What we now call school training, the pursuit of fixed studies at stated hours under the constant guidance of a teacher, I could scarcely be said to have enjoyed.

Newcomb contrasts “school training” as a regimented, teacher-directed routine with his own largely nontraditional education. The remark underscores how intellectual development can occur outside formal institutions—through self-directed reading, practical work, and curiosity—especially in settings where regular schooling is unavailable or intermittent. It also subtly critiques the assumption that standardized curricula and fixed schedules are the sole path to serious learning. Coming from a scientist known for rigorous mathematical work, the statement carries an implicit argument that disciplined thinking can be cultivated without conventional classroom structures, and that later achievement may rest on independent habits formed early.