David James Dove, the English Master, is best known to us by the criticism on him by his young pupil Richard Peters who in later years described him as a "sarcastical and ill-tempered doggerelizer, who was but ironically Dove; for his temper was that of a hawk, and his pen the beak of a falcon pouncing on innocent prey." This reference is to the part he took in all the political issues of the day with his caustic rhymes. Graydon tells us[1] he was much celebrated in his day as a teacher, and no less as a dealer in the minor kind of satirical poetry. * * * It was his practice in his school, to substitute disgrace for corporal punishment His birch was rarely used in canonical method, but was generally stuck into the back part of the collar of the unfortunate culprit, who, with this badge of disgrace towering from his nape like a broom at the mast head of a vessel for sale, was compelled to take his stand upon the top of the form, for such a period of time as his offence was thought to deserve.
Graydon was a pupil at his school about 1759 or 1760, from whence he went to the Academy, and these practices of Mr. Dove doubtless were displayed when he was at the Academy. He tells us Dove's school was "at this time, kept in Videll's Alley, which opened into Second, a little below Chestnut Street. It counted a number of scholars of both sexes, though chiefly boys."
Whether the duties of the Academy did not fully employ his talents, or his ambition found but little promise in its routine, he sought occupation to add to these stated duties. We find his advertisement in the Pennsylvania Gazette 29 August 1751:
As the Scheme formed by the Gentlemen of Philadelphia, for the regular Education of their Sons, has been happily carried into Execution; the Ladies excited by the laudable example, are solicitous that their Daughters too might be instructed in some Parts of Learning, as they are taught in the Academy. Mr Dove proposes to open a school at said Academy for young Ladies, on Monday next, in which will be carefully taught the English Grammar; the true Way of Spelling, and Pronouncing properly; together with fair Writing, Arithmetick, and Accounts: So that the Plan
- ↑ Memoirs, pp. 24, 25.
