Page:Thoreau - His Home, Friends and Books (1902).djvu/101

Rh four scholars and one more engaged." During the next two years the school nourished, and the two brothers became partners, taking their rooms in the old academy building. Undoubtedly, these teachers introduced many progressive ideas in education. One afternoon each week they took their pupils for a walk to learn nature-facts. On another day careful attention was given to composition and the reading of simple classics, in place of the insipid primers and "recitations" so in vogue at that time. The pupils also shared all lectures of importance on literature, history, phrenology, etc., which came to Concord. A boy pupil wrote in a letter, which has been loaned to me,—" Went to a lecture from Mr. Emerson in the evening. It was on literature. I was not at all interested. He is a tall man with piercing blue eyes." Senator Hoar, who was, for a time, one of Thoreau's pupils, has testified to his popularity among the village children. "The boys were all fond of Henry Thoreau He was very fond of small boys and used to take them out with him in his boat, and make bows and arrows for them, and take part in their games. He liked also to get a number of the little chaps on a Saturday afternoon and go for a long walk in the woods We used to call him 'Trainer Thoreau,' because the boys called