CASES ARISING OUT OF SELF-PRESERVATIVE INSTINCTS (continued 2)

It is in localities where this old idea of enmity between the teacher and the pupils still exists that we may expect to find real disrespect for the teacher manifested.

Seeming disrespect may often be only the result of ignorance of good manners and forms.

The boy, who wears his hat in the schoolroom, sits while his teacher stands to converse with him at recess, says, “Teacher,” when he addresses his instructor, and talks slang even in his recitations, may have no idea that he is showing disrespect to anyone. He may have never been taught on these subjects. According to the old “punishment method” the teacher must wait for a specific “punishable” offense to occur before discipline 189begins. According to the method laid down in this book one is able to deal with an “atmosphere” of disobedience, and by applying the five principles previously cited, to forestall the overt act with all its undesirable results to both pupil and teacher.

(1) Disrespect due to oversensitiveness of the teachers. Teachers sometimes encourage disrespect on the part of the pupils, merely by being constantly on the lookout for it. Their attitude of suspicion is itself a suggestion to do something that will justify the teacher’s expectation.

CASE 27 (SECOND GRADE)

Familiarity

Miss Grace Eddy was a second grade teacher in Randolph, Vermont. It was her first term and she so feared to be known as “a teacher who can’t keep order” that she felt obliged to be always on the alert against any appearance of evil. The school was working on the Christmas exercises which were to be given a few days later. Full of the thought of Christmas, one of the children wrote on the blackboard one day, “A Merry Christmas to Grace Eddy.” As Miss Eddy came back from dinner she spied the sentence on the board and resenting a little the familiar use of her name, said, “Who wrote that?” The roguish face of Roland Churchill looked up into hers and Roland answered, “I did.” “Rub it off,” said Miss Eddy, severely. Unconscious of having done anything wrong and feeling rebuffed by the severe tone, Roland turned and ran out of the schoolroom. Miss Eddy not wishing to have the other children notice the writing, erased the 190sentence herself and said to Roland later, “Roland, you may stay in at recess, this afternoon.”

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Assume that the written sentence on the board was prompted by a genuine wish of the writer. Say to the children, “Who wrote for me such a pretty wish as that?” When Roland answers, “I did,” pick up the chalk and write directly under his sentence, “Thank you, Roland Churchill.”

Your smile and your coöperation will stimulate his good wishes, and will bring about his coöperation with you in the afternoon’s tasks.

COMMENTS

Never harbor the thought that every unconventional thing done by little children is done “for meanness.” “We see what we look for,” hence it is better to look for good than for evil.

(2) Smartness. Smartness may be the result of conceit or love of fun or desire for approval of playmates, or may be simply ignorance of polite manners.

CASE 28 (THIRD GRADE)

Personal Remarks

Miss McPheag was the teacher, red-haired and not to be imposed upon. George Ray, also red-haired, was in her third grade. Seeing him the center of a giggling circle one cold January day, Miss McPheag thought mischief might be brewing, and kept a weather eye upon the group. Suddenly, George raised his voice and called out,

“Say, Teacher, is your name Miss McFig or Miss 191McPig?” Quick as a flash Miss McPheag answered, “It’s Miss McPheag, and if I ever hear you call me anything else you’ll not know your own name when I catch you.”

This retort came with such energy that it awed George and all his classmates. They never called her anything but her right name so long as they were in the schoolhouse; but one afternoon, late in the year, Miss McPheag found this couplet penciled on a fence near the schoolhouse;

“Miss McPhig,

She ain’t so big.”

It hurt her, for she knew the spirit that prompted the silly jingle. She did not realize that she had signally failed to measure up to a great opportunity to replace the manners of smartness and pertness with those of respect and consideration.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Never meet pertness and flippancy with the same spirit. A fallacious idea exists that evil must always be met in kind. This is not true. Miss McPheag should have looked at George in steady silence for a few seconds, and then quietly engaged him and his companions in some entirely new activity that would draw their attention from the incident. Later, she should have talked to him alone, kindly and with dignified impersonality, upon his breach of good manners.

COMMENTS

The smartness would never have occurred to George if the children, forced to stay within doors by the cold, 192had been engaged in some healthy play under the teacher’s supervision. Here again preventive measures are better than remedial ones; let them be effective and constructive, not such as merely fix the fault by giving it an imitative reinforcement.

ILLUSTRATION (UNGRADED SCHOOL)

Conceit

Conquering pertness and conceit by an opposite spirit was practiced by Fannie Fleming, who taught the district school on the upper Gila River, New Mexico. She had Joe Rogers, a son of a Texas renegade, for a pupil. He ranged over the whole program of studies and, backed by his father, made himself independent of several regulations in the school.

“I don’t believe you know very much about how they grow rice. You never was in Texas, was you?” said Joe one day in geography class. “I know,” he continued, “I was born in Texas. I seen ’em raise rice.”

This outburst was not surprising in view of the pert attitudes and assumptions Joe frequently displayed.

Miss Fleming looked straight into Joe’s eyes and let her countenance show sternness without resentment, as she said, “Joe, I want to ask you some questions so that you may tell the class all you know about the rice culture.” She soon exhausted his resources and then continued,

“Well, I’ll help you out a little, Joe. You did very well, but there’s more to say.”

She found Joe sinking away somewhat as she told one thing after another which was new to him. This 193gave her a clue. Miss Fleming made it a point to meet him on every issue by drawing out all his information until he lay helpless, though uninjured, upon the dry land of his own ignorance. Then she helped him. There was no ridicule, no faultfinding, no scorn in manner or in voice, but an unrelenting exhaustion on every possible occasion.

Joe recovered. He found that he could learn many new and interesting facts from his teacher. Her unfailing politeness and uniform kindliness toward him finally taught him good manners.

(3) Laughing in school. Occasionally a teacher goes too far in trying to meet the pupils half way.

CASE 29 (HIGH SCHOOL)

Teacher Laughs

Mrs. Jewett taught in the Carthage High School. In order to get the good-will of the pupils she feigned to understand them and tried to take part in whatever affected them as a body, especially in the matter of laughing. Whenever the pupils laughed she laughed with them no matter whether she knew what caused the levity or not. As soon as the pupils discovered this they laughed on purpose to make her laugh and she lost their respect.

What would you do if you were elected to follow Mrs. Jewett the next year?

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Laugh with the pupils when something unavoidably funny occurs; as, for example, when a bird flying through an open window whizzes past a young man at work at the blackboard, causing him to jump and make 194a wavy line through his carefully drawn geometrical figure.

But be on the alert to discover mischief while it is being planned and assign some interesting work in another direction.

Let it become a settled opinion of the pupils that you laugh when you see a really good joke but that you do not laugh unless you see something to laugh at.

COMMENTS

Pupils admire genuineness. Mrs. Jewett was too apparently currying favor by laughing with her pupils on all occasions.

A wide-awake teacher can detect a situation of unrest and lack of application to the subject in hand. This condition, which will ripen into misbehavior, can be turned into the atmosphere of industry by giving an interesting task to the leader or leaders in idleness.

ILLUSTRATION (HIGH SCHOOL)

Miss Horner, who was keeping order in the assembly room of a high school, saw a girl making a form resembling a frog out of her handkerchief while a boy who sat near was watching her intently.

Pupils Laugh

Miss Horner went to the girl and said, “I want some one, who can do it well, to tell the story found on page 79 of ——’s Ancient History when we recite today. You may go now to the book shelves and get the history.” With a smile she continued, “I’ll tell you just when I want the story told.”

The “frog” was forgotten, and the boy half suspected 195that Miss Horner understood the entire situation and knew how to manage it.

(4) Talking back. One of the greatest annoyances of the teacher’s life is the pupil who talks back.

CASE 30 (FOURTH GRADE)

“Board Work”

“Edmund, you may come to the front board for your arithmetic,” said Mr. Spangler as he assigned places to his class of fifteen. Edmund had been in school just long enough to decide where he might begin to test out the new teacher.

“It’s dark up there. I’d rather go here by the window.”

“It’s not too dark for good work up here. Come up at once.”

Edmund did not feel the force of this urgency. So he loitered along looking this way and that. His teacher hastened over to him and said,

“See here, young man, I don’t want to wait so long for you.”

“But I don’t want to go up front. I want to work here.”

“Edmund, no more back-talk if you please. You’ve said too much already.”

“You don’t make the other big boys go up front.”

This was too much for the patience of Mr. Spangler, so, quick as a flash up flew his hand and struck Edmund a smart blow on the side of the head. In a moment the boy’s nose began to bleed a trifle. This did not last for long and the battle reopened as soon as the crying was hushed up.

196“Will you go up to the board now as I told you to?” was the next thing for the worried teacher to say.

Edmund drew back a little as he said, “I don’t feel like it now. I’d rather stay down here.”

After this long parley, Mr. Spangler did the act heroic, seizing Edmund by the right arm, he dragged him by successive jerks to his desk and in the presence of the school gave him a sound whipping. Then he shoved him to his place at the blackboard. Of course school work was sadly interrupted. The success of the teacher’s method may be inferred from the fact that at the end of three days essentially the same performance was repeated almost literally.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Just the moment a spirit of back-talk is observed cease all ordinary conversation with the child. Use signs almost wholly to indicate your wishes and back them up with a demeanor and general program that checks all opportunity for a spectacular prank. Dismiss the pupils for recess or assign some duty that engages all the other pupils while you deal with the insurgent pupil alone. Immediate action is necessary, even if it is nothing more than to excuse the pupil from any further school work for the time being.

Treat the pupil who talks back as you would an invalid to be cured rather than as a criminal to be paid back, thus laying aside all evidence of hostility or displeasure; assume that his disability necessitates separation from the others. Use pleasant conversation as a means of establishing his confidence in you.

197COMMENTS

The teacher fell into a trap when he forbade Edmund to indulge in back-talk. This attention to a new offense is just the thing a disrespectful pupil rejoices in. The attempt to deal with two offenses at once is too hazardous.

ILLUSTRATION (SIXTH GRADE)

Country Boy

When LeRoy Fennimore came back from the west he found himself in a novel situation because, in the Pennsylvania village, manners were more cultured than he had ever been taught in the little mountain home in Dead Man’s Gulch.

“LeRoy, will you bring us the United States map from the hall, please?” came as the first request from his new teacher. “Nope, I don’t know anything about your maps here,” was the blunt reply of the twelve-year-old boy, staring boldly into the eyes of his teacher.

“Why, LeRoy, I’m sorry to have surprised you with something too hard for you.”

“No surprise on me. Only I don’t know nothing about maps.”

“Well, we’ll drop the matter this time. Next time, perhaps, you can get it for me,” was the good-natured remark of the teacher.

“Don’t ’spect you can get me to do much. I tell you I don’t know your ways of doing things here yet.” continued the irrepressible boy.

Miss Faust bit her lips for a moment, under the conviction that she had a new problem on her hands. LeRoy exhibited some ignorance of the suitable words for 198the occasion, a little spunk, more laziness of attitude due to association with cattle-men and miners.

Miss Faust cautiously watched LeRoy at the close of school. She helped him find his lost cap and began a systematic plan of cultivating his friendship. At her request he brought many interesting relics and curios from home, she showed cheerfully on the map where he had lived some two thousand miles distant. He continued his rough manners, but all the disagreeable spirit vanished, as the two became good friends.

Occasionally, Miss Faust gave him some little hints on good manners. He listened with bashful interest and in his crude way warmed up to her kindly sympathy.

Not long after she asked LeRoy to bring her a box of chalk from the store-room, but this time she immediately added, “Timothy (picking one of the smallest boys), will you show LeRoy where the chalk is kept?” LeRoy immediately responded and presented the box to Miss Faust, with an air of satisfaction.

CASE 31 (SEVENTH GRADE)

Pertness

(5) Talking back for approval of mates. Sometimes it is not the dominant sentiment of a social unit, but the opinion and wishes of an individual, according to which a wrong-doer shapes his deeds. In a certain seventh grade in Ohio there was a little girl who possessed one of these shy and cat-like natures which delight in making mischief but seemed always to escape the consequences. She was pretty and had a wonderful adaptability of manner. Dear old ladies said she was a sweet and ladylike little thing, and the roughest 199boys in school pronounced her a good fellow. She was essentially neither of these, but she was always a good actress. Her name was Bernice Storrs.

One day Miss Coffee, the teacher, said to her class in geography, “Now we’ll close our books and see how many of the products of South America we can remember.”

“We don’t have to close our books to find that out, do we?” inquired Horace Selfridge pertly.

“We certainly do! Close your book at once!” Miss Coffee was a disciplinarian of the old school, and she bristled at this insubordination. Horace’s book remained open.

“If we don’t look at them it’s the same thing, isn’t it?” he said.

“Horace Selfridge! What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Just what I said.”

“You are very impudent. You may go up to Miss Bell’s office.”

“I won’t do anything of the kind. I asked you a civil question, and you ought to give me a civil answer.”

This undignified dialogue continued until the outraged Miss Coffee sent for the principal. When Miss Bell came in, she found a tractable, courteous and somewhat triumphant boy and a much flustered teacher. Horace was given a punishment which he endured with admirable fortitude; and, thereafter, Miss Coffee had trouble with him once in a while, for he had learned that she could be worried and he loved to do it.

Now the inside history of Horace’s impudence was 200that Bernice Storrs was using him as a means of amusement. Impeccable in her own school behavior, she had skilfully suggested to Horace what a hero he would be if only he could make the teacher “mad” and defy her authority. To stand in Bernice’s graces, Horace thought up the spectacular defiance that so stirred up Miss Coffee; and to stand in her graces, Horace repeatedly made trouble during the year.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

If Miss Coffee had lived nearer her pupils she would have known the source of Horace’s impudence. She might have known that a boy, formerly tractable and courteous, would not change utterly without some strong stimulus.

In such a case, never argue with pupils.

When Horace made his first pert inquiry, a tactful teacher would have looked very surprised, then perhaps have inquired if he were well, and so surprised him into a normal response; or engaged him in lively conversation upon an entirely different topic; or, in case he would not be diverted, have declined to talk with him at all, thus giving him nothing to answer.

ILLUSTRATION (EIGHTH GRADE)

Punning

Frank Tyne, son of the richest merchant in N——, well-dressed, quick of thought and spoiled at home, was in the habit of eliciting little admiring giggles from the girls in his classes by making pert responses and unnecessary comments when his teachers spoke. So many teachers had endured this, fearing the parental influence, that Frank did it almost unconsciously, although 201he was very conscious of being considered “cute” by the girls. One day a new teacher, Miss Stone, announced that as the day was dark, and there were no lights in the room, the writing lesson would be omitted.

“Yes’m,” said Frank as he put away his copybook. “Light work for a dark day, eh?”

Miss Stone tactfully used the following method: when her pupils giggled, she seemed very unconcerned, she did not slam her book down or do anything to indicate that she was annoyed in the least, but rather calmly and slowly turned her face toward Frank and softly smiled. This smile was not one which indicated that she was amused, but rather one which showed clearly that her temper was not aroused. After looking at Frank only a second or two she calmly directed the attention of her class to an announcement which she had intended to make sometime during the day, and which served her purpose of taking the attention entirely away from Frank by directing it elsewhere.

Miss Stone next made an attempt to win Frank’s confidence which she easily did by talking at recess about those things in which she knew he was especially interested. She made it a point to ask him to do a few little errands for her, errands which she knew he would like to do, and after each one she took advantage of the occasion to establish a good spirit by thanking him in this fashion: “Oh, Frank, you are so kind. Thank you, ever so much.”

After thus gaining his confidence, one day after she had been talking to him in a friendly manner, she 202said to him in a confidential way, “There is another thing I wanted to speak to you about. I didn’t want to say anything about this in front of any of the other pupils, so I thought I would tell you now. Whenever anything comes up that’s funny or whenever you think of anything funny, remember to keep it till after school hours. I like to see people have fun and I like fun myself, but of course we have to watch ourselves during school hours. I’d like to allow you to talk, but if I would do that, I’d have to allow everyone else to, so if you will remember this, I will appreciate it very much.”

Miss Stone by this method very soon succeeded in breaking Frank, not only of his habit of talking in school, but of other annoying habits as well.

(6) Talking back to teacher. Talking back is generally due to the fact that the pupil has not been taught politeness at home; but the case is frequently aggravated by an exhibition of the same sort of bad manners on the teacher’s part.

CASE 32 (FOURTH GRADE)

Pulling Hair

Miss Eastman, a teacher of the fourth grade in a small town in Minnesota, was driven to her wit’s end when Benjamin McCloy repeatedly refused to stop pulling the hair of the little girl who sat in front of him.

“I guess this is the only thing that will do you any good, Benjamin McCloy,” she said, as she drew a ruler from her desk drawer. “March right up here to the front of the room. Aren’t you ashamed of yourself?”

At the question, Benjamin bristled up to his full 203four feet, two inches. “No, I’m not ashamed. She needn’t think I’m going to have hair all over my desk,” thought Benjamin as he went up to take his beating like a man.

Miss Eastman seemed to make no impression upon him with the ruler. Finally it broke in two.

“Loyd,” she addressed a boy in the room who never was known to do anything wrong. “Take this money and go over to the little store and buy me another ruler.”

“Gee! That’ll break you up,” came a muffled response from a ringleader in the room.

“Well, that’s nothing out of your pocket, is it?” Miss Eastman remarked with ill-concealed temper.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

When the complaint has been made by the girl, ask Benjamin to take the seat back of James for the present, saying, “No, you need not move your books, yet.” After the session make it a point to interview the boy.

“Benjamin, is there some reason why you pull Marjorie’s hair?”

“It is always in my way when I write.”

“I thought there must be some good reason. You would not act that way unless you had a cause. There is a vacant seat, Benjamin, back of James in row 1. You may change your books right now. You will not be troubled there.”

Another course to pursue would be the following:

Change Seat

“Miss Eastman, Benjamin keeps pulling my hair.” “Benjamin, I believe you will not be bothered, (inferring 204that he is), if you will take the seat back of James for the morning.”

Benjamin slowly obeys your command—

“Thank you. As I was saying, this map shows the Mississippi valley. James will you please step up to the map and point out the source of the river?”

COMMENTS

Had Miss Eastman analyzed the situation before resorting to bodily punishment, she might have found a better solution of her problem. In this case, the boy’s action was founded on a legitimate cause of irritation. It was Miss Eastman’s place to find out this cause and remedy the matter at once.

But supposing the act had been committed for sheer meanness. It would have been better, even so, to have changed the boy’s seat immediately, without stressing the reason for doing so.

The fact that a boy in Miss Eastman’s room would feel free to make the statement, “Gee! that’ll break you up,” was an index to the general attitude of the pupils. Her answer to the boy’s remark was excuse in itself for further talking back on their part.

Do not expect to cure rudeness with more rudeness.

(7) Impudent replies. Impudence is a form of disrespect which is hard to deal with from the fact that it seems to be a definite personal attack upon the teacher with a set purpose to belittle her opinions. Because of its clearly understood purpose it is likely to anger the teacher. This direct attack upon her authority as a scholar or disciplinarian does not appear where the 205teacher has used correct methods in accordance with the principle of initiative in coöperation.

CASE 33 (FOURTH GRADE)

Miss Willets, a young teacher of the fourth grade in an Oklahoma school, was working at her desk one Monday morning, when just before the last bell rang for the beginning of the morning session, one of her smartest boys burst into the room, now full of children, and said in a spirit of jest, “Miss Willets, how many chocolates did you eat last night?” Not a word came to her aid to carry her over this embarrassing situation; what was even worse, she could feel her cheeks flush as she recalled the steady company entertained by her on the previous evening. The children caught the spirit of the question, and when the bell rang, the room was in an uproar.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

If a question is asked before the school session by a pupil in a joking way, even though it has caused you some embarrassment, enter into the spirit of fun and laugh as you give some witty reply.

But supposing the question to be asked during the school session for the purpose of causing you embarrassment, ignore the question altogether.

COMMENTS

Miss Willets made a mistake by taking the boy’s question too seriously. She would have saved embarrassment, if she had taken his question as a joke and replied accordingly. Humor often lessens the tension 206in the schoolroom, and where indulged in by the teacher, puts her into easier relationship with her pupils.

ILLUSTRATION (FIFTH GRADE)

“Steady Company”

Miss Snow was talking to the children one noon about the moving pictures which were to be exhibited in the neighboring church on the following evening. “Can we go, Miss Snow?” asked the children.

“Those children can go whose parents accompany them,” was the reply.

“Humph,” remarked an overgrown girl. “Do your parents go along with you?”

“O, Gordy takes her,” spoke up one of the older boys. Miss Snow looked up just long enough to give the faintest little smile and then went on with her conversation as though it had not been interrupted.

The big boy thought he “was going to have some fun with the teacher,” but the results of his effort were so meagre that he was not encouraged to try again.

CASE 34 (SIXTH GRADE)

(8) Impudent replies due to father’s example.

Imitative

Tim Murphy was an Irish lad twelve years old. He was accustomed to rough speech at home. His mother was not living and his father was a section boss on the railroad. Mr. Murphy was accustomed to review the events of the day for the benefit of Tim and his older brothers and sisters. Thus, Tim came to believe that to be saucy and impudent was manly, for surely it was by his rough speeches that his father managed his men and held his job. Furthermore his father’s 207account of how he outwitted his men who talked back was highly entertaining. Without forming a definite resolution to have an exciting quarrel with Miss Deering, Tim was in every sense ready for such a combat.

Miss Deering had a feeling that Tim was not exactly respectful and yet the little pursings of his lips, the raising of his brows, and tiltings of his chin when Miss Deering spoke to him were signs of disrespect too slight to punish. She was annoyed, yes, even angered by them but she felt helpless as to how to manage Tim. She feared her control of him was lessening. Frankly, she thoroughly disliked him. Many an evening her thoughts reverted to the ever disquieting act of Tim’s attitude and she almost wished for an outbreak of such dimensions as to warrant her giving him a sound whipping. She too was prepared for a conflict.

Tim’s strong point was arithmetic. One of the problems on a certain Friday was: “A and B work together for 5 days and receive $25 and then A works on alone 2 days for $4 more; how much does each receive?” This problem was assigned to Delia Carrigan, one of the dullest in the class, to be placed on the blackboard while each of the others were assigned other problems. When Delia’s turn came to explain her problem, it was found that she had divided the $25 equally between A and B and added $4 to A’s half of it. Miss Deering did not notice the mistake. When Delia had finished her explanation Tim said,

“That ain’t right.”

Miss Deering said a little louder, “Next.”

“Delia didn’t do that right,” Tim said again.

208“Tim, be quiet. Go on, Julia,” said Miss Deering, her look at Tim expressing dislike as well as determination.

Tim answered that look by a roused temper; visibly he squared his shoulders and clenched his hands, unconsciously falling into his father’s mode of expression. “Ye’re wrong, Oi say, an ye’re a green un not to know it, Oi tell ye to yer face yer no gud, and Oi won’t kape quiet, begorrah!”

Her hour had come. Miss Deering felt perfectly justified in seizing the pointer and beating Tim. He fought for a moment but she was taller and stronger. Anger added to her strength. She broke the pointer, seized the largest piece and used it till it, too, gave way.

Tim was now sniffling, more choked by anger than reduced to tears through pain.

“Now will you be quiet?” panted Miss Deering.

“Faith an Oi will not,” said Tim.

Glancing about she saw a book strap on her desk. She jerked Tim a step at a time toward her desk. Arriving there she belabored him with the strap till she was tired. Then she sent him to his seat and went on with her work. Every time her glance happened to meet Tim’s, the eyes of each expressed their mutual hatred. During the days and weeks that followed Miss Deering would plainly show her dislike for Tim every time she addressed him. He did not really talk back again but his insolent attitude was expressed in various ways which they both understood. Had she heard Tim talking about her when out of her hearing she would have better understood why so many of 209the pupils showed signs of resentment toward her commands.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

As soon as you detect that any child dislikes you make it your study to find out the reason, then if possible adjust matters so as to win his confidence. If you can not conscientiously change your own attitude, show him your interest in him by giving him something he would like to have; some material gift or social pleasure. By wisely selected story and studied comradeship assure him that you are able to satisfy his wants along study and recreation lines.

If unexpectedly a pupil questions your knowledge in any line, say, “Wait, let’s see about that.” If information on the subject can be had at once, seek it immediately. If the facts can not be verified immediately report it. Assume that the pupil who raises a question as to your correctness of statement is seriously studying the point and that his criticism is entirely impersonal. Treat him as you would a friend who differs from you.

COMMENTS

You can do very little toward helping an antagonistic child. You wish, however, to benefit every child under your care. Then your duty is to have every child look upon you as his friend. In giving him something he likes, you are not buying him: Not at all. You are simply letting him get a glimpse of yourself. You are telling him in a way that he can understand that his pleasure is your joy.

210Assume that no child is calling your statements into question simply to tease you. You can not err in doing this, whereas, you may seriously commit an error by supposing that you were questioned merely to display impudence. Treating a boy as if he were “on the square” often causes him to be so. Just as surely treating him as if he were a rogue makes a rogue of him. If you treat an innocent boy as if he were a culprit he has nothing to lose, so far as your influence goes, by actually being one.

ILLUSTRATION (SIXTH GRADE)

Familiarity

Nina Blair had taken a course at the Illinois State Normal and had returned home where she had charge of the sixth grade room. Thirteen-year-old Wesley Hail, whose parents were friends of the Blair family, stayed at Blair’s where he helped in the store evenings and Saturdays and went to school to Nina. Being an old acquaintance and seeing Nina at home daily he grew to feel very free to express himself in her presence. She noticed that at school he frequently gave his opinions unasked. He was especially interested in history.

One day he frankly said he thought Miss Blair wrong in her statement about Grant’s campaign. Miss Blair said, “I am glad to see so much interest manifested in this lesson. Mamie, please find out about this and bring in a report tomorrow. Has anyone else a point he would like to have further discussed?” No one had.

One evening soon after this Miss Blair found Wesley alone at home. She said, “Father says you are 211a great help to him in the store. He especially likes the carefulness with which you take orders. I, too, foresee that you will be of great help to your classmates.” She then told him that just as he needed courtesy in the store he would find it a necessity throughout life and that his example in this respect had a great influence upon the other boys. As a result of this treatment Wesley cultivated amiability and soon came to realize its universal value.

(9) Impudence due to conceit of pupil. It is difficult to see how conceit can be cured by whipping. Such a punishment may silence but it does not convince. “The man convinced against his will, is of the same opinion still.” Silencing instead of convincing may induce still greater evils on the pupil’s part.

CASE 35 (EIGHTH GRADE)

Disputing

Miss Garber was hearing her eighth grade arithmetic class. When it came Grant Langston’s turn to recite she told him that his problem was wrong.

“No, it isn’t, it’s right,” said the boy.

Now this boy had been showing a spirit of independence and indifference to Miss Garber’s authority. This outbreak gave her the occasion she had been waiting for to punish him. She used the county superintendent’s prescribed instrument (a piece of rubber hose) and gave the boy one hundred eight strokes with it, and asked him if he wanted another whipping soon. Grant signified that the punishment was sufficient to be effective and was allowed to go out to play.

While at play he told the boys that Miss Garber didn’t hurt him. Somebody told Miss Garber what he 212said and so in the presence of the whole room she said:

“Grant, you told me that the whipping I gave you this morning hurt and you told the boys that it didn’t; to whom did you tell a falsehood?”

“To the boys,” answered Grant.

This confession was accepted as an apology and nothing done about the telling of the falsehood. On the way home from school Grant again told the boys that the whipping didn’t really hurt him.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

When you first discover that there is a spirit of opposition to you in a pupil begin at once to establish right relations. The pupil who is thus unruly has lost confidence in you as his dependable guide. Without this confidence your work with him is handicapped. Secure this confidence by studying his case, finding out his special needs—perhaps a book of adventures to read, a start in studying birds, opportunity to earn a little money, collateral reading or an explanation of some school subject he does not like, etc. Give this aid in a tactful way. Make nothing serious of it. When you find him alone, give your assistance as a matter of course.

Let your chief question be, “How can I best serve this boy?” not, “How can I coerce him into a public confession that I am his superior?”

COMMENTS

Miss Garber’s own intolerance may have been the provoking cause of Grant’s resistance to her authority. 213If Grant sincerely believed he was right and his teacher wrong, it was highly desirable that he should maintain his position until he could be convinced of his error. Grant’s real offense, then, was not the defense of his position, but the rude manner in which he spoke. Had Miss Garber met rudeness with politeness it might have been easier to straighten out the other difficulty. Had she said, in a kindly manner, “Grant, I am glad you have thought over the problem enough to feel sure about it, but you must prove to me that your answer is right, because I think it is the other way: please explain to the class just why you think your way is right,” her words might have served as a challenge which would have awakened in Grant a genuine interest in the problem. At the same time it would have given Miss Garber an opportunity to show Grant just why his answer was wrong.

In regard to the remark on the school ground, she might better have paid no attention to it since it was not made to her. Indeed, her own question as to whether Grant wanted another whipping soon was quite as impudent as Grant’s remark (about the whipping) was untruthful.

By laying too much stress upon minor points, a teacher weakens her influence in weightier matters.

(11) Impudence due to teacher not understanding the pupil. Adults are never able quite fully to appreciate the wide difference between their knowledge and the small amount of general information which is found in young children. A college instructor, accustomed to deal with college students, has been known to severely reprimand a well-meaning high school student 214for guilty, willful and malicious ignorance, when, as a matter of fact, she was not yet equipped with the information which she was supposed to possess.

In like manner, too often a teacher or a parent will lay severe penalties upon a child who has unwittingly transgressed some law or custom which has long been well known to adults, but which has never been especially presented to the attention of the child.

Occasionally a mature pupil returns after a long absence from school which leads him to ignore many of the little customs that pertain to school life. The pupil has lost a sense of the relations which a pupil has to his teacher and his fellows. When he returns, he is more or less restless under the peculiar methods of association that belong to typical school life.

Such a pupil is more or less of a misfit until he recognizes his former adjustment to school conditions. He may behave like a visitor for a time or act in some other adult fashion which more or less contravenes the established school custom.

CASE 36 (HIGH SCHOOL)

Sensitiveness

Andrew had been taught mainly at home until he had finished the work of the grades. It had been a long time since he attended school. One morning in the class in arithmetic in the Edgerton High School, Andrew blurted out to his teacher, “I don’t like to have you talk about my mistakes the way you do.”

Everybody was shocked, including the teacher, a man of experience and large physical equipment.

“Why, what is the matter, Andrew?” said the teacher.

215Immediately Andrew continued, “You just make a fool of me when I am trying to solve problems on the blackboard.”

The point was that Andrew had been offended because of the just criticisms of his teacher when reviewing Andrew’s blackboard work before the class.

The teacher soon formed an opinion as to what was the matter with the boy, and immediately delivered a caustic and sensational lecture.

The substance of it is the following: “Andrew, you have come to this school thinking that you know about all there is to know. You have come here as a spoiled boy, and you will have to be taken down in proper fashion unless you change your attitude. The thing for you to do is to keep your mouth shut and do what you are told to do. If you can’t do this, we will make the way easy for you to step out of school.”

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Andrew should be taken into the office for private conference with the teacher. Until the hour for the conference, Andrew should be dismissed from the class and the sensational scene in the classroom avoided. Andrew spoke out of a sense of growing injury. Help him to analyze his attitudes and see how it has come about that he is over-sensitive to a proper classroom discipline. The conversation with Andrew may include some of the following statements:

“Andrew, you have been doing some very good work since you came into our school. I have watched you 216with interest, and yet I have felt that you need some further help in adjusting yourself to school conditions. You tell me that the Rodger boys have stood behind you in this attitude of criticism and defiance. What did they actually say to you?” ... “Well, it would be better for you to attempt to understand this school, and its way of doing work, and to avoid yielding to any such advice as that. You need to remember that you are one of a number of pupils and that all are receiving the same sort of treatment. I shall be very glad to give you special help at any time when you may need it, while at the same time I feel justified in discussing any mistakes that you may make. I want you to be very cautious hereafter about how you address any of the teachers, remembering that they are your friends and are laboring for your best good always.”

COMMENTS

If the teacher speaks to Andrew in the presence of the class, he may easily lose his temper, as was the actual case in the narrative recorded above. The instructor uttered, perhaps, no very offensive sentiments, but his manner, while suffering from mild rage, was entirely unbecoming a teacher in the presence of his pupils. The offense was not so grievous but that disposition of it could have been postponed; also, the teacher is more likely to think out the best method of procedure, if he does not act hastily. Andrew has become somewhat unbalanced and needs advice rather than penalty in order that he may properly adjust himself. He is unsocial in his sentiments, having grown up so largely in isolation from other children. At best, his 217adjustment to life amongst a large number of other persons will be difficult.

The method suggested above will avoid an estrangement and cement the friendship between pupil and teacher, and make further coöperation in the classroom and elsewhere more hearty and profitable.

(12) Threatening the teacher. Such an offense as this strikes at the very roots of the social organization, for teachers are officers of the state, intrusted with the great task of developing citizens. To threaten their authority is to set one’s self against the social trend, to be an individualist—which is to be an anarchist. The teacher who is threatened by a pupil has only to fall back upon his ultimate authority, which is the whole fabric of organized society, represented by whatever officers he may count upon to support him—for sometimes society’s officers are not true to their trust.

Two examples of this offense happened in one of the northwestern states, and their respective treatments illustrate the point. The teachers in both cases were stalwart six-footers, capable of whipping the young bullies who challenged their authority; but neither of them believed in corporal punishment.

CASE 37 (UNGRADED RURAL SCHOOL)

Anarchy

Trygve Andreasen, the first teacher, was threatened with being “taken outside and shown a thing or two” by a hulky young man who persisted in talking in an undertone during school hours. Trygve believed in moral suasion, and tried it:

“Yes, Olaf,” he said, “I suppose you could take me 218outside and show me to a good licking if it happened that way. But suppose you did? Would you be any better for it? It wouldn’t teach you one word or make you one bit better educated. Here you are, nineteen years old, and only in the Sixth Reader. It’s education that makes a man powerful, and you need it. Brute force is an animal’s way of gaining his ends. Besides, I like you and want to help you make the most of yourself. Let’s be friends—won’t you?” Olaf listened with a grin to this touching appeal.

“So you don’t be too smart, I’ll be friends,” he replied; and turned with a murmured sneer to the girl behind him, in whose eyes awe and admiration were mingled.

Trygve sighed, but comforted himself with the idea that he had shown a Christian spirit toward his unruly pupil. He tried to help him with his lessons, in which Olaf took small interest; but Olaf received all his advances with amused tolerance and slight response. In the hope of finally winning him by patience and kindness, Trygve put up with much annoyance and much interruption of work. In the spring Olaf, still unconverted, left school to go to work.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Types differ. A good teacher will soon discover the characters of his pupils, especially any who promise to make trouble. He must fit his appeal to their stage of development and personality.

Trygve had abundant opportunity to share in the life of the community and to show how brains could guide muscle and make it ten times more effective. He 219must win Olaf’s admiration by an exploit; local conditions must dictate just what to attempt.

COMMENTS

Trygve made the mistake of appealing to standards which Olaf did not possess, and which he was incapable of appreciating. The men who were his ideals have perhaps never reached the Sixth Reader, nor did the lumber jacks among whom he had grown up yield loyalty to any power that was not material. To be strong enough to “lick” any adversary was his highest ideal, as well as that of the girls and boys in whose eyes he wanted to appear a hero.

There is no need for kindness to content itself with weakness. A giant will can act with the greatest sympathy. If Trygve strengthens his attitude and plays the part of a full grown man, he can win the allegiance of everybody in school.

ILLUSTRATION

Spit-balls

The effective treatment for such a case was adopted by George Levenson, who taught a school in the same neighborhood and met the same problem. In his case the offender was a fiery young Irishman, Tim McCarthy, who had an uncontrolled sense of humor which delighted in breaking up school sessions with all sorts of mischief.

He was amusing himself one day by hitting his chum, Jim McClure, on the ear with spit-balls. Mr. Levenson caught him throwing one, and told him to go out into the hall.

220“Go yourself!” sang out Tim, who was in a very cocky and exultant humor that day.

“Tim, will you go at once into the hall? I don’t want to make you do it.”

“I should say you don’t want to make me do it. If you try I’ll wipe up the floor with ye, and there’ll be nothing but a grease-spot left.”

“I don’t intend to make you do it, now. You have committed a very serious offense, Tim. I shall have to leave it to the authorities to settle.”

“What is that ‘serious offense’?” demanded Tim.

“You threatened me. Of course I know I could whip you if I wanted to, but I am here to teach school, not to fight. I don’t know what Mr. Pearson will do; I shall have to report it to him.”

“You’d better not!” Tim muttered; but he was visibly impressed, and threw no more spit-balls.

That night Mr. Levenson called on the district superintendent and had a confidential talk with him. The superintendent was a clever man and knew just what was needed. He spent a half of each day in the school and kept a firm hand on discipline.

A Striking Incident

In the conversation that followed Mr. Pearson narrated a similar incident in his early experience. After the offenses became numerous he decided to call in the county superintendent. “In the conversation on the telephone with Mr. Aldrich I asked him to come; in conclusion I said,

“‘And by the way, you and the sheriff are good friends, aren’t you? Why not bring him along with you? It would clinch matters.’

“‘Capital. Depend upon us if I can find him. 221If I can’t, it may be day after tomorrow when we come.’

“They came the next day, however. When Mr. Aldrich’s familiar Ford drew up before the schoolhouse there was a flutter of excitement among the pupils, and when a second man followed him it became intense. They entered, warmed themselves, and then Mr. Aldrich turned to me.

“‘I understand that you have a pupil who has threatened your person and your authority here,’ he said. ‘Which boy is it, and what is his name?’

“Fred was pointed out. He had quite ceased to be a hero, and his face was almost white. Very impressively Mr. Aldrich inquired the details of the incident from the teacher, securing corroboration from Fred and other pupils. The sheriff stood by like an avenging spirit.

“‘I wonder if you realize, my boy, that you committed an offense punishable by law in threatening Mr. Pearson? As long as you attend this school you are absolutely under his direction, and you must do as he says if we have to call the state superintendent up here. However, this is your first offense, I believe. Have you anything to say for yourself?’

“‘I didn’t mean no harm,’ Fred parried.

“‘Yes, you did mean harm, but the point is you can’t do harm. The whole state will prevent your doing harm, but something’s going to happen if you ever make any such threats again. What do you say, Sheriff?’

“The sheriff considered gravely, cleared his throat, and finally suggested that the young man be put on probation. This, after more consideration, was agreed 222upon, and the subdued and puzzled Fred was left in peace and to the digestion of several new ideas, chief of which was the idea that a teacher does not depend upon unsupported authority in his requirements.”

Mr. Pearson went on to say that he saw the complete folly of such a way of dealing with the case.

A Better Method

“I have told you this story to show you how not to proceed with this boy. I think you have made a mistake in not getting Tim tied up to you in some way. Leave him to me. We’ll see what can be done.”

The superintendent met Tim the next morning early. The following interview occurred:

“Tim, I’ve been looking over the batting averages made in our league games. I see you stand next to the head of the list. I’m mighty proud of this.”

“I’m glad I done it, Mr. Pearson. I wish I could ’a done better.”

“Well, Tim, you have a strong right arm. The next thing I want to do in athletics is to get an outfit of boxing gloves. I want you boys to have a chance to learn boxing.”

“Bully thing! Won’t we go to it, though!”

“I find that Mr. Levenson is a good hand with the gloves. He’s agreed to coach you fellows, if the boys want to take up a new sport.”

“Well, I guess we do. I’ll see.” Tim spoke with less enthusiasm because he would need to make some readjustments in his attitude toward Mr. Levenson before taking boxing lessons.

In a short time Mr. Levenson was at work with the boys. The gloves proved an effective medicine for Tim and all who chummed with him.

223COMMENTS

The boy who threatens a teacher with personal violence is usually still in the stage of control by force. He can understand a force weaker than himself, he can understand a force stronger than himself, but he can not understand a force which is essentially different from himself. What Mr. Levenson and Mr. Pearson did was to show him a force which was both stronger than and different from himself—the force of a thoughtful man under control. In his limited experience he had never met this force in opposition to himself, nor had he learned consciously to work with it rather than against it.

The experience was his first conscious clash with social forces, and it was so managed that he came out of the experience a more promising citizen than before. Had he been arrested for assault, as he might have been, he might have had a jail experience which would have left him resentful and diminished his self-respect. However, Mr. Pearson’s object was not to punish him unless that was absolutely necessary, but rather to show him that the society approval he gained by insubordination was as nothing compared to the greater satisfaction he might gain by traveling with the social current.

6. Quarrelsomeness, Bullying and Fighting

Dissensions like small streams are first begun;

Scarce seen they rise but gather as they run!

So lines that from their parallels decline

More they proceed, the more they still disjoin.

—Garth.

224It is distasteful to a first grade teacher to be called upon to pacify the petty quarrels that children in the first grade sometimes have. While this annoyance is not very marked in the first grade, still it is prevalent enough to need discussion. Besides, the quarrelsome habits that a child may acquire in the first year of school may cling to him throughout life and prove a burden, seriously handicapping him in his life’s vocation.

The first step toward preventing quarreling among children is to remove, as far as possible, all causes that may instigate quarrels. Some pupils who enter the school quarrel frequently in their homes and, much to the discredit of the parents, quarrel with them even. Provoked by the least pretext, such children will quarrel with their schoolmates. Children who are not allowed to quarrel in their homes will often quarrel at school enough to be annoying. Both types of pupils will respond to the same treatment, but the method will only be completely effective in the latter instance. The former class may cease to quarrel at school, but they will undoubtedly continue it at home.

Punishment does the offender little good; it serves to drive the child to quarrel at times when the teacher can not find out about it. This will add to the quarreling habit, deception, which is a bad fault in itself. It is too fundamental a rule to pass without mentioning at this point, that punishment never removes the motive of any misdemeanor. The desire to do the wrong remains, and what is worse, the tendency often seems to be removed, when, in reality, the child, through a spirit of revenge, resorts to some wrong act 225which can be hidden from the teacher, but which will still satisfy the lower nature. In other words, to forbid the performance of a misdemeanor in a child’s life and to substitute no activity in its place leaves a gap in his life into which, if undirected, he will probably put some wrong act.

Even in higher grades quarrels among children seem unavoidable, but are not really so. Some one threatens injury and the response comes quickly in the form of coercive measures for rescue or defense. Sometimes the provocation is real, sometimes imagined.

The onset of the quarrel usually finds expression in faultfinding. The offender’s sins are held up to view and satisfaction is demanded. Failure on the part of a comrade to repudiate the irritating conduct usually ends in anger, and sooner or later in a vigorous quarrel or even fight.

The tendency to anger can not be eradicated. It is a self-preservative instinct and hence must be controlled, not uprooted. By controlled is meant that the emotions must be drained off into another channel, and the quicker this is accomplished the better for all concerned, for, in general, anger increases in intensity by being expressed, and also begets a corresponding anger in one’s opponent.

CASE 38 (FIRST GRADE)

Over Toys

(1) Quarreling on the school grounds. Walter Hendricks and Teddy Brownlow were children of well-to-do parents who supplied the boys liberally with helps. Being surfeited with apparatus of all 226sorts, nothing pleased them for long, hence they were constantly desiring each other’s pencils, and, when no other way of getting them presented itself, would snatch them from each other. This led to constant bickerings between the two boys. Finally the teacher’s patience in settling disputes became exhausted and she said, “Boys, I am going to slap your hands the next time they do such naughty things!” After a few experiences of this sort with the teacher, Walter and Teddy decided it was the part of wisdom to avoid further quarreling in her presence, but on the playgrounds no abatement of the nuisance was observable.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

The teacher who is eager to prevent quarreling and to eradicate it from a child’s conduct, will first of all keep close watch over her pupils. She will always be in the room before the time set for the pupils to arrive. Each pupil as he comes will take his seat and as a result there can be no quarreling, for the opportunity is removed. At recess time, all play and recreational activities are supervised by the teacher or physical director. Again the opportunity for quarreling is removed. This same supervision is carried on during every play period. The teacher or supervisor of play who is most discreet will make much headway in keeping out of quarreling. However, should a quarrel arise in spite of the teacher’s efforts, the teacher or supervisor should at once go to the pupils and in a kindly manner command them to stop. She can add a few words of kindly advice and then keep one of the offenders with her during the rest of the play period.

227COMMENTS

Being unkind or rough with the offenders, would only add antagonism to hostility. The pupils are in belligerent moods and the least unkindness of the teacher will meet opposition. The prudent teacher endeavors to calm the ruffled spirits.

ILLUSTRATION (SECOND GRADE)

Misunder-standings

Prudence and Rebecca started to school together. In fact, even before the beginning of their school days, they could have been seen playing together, in the sandpile in Rebecca’s yard, sliding down the cellar door in Rebecca’s yard, swinging in Rebecca’s swing in the barn. So it was that they came to school ready-made friends, and were chums during the first year.

With the beginning of the second year, however, Miss Bunthy noticed a decided change in the attitude of the girls towards each other. No longer would they come to school with locked arms. No longer would they sit side by side during recess as they had done formerly. Then their hostility broke into open battle. Prudence came running to Miss Bunthy one recess crying, “’Becky hit me, she did!”

“What made her do that?” asked the teacher.

“Well, just ’cause I wouldn’t give her a piece off of my orange.”

The offending ’Becky was brought into the room and severely reprimanded.

Then later, “Prudence took a sheet of my tablet paper and didn’t give it back.” This from ’Becky at the close of school one day.

The next morning Miss Bunthy gave a little talk 228about paying back small obligations, and watched to see if Prudence returned the borrowed sheet. Noticing that she did not do this, Miss Bunthy asked her to stay in after school.

“Why didn’t you give Rebecca the sheet of paper you took from her yesterday?” she asked Prudence in a confidential manner.

“’Cause her mamma borrowed our clothes-line and never gave it back. My mamma had to buy a new one.”

“Well, but that doesn’t excuse you, Prudence. You must be fair and square with ’Becky, and your mothers will have to settle their own disputes.”

The next evening after school, before the children had time to reach home, Miss Bunthy was in Rebecca’s home explaining about the misunderstanding between Rebecca and Prudence, and its cause.

She learned that the matter of the clothes-line was an oversight on the part of Rebecca’s mother, who, being very sensible, took the correct view of the affair, and remedied it very tactfully.

Prudence and Rebecca again played together.

Spite

(2) Spite between brother and sister. It is only once in a great while that a village or city first grade teacher may have two children from the same family together. However, it is common to have brothers and sisters together in rural schools. Because of poor home training, two sisters, two brothers or a brother and sister may be antagonistic towards each other. Perhaps no better word can describe their attitudes than the word spiteful. This may spring from various sources, which, in the end, matter little. It is the teacher’s aim to have such children become amiable 229toward each other. Again it can not be unwise to teach such children that it is not right for them to dislike each other. Such instruction must be given in an affectionate manner.

A very good way to treat two children that are antagonistic toward each other, is to lead them into fascinating school work. Another method is to ask the two children to do some work for the teacher. Whatever the teacher asks them to do she must be careful to supervise. The teacher is to displace hostility by coöperative activity.

For example, a teacher may have some papers to sort, the erasers to replace or some other trivial piece of work to do such as opening three or four windows. She may say, “Come, children, let us open these windows. You open that one, and you that one.” Whatever method she uses to distract their minds from each other, she must continue it long enough for the children to have forgotten their antagonism.

(3) Quarreling while going to and from school. By this time the thoughtful teacher will have said, “Pupils are easily kept from quarreling at school, but what about going to and from school?”

CASE 39 (FIRST GRADE)

Habit

Henry Sanderson was addicted to quarreling and also to fighting, both on the school grounds and on his way home. Every morning some one or more of the first grade children came to the teacher, Miss Burnham, with a tale of woe regarding unkind words, or blows, or other annoyances for which Henry had been responsible on the way home the night before. Finally 230his teacher said, “Henry, every time I hear of your being quarrelsome with the children, I’m going to have you stay in at recess the next day.” For a day or two this plan worked and the teacher congratulated herself that Henry’s fault was cured. The cure was of short duration, however, and from this time on most of Henry’s recesses were spent in the schoolhouse, thereby depriving the boy of rest and recreation that he very much needed.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Use the same care as in previous cases with regard to supervision of play and seating in the schoolroom. In addition to these precautions see that Henry is sent home in the especial charge of some older pupil who can be trusted with the responsibility of his deportment while on the way home. If there is no such pupil who can be made the teacher’s ally, win the affections of the child until he is willing to abstain from quarrelsome ways in order to please his teacher. If even this fails, retain him at the schoolhouse until the other children are out of the way.

COMMENTS

Quarreling in Henry’s case had reached the stage of being a habit. A bad habit can only be cured by establishing a good habit in its place.

Little children should rarely be deprived of recess periods. The vigorous exercise of play is itself one of the best possible preventives of quarrelsomeness and fighting. Absence of such rest after enforced quiet 231and the restraints of the schoolroom will be one of the very best provocatives for disturbances of all kinds. The teacher who, as a means of punishment, frequently deprives pupils of the recess period, is not only harming the child but is also inviting further trouble from other disorders.

ILLUSTRATION (SECOND GRADE)

Coöperation

Miss Benedict, a second grade teacher in the town of Milford, had one pupil, John Dwier, who was addicted not only to quarreling but to fighting. All through his first year he had annoyed his teacher in this way. Miss Benedict talked with John, urging him to give up this bad habit, but to no avail. She decided that some new plan of overcoming John’s tendencies must be devised. She began by making a careful study of John’s interests. She made them her interests also. Often in the morning when he came to his seat, she would sit down with him and talk about those things she knew interested him. Before she knew his interests she would show him puzzles on his slate, or she brought curios from home to show him, and little by little she got into his life and learned what he liked. At play she always managed to control John by playing with him. She took Saturday afternoon to go out exploring, as she and John called it. They named as many flowers as they could. Of course, the teacher knew the names for but a very few flowers and weeds and she told John that she did not know many, so they decided to call the unknown ones “strangers.” They watched the birds, butterflies and bugs.

232One snowy Saturday afternoon, Miss Benedict went with John and several children who took their sleds and spent the time coasting and studying the tracks of birds and little animals.

However, all this time, John had some very heated quarrels on the way home from school, and usually ended his quarrels with his fists. But the teacher’s time had not yet come, she was patient.

Her next step was to ask John whether he would not stay with her each evening, for a few days, to help her about ten minutes with some work. John loved her and consented. The work was coloring drawings on the blackboard and such other odds and ends as she knew John would like. Then while he was helping his teacher, the other pupils got home. When John was ready to go he walked part of the way with his teacher, who would neither quarrel nor fight with him, and the rest of the way by himself, another character with whom he could neither quarrel nor fight. He always reached home happy. No one knew but the teacher that John was being kept from the other pupils after school so he could not quarrel or fight.

Finally, the day came when the teacher took John on her knee to have a long and earnest talk with him. She had chosen the time after school when all the pupils were gone. She had also chosen the evening of a beautiful day, a day in which John had had all his lessons well. She explained to John how she loved him. This he knew because she had displayed it to him. He loved her. Then her conversation drifted into what she felt would help him to be a good and useful man. He was keenly interested.

233At last she told him how she disliked quarreling and fighting. He agreed with her. Then she asked him if, whenever she had no work after school for him, he would not wait a few minutes until the other pupils were out of his way so he could walk home by himself. “Or,” said she, “if you care to do so, John, you can leave school ten or fifteen minutes before it closes and be at home by the time the other pupils are dismissed.”

The teacher told John she was doing this to help him. He understood. Her love and humane and square treatment of the little offender was such that she had his confidence and good will. He obeyed her. During the spring months John’s mother came to tell this wonderful teacher that John was a different boy. That boy is now a young man, and the letters he writes to that teacher are beautiful. They would stimulate any teacher to greater efforts. But the teacher had paid the price. She had sacrificed. Many teachers try for three or four days and lose patience, give up and, what is worse, lay the blame for failure upon the boys and girls.

(4) Bullying. Bullying is just a cowardly kind of unprovoked fighting, and even more exasperating because of the contemptible spirit shown.

CASE 40 (EIGHTH GRADE)

Knocks Down a Boy

Willard Helm, an eighth grade boy in the Parkington School, found the most of his sport in teasing smaller boys. He was too lazy to get much fun out of the games on the schoolground.

Friday on the way home from school, he fell in with 234Dee Longmans of the sixth grade and soon found occasion to knock him down. Dee pulled himself together and immediately reported the incident to Willard’s teacher. On Monday morning the following conversation occurred between Miss Frederick and Willard:

“Did you walk home with Dee on Friday?”

“Yes, I did,” said Willard with a forced frown.

“You knocked him down at the park corner, didn’t you? What did you do that for?”

“Well, he said I was—”

“Never mind what he said. I want to know why you pick on smaller boys and treat them so meanly,” said Miss Frederick, with a rising tone of scorn.

“Well, we were just having some fun.”

“Yes, I know you; you’re just a little tough, aren’t you? You want to be a sort of bully, don’t you? You’ll make a pretty sort of a man.”

“Well,” said Willard, a smile breaking over his face. Then he began to laugh. He couldn’t help thinking how Dee had tumbled off into the gutter. He began to think by this time that Miss Frederick’s talk was “just talk” and so he grinned and then fairly rocked in laughter, glancing at her with rolling eyes to see how she would take it.

Of course she made no impression on him after this state of affairs was reached. But this was her parting shot.

“Willard, I don’t want to hear of your doing anything like this again. Do you hear me?” and she shoved him toward his seat.

235CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Instead of faultfinding and scolding, adopt an altogether different plan. Make no mention of misconduct, but say to Willard,

“We have a number of boys in the lower grades that need to be looked after a little. We teachers have been talking it over and we have decided to ask some of the bigger boys to keep an eye on some of the little fellows, particularly in the running games, where sometimes they get knocked down and run over. Will you take a hand in this sort of thing? Well, I’m glad. Really, we ought to do the same thing whenever we meet the little fellows on the street or at home. We are to be big brothers to the little fellows and see that they are not imposed upon.”

COMMENTS

Substitution

This method takes Willard by surprise and sets him to imagining himself in his new role. He wants to be a hero of a novel type. His passion for lording it over a smaller boy is gratified in a harmless way; he sees nothing ridiculous in the fine self-control and good sense of his teacher. This compels him to respond with an attitude of respect instead of one of disrespect.

ILLUSTRATION (THIRD GRADE)

Mrs. Wheaton called to see Miss Bates, who was a teacher in the third grade, and said:

“Hugh comes home from school crying almost every night. It seems that Ira Hood throws his cap over the fence, pockets his ball, in fact, teases him until he gets him to crying with vexation and then laughs at him 236for crying. I know Ira is not in your room, but I thought maybe you could do something about it.”

Miss Bates conferred with Ira’s teacher and they decided to make Ira the custodian of a collection of insects, and another boy the custodian of a collection of pressed leaves. The pupils in both rooms were divided into two groups, one group to help each of these boys to collect specimens. Hugh was given a place in Ira’s group and urged by Miss Bates to get as many insects for him as possible.

Two weeks afterwards Miss Bates called upon Mrs. Wheaton and said: “How is Hugh getting along with Ira now?”

“I have heard of no complaint for a long time; in fact, Hugh seems to like Ira now and is doing his best to help him with his collection of insects,” said Mrs. Wheaton.

(5) Fighting as result of accident. To the boy, as to the primitive man, fighting is the simplest and readiest way of settling disputes. Substitution is, perhaps, the principle which will oftenest avert a conflict.

CASE 41 (SECOND GRADE)

Snow Battles

On a bright winter’s morning, Miss Elsie Wiseman was on her way to school when one of her second grade pupils dashed through the gate and walked beside her.

“Why, hello, Francis! How are you this morning? Have you had a fine time in the snow?”

“Yes, we had a snow battle after school yesterday.”

“You did? Tell me all about it.”

237“It was this way; we divided up into two sides, piled up a lot of snow balls and then tried to capture the pile of balls on the opposite side.”

“Did you have a good time?”

“O, just a dandy time, ’cept Willie; he got hurt and I guess will have to have a real fight to settle it,” said Francis with some alarm.

“Why, I hope not. Tell me more about it.”

“You see, some made ice balls and Willie got one on the ear. Now he says I’ve got to fight him. He says we must each get two other boys and have a fight to settle it. I ’spose we must or the scrap won’t end.”

Here is a situation that needs some careful handling. How would you proceed?

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Your best plan is to continue the conversation as follows: “I suppose you don’t really want to fight, do you? Now, I have a plan that seems a good one. I think it will work all right, and then there will be no need for any one to get hurt. You go to Willie and say, ‘I’m sorry that snow ball hurt you’; then reach out your hand and shake hands. He will not want to throw snow balls at you any more and he’ll think a lot more of you than he would if you fought him. You try this plan, then come and tell me how it works.”

Keep your ear open until you get a report from Francis. Almost certainly he will announce that the proposed fight is off. If so, say:

“I’m glad you have fixed that up like gentlemen.”

238COMMENTS

In most cases fights among children of the lower grades have very little basis in reason. There is a tradition that makes fighting seem a good thing, but there is not sufficient steadiness of nerve and purpose to provoke much genuine fighting. Consequently the teacher does well not to dignify these encounters either in her own opinion or in her talk with boys. Allusions to fights may be passed over lightly in conversation, even though a serious purpose to eliminate them is necessary. Furthermore, it is easy to substitute some scheme that is only remotely related to fighting as commonly understood. One can draw off this combative impulse into some parallel activity with the greatest of ease.

ILLUSTRATION (THIRD GRADE)

Diversion

Miss Baker was sitting at her desk correcting papers after eating her noon-time lunch, when in came a group of whispering little girls who showed even in their manner of walking that they had something important to tell.

When Miss Baker looked up, Nancy Reed said, “Orvil Harn and ‘Jud’ Hicks are going to fight.”

“O, hurry up, Miss Baker, they are going to fight right now,” said Lora Yoder.

Miss Baker hurried out and found a crowd of boys around Orvil and Judson, urging them to fight.

She stepped into the middle of the ring and giving a hand to each of the combatants said, “I want to hear about this; let us go into the house.” The boys complied reluctantly.

239On the way in, she noticed an ant hill by the walk and stopped a minute to look at it, saying, “I am so much interested in ants. They have so many sensible habits. Don’t you like to read about them?” she said, smiling down at the boys.

On the way to the schoolroom she told a funny story about an ant that floated down a river on a leaf. The boys were looking at each other smiling before they thought of why they had come into the house.

“Now,” said Miss Baker, “you tell me what troubled you out there in the yard, Orvil.”

“‘Jud’ took my cap and ran with it.”

“He pushed and kicked me as we went out to play,” said Judson.

Miss Baker looked out of the window a moment and then said,

“What do you think is best to do about it now, boys?”

“O, I guess it’s all right now,” said Orvil.

“Let’s go out and play. Will you come with us, Miss Baker?” said Judson.

“Gladly,” she replied.

She knew that the boys had lost their anger when they had laughed together about the ants. She asked them what had been the trouble in order to make them see that even their griefs were of interest to her. She was not at all surprised to find their anger forgotten so soon. She went to play with them in order that she might thus protect them from the remarks of the other boys who would have enjoyed seeing a fight.

(6) Fighting due to classmates’ ridicule. Children are exceedingly thoughtless in regard to making 240fun of individuals who are markedly different from other members of the group. Only vigilance can forestall the suffering so caused.

CASE 42 (EIGHTH GRADE)

Drunkard’s Son

John Shoemaker and Carl Jones were classmates in the eighth grade. John was a pale-faced, undersized boy, the son of a drunkard. Carl was a plump-faced, rosy-cheeked son of a well-to-do farmer, the picture of good health and physical energy. Carl’s parents had very strong opinions regarding temperance, and they were very anxious that their only son Carl should grow up with the same feelings as themselves about the use of intoxicating liquors. They often talked to him, and in his presence, to others, of the evils of intemperance, and by way of illustration, and in order to give point to their instructions, would sometimes add, “Just see what intoxicating liquors have done for the Shoemakers! Old man Shoemaker is a disgrace to the town and John hasn’t a decent suit of clothes to his back! He looks as if he never had enough to eat!”

Unfortunately, Carl had not learned during these otherwise wholesome lessons to distinguish between the sin and the sinner, or even between the sinner and innocent victims of another’s sin. One recess Carl, full of the “I-am-more-righteous-than-thou” attitude in which most persons who have never been tempted are wont to indulge, called out to John in a mocking tone:

“O Shoe-shoe-Shoemaker,

When did you make your shoes?”

241John’s pale face flushed, for he knew his toes were peeping through the ragged shoes, and when a moment later the younger boys caught up the jingle, repeating it in unison with great emphasis upon the accented syllables, John suddenly sprang at Carl and in a moment both boys were rolling on the ground in a desperate fight.

The teacher, Miss Black, called the boys to order, ascertained the cause of the fight, and then said, “I am very sorry, boys, but I shall have to keep both of you in from recess for a month. It is a very serious offense to fight on the school grounds. Perhaps by the end of the month both of you can learn to be gentlemen.”

Carl received the sentence angrily, as he thought of all the fun he would miss, and John’s hurt face revealed how keenly he felt the injustice of the situation.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Such a case as the above would better not be settled hastily. Be deliberate enough in your proceedings to give anger time to cool and to be replaced, in part at least, by more generous impulses.

Learn whether the motives and attitudes prompting the fight are characteristic of Carl only, or whether they represent truly the dominant feelings of the whole school. In the latter case the punishment of the two boys must be followed by effort, on the teacher’s part, to correct the crude ideals of the children as a whole.

This can be done through story work, or by coöperative work of some kind, or by games, in which democracy reigns supreme and individual distinctions are lost sight of in interest in the work itself.

242After learning the main facts in the case—and these should usually be left until the other children have gone home—say, “Boys, this trouble which you have brought into the school is so serious, I want to think it over. I would like you also to think it over and be ready to tell me tomorrow what each one of you can do to right the wrong you have done.

“Remember, you have not only hurt yourselves and each other, but have injured the good name of the school. This is all for tonight.”

One at a Time

On the following day, talk with the boys one at a time. You will need to say things to each of the boys that you would not care to say in the presence of the other. Talk with Carl first. He is in reality the greater offender. John could be dismissed with the words, “John, I shall not have time to talk with both of you this afternoon. I will see Carl today. Tomorrow I will talk with you.”

Alone with Carl, lead him to confess that he was thoughtless on the previous day. He will do it, for he will be only too glad to excuse himself in this way. Then say, “Very well, Carl, if you did wrong yesterday by ‘not thinking’ try to think hard tonight for the little time we are together. Think out this problem for me. Does it take a brave boy or a coward to keep coming to school day after day without complaining, and without absences, when he has to come in ragged clothes and when he knows the boys are likely to make fun of him?”

If for no other reason than to please his teacher, Carl will be sure to say, “A brave boy.” Recall to Carl’s mind whatever is brave, unselfish, or lovable in 243John, especially if you happen to know that John has given up some happiness for Carl’s sake, or shared some pleasure with any member of the school.

Then ask, purposely using the same form of question that you previously used, “Carl, do you think it takes a brave boy or a coward to make fun of such a person before his classmates—to taunt him about things he can not help, and for which he is not to blame, and to hurt him so cruelly that he is ready to fight even the boy for whom he did a kindness only a few days ago?”

Very likely Carl may not answer quite so glibly this time, but do not press him for an answer. Do not insist that he make any reply in words, but do not be satisfied until you have led Carl to do something better than to make a satisfactory verbal reply, namely, express in deeds that he wishes to make reparation in some way for his unkindness.

Remain silent for a moment or two, while Carl digests the meaning of your question. Then say, in a low, but distinct, firm voice, “Carl, I asked you yesterday to be ready to tell me today how you can make amends to John and to the school for your misconduct yesterday. What is your plan?”

If Carl has really thought of some good thing to do, commend his plan and coöperate with him immediately in carrying it out. If he has no plan to suggest, ask his opinion about two or three courses of conduct which you have thought of. Ask him to think these over during the evening and report to you next morning as to what is best to do, or to suggest a better plan himself if he can think of one.

244Your knowledge of all the circumstances will be your guide in advising Carl, but whatever it is that is decided upon, it must not be a sentimental and (probably) hypocritical confession that, “I am sorry,” but rather something boyish and genuine and generous; something expressed in action rather than words. It may be a nutting party to which John will be invited and where Carl will propose to the other boys to put slyly a few of their own nuts into John’s bag; or a picnic where Carl will suggest to the boys to bring a bit of fruit or some dainty to fill John’s pockets with; or it may be a dozen other things that any bright boy can think of—but something that will give the other boys as well as John an opportunity to make amends for their thoughtless unkindness. Carl, however, is to take the leading part and secure the coöperation of the other boys.

Your conference with John will be the easier task to bring to a successful conclusion, especially if Carl’s attitude toward John is, by this time, such as to encourage John to believe that Carl regrets the part he took in the affair and is willing to be friends once more. Yet John is the one who has been most keenly hurt. You must make him understand that you have not shared Carl’s contempt for him because of his ragged clothes and his drunken father. You may say to him,

Just Commendation

“John, I have been so proud of you all this term because you have been so regular in attendance, and because you have done such good work. Your deportment, too, has been excellent until day before yesterday. Was it worth while to lose your good name in 245school just for a silly, thoughtless taunt from one of the boys?”

Here again you need not insist upon an answer. If John is truthful his answer probably would not yet conform to the implication in your question, and you may well wait until he has had longer time in which to come to your way of thinking. But you may recall to his mind that all persons have temptations to anger, of some sort or other. If they habitually give way to it, all their friends would be alienated before long. Try to get him to do some act that will show Carl he is willing to be friends again.

Never leave a person who has indulged in anger satisfied with himself because of having done so. Never leave him holding fast his grudge. Initiate activities of exactly the opposite tendencies to those which he engaged in while under the influence of anger.

COMMENTS

Miss Black erred by placing more importance upon the punishment of the offense than she did upon removing the causes which brought about the offense.

She erred again in feeling that the case was disposed of with the pronouncement of the punishment by herself and with the acceptance of the same by the boys. In truth, she had not even touched upon the more serious aspects of the case.

Had Miss Black been on the alert, she probably would have earlier discovered tendencies among the children to make fun of John. This should have been treated in a general way by means of story work, talks 246on good manners, etc., and thus the quarrel very likely might have been averted.

Miss Black erred again by being in too great haste to have the matter settled. Very much is gained, in such a case, by waiting until the first heat of passion has passed away. The settlement must not be too long delayed, however. Once the incident is partly forgotten, the lesson which might have been learned from it loses its force, by again dragging back into consciousness the angry feelings which accompanied the original act.

ILLUSTRATION (SEVENTH GRADE)

Stammering

Sammy Hendrickson was a fiery little seventh grader who was always having “scraps” with boys who mimicked his stammering speech. “Hit ’em back,” was his father’s advice, and Sammy followed it, not because it helped his stammering, but it relieved his feelings.

When he was promoted from the sixth grade to the seventh, his new teacher, Miss Noyes, picked him out immediately as a child who was likely to be teased by his classmates. She resolved that she would forestall such conduct, with the resultant fights, if possible, and by so doing shield Sammy from a torture which his thoughtless companions were likely to inflict upon him.

With this in mind, she made it a point to be on the playground with the children whenever it was possible, and in many little ways showed the children by her own example that she expected Sammy to be treated with a little more than usual consideration, yet so as not to make him feel himself a privileged character, 247allowed to do things which other boys might not do. In the games requiring choice of partners she often chose Sammy. When the games were over she often took her place beside Sammy and exchanged a few words with him partly to win his confidence, partly that her presence might protect him from being made the sport of the others. She realized, too, that if the other children were allowed to mimic Sam, they, too, would soon be victims of the habit. Meanwhile she quietly watched to see which children did amuse themselves at Sammy’s expense. These she talked with privately one by one, showed them the rudeness and cruelty of their sport and told them she should expect each one to abstain from such acts hereafter.

No More Mockery

Finally, she called together half a dozen boys whom she had reproved at different times for mocking Sam and said to them, “I am delighted to find, boys, that you have been more thoughtful about this matter of late, and now I am going to ask a great favor of you. Next week I shall be especially busy and can not be out here as much as I have been. I want to make you six a committee to preserve good order on the school grounds and especially to see that no one teases Sam about his stammering.”

The boys lived up to their responsibility so well that very little further trouble was experienced with respect to mimicry.

Miss Noyes did not drop her efforts for Sammy at this point, however. Already he had come to feel so trustful and kindly toward his teacher that he could talk with her more freely than with most persons. When they were alone together she would often say, 248when he stammered, “Wait a minute, Sam. Take a deep breath. Now tell me what you started to say.” Generally by observing this precaution, Sam would be able to give the sentences correctly. Miss Noyes never failed to encourage him. “That’s better! That’s just fine! You can do it all right!”

During leisure hours she made a special study of stammering and stuttering, and showed Sammy how, by taking a little forethought in breathing carefully and in relaxing the chest muscles and in waiting before speaking until he felt sure he could control his speech, he could help himself greatly.

“Did you see the soap bubbles the kindergarten children were playing with in the yard this morning?” she asked him one day; “and how any hard thing pressing upon them would cause them to burst? Well, play that your words are soap bubbles and let them float on the air just as gently as the real soap bubbles do. Make all the muscles loose and easy as they can be, because if you tighten them the least bit it will break the words just as the soap bubbles break when you hit them with a stick. Now then, gently!” Here she imitated by a motion of the hand the light floating of the bubbles. “Talk just as my hand goes.”

Relieved from fear of being made the butt of the boys’ sport, and finding a sympathetic helper in his teacher, Sammy improved considerably before the end of the year. The other children meanwhile had learned a lesson in consideration for others, which they did not forget after they left Miss Noyes’ room to enter upon the eighth grade work. Furthermore, the children who had learned that lesson best were the ones who 249most needed to learn it. Coöperation of the teacher with Sammy, and, for the other children, her approval and the substitution of the idea of protection for that of teasing, had wrought the change, and, incidentally, had banished fighting from the playground.

(7) Fighting as an outgrowth of competition. Competition is an instinct that can be turned to excellent account in school life. It is also a frequent source of trouble there.

CASE 43 (HIGH SCHOOL)

Football

Elbert Morgan stood six feet in his socks and weighed half as much as any other three men on the football team. He was a senior in the Middletown High School and the darling of the school because of his unfailing attacks and unflinching defense.

Reginald Phelps, his nearest competitor for honors, had the ill grace to be jealous and to hold a festering grudge against Elbert. In a school of five hundred pupils small quarrels readily become large issues. Reginald easily linked two or three chums into a cabal to pull Elbert down from his pedestal of glory. Their first plan was to convince the coach that Elbert was weak in head work in critical moments and that he should be removed from the position as center. After a few ludicrous failures to make any progress in this project, Reginald next tried to get even with Elbert by provoking a fight.