in its little square on the page, a wood-cut of the feline musician with fiddle in hand. Here Henry crowded forward to see, too, and, finding some great joke in the matter, he nudged and coughed and could not be made to stand still. The Dame continued: “’Tis youth’s delight To fly their kite--” a self-evident truth not needing proof. The next item is more learned. “Whales in the sea God’s voice obey--” she pronounced “sea” as “say,” as was the custom in those days; “The deluge drowned The world around--” continued these instructions in history and science. Biblical example was thus enforced for the benefit of Harriet: “Young pious Ruth Left all for truth;” and, for Henry’s sake, this: “Young Obadias, David, Josias, All were pious.” That great New England classic, comprised in a mere booklet, three by four inches in size, contained also the “Alphabet of Lessons for Youth,” which Ma’am Kilbourne did not fail to enforce. She taught them to read from the printed page what they already knew in the better way--by heart, the immortal prayer, “Now I lay me,” and the hymns, “Hush, my dear,” and “Give ear, my children,” and other hymns and prayers. There were also “Moral Precepts for Children in Words of One Syllable.” They were tedious, but think of the glory of really knowing them by heart! Speak the truth and lie not. Live well that you may die well. Ill words spread strife. Do not be proud. Scorn not to be poor. Give to them that want. Learn to love your book. Good children must Fear God all day Love Christ alway Parents obey In secret pray No false thing say Mind little play By no sin stray Make no delay In doing good. These foundation principles, we may be sure, were well rubbed in.