The life of George Stephenson, railway engineer - Lighthouse ...

CHAP. III.] LEARNS READING AND ARITHMETIC. 33
the village of Walbottle. He kept a night-school, which was
attended by a few of the colliers and labourers' sons in the
neighbourhood. George took lessons in spelling and reading
three nights in the week. Tommy Musgrove, the lad who " sled
out " the engine at the Water-row Pit, usually went with him to
the evening lesson. This teaching of Eobin Cowens cost three
pence a week ; and though it was not very good, yet George,
being hungry for knowledge, and eager to acquire it, soon learnt
to read. He also practised " pot-hooks," and at the age of nineteen
he was proud to be able to write his own name.
A Scotch dominie, named Andrew Robertson, set up a night-
school in the village of Newburn, in the winter of 1799. It was
more convenient for George Stephenson to attend this school,
as it was nearer to his work, and not more than a few minutes'
walk from Jolly's Close. Besides, Andrew had the reputation
of being a skilled arithmetician ; and this was a branch of knowl-
edge that Stephenson was now desirous of acquiring. He accord-
ingly began taking lessons from him, paying four pence a week.
Andrew Gray, the junior fireman at the Water-row Pit, began
arithmetic at the same time ; and he has since told the writer,
that G«orge learnt " figuring " so much faster than he did, that
he could not make out how it was— " he took to figures so won-
derful." Although the two started together from the same point,
at the end of the winter George had mastered "reduction,"
while Andrew Gray was still grappling with the difiiculties of
simple division. But George's secret was his perseverance. He
worked out the sums in his by-hours, improving every minute of
his spare time by the engine-fire, there solving the arithmetical
problems set for him upon his slate by his master. In the
evenings he took to Andrew Robertson the sums which he had
thus "worked," and new ones were " set" for him to study out
the following day. Thus his progress was rapid, and, with a
willing heart and mind, he soon became well advanced in arith-
metic. Indeed, Andrew Robertson became somewhat proud of
his pupil ; and shortly afterwards, when the Water-row Pit was
closed, and George removed to Black Callerton to work there,
the poor schoolmaster, not having a very extensive connection
in Newburn, went with his pupils, and set up his night-school at
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