Page:Autobiography of Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes.djvu/39

Rh the morning, but, as we had recess at noon & then afternoon School at 2 til 5, he was often, I am inclined now to believe, under the influence of his potations.

He was addicted to napping and one of the scholars, who was his apparent favorite, used, while reciting to him when partially drowsing, to sprinkle some Sand on his head which he usually wore very closely cropped and would brush it off to the infinite amusement of the whole school.

With the boys he had many rows and was occasionally very severe in his castigations. I think it was owing to one of them that his school became unpopular and very many of his pupils were withdrawn. This was the case with my cousins and myself and we were transferred to the private instruction of Dr Banks at Florida in Montgomery County, some fifteen miles west of Schenectady, who had opened a school for a few to prepare them for entrance to Schenectady College.

Dr Banks was a very excellent scholar, classical, and the pastor of a small church of Scotch Presbyterians who were settled in and around Florida. Dr Banks was a very peculiar man, exceedingly studious and devoted to the classics, particularly Hebrew, Greek and Latin, but as a teacher he was unfitted for the slow comprehension of boys and their understanding his explanations. His temper was very quick and irrascible and at times passed all control execpt that of his wife, who, fortunately, was all powerful to calm and bring him to reason. He was of Herculean frame, upwards of six feet and well developed in all respects, about 250 lbs weight and very active and enduring. Generally, he was kind in speech to us boys and extremely desirous to give us all the assistance and attention. He had some ten pupils, five of us in his home—my three cousins, Wm. James of Albany, young Porter and myself. His family consisted of his wife and four boys of whom Eben and wee Wallie were his favorites. Mrs Banks was truly a motherly lady, placid and even tempered and always maintained a pleasing and cheerful countenance. I do not recollect the whole time I was under her care of once even seeing her ruffled altho' the Dr's temper was enough to aggravate the angels. The Dr wore a brown wig which was somewhat large and would at times get away—giving him somewhat of a comical look. His complexion was florid, his head well shaped and intelligent countenance. At times he was very austere, which threw the whole family into great alarm and no one could assuage him except his amiable wife whose control over him was at all times effective in moderating his ire and bringing him to his reason. When I look back at my boyish recollection I feel almost in doubt at what I witnessed as a looker on—that a man of his acquirements and undoubted strong sense and benevolence could have been guilty of such folly through an uncontrolled temper, and often ejected from the most trivial act.

One of the most galling was the smoking of his stove in his study. He had no idea how a fire ought to be made and generally put the coals