按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
e experimenting。 After a few days at school； he cast his eyes over the group of his tormentors； picked out one who seemed to him the ringleader； and before the boy was aware of what had happened； Edward Bok was in the full swing of his first real experiment with Americanization。 Of course the American boy retaliated。 But the boy from the Netherlands had not been born and brought up in the muscle…building air of the Dutch dikes for nothing； and after a few moments he found himself looking down on his tormentor and into the eyes of a crowd of very respectful boys and giggling girls who readily made a passageway for his brother and himself when they indicated a desire to leave the schoolyard and go home。
Edward now felt that his Americanization had begun； but； always believing that a thing begun must be carried to a finish； he took； or gaveit depends upon the point of viewtwo or three more lessons in this particular phase of Americanization before he convinced these American schoolboys that it might be best for them to call a halt upon further excursions in torment。
At the best； they were difficult days at school for a boy of six without the language。 But the national linguistic gift inherent in the Dutch race came to the boy's rescue； and as the roots of the Anglo…Saxon lie in the Frisian tongue； and thus in the language of his native country； Edward soon found that with a change of vowel here and there the English language was not so difficult of conquest。 At all events； he set out to master it。
But his fatal gift of editing； although its possession was unknown to him； began to assert itself when； just as he seemed to be getting along fairly well； he balked at following the Spencerian style of writing in his copybooks。 Instinctively he rebelled at the flourishes which embellished that form of handwriting。 He seemed to divine somehow that such penmanship could not be useful or practicable for after life； and so； with that Dutch stolidity that； once fixed； knows no altering； he refused to copy his writing lessons。 Of course trouble immediately ensued between Edward and his teacher。 Finding herself against a literal blank wallfor Edward simply refused； but had not the gift of English with which to explain his refusalthe teacher decided to take the matter to the male principal of the school。 She explained that she had kept Edward after school for as long as two hours to compel him to copy his Spencerian lesson； but that the boy simply sat quiet。 He was perfectly well…behaved； she explained； but as to his lesson； he would attempt absolutely nothing。
It was the prevailing custom in the public schools of 1870 to punish boys by making them hold out the palms of their hands； upon which the principal would inflict blows with a rattan。 The first time Edward was punished in this way； his hand became so swollen he wondered at a system of punishment which rendered him incapable of writing； particularly as the discerning principal had chosen the boy's right hand upon which to rain the blows。 Edward was told to sit down at the principal's own desk and copy the lesson。 He sat； but he did not write。 He would not for one thing； and he could not if he would。 After half an hour of purposeless sitting； the principal ordered Edward again to stand up and hold out his hand； and once more the rattan fell in repeated blows。 Of course it did no good； and as it was then five o'clock； and the principal had inflicted all the punishment that the law allowed； and as he probably wanted to go home as much as Edward did； he dismissed the sore…handed but more…than…ever…determined Dutch boy。
Edward went home to his father； exhibited his swollen hand； explained the reason； and showed the penmanship lesson which he had refused to copy。 It is a singular fact that even at that age he already understood Americanization enough to realize that to cope successfully with any American institution； one must be constructive as well as destructive。 He went to his room； brought out a specimen of Italian handwriting which he had seen in a newspaper； and explained to his father that this simpler penmanship seemed to him better for practical purposes than the curlicue fancifully embroidered Spencerian style； that if he had to learn penmanship； why not learn the system that was of more possible use in after life？
Now； your Dutchman is nothing if not practical。 He is very simple and direct in his nature； and is very likely to be equally so in his mental view。 Edward's father was distinctly interestedvery much amused； as he confessed to the boy in later yearsin his son's discernment of the futility of the Spencerian style of penmanship。 He agreed with the boy； and； next morning； accompanied him to school and to the principal。 The two men were closeted together； and when they came out Edward was sent to his classroom。 For some weeks he was given no penmanship lessons； and then a new copy…book was given him with a much simpler style。 He pounced upon it； and within a short time stood at the head of his class in writing。
The same instinct that was so often to lead Edward aright in his future life； at its very beginning served him in a singularly valuable way in directing his attention to the study of penmanship； for it was through his legible handwriting that later； in the absence of the typewriter； he was able to secure and satisfactorily fill three positions which were to lead to his final success。
Years afterward Edward had the satisfaction of seeing public…school pupils given a choice of penmanship lessons： one along the flourish lines and the other of a less ornate order。 Of course； the boy never associated the incident of his refusal with the change until later when his mother explained to him that the principal of the school； of whom the father had made a warm friend； was so impressed by the boy's simple but correct view； that he took up the matter with the board of education； and a choice of systems was considered and later decided upon。
From this it will be seen that； unconsciously； Edward Bok had started upon his career of editing！
II。 The First Job： Fifty Cents a Week
The Elder Bok did not find his 〃lines cast in pleasant places〃 in the United States。 He found himself； professionally； unable to adjust the methods of his own land and of a lifetime to those of a new country。 As a result the fortunes of the transplanted family did not flourish； and Edward soon saw his mother physically failing under burdens to which her nature was not accustomed nor her hands trained。 Then he and his brother decided to relieve their mother in the housework by rising early in the morning； building the fire； preparing breakfast； and washing the dishes before they went to school。 After school they gave up their play hours； and swept and scrubbed； and helped their mother to prepare the evening meal and wash the dishes afterward。 It was a curious coincidence that it should fall upon Edward thus to get a first…hand knowledge of woman's housework which was to stand him in such practical stead in later years。
It was not easy for the parents to see their boys thus forced to do work which only a short while before had been done by a retinue of servants。 And the capstone of humiliation seemed to be when Edward and his brother； after having for several mornings found no kindling wood or coal to build the fire； decided to go out of evenings with a basket and pick up what wood they could find in neighboring lots； and the bits of coal spilled from the coal…bin of the grocery…store； or left on the curbs before houses where coal had been delivered。 The mother remonstrated with the boys； although in her heart she knew that the necessity was upon them。 But Edward had been started upon his Americanization career； and answered： 〃This is America； where one can do anything if it is honest。 So long as we don't steal the wood or coal； why shouldn't we get it？〃 And； turning away； the saddened mother said nothing。
But while the doing of these homely chores was very effective in relieving the untrained and tired mother； it added little to the family income。 Edward looked about and decided that the time had come for him； young as he was； to begin some sort of wage…earning。 But how and where？ The answer he found one afternoon when standing before the shop…window of a baker in the neighborhood。 The owner of the bakery； who had just placed in the window a series of trays filled with buns； tarts； and pies； came outside to look at the display。 He found the hungry boy wistfully regarding the tempting…looking wares。
〃Look pretty good； don't they？〃 asked the baker。
〃They would；〃 answered the Dutch boy with his national passion for cleanliness； 〃if your window were clean。〃
〃That's so； too；〃 mused the baker。 〃Perhaps you'll clean it。〃
〃I will；〃 was the laconic reply。 And Edward Bok； there and then； got his first job。 He went in； found a step…ladder； and put so much Dutch energy into the cleaning of the large show…window that the baker immediately arranged with him to clean it every Tuesday and Friday afternoon after school。 The salary was to be fifty cents per week！
But one day； after he had finished cleaning the window； and the baker was busy in the rear of the store； a customer came in； a