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The Life School
Growing up brings many exciting milestones, but it also teaches us that our choices carry responsibility. In The Life School, Nixon Waterman tells of a little boy who is delighted to trade his pencil for ink. Through this simple moment, the poet shares a thoughtful lesson about childhood, mistakes, and the lasting effects of our actions.
You will also find A Day-Dream, a lighthearted poem about a schoolboy whose thoughts wander far beyond his classroom. Together, these poems remind us of the lessons we learn in school and the memories that stay with us as we grow older.
Updated November 11, 2026, by Catherine Pulsifer.
The Life School
Poet: Nixon Waterman
My little boy came from his school today
With his heart in a flurry of glee.
"Oh, papa! they've taken our pencils away,
And I'm writing with ink!" said he.
And his breast is filled with a manly pride,
For it joys him much to think
He has lain his pencil and slate aside,
And is writing his words with ink.
Oh, innocent child! Could you guess the truth
You would ask of the years to stay
Mid the slate and pencil cares of youth
That a tear will wash away:
For out in the great big world of men
The wrongs we may do or think
Can never be blotted out again.
For we write them all in ink.
The boy sees writing with ink as a sign that he is growing up. His father, however, understands that growing older also means learning to live with the results of our decisions. The poem encourages us to value the freedom of childhood while remembering to think carefully about our words and actions.
A Day-Dream
Most of us can remember a school day when we would rather have been outside enjoying the sunshine. In A Day-Dream, Nixon Waterman captures that familiar feeling through the imagination of a restless boy. His amusing ending reminds us how easily a daydream can turn into an unexpected classroom moment.
Most of us can remember a school day when we would rather have been outside enjoying the sunshine. In A Day-Dream, Nixon Waterman captures that familiar feeling through the imagination of a restless boy. His amusing ending reminds us how easily a daydream can turn into an unexpected classroom moment.
A Day-Dream
Poet: Nixon Waterman
John Henry sat on a hard, oak bench in the Big Grove district school;
He was tired of being shut indoors; he was tired of rote and rule;
He was tired of everything dull and slow,
And he sighed to get outdoors and grow.
The old, school clock ticked on, "tick-tock" but so lazily, alas!
That the poor boy sighed to himself and thought
the day would never pass;
And he said, with a tinge of deep disgust,
"I wish that blamed old clock 'u'd bu'st! "
And by and by on the slanting desk he laid his weary head.
And looked outdoors where the apple-trees were blooming white and red;
Out through the window where it seemed
About like Paradise, and dreamed.
He dreamed of the meadows fresh and fair, and he dreamed of the butterflies,
The happy birds, the busy bees, the lovely, deep-blue skies.
And the drowsy songs of babbling brooks;
He dreamed of everything - but books.
He knew that down in the sunny vales the cowslips were in bloom.
And he fancied he could almost smell the bluebells' faint perfume;
And he dreamed he wandered gaily through
The woods where the sweet May-apples grew.
And by and by a robin came and perched upon a tree
Close by the schoolhouse window, where the dreaming boy could see;
And he said, "I'll pretend I've got a gun,"
As boys will often do in fun.
And quite forgetting he sat in school, he aimed his finger straight
At the happy bird that swung outside, not thinking of its fate,
Till the boy whose aim was fixed, cried, "Bang!"
And the loud report through the schoolroom rang.
The scholars were greatly scared, of course, but the robin flew away,
And the boy who had wandered in a dream got no recess that day;
And the teacher then laid down the rule:
"Bird-shooting not allowed in school."
John Henry's imagination takes him into the outdoors, even while he remains at his desk. The ending gives us a reason to smile and reminds us of those childhood moments when our thoughts were somewhere other than where we were supposed to be.
Key Reflections In These Poems
- Growing up brings responsibility. The boy in The Life School is proud to write with ink, but his father sees a deeper meaning in that change. As we grow older, we learn that our words and actions can have lasting effects.
- Childhood is a special time. The early years give us room to learn, explore, and make mistakes. Looking back can remind us to appreciate the simple pleasures we once enjoyed.
- Think before you act. Not every mistake can be erased as easily as pencil marks on a slate. Taking time to consider our choices can help us avoid regrets.
- Imagination brings joy. In A Day-Dream, John Henry finds happiness in thinking about the outdoors. His wandering thoughts remind us how vivid and delightful a child's imagination can be.
- School memories can make us smile. Even an ordinary classroom day can become a story worth remembering. The amusing ending of A Day-Dream shows how childhood surprises often stay with us.
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Conclusion
The Life School and A Day-Dream remind us of two sides of childhood. One poem offers a thoughtful lesson about growing older and taking responsibility for our actions, while the other brings a smile as we remember how easily a child's imagination can wander.
As we look back on our school days, we may remember lessons learned from books, but also the small moments that taught us about life. May these poems encourage us to value childhood memories, learn from our mistakes, and approach each new day with care and understanding.
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