CASES ARISING OUT OF SELF-PRESERVATIVE INSTINCTS (continued 3)

The coach occasionally split his squad and made two teams by adding a few “subs” to complete the quota. One Tuesday afternoon Elbert being on one team and Reginald with two comrades, being on the other team, 250the opportunity came for revenge. In the scrimmage Reginald gave Elbert a heavy knee punch on his “wind,” in a way to disclose his venom and enmity.

“You rascal, I know what you are about. I’ll pay you for this,” said Elbert, groaning with a terrible pain.

Soon his hurt eased up and with but little help he rose to his feet, glowered at Reginald, ten feet distant, and fairly leaped across the intervening space.

The Fight

Then followed the fight. All the resentment, suspicion, rumors, vows of vengeance, arose to mind in a moment as the two stalwarts came to blows. When Reginald showed his inferiority in strength two friends attempted to intervene. Elbert suspected their partisanship and drove with a hard fist on each chest, sending them to the ground in a heap.

By this time Principal Maxwell made his appearance.

“Elbert, shame on you! Fighting over a game! Reginald, stop it at once. Off these grounds at once, both of you,” were the principal’s words, all in one breath.

“But Mr. Maxwell,” began Elbert.

“No, no explanation! I saw you. You got up from the scrimmage and deliberately began a fight. You needn’t explain it. You two boys are suspended from the school until the board of education permits you to return. I’ll see that you are not on the football squad again this year.”

With this last speech a howl arose from the players. In a moment more a swift runner reached the grandstand 251and quickly the news spread among the assembled high school pupils as if it had been the report of a murder.

The team was nearly frantic at the principal’s action. The board, however, decided to restore the boys to school after one week’s suspension and requested the principal to adjust the matter so they could again play on the team.

“Are you going to let them play out the season?” was provokingly asked many times. Mr. Maxwell found, moreover, that unless he restored these boys to their places at least three desperate revolts would break out. He finally yielded and gave the football team, the senior class, and the glee club (of which Elbert was a member) the whip over him for the remainder of the year.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Play More Fight Less

Approach the fighting players with a determination to act very slowly. Take a stand, say, ten feet away from them, and after notifying the coach to call the teams for more practice, say to Elbert and Reginald, “Look here, boys, put all this muscle into another scrimmage. Go into it hard. But do it in the right spirit.”

Let the coach blow his whistle and sweep all the players toward the spot of taking position. Let one or the other of the fighters come up by you, but do not act as though you were a policeman or an executioner. Ignore the fight now that it is over, but see to it that the practice is free from brutality. Have a word with Elbert and Reginald privately to show that you expect 252fair play in the practice and a manly spirit on the athletic field.

The next day call in each boy separately. Let the boys do nearly all the talking. In a very brief statement confirm their own assertions of what constitutes manly conduct in athletics. Put them on their honor and rely on their self-respect. Inject into your few words a powerful expectation of fair play that will compel them to act as trained athletes, not as quarrelsome children. Coöperation, expectation on the teacher’s part and substitution with a large stock of patience are your best assets in a case like the above.

COMMENTS

Mr. Maxwell failed in trying to solve his problem on the spot and with strict administration of justice, rather than with a spirit of coöperation, and a re-direction of energy. In fact he entered the situation with indignation and actually seemed to be fighting also. He was trying to “down” the two boys with words and gave them harder blows because of his superior authority.

He projected the fighting spirit into the school board and the school societies. Vengeance aroused hostility. If suspension were necessary, it should have been announced privately to each boy. No mention of exclusion from the football team should have been made until after more time had been given for deliberation. If exclusion should finally be necessary, settle the matter between yourself, the coach, and the two boys.

However, this fight could not have occurred if the principal had watched his boys closely enough. High 253school athletes are eager to have an unsullied reputation. “A good spirit” in practice and contest games is so urgently demanded in, and usually exhibited, by college athletes, that the high school boys readily imitate them. On many occasions before this the principal should have coached his boys so that Elbert and Reginald would not have dared to harbor ideas of physical violence in an effort to gain vengeance.

ILLUSTRATION (HIGH SCHOOL)

The way in which the principle of substitution was made to assist in settling class difficulties is illustrated in the following story.

Class Flag

Mr. Hatch was principal of the East High School in a small city in Missouri. His splendid executive ability and marked insight into the life of the school had made his name highly reverenced in the community.

It had long been the custom in the school to have class distinctions. Mr. Hatch heartily sanctioned the custom, as one which would promote class unity and wholesome rivalry for leadership in the affairs of the school. It drew the pupils of one year into closer relationship and instilled in them a desire to make their class stand out in the estimation of the others.

It was October. The usual class spirit was in the air. Mr. Hatch announced at the morning assembly that class meetings would be held that afternoon for the election of officers and the choosing of the class flag.

About seven o’clock the following morning, Mr. Hatch was surprised by a telephone call from the school janitor:

Flag Torn Down

254“Last night a bunch of rowdy schoolboys broke into the school, went up into the tower, and tore down the school flag. When I came to work this morning I saw a piece of blue and white cloth up instead.”

Before Mr. Hatch arrived at school he heard from another source of the hand to hand fight between the freshmen and sophomores in the school yard the previous evening. And the torn up turf stood as evidence in the case.

“That is only natural,” thought Mr. Hatch. “I’ll have to give that surplus energy another outlet.”

He sent a notice to the teachers to say nothing about the class fight that day. A faculty meeting would be held in the afternoon to decide upon a course of action.

Through his suggestion, the motion was carried to have two class games of field hockey; one, between the first and second years; the other, between the third and fourth years; the dates to be arranged by the athletic board. The victors of the first day would be honored by having their class flag put up with the school flag the day following the game.

In the same way, the victors of the second day were to be designated. A final game was to take place between the two successful teams; the winners would receive a trophy.

In order to lodge this idea, not as an order but as a suggestion, Mr. Hatch privately conferred with the athletic board, submitting only a bare outline of procedure and leaving the details of the program to be worked out as each class saw fit. This action on the principal’s part transferred any responsibility which he had assumed to the body of pupils.

255When the classes took up the suggestion in their subsequent meetings, it came, not as a ruling of the faculty, but as an original idea on the part of the athletic board.

So an antagonistic school spirit was turned into a wholesome channel. The class spirit was not crushed, the pupils were satisfied to turn their class loyalty to the support of a contest sanctioned by the school, and a custom was established which was handed down from year to year, a heritage of good sportsmanship instead of a barbarous practice of giving vent to ill-will.

7. Instinctive Fear

Fear is plainly a self-preservative instinct which is of great value to the child in keeping him away from dangers which might easily result in serious injury. But fear has little value in the schoolroom. Instead of aiding the child it cripples, hinders, even paralyzes, his action so that he not only does his daily work with less freedom, but frequently fails outright to perform the task assigned, even with his most conscientious effort. If teachers doubt this statement let them observe the effects of fear upon themselves and note whether they have more or less self-control when under the influence of strong fear. Fortunately, few teachers resort to this method of control at the present time, but here and there one may still be found who has not yet learned the fact that ruling pupils by fear is a confession on his part that he is a poor disciplinarian.

First Grade

The first grade teacher, however, through no fault 256of his own, is often confronted on the first day with a great many children who are afraid of him. This characteristic is not so marked in the village or city schools, where children are accustomed to strangers, as in the rural school, where children come in who have seen but few strangers. It is not uncommon for a teacher himself, who, for the first time, steps into an unfamiliar school, to be afraid. This fear is written on his face; then it is little wonder that the children display fear. All that such teachers need to do is to put on a smiling face and meet the children with kindly greetings. A “Good morning, how are you?” and other cordial expressions will reassure the children. Through the day the teacher will be friendly and kind, complimenting each about something done; show some novelty or even give the shy child a pencil or picture. Within one week any child who is afraid of the teacher should have learned not to fear him. Every unkindness will aggravate the fear and only make it more difficult to remove.

A pupil who will not recite is sometimes considered a problem in the schoolroom. Such a pupil will not often appear in any grade except the first, and as a rule only in country schools. Then, usually, it is not because the pupil is stubborn or possesses some other vicious trait; he may be bashful or may have received inhumane treatment at home. Whenever a teacher finds that he has such a pupil it is not wise to attempt to make him recite. That will only aggravate the bashfulness or fear, and may even antagonize the pupil, making the trouble worse.

The first thing for the teacher to do is to be kind to 257the child. Show him some little favor. Instead of attempting to make him do school work, he should not be required to do any for a week or more. This time is given to aid him in becoming accustomed to new associates and surroundings. There should be no hint as to work. The week should be well used in getting the child’s interest and confidence. Besides, he is childish enough to watch the other pupils at work and feel an innermost interest in their activities. The teacher can loan him picture books and other interesting objects. He, too, can show some of the other pupils’ work. Finally, he can allow some other pupil to sit with him and teach him how to draw with colored pencils. It is only natural that a child who is doing school work should be interested and attempt to tell what he knows to another. The teacher must not let the children sit together too long. In about six or seven days at most the first grade child that refused to recite will begin to manifest an interest and join the classes without further effort on the part of the teacher.

Crying

Crying is often very annoying in the first grade. It may be due to fear, illness, an accident causing pain, a habit, or it may constitute the child’s chief means of securing what he desires.

If a child is suffering from some malady, as bad digestion, earache or other pains, the parents must be consulted, and an attempt made to have them put the child under a physician’s care until cured. It is most lamentable, indeed, that so many parents pay no attention to the ailments that so often worry little children. If the parents will not coöperate with the 258teacher, then all the teacher can do is to be sympathetic with the child and attempt to alleviate the pain. Such a child should not be treated harshly, that would only add to his suffering.

Whenever a child is hurt, the teacher should go to his aid, offering sympathy. However, it is not judicious to say, “That is too bad.” This may frighten the child and make him cry the harder. It is better to say to the child, “Never mind, I’ll fix that in a second and then you can play again.” Even though the accident is serious and requires the attention of a physician, the teacher should relieve the child from anxiety. Do not allow other pupils to exaggerate the accident.

Crying merely as a habit is quite prevalent in the first grade and is caused by poor methods of child training at home. Find out what usually causes the child to cry. Remove these causes as far as possible. Avoiding the things that cause the child to cry will help cure the habit. Whenever the child cries, go to him at once and in a pleasing manner say, “Just wait! I want to get you something.” Such a statement will attract the child’s attention and he will stop crying long enough to see what you are getting. Then get something that will interest him. Do all of this quickly so that the child will not have time to go back to crying. Keep the child interested until he forgets to cry. Common sense with this method will cure almost any child that habitually cries. Treat repeated offenses in the same way. The wording of the requests can be changed, if only they are suggestive and gain the child’s attention.

259The child that cries to gain what he desires has been so trained at home. It is, indeed, a bad type of training, but the teacher can improve the child in such a way that the parents will wonder what influences are at work. Should a child cry for something he wants, it will only intensify the habit to grant him his desire. A typical case is a child crying to go home. The method of procedure is the one given above. Apply the principle of suggestion, and follow the suggestion by quick substitution of the thing that will interest the child. All requests should be made by the teacher in an attitude that will make the child feel that the teacher expects nothing else but compliance with her requests.

(1) Governing through fear. Teachers intimidate their pupils; they try to scare them into getting their lessons and behaving properly. While this may accomplish the desired results in a measure, it does not bring out the best a child is capable of, or help him to gain a real education in self-reliance, control, etc.

CASE 44 (FOURTH GRADE)

Spelling

Miss Stevens had taught the fourth grade for twenty years, and was one of the old-fashioned pedagogues who always kept a whip in her desk and believed in governing her charges by the fear of it.

“Now get to work on your spelling lessons, everybody. James McGuire, if you miss a single word I’m going to whip you. You can learn to spell if you make up your mind to, and I’m going to see to it that you do.”

And poor James studied his spelling frenziedly, with 260the cold perspiration breaking out on his forehead. When called upon to spell in his turn he got successfully through the ordeal the first time, though he trembled so violently that he could hardly stand up. But the second time his turn came around, his word was miracle.

“M-i-r,” started James, and then a cold shiver ran up his back as he realized, terror-stricken, that he couldn’t remember whether it was an e that came next, or an a. “M-i-r,” and another pause during which poor James screwed his face into an awful scowl in the intensity of his effort to remember just how that word looked on page 48 of his speller.

“Yes, yes, hurry up, James,” said Miss Stevens sharply.

“M-i-r-e-c-l-e,” said James, with his eyes shut.

“Next,” Miss Stevens’ voice rasped, and she glared fiercely at James.

A little later Miss Stevens’ eagle eye discerned numerous scraps of paper around Eugene’s desk. Eugene really wasn’t responsible for their being there, for a careless girl had torn up her arithmetic paper and the scraps had blown over there when the windows were open at recess.

“Eugene, pick up those scraps of paper under your desk. And you will stay half an hour after school tonight for being so untidy.”

Eugene was a lad of spirit and had a strong sense of justice. It made him angry to be punished for another’s fault.

“I didn’t scatter that paper on the floor,” he said, rather vehemently.

261“Who did?”

“I don’t know,” the answer was quick and a little saucy, though Eugene didn’t mean it to be. He was only defending his rights in the matter.

“It’s around your desk and I guess you’d know who let it get there if you’d think hard enough,” Miss Stevens said sarcastically.

But Eugene made no move to pick up the paper.

“Will you pick up that paper, as I told you to?”

The authoritative, harsh tone roused Eugene to fighting pitch and he continued to sit still in his seat, resolved that he wouldn’t pick up the paper, because it wasn’t fair anyway—blaming him for what he hadn’t done.

Miss Stevens drew out the little leather lash from her desk drawer, and, though Eugene’s heart jumped into his throat at the sight of it, he still sat motionless.

She jerked him out of his seat to a standing posture.

Pick Up That Paper

“Pick up that paper,” she commanded. But he stood still, a strained, defiant look on his face. She brought the lash down on the calves of his legs sharply three times before he even winced. At the fifth blow his eyes filled with tears for he was still a little boy, only nine years old, and he had not yet learned the stoicism which bears physical pain unflinchingly.

The blows fell faster and harder and the smart of them became unendurable. Miss Stevens forced him down into a stooping posture with one hand, plying the whip vigorously with the other.

Gropingly, the tears blinding his eyes and sobs shaking his body, Eugene picked up a few of the scraps. 262Miss Stevens stopped beating him, but stood over him menacingly until every piece had been removed.

Then, leaving a broken, humiliated, little Eugene, with his face buried in his arms, she turned to the rest of the awe-struck school and resumed the work of the day, a smile of self-satisfaction spreading over her face.

“Let this be a lesson to you to do as I say, at once, without delay. You children are here to study and to do as you are told, and the sooner you learn to do it the better it will be for you.”

She whipped James after school for failing in his spelling.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Instead of helping James’ mind to develop, this teacher actually inhibited its progress.

She might better have said, “James, let’s see if we can’t have every one of those spelling words right this time, so that a nice fat 100 will go down in my book opposite your name. Just think hard every minute of the study period, and I know you can do it.”

And when James spelled the first word rightly, a wise teacher—one who understood and loved children—would have nodded approvingly, or smiled a little in recognition of the fact that James had done well, thus encouraging him to go on and do his best the next time. With this treatment he probably would not have failed the second time.

Always give the child a fair chance to state his case. When Eugene said he didn’t scatter the paper, the teacher should have taken him at his word even at the 263risk of being deceived, for not trusting a child’s word when he is speaking the truth does more harm than believing several liars.

“All right, Eugene, even if it isn’t your paper, don’t you think our schoolroom would look better if it were picked up?”

And Eugene would pick up the paper—grudgingly perhaps, but much more willingly and with much better results to himself than after he had received a whipping.

COMMENTS

The teacher who governs through fear loses all the confidence of her pupils, and because of this lack she can not reach the heart, can not effectively get hold of the child.

Instead of helping the child, fear prevents him from doing his best, it wastes his energy and distracts his attention. It may sometimes be used as a check to suppress activity, but should never be employed as a spur to incite pupils to effort.

When Not To Whip

Sometimes, for incompetent teachers, there is nothing else to do but to whip a child, no other way of curing him of his fault. But children like Eugene in the incident related should never be whipped. Such treatment irritates them, makes them defiant and more unruly than before; and when they are conquered in this spirit they are harmed infinitely more than they are helped.

ILLUSTRATION

Examinations

In speaking of the effect of fear in the schoolroom, ex-President Harrison said, “Perhaps the stress is applied 264too early to our little ones; and I throw out this word of caution to our good lady friends here who have them in charge. Some years ago I was passing down a street in Indianapolis from my residence to my office, on which was situated one of our public schools. The children were just gathering in the morning. As I came near the corner, two sweet little girls, evidently chums, approached from different directions, and, meeting at the crossing, soon had their heads close together, but not so close but that I caught the conversation. One said to the other, ‘Oh, I had such an awful dream last night.’ Her sympathizing little mate put her head still closer, and said, ‘What was it?’—‘Oh!’ said the trembling little one, ‘I dreamed I did not pass!’ It is safer to allow such little ones to dream, as in my careless country boyhood I was wont to dream about bears.”—Address at Saratoga, July 12, 1892.

(2) Fear in reciting. A pupil treated for a series of years as was James in the previous case will likely develop an almost pathological fear of the oral recitation by the time he has reached the high school or even earlier. Pathological fear, from any cause, is difficult to handle.

CASE 45 (HIGH SCHOOL)

Nervousness

Blythe MacLane was in her senior year of high school in Middlebury, Connecticut. She was a very nervous child and because of this, had always been allowed extra privileges in the school, which other pupils did not have.

When called upon to recite, she would say, “Please 265don’t make me rise, Miss Hutchins. I get so scared when I get up, I forget everything I know.”

Miss Hutchins always gave in. “All right, you may remain seated if you wish.”

Or, when certain papers were chosen to be read at the literary society, Blythe was always excused from reading hers.

If her paper was especially good, Miss Hutchins would say in class, “I wish Blythe’s paper could be read at the meeting tomorrow. Will you read it for her, Josephine?”

Later, when Miss Hutchins was working out the details for the Commencement program, she said to Blythe, “I’m going to seat you at the end of the front row, Blythe, so that you will not have to walk across the stage for your diploma.”

And again, “I did not give you a special part on the program, Blythe, because I know how frightened you get when you have to speak before an audience.”

“Thank you, Miss Hutchins. I think I should die if I had to walk across that platform, and as for taking part in the program, I know I should just sink through the floor when I got up to speak.”

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Encourage in every possible way a child who is afraid to speak before people. In the classroom, insist that she rise when reciting but be careful at first to keep her standing only a moment or two at a time. Pay no attention to the fact that she is nervous or that her parents have given in to her because of this. Treat her as if she had no fear. Frame your questions and 266modulate your voice in such a manner as to develop confidence in your pupils. Instead of saying in a blunt, unsympathetic way, “Why did Lincoln issue the Emancipation Proclamation?” say, “Blythe was talking with me in the library one evening last week about her life in the South. It was especially interesting to me because of our study of the Civil War. I am sure the class will enjoy hearing it, too. Blythe, repeat to me what you said that day.”

If a literary program is being planned, provide a place for the girl who is afraid to speak before an audience, if it be only to read a familiar passage. If a dramatic sketch is to be given by the school, select a part for such a girl, if it be only to walk across the stage with a tray. Try always, and in every situation to center her thought upon the thing done, thus diverting her consciousness from herself.

COMMENTS

Miss Hutchins made a great mistake in giving in to Blythe’s weakness. The girl would not have begged to remain seated, would not have excused herself because of nervousness, if Miss Hutchins’ attitude had been one to instil confidence in the girl.

Miss Hutchins only encouraged her pupil to further fear by providing a means by which Blythe would not have to read her paper before the literary society, and still further by speaking of this before the entire class.

So again, when Miss Hutchins was making out the program for Commencement, even if she thought it was necessary to seat Blythe as she did, she should not have called the girl’s attention to the cause. Such evidence 267that Miss Hutchins recognized her pupil’s fear, served only to augment this weakness, as was seen in Blythe’s final remarks.

By appealing to the pupil’s personal experience, any fear she may have will be likely to be dispelled, since she is on perfectly familiar ground. By saying, “I am sure the class will enjoy hearing it, too,” you are establishing in the girl’s mind your confidence that she will recite. Further by implying your question in a declarative form of statement, you are driving out the fear that a direct question often suggests.

Pupils of high school age are old enough to be stimulated by the suggestion that it is becoming more and more necessary now-a-days for women to preside over meetings and in many ways take the lead in circumstances that bring them more or less into prominence; and that the very best place to train one’s self for such work is in the little class affairs where only kindly sympathy will be felt for any one who is a little timid; and, furthermore, that a few triumphs over self will banish the fear.

ILLUSTRATION (HIGH SCHOOL)

Miss Halleck was an English instructor in a high school in a small town in Pennsylvania. She had the reputation of being closer in touch with her pupils than any other teacher in the school.

Leading Suggestions

She learned the temperament of every pupil and never failed to give careful consideration to the laggard, the listless, or the nervous child.

One young girl had such fear when called upon to recite, that she could hardly stand up.

268“Muriel, you are interested in gardening, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” (This was said while Muriel remained seated.)

“I knew you were. Do you remember what you told me about your dahlias?”

“Yes.” (This is said in a more interested tone of voice.)

“The class should know this, Muriel. Stand up and tell them what you told me.”

Muriel responded with flushed cheeks, embarrassed, to be sure, but not to the degree that fear was foremost in her mind. A substitute in the form of a personal interest had taken its place.

8. Cheating

(1) How it is provoked. The teacher who walks about the schoolroom, first looking to the right, then to the left and finally spinning around to look back of himself, is casting dares at his pupils. If such pupils do sneaking tricks and acts, it is no one’s fault but the teacher’s. By acting the spy in the schoolroom, a teacher does not need to tell his pupils he mistrusts them; his actions speak louder than words. Pupils who have no confidence in their teachers will do almost anything to provoke them. To get the confidence of a pupil is to train him so that he will respect the wishes and requests of the teacher enough to obey them cheerfully.

Among the various activities of the sneak, none is 269more frequent than cheating. Cheating belongs, probably, under disorders arising out of self-preservative impulses, since it has in it a large element of fear—fear of failing to get a coveted standing, fear of losing the approval of teachers and admiration of classmates, and fear of too inquisitive questions or possible reprimands at home because of low standings. Usually it is the weakling who cheats. The strong pupil has no need of such cowardly devices hence is not greatly tempted to use them. If bright pupils do cheat it is chiefly because a habit of doing so has been formed in the class as a whole, and when a habit of cheating is general it certainly should be laid to unwise handling of the matter on the part of the teachers.

(2) Two methods of procedure. Two general plans of procedure are indicated in the constructive treatment of such cases. The first aims to reduce to a minimum the element of fear; the second to build up a public sentiment against it.

With a view to the first step, do not talk too much before the pupils regarding examinations and never in a way to make pupils feel that they are a frightful bugbear to be constantly kept in mind and struggled for. The thought of the lesson, and its practical uses should be kept uppermost, not the examination. If the lessons are as well adapted to the pupils as they should be the interest in the lessons themselves will absorb the attention of the pupil and not much thought will be given to the examination. The pupils should know beforehand, however, about what time the test will come, so that any child who has been ill, or who is otherwise conscious of weak places in his work, may be 270amply prepared for examination day. This of itself will remove much of the temptation to dishonesty.

On the day before the test (or earlier) tell the pupils just what subjects to be prepared upon. Meanwhile allow any pupil who honestly needs assistance to come to you for it. Never allow him to think, however, that you will give to him any help that all the others might not have in preparation for the test.

Write the questions for the test or examination with extreme care. The slightest ambiguity in wording of the questions will lead some pupils to be mystified and to ask for explanations as to the meaning of this or that. Such questions of necessity lead to confusion and this confusion will be utilized by the dishonest members of the class for communicating with classmates or otherwise cheating in regard to their work.

Explain Your Meaning

The day before the test, give all directions necessary regarding seating, paper, form of writing, material for writing, etc., so that the element of uncertainty and fear as to what is coming may still further be removed. Explain the object of the test. It is an extra day thrown into the routine work, giving opportunity for the pupil to review the past work, to look up and strengthen any weak places in his study and then to test his knowledge by putting it down on paper. Explain how just the act of writing out one’s thought makes that thought clearer, how it shows each one whether he has really mastered his lessons as well as he had supposed. Tell how it helps the teacher also because it shows her that some points have not been explained by her as carefully as they should have been and after reading the papers she knows just what points need further explanation 271or review. Let the talk show the pupils that their papers give the teacher information that she really needs to know—that they are helping her as well as themselves in taking the test and let the whole impression of the talk be that of mutual helpfulness in the matter. Correct the impression that most children have, that the greatest favor they can do the teacher is to get the right answer. Show them that it is much more important for her to know if the work has been understood. Make out the questions, not for the brightest pupils in the class but for the average pupil.

The majority of your pupils are average pupils. It is not fair to them to include in test questions (unless they are made optional) certain ones that only the most advanced pupil in the class, or the child who has had exceptional advantages could answer. Avoid all possible suspicion of unfairness and in so doing remove another possible stimulus for cheating. In other words give pupils every possible reason for confidence in your justice. Never hold up examinations as bugbears to be feared.

The first test of the school year should be given early in the year, before much ground has been covered. The first two or three weeks’ work is likely to be less good than that which follows even where pupils and teacher are all doing their best. A few pupils have been late. Two or three have been transferred from other schools. There has been slight delay in getting books in one or two cases and even under the best circumstances it takes a little time for both pupils and teacher thoroughly to readjust themselves to the new work of the schoolroom after the very different life of 272vacation time. For all these reasons the first test should not cover so much ground that the pupils may not have ample time to make a thorough review of the work done thus far. As soon as possible after the examination the teacher should review the general results with the class, being careful to commend every good feature, something after this fashion:

“I was very much pleased to find questions 2 and 5 so well answered. We will take a few minutes for further discussion of question 6. It is necessary to understand this point in order to have a good foundation laid for our next work. I am sure that your next test will be better still now that you know just about what to regard as the most important things to study.” Let all your conversations about tests and examinations be in a cheerful tone of voice, never giving the suggestion in any way that they are anything to dread or that you expect anything from the pupils but the same frank statement on paper that you ordinarily expect from the same pupils when conversing with them.

Question Carefully

Very much can be done by a tactful teacher to prevent cheating by asking the questions in such a way as to remove the temptation. “Do you think Gen. Grant’s plan of the campaign (that we have been studying) was wise or unwise? Give your reasons for thinking so,” is a better form of question for a test than to say “State Gen. Grant’s plan of a campaign and give his reasons for the same.” The first question takes the emphasis off of the mere memorizing of words and places it upon the child’s individual judgment, thus giving him confidence in writing his answer since his 273statement may be very different from his neighbor’s answer and still be right. With confidence in himself and in the justice of his teacher there is little encouragement to cheat.

In the meantime while avoiding any act or word which would tempt a child to cheat, by your own example and by suggestion build up a sentiment of honor among the pupils in regard to honest work. Above all when you make mistakes, and all teachers do make them, yourself admit them freely in the presence of the pupils. Show them that correcting a mistake is the important thing, not covering it up, or pretending to a knowledge that one does not possess.

(3) Cheating by the pupils.

CASE 46 (THIRD GRADE)

Alma Montrose raised her hand and Miss Noles said, “What is it, Alma?”

“Ike Saunders is cheating,” said Alma in a reproving tone of voice.

“Isaac, are you cheating?” sternly inquired Miss Noles.

Copying Arithmetic

“No, ma’am,” answered Isaac while he hastily slipped into his desk the arithmetic paper from which he was copying the work of the boy in front of him. Miss Noles continued the recitation.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Never ask a pupil in the presence of others if he is cheating. Determine by observation or by private questioning of some one else. Remove all incentive for cheating that you possibly can, such as proximity 274to another who is doing the work, notebooks on desks, etc.

COMMENTS

Cheating is a kind of falsehood. One who cheats will ordinarily tell a falsehood to defend himself. The wisest treatment of the one who is suspected of cheating is to place not only him but others of his class in a situation where it is practically impossible to carry on cheating without detection.

ILLUSTRATION (THIRD GRADE)

Reading Answers

Clarence Stover was hearing a third grade arithmetic lesson. He noticed that Louis Lebenburger kept his eyes downcast while he recited. Stepping quietly to one side as if to arrange the curtain shade, the teacher could see that Louis had his book open and was reading his multiplication table from it.

Returning to his desk, Mr. Stover said: “That was very good, Louis. Come here, please.”

As Louis stepped to the desk Mr. Stover said, “Louis, I am very much pleased that you know your 7’s so well. Turn to the school and say them to all the children.”

Louis begin glibly:

“7 times 1 are 7

7 times 2 are 14

7 times 3 are 25

7 times 4 are—”

“Wait a minute,” said Mr. Stover, “7 times 3 are how many?”

“25,” answered Louis.

275“How many children think Louis is right? Hands up!” Not a hand was raised.

“How many think he was wrong?” All over the room hands came up.

“Go on, Louis,” continued the teacher, “7 times 4.”

“7 times 4 are 32,” said Louis.

“Right or wrong, children?”

“Wrong!” shouted a chorus of children.

“Why, how is this, Louis?” said Mr. Stover. “You knew these numbers perfectly a moment ago. Come here, Louis.” Louis stepped to the desk. His back was now turned to the school.

“Louis,” said Mr. Stover in a voice purposely lowered that the other children might not hear. “Were you cheating when I called on you a moment ago?” Crestfallen, Louis knew he was caught, so nodded his head in the affirmative.

“I am so sorry!” Mr. Stover continued. “I was trusting you as an honest boy. You have shown me that you were not worthy of such confidence. (After a pause.) Louis, do you know any grown person who is so tricky and so dishonest that everybody despises him?”

“Yes, Mr. T.,” answered Louis.

“Do you know any man who is so strictly honest and reliable that everybody trusts him?”

“Yes, Mr. L——.”

“Which would you rather be like, Louis?”

“Like Mr. L——.”

“Very well, sit down on this front seat and learn this table of 7’s. I will hear you recite it at the recess period.”

276In a few minutes the lesson was learned and recited. Louis was dismissed to finish the period on the playground.

CASE 47 (EIGHTH GRADE)

Passing Answers

“You may all take your books home tonight—every one. Don’t bring any pencils or paper with you to school tomorrow. Don’t bring any notebooks or any notes in your pockets.” This was Miss Justin’s announcement to her eighth graders in preparation for a coming examination.

The next day she shifted her classes so that no one sat in front of a classmate, and gave a history and a German test at the same time. Clarabelle sat at the rear of the second tier of seats; across the aisle sat Thurman.

“Thurman, what was that you picked up from the floor just now?”

“I don’t know. I h’ain’t picked up nothin’,” was Thurman’s confused reply.

“Now see here, Thurman, I saw you pick up a small piece of paper. Don’t you make a move until you hand me that paper.”

Thurman could hardly obey this order, though he did make some effort to keep quiet. Miss Justin came to him, demanded the paper, was refused, boxed Thurman savagely on the left ear and went back to her desk.

Thurman had said he had no paper and Miss J. could not be sure that he lied. After school Phronsie came to her teacher, saying, “Here is a paper that seemed to blow over to my desk. I thought I should 277give it to you since you told us we could not have notes in school today.”

Miss Justin looked through her papers and found that Clarabelle’s hand had written the notes on the history lesson—dates of the presidential administration with one error. Turning to Thurman’s paper she found the list, including the error; the proof was conclusive.

She thought, “Thurman has already had one smart blow from me today. I’ll mark his paper off 20% for cheating. That gives him two penalties. But Clarabelle! She’s taken a fancy to that boy and stops at nothing. I must give her a penalty.”

Next morning she confronted her pupil with the evidence and gave her a choice between two alternatives: to write a letter describing her act of helping another to cheat and to read it to the pupils in her room; or she might face the superintendent with Miss Justin, who would tell the story and abide by his decision.

Clarabelle got permission to take a day for deliberation. Her parents were angered and decided to take her out of school. She never returned.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Miss Justin was decidedly wrong. Study the methods of such famous teachers as Mrs. Johnson of Fairhope, Alabama. Conduct tests sometimes with books open, not to have pupils show off their powers of memory but to show how they can use books to solve problems and to reveal their power of doing new tasks. Let the history “exam” be a contest in story telling: 278some pupils telling the story completely; at other times have three pupils tell the story in relays. In German let pupils have all the books they want but prepare an examination that requires speed so that amount of accurate work shall be the basis of grading; have more questions than any one pupil can get over. Divide your class into three groups, rapid, medium, slow and make allowances for the medium and slow so that justice shall be done to all.

Do not talk about cheating. There will be no chance to cheat if you follow the plan just described. Deal with any flagrant case of cheating with extreme privacy; it is a disgrace to provoke children to cheat and you should try to hide the affair and save the culprit from yielding to a similar temptation should you be so unfortunate as to place another one in his way.

COMMENTS

There is no way of escaping examinations. But only weak teachers resort to the old-fashioned typical memory test as their main stay for examination. With very moderate inventive powers a teacher can easily rise far above the level of prying bits of formal knowledge out of a child’s brain by means of set questions. Many an examination can be passed through with the pupil unaware of the fact that he has been examined. The problems have been so dressed up as to become discussions, reports or even questions proposed by the pupils. It often takes as much information to ask detailed questions as it does to answer them. By sharing the dignity of asking test questions, pupils 279come to enjoy the “game” of the day and refuse to consider unfair means.

Miss Justin did not make nearly enough of such pupils as Phronsie. The honest, painstaking pupils are usually far more numerous than they are supposed to be. Every one of them must be yoked into the school “team,” so that the pull of the careless ones will have very little effect. Sometimes, indeed, a pupil’s influence will do even more than the teacher’s to eliminate the habit of cheating, as in the case cited below.

ILLUSTRATION (EIGHTH GRADE)

Miss Nelson, the eighth grade teacher, had the reputation of being “stiff.” She assigned long, hard lessons every day, and her examinations were nightmares to her scholars. But she was near-sighted and her pupils had formed the habit of cheating—peeping into the book during a recitation, and helping each other in tests.

Gertrude Hayes entered the eighth grade long after the year’s work had begun. She had been there a week only when Miss Nelson gave the class a particularly hard examination in geography.

“How did you answer the third question?” was written on a slip of paper handed to Gertrude by her neighbor across the aisle.

Gertrude went on writing, paying no heed.

Refused to Cheat

“I’ve got the exports of the South written on a piece of paper. Do you want it?” whispered the boy back of her.

Gertrude shook her head.

280The next day in history class she was called on to give the details of Sherman’s march to the sea, which was in the latter part of the assignment. Before the class was called she had told Grace, who sat in front of her, that she hadn’t read all the lesson.

While Gertrude was thinking what answer she could make, Grace opened her book at the page on Sherman’s march, pointing with her pencil to the lines which would help Gertrude out.

“I don’t know,” said Gertrude, and saw a 0 go down in the class book for that day’s recitation.

Grace looked at Gertrude in round-eyed astonishment. At noon she asked, “Why in the world didn’t you let me help you in history class? She’s as blind as a bat and wouldn’t know it.”

“Because I didn’t have my lesson and I wasn’t going to cheat about it.”

Grace felt rather uncomfortable and decided that she wouldn’t let Gertrude see her cheat after this, anyway.

Before long everyone in the room knew that Gertrude never had cheated and couldn’t be persuaded to do so. Several of the girls followed her example and refused to help or be helped when it was not fair. By the end of the year cheating in the eighth grade was still carried on, but surreptitiously, for those who still cheated were ashamed of their dishonesty and were anxious to be thought as honorable as their classmates who had given it up.

Thus was a new standard of honor set up in the eighth grade room by the persevering honesty of one little girl. To the credit of Miss Nelson it should be 281said that quietly she had taken note of Gertrude’s conduct and influence. There was no public demonstration, but by silent communication and little individual signs Gertrude was made fully aware that she held the fullest esteem and confidence of her teacher.

CASE 48 (HIGH SCHOOL)

Copies Science

It was the evening of the first day of mid-year examinations at Mount Hope High School. Miss Noland was correcting algebra papers and wore a troubled frown as she glanced over Oliver Geigler’s paper, not because it was so incorrect but because it was so well done. Oliver could never have written it unaided. That she knew. She resolved to keep a lookout the next day while Oliver was writing examination papers, and if she could get conclusive evidence that he had cheated she would deal with him accordingly.

Fifteen minutes after the class in general science began to write their examination, Miss Noland very stealthily crossed the room apparently to get a pamphlet from the bookcase, but really to see why Oliver Geigler was sitting back so far from his desk while he wrote. Sure enough, his open science book was halfway out of his desk on his lap and he was looking at it. The slight noise made by the shutting of the bookcase door caused Oliver to look up and to see that Miss Noland was near. He instantly moved up nearer to his desk, thus shoving the open book into it and assuming studiousness, gazed fixedly across the room as if trying to recall the answer to a question.

Miss Noland went to him, reached into his desk and took out the open book and said:

282“You march right into the office and tell Mr. Russel that you were cheating! I’ll be in there as soon as I can get away from here to see what you have told him. Nobody can cheat in this room and escape being caught at it.”

Resentment was marked even in the boy’s slow movements as he got up and went to the office. Mr. Russel suspended him from school for a week and told him that he must promise to stop cheating when he returned to school.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

When you have reason to believe that cheating is going on in your classes, create a class sentiment against it and as far as possible remove the temptation to dishonesty. You can create a sentiment against it by talks and stories upon the subject of honesty given before the entire school and by appealing privately to individual students whom you know to be honest and saying to them something like this:

“I believe you are perfectly honest and would like to have others to be so. You can help to eliminate cheating from our school by talking against it whenever you have an opportunity. Of course we will not talk about individuals who cheat, but will say what we think about the bad effects of cheating itself.”

To remove temptation to dishonesty, be sure that you are fair. Make very definite assignments of what is to be learned so that nobody can possibly be in doubt as to what you will ask. If the lesson is in American history, say, “Tomorrow I shall ask each 283one of you to write the full name of each of the first ten Presidents of the United States in the order in which they served.” The next day pass out small papers and give them five minutes in which to write the Presidents’ names. Have them exchange papers, let some one read what is on the paper he has while the others check errors on the papers they have. Correct erroneous answers as the reading proceeds. Ask pupils to grade the papers and return them to their owners. Call the roll and have each pupil respond by telling what grade he received. Gather up the papers and verify grades, returning the papers the next day. For the following day give a similar assignment.

Five Minutes Test

Use the five minute test method on any assigned lesson until pupils become thoroughly familiarized with the writing of tests and come to regard it as a usual—not an unusual—experience. Say, “Study this lesson carefully. I will give you a little test on it tomorrow.” Until you can trust the class, give many questions with short answers, rather than few questions with long answers. The pupil who is trying to cheat can not stop to hunt up answers in his book, where things are moving so rapidly. Suppose the science lesson is on water. The day after the assignment, pass out slips of paper about three by six inches in size. Say, “Put your name at the top of the paper and number up to ten along the left margin. Answer each question in one word if possible.”

“No. 1. Water is made up of two elements. One of them is hydrogen. Write the name of the other after 1 on your paper.”

284“No. 2. Write one word in answer to this question, Which is heavier, water or ice?”

“No. 3. Write in figures a number. At what degree Fahrenheit does water boil?”

“No. 4. Write ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to this question: Can you tell pure water from impure by sight?” Continue up to ten, asking such questions as may be answered by one word or one number. Have papers corrected as indicated above and keep record of the grades.

COMMENTS

The child who cheats has not been educated correctly and so has not sufficient prejudice against dishonesty. He needs to be educated. The dread of tests and examinations can be almost entirely overcome by giving, almost daily, tests which take up little time, accentuate important features of the lesson, and give equal chances to test the knowledge of all on a few important points. Pupils invariably like tests under the above conditions.

CASE 49 (HIGH SCHOOL)

Undeserved Standings

(4) Cheating by teacher to please principal. There are times when an almost irresistible pressure is brought to bear upon teachers to yield to custom or concede to circumstance. James C— was a junior in the State University of Iowa when it became necessary for him to teach to earn money for his senior year. He secured a position in a small town as science teacher in a high school which had a staff of three—the principal, a good-natured time-server with an eye to reappointment 285at an advanced salary, and a very pretty and popular young English teacher, whose easy standards and sweet helpfulness endeared her to all her students.

Now football ruled the day at North Burley High School. The team had beaten every town within a radius of fifty miles the year before, and now they proposed to play the teams from some of the larger towns of the state. The coach, an old college player, was exceptionally good, and his team worked like a machine. The star player was Leslie Linwood, a boy who passed his days in sleepy toleration of lessons, only to wake up on the gridiron to a mechanical perfection of response and a cool initiative of successful leadership that insured the winning of games. He was the idol of the school, although he could do nothing but play his wonderful games. Every one bowed down to him as the chief element in a proudly-maintained championship.

There was, however, one old-fashioned board member who thought football an unimportant side-line in a high school, and it was through his influence that a rule existed to the effect that no student who had not passed in three studies for a month previous to the playing of a game should participate in a game. The rule had not troubled the football team—all its members always had 70 or above each month.

But Leslie Linwood took two sciences that year under Mr. C—. He failed outright in physics, which seemed to be worlds beyond his mentality; and he delayed the preparation of the notebook in biology until Mr. C— was compelled to fail him in that study also. He was therefore ineligible to play upon the team, and 286three big games were coming. Leslie, at the suggestion of the coach, went to Mr. C— and asked for more time for his notebook.

“You had all month in which to write it up,” replied Mr. C—. “Two girls failed to get theirs in, and I failed them. You were not ill; you were just lazy and indifferent. I don’t see why I should give you a chance that the others don’t have.”

“Will you let me have another examination in physics then?” asked Leslie.

“I don’t see why I should. But you can ask Mr. Rounds, and if he says to do it, I will.”

Leslie did ask Mr. Rounds, and Mr. Rounds consented. So Mr. C— gave Leslie another examination in physics, in which Leslie made the grade of 35; and things were worse than they were before.

“But see here, C—,” said the astute Mr. Rounds, “you know you must manage to pass Leslie in one or the other before next Saturday. The whole school expects it; we need him for the Patterson game.”

“But I don’t know how to pass a boy who simply doesn’t know an induction coil from an apple pie,” replied the innocent Mr. C—. “I can’t tell a lie, can I?”

“No, you don’t need to do that, of course. But you must get him through some way. Give him some coaching, can’t you? Of course every one knows he’s stupid; but he can play football, and the school simply wouldn’t stand for his being off the team—to say nothing of the townspeople.”

To Mr. Rounds’ representations the pretty English teacher added some pretty advice, and a score of students 287haunted his footsteps to know how Linwood was coming on in biology; “Well, then, in physics?” Mr. C— grew a bit thin, as men do who fight a hard fight; for Mr. C— was fighting for his honor.

Mr. C—’s honor lost. To make a long story short, he gave Leslie Linwood another examination on Friday afternoon; and when he had reached his room, he deliberately burned the paper in the Franklin stove without looking at it. He had no delusions as to what he did; he grimly called himself a name that he knew he deserved as the bright flames flashed into his face.

Mr. C— went to the game the next day, and received the smiles of a pleased community with outward calmness. His inward writhings smoothed themselves out after a few days; he found a certain pleasure in being popular, and the contempt of the few people who knew just what he had done did not show itself openly. He finished the year without unpleasantness of any kind, and was “regretted by a large circle of friends” when he declined reappointment in June. He looked like the same man who had gone out to teach the fall before, but he had lost an inestimable treasure; the greatest tragedy that can happen to man had happened to him—he had deliberately sold himself to the public. A chance to work a great reform, to replace a low ideal with a high one, to teach the plastic minds of a whole school the difference between the worth-while and the not-worth while, had been lost. All that had taken place because he had not courage to take a stand upon a plain question of truth and falsehood. He had yielded to mob control.

288CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Evidently Mr. C— had time to measure the situation with care. This matter of failing students is so familiar that he can be prepared, without uncertainty, for puzzling situations.

Refuses to Lie

Mr. C— can proceed as follows: ask the high school teachers privately the following question, “If after a teacher has done his best with a student and he fails, is it right to give him a passing grade?” The answer, “Yes” or “No,” is to be secured from each teacher. Nine times out of ten the answer will be “No.”

Make a record of every effort and failure of Leslie, and at the end make a memorandum of the teacher’s opinion and file it with the principal. Then when questioned by pupils, refer to the facts on this report and say, “I have turned the matter over to the principal.” Have a frank talk with Leslie if you have managed him without friction so far, and if he begs to be allowed to play anyway in spite of the rules, say, “You do not want me to do what is not fair, do you?”

Hold out to the end without flinching, and take the consequences. Have Leslie informed on every step you take.

COMMENTS

The chief difficulty is the over-emphasis which schools place on winning games. If no one takes a stand against dishonesty in giving grades, the reform will never be instituted. If one is willing to leave the school at the end of the year because of his conscience, 289he would far better leave earlier with a clear conscience and the passing disfavor of the school.

The actual procedure must be determined by the rules in force. The Inter-High School Athletic Association rules must be followed at all hazards. By following the principal’s instructions, turning over Leslie’s papers and assuming that the principal wants the right thing done, he can be made to share the responsibility of keeping Leslie out of the game.

By keeping a few persons informed with regard to your management of every step of the procedure, you will be saved from being falsely accused of giving an undeserved passing grade, or of wrongly depriving the pupil of the same.

ILLUSTRATION (HIGH SCHOOL)

Boy’s Admission

Silas Harper taught German at the Crossville High School with fourteen pupils in the second year class. The same old story of failure to pass threatened to keep Thornton Tanner out of the next football game. Just as soon as the complication took shape, Harper had a clear understanding with the principal, who, not knowing that the star player was in danger of losing his standing, said in faculty meeting, “No pupil who fails in one study can play on the scheduled games.”

All the usual devices for pulling Thornton through failed. The day before the game the following conversation occurred:

“Thornton, have I given you all the help you needed to get your German up?”

“Yes, Mr. Harper, you have. You aren’t to blame if I don’t play.”

290“I’m exceedingly sorry; I don’t know any way out. Thornton (looking the boy in the eye), can you say that you have had a square deal and that you are not entitled to play?”

“Yes, I believe I can. But I don’t see that that does any particular good. The fellows don’t care about my studies; they want me to play. They think if I don’t we shall lose.”

Thus the matter ended with the two. When the coach inquired of Harper about Thornton, the situation was explained and no hope of relief developed. The principal was deeply annoyed over the situation. He said:

“I’m afraid we made a mistake somewhere. I think we’d better let Thornton drop German from his schedule and so free him from the record of a failure.” Mr. Harper remained silent for a moment; then he remarked:

“I can’t agree to that. I will make my written report to you and to the superintendent and explain the situation to my German class. The athletic rules as understood by the boys themselves will not allow Thornton to play. I can’t yield to popular clamor and give a grade where the boy himself affirms he doesn’t deserve it. Your plan will put him on the team, but it will not make him respect honor or law.”

The principal carried out his plan. The pupils knew all about it; they rejoiced over the splendid victory; but their respect for the dishonored principal was easily eclipsed by their silent admiration for Silas Harper, their enthusiastic supporter in athletics, but unflinching champion of right.

291

9. Lying

No more harmful misdemeanor than lying can be discussed. It is fortunate that it is not very prevalent in the first grade; still that does not remove the very urgent importance of using every caution to prevent and cure it whenever and wherever it is found. When one learns that most of the great newspapers of the country will flagrantly print lies to make otherwise unnoticeable articles of news “catchy” and exciting; that great stores, and small ones as well, have systems of lying devised to allure trade; that everywhere in this busy world lying is the basis of all dishonesty and graft, the teacher can not fail to see the necessity for right training in this direction. A lie is not so many untrue words; it may be work not done as agreed upon, a contract worded in such a way as to evade responsibility, or a thousand other ways of deceiving. Lying has crept into every avenue of municipal, state and national affairs. In view of all this, the teacher must do all in her power to prevent and cure lying.

Types of Lies

Lying may be variously classified, according to motives. However, for the teacher’s purpose, it is only necessary to recognize four types of lying according to the motive.

First, a pupil is often forced to lie, because the teacher pursues some indiscreet method which he mistakes for shrewdness, but which, in reality, is only a trap in which to catch pupils, with the result that a lie is the product of the method.

Second, pupils that have very imaginative minds often tell the teacher a story or some incident which 292they color to suit their keen imaginations and thereby strain the truth.

Third, children lie very frequently because of fear.

Fourth, perhaps the worst form of lying is that by which children try to obtain things they want, believing they can not secure them by being truthful.

In a certain school some petty offense had been committed on the playground. The teacher did not know who had done it. After the bell rang and every pupil was in his place, the teacher passed from pupil to pupil down and up each row of seats asking, “Was it you?” To make her questions more imperative she punctuated them by a sharp look or pointing her finger at each pupil as she asked the question. From each little tot came a simple, “No.” But some one of the pupils had committed the offense and all replied, “No,” therefore one of the pupils had lied. Why? The teacher had instigated the lie. Little do teachers think that such methods as this are productive of more harm than good. Finally this same teacher will ask, “Does any one know who did it?” All are afraid to admit who did the act in spite of the fact that every pupil knows just who committed the offense. In the last round of what the teacher deems her shrewdness, she has led every pupil to lie. Teachers who follow such tactics know little or nothing about human nature or child psychology.

A Teacher’s Blunder

The teacher who bluntly asks a pupil, “Did you do that?” is paving the way for a falsehood. Again, what teacher can not recall entering the schoolroom and finding a vase broken, a window pane broken, or a choice sentence erased from the board and at once 293commenting in a strained tone of voice, “That is too bad! I wonder who did it.” Again the opportunity for a falsehood is provided. The thoughtful teacher, from the above suggestions, will be able to recall many instances where she in effect forced pupils to tell falsehoods.

To prevent all such lying, the teacher must carefully study the method she is planning to use in ferreting out some mischief, before she uses it. She must study its effect upon the children; if it has the slightest tendency to cause them to prevaricate, then it is far better to leave the mischief unnoticed than to cause pupils to tell lies.

Talking on Truth-Telling

In this instance the teacher would have done the right thing had she explained to the pupils the value of truth and how she appreciated a child that told the truth. She should have explained that older people break things, commit offenses and make other mistakes. The mistake is not so bad in itself, for every one is liable to make a mistake. Further, the teacher should plainly point out to the pupils that when any one has made a mistake or committed an offense, or broken something, the deed is smoothed over and mitigated when the offender tells the truth about it. Teachers have no right to make a new law for themselves; it is God’s law to forgive any and all offenders, if they will but come to him and confess. What is confession but telling the truth?

Children in the first grade are not too young to have the matter of truth put before them in this manner. After the talk the teacher must avoid any attitude of questioning or even of suspicion, but go on about her 294work in the kindest mood. As a rule, before many hours her patience will be repaid by a little form at her side, whose eyes fill with penitent tears, and she will hear a story of truth that will gratify her heart.

What should the teacher do with such an admission? Approve such a child for its truthfulness. Thank him. He deserves all the kindness and sympathy a teacher can extend. To treat a child like this about an offense will remove the motive for lying and the chance for offenses. Besides he has been encouraged in telling the truth and afterward will doubtless continue to be truthful.

Every community has its liars. Some communities have more than their share. Who knows but that these liars may not, once, have been children who told incidents, accidents and stories to parents, playmates and teachers and, by reason of an imaginative mind, added little flourishes of their own. Some teachers do not call such statements lies, but whatever part of the incident, experience, or story, was recited for the purpose of deceiving was false. It is true, children are called upon in language classes to write about such subjects as, “A Ride on an Ocean Steamer,” “A Street Car Accident,” and many others that describe something that has never entered into their experience. This is imagination, and while it has its value, it has its dangers also. There is a movement away from the practice of having children write about imaginary things; instead they are instructed to write about real things. This tendency is very proper, but does not mean a total neglect of the cultivation of imagination.

The Imaginative Lie

To illustrate just what is meant by the lie that may 295grow out of the imagination, a child comes to the teacher and begins telling her about the antics of a little baby brother or sister. The teacher shows an interest in what the child is telling. Every child likes to be admired and approved because of what he can do or tell. The teacher’s pleased look and smile stimulate the child to make his conversation as interesting as possible, and almost without any effort he can put touches of exaggeration into the conversation about the baby.

Again, who has not watched a group of first grade pupils at play, and overheard them telling things to each other which could not possibly be true? They imagine themselves merchants, aunties and uncles, and concoct conversations that would rival the art of any story-teller. It is this imaginative impulse that prompts them to color so many of the incidents they relate and often leads them to tell for the truth things that never happened.

It is a question whether it is best to throttle the imaginative wanderings of the child mind or not. It is doubtful if harm can come from the imaginary conversations of children at play. In reality they are getting themselves ready for the activities of adult life and mayhap it is the best wisely to guide them in their play activities rather than suppress them.

But should a child let his fancy persuade him to strain the truth when he tells an actual occurrence? The teacher can very easily curb this tendency by not showing an interest in what the child is telling. How should this be done?

Every teacher knows that as the child talks he looks into the face of the teacher. There he notes the raising 296of the eyebrows, the twinkle of the eyes, the faint trace of a smile, and the line of the lips, all of which are indices of the mind of the teacher. Every teacher knows quite well that his face indicates to a pupil whether the answer he is giving to a question she asked, is right or wrong. These signs in the teacher’s face either encourage or discourage a child. The teacher who wishes to disapprove of any untruths a child may weave into his conversations, needs but to lower his eyes at those points of the conversation where she feels that the child is not relating the truth. Care should be taken not to discourage him in what he is telling. Rather do the opposite. It is the province of the school to enable children to express freely and in good English, those things they know, see and experience. Then it is expedient to show, by the features, disapproval of that part of the conversation only that is untruthful. Encourage conversation about the real. Such a method will hold the child to the truth and will tend to make him strive to tell the truth under all circumstances. However, the teacher must remember that he may still continue to speak of fanciful things, and it is well for her not to attempt to remedy that.

There can be no mistake in using the direct method of teaching truthfulness. To do this a teacher need not say, “Do not lie.” She should use the positive method—tell stories bearing upon the value of truth. She can weave truth into her every day life, the daily lessons, and all other activities of the schoolroom and the playground.

The teacher who tells the pupils how fine it is to be 297truthful, is dropping a seed which will grow into a great plant of truthfulness in the child’s life.

The Lie of Fear

There is no excuse for the teacher who has a pupil in her room who tells lies because of fear of her. How true it is that so many children tell falsehoods because of fear. In the home, of all places where love and confidence should reign supreme, children are taught to lie because they fear the unreasonable punishments of parents. These children enter school where a cruel teacher sets up a code of rules that she can not obey herself, but expects the pupils to obey. Naturally, in the activities of the schoolroom these children trespass on the teacher’s sacred rules. Then they fear punishment. In order to escape this punishment they tell falsehoods. This is all wrong, and childhood cries out against it. Why can not parents win the confidence of their children by love and sympathetic guidance and treatment, so that they will openly and frankly admit when they have been mischievous? Why can they not so teach their children that they will tell the truth about their petty offenses? Why, then, can they not pardon them and confidently admonish them to offend no more? Parents are too prone to forget that as children they, too, were mischievous. This is not a discussion for parents, but what has been said is also of value to the teacher, for the teacher receives these children at the age of six and is expected to cure them of all the evils that short-sighted and inexcusable parents have taught; hence, it becomes the teacher’s duty to correct the child that tells falsehoods because of fear.

Heroic measures are not needed. The prudent teacher will have no alarming code of rules or other 298guideposts to right conduct displayed in her schoolroom. She will act as the guidepost herself. She will discreetly lead the young lives intrusted to her by love and sympathy. A six-year-old child needs direction and instruction, and not punishment, as so many teachers believe. Then the teacher who loves and controls her pupils aright will have the confidence of her pupils. They will not fear her. They will not need to lie to cover up their misdemeanors. They will tell them to the teacher, because they know she will wisely counsel them. Fear being removed, truthfulness will naturally follow.

Lying for Gain

The pupil that has acquired the habit of lying to obtain the many things he wants is the most difficult to handle. This habit is usually the result of very poor home training, but in many instances the child resorts to falsehoods to obtain his ends in school, and the habit is begun after the child enters school. While all types of lying are pernicious, none is worse than the one which tempts a child to lie to gain some material end.

In many instances a pupil secures something from the teacher by means of a misrepresentation and the teacher is not aware of it, but later learns that the pupil has secured the coveted object by false methods. There is nothing left for the teacher to do, except to tell the child about his misrepresentation and request him not to repeat it. This must not be done in a faultfinding way, but as a means of instruction. Sometimes the misdemeanor may be of such proportions, that all that can be done is to give direct instructions against it; but when this becomes necessary, the teacher must do 299it in a way that will win the child’s confidence. Not a word nor look of criticism should escape the teacher. Her instruction should make plain to the child the evil results that will arise from such falsehoods. If the teacher is not careful she will make the child more evasive in his attempts to misrepresent. After that he will use all the tact he can, to keep his falsehoods hidden; so it becomes very imperative that the teacher give direct instructions with the utmost care. It is indispensable that she remain within the child’s confidence. It can not be emphasized too much, that but little can be done for a child in the way of direct or indirect instruction, if the teacher has lost the confidence of the offender.

Usually the teacher can detect from the child’s manner, that he is lying to obtain what he wants. In such a case the teacher can more easily apply an effective method and one that will in due time remove the habit from the child. Often the teacher can lead the child to the truth by a series of careful questions. Answers to the questions are the child’s gradual admission of the truth. These admissions can be drawn from the child by facial suggestion; that is, the teacher can approve by a pleased countenance that reply which she deems the truth and disapprove that reply which she deems a falsehood by merely assuming an unmoved countenance or expressing negation. Also, negative movements of the head, suggest, “No,” to the child when he is telling a falsehood and this suggested “No” will bring out the truth. The positive movement of the head consents to the truth when stated by the child.

300CASE 50 (KINDERGARTEN AGE)

(1) Lying in order to accomplish a desired end. The following occurrence very nicely illustrates the method. A little girl had secured permission from her mother to visit the home of a young man who was doing some experiments in child psychology. While there he used her as a subject for an experiment. The experience pleased the little girl, and in a few days she wished to make another visit, but knew that her mother would not grant the privilege. The little girl went to the young man’s home without her mother’s consent. Upon arriving there the little girl suggested that they go into the kitchen. The experiment of a few days before had been performed in the kitchen. The experimenter knew the mother well enough to question whether the little girl had secured her mother’s consent. When he asked her if her mother had allowed her to come, she replied, “Yes,” but the young man saw at once that the child was lying and determined to get the truth without the child’s knowledge of his object or without forcing her to tell the truth as so many unwise teachers attempt to do, and fail.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Suggestion As a Remedy

The following is the exact conversation: The young man said, “Your mother allowed you to come the other day, did she not?” This he emphasized by a positive nod of his head. The little girl readily replied, “Yes.” Then the young man said, “But today your mother did not allow you to come? No, no.” This question he emphasized by a negative nod of his head. The little girl hesitated, and told her wavering falsehood. Her 301reply was, “Yes, she said I could go into the kitchen.” Again he asked his questions, emphasizing each by the proper motions of his head. To the last question, the little girl replied, “She did not say I could come today.” He had used the principle of leading suggestion, and had led the little girl to tell the truth. He did not change his attitude toward the child. He was firm and kind. She was old enough to understand the significance of the lesson and did not attempt to tell the young man another falsehood, and he had occasion to have the little girl about him almost every day.

COMMENTS

It is worth consideration, that to this tendency to misrepresent in order to secure an end or desire, teachers apply such crude and unskilled methods of prevention, they really force children to tell more falsehoods. It is urgent that a teacher should always study all cases of falsehood coming up and then with common sense approach them in such a way as to prevent, instead of intensify, the habit of lying.

(2) Lying in order to cover up a wrong act. Very much of what has been said regarding the method of dealing with very young children applies with equal force to older children, except that the older ones have more definitely formed ideas of what is right and wrong.

CASE 51 (SECOND GRADE)

Marking Desks

Miss Simons looked down the row of seats in the second grade room and saw that Forrest Short was drawing on his desk with his lead pencil. She walked 302back to his seat and saw that the drawing represented an apple. She said, “Forrest, how did this drawing of an apple get on your desk?”

Startled and abashed, Forrest whispered, “I don’t know anything about it.”

Miss Simons walked away and said no more.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Do not ask a child, who has done some misdemeanor, whether or not he did it; especially, if you already know that he did it.

Miss Simons should have said privately to Forrest: “I saw you drawing on your desk. These desks and this schoolhouse belong to everybody who lives near here. We can benefit all of them by keeping the desks and the entire room as neat and clean as possible. See if you can not get the marks off of your desk. I will show you how. We want the next child who uses it to find it just as nicely kept as you found it.”

COMMENTS

Miss Simons could reasonably expect nothing else than that Forrest would tell a falsehood when the truth would condemn him. Furthermore, she acted a lie herself if she pretended not to know how the drawing came to be on the desk. A teacher who wishes to foster truthfulness in a child will not wittingly tempt him to tell an untruth. Miss Simons made the untruth too easy. Had she assumed in talking with Forrest that he had made the drawing, he would have admitted it.

303ILLUSTRATION

Drawing

Miss Cate, who was teaching the second grade in a village school, saw that Edward Marsh and Rolland Gray were both drawing on their tablets during the period when they should have been preparing their arithmetic lesson.

She said to Edward, “I see you are drawing. Have you finished your arithmetic problems, Edward?”

“Yes, Miss Cate,” he replied.

“Drawing is a good pastime when you have your lessons prepared,” said Miss Cate. “Here is a piece of paper and a model. Copy this for me as accurately as you can and I shall be pleased to see it when you have finished it.”

She then said to Rolland, “I see that you too are drawing; have you finished your arithmetic?”

“No, Miss Cate,” he said.

“Drawing is a fine, noiseless pastime,” she said, “but just now I wish you to do your problems in arithmetic. As soon as you have finished them, raise your hand and I will give you a good, easy model to draw from.” Both children went happily to work.

(3) Teaching untruthfulness. Many a teacher gives her pupils lessons in untruthfulness by practicing upon them what she considers to be harmless deceptions. It is a weak teacher who finds such aids to discipline necessary.

CASE 52 (THIRD GRADE)

It was Miss Weber’s first day of school in Roxbury, Missouri. She came as a new teacher from a nearby normal school.

Teacher Falsifies

304In outlining her first day’s work the evening before, the words of her training teacher had been in her mind, “As the first day goes, so goes the year.”

“I’ll take the first five minutes tomorrow,” thought Miss Weber, “to tell the children what I hope from them. They will then be pretty sure to meet my expectations.”

After a cheery “Good morning, children,” she said, “I’m going to take a few minutes this morning to talk with you. I want you to be very good children this year. I’ve got eyes in the back of my head and when my face is turned away from you I can see what is going on back of me.”

Some of the pupils in her room actually believed this for about a week, when one day Jimmie Knox decided he would test Miss Weber’s “double eyes.” He had not studied his spelling lesson; so when the papers were exchanged for correction (his among them) and Miss Weber was writing some words on the board, he made another copy from his spelling book which lay open before him.

When the papers were returned the next morning Miss Weber said, “I was sorry to find out that Jimmie Knox could not be trusted while my back was turned.”

All eyes were on Jimmie while she went on to give a long talk on “Deceit,” bringing out such points as:

“A deceitful child is handicapped. Any boy who cheats is almost sure to be a liar and a thief also.”

“There is very little hope that a child who cheats will ever become a great and good man.”

Several days later Miss Weber said, “If you all get 305100 in spelling today, I’ll be so proud of you I shall have to give you each a gold medal.”

“Oh, shall we have gold medals, Miss Weber?” asked one enthusiastic little boy.

“No, not really. You mustn’t believe everything I say, William.”

“Did you mean,” asked Jimmie, “what you said yesterday about cheating?”

Miss Weber paused a moment, then said, “That’s enough from you, Jimmie.”

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Make only such resolutions and statements at the beginning of the term as you know you will be able to carry out. If you should happen to make a remark that the children may be likely to interpret too literally, be sure to amend it immediately, so that your idea will be clear to them. Do not claim greater powers than you possess nor hope to prevent deception on the part of the pupils by practicing deceit upon them.

If you find out that a certain pupil has cheated in his work, give all the children a short talk, every word of which is constructive. That is, do not speak on the negative topic “Deceit,” but on the positive opposite virtue, “Honesty”; it will be much more effective. Illustrate each of your statements by an actual experience showing the desirability of possessing a strictly honest character.

COMMENTS

Miss Weber had the right idea when she said to herself that children will meet their teacher’s expectation 306of them, but she applied a wrong method to bring this about. It is not necessary to give a formal talk on what you expect in the way of behavior. Your every movement in the room should disclose your expectation and your confidence in the pupils.

Jimmie Knox should not have been made the target for Miss Weber’s talk on Deceit. She further made the mistake of expressing utter hopelessness for the child who deceives, as if his fault were an inherent wickedness, and, therefore, not to be remedied.

Jimmie Knox was not altogether to blame for his cheating. Miss Weber had challenged his act by saying that she could see what was going on even though her back was turned. His natural inquisitiveness led him to test her statement.

A teacher may never hope to have the confidence of her pupils if she says to them, even in a joking way, as Miss Weber did, “You must not believe everything I say.” Could she blame her pupils for doubting her word after making statements to them which even she herself admitted to be untrue?

Occasionally it is well to turn a class discussion in such a way as to have a direct bearing on a local situation, if this can be done without special allusion to any offender. The following story shows how this may be done. It also illustrates the method of throwing emphasis upon the positive virtue desired rather than upon the fault to be eliminated.

ILLUSTRATION (FOURTH GRADE)

Cheating

Miss Hancock, a teacher in the fourth grade of a small town in New York State, discovered from the 307results of two papers in arithmetic that one of her pupils had cheated.

The next morning an opportunity came in the history lesson to emphasize Lincoln’s honesty.

“He was so honest that when he was keeping a store as a young man in Illinois, he walked several miles one night to return two pennies to a woman whom he had overcharged for a purchase.

“It was upon such a characteristic that his whole public life and policy were founded and the world pays tribute to this quality when it celebrates his birthday.

“Now I have some quotations on honesty that I shall distribute to each one. By tomorrow morning when we review Lincoln’s life, you will have them memorized.”

CASE 53 (SIXTH GRADE)

Paper Wads

(4) Lying aggravated by teacher’s wrong method of dealing with case. Miss Graves was teaching in the sixth grade of a city school. One day a paper wad went “thud” against the blackboard behind her. Notwithstanding that she was hearing a class at the time, she sprang to her feet at once and said, as she gazed about the room, “Who threw that paper wad? I’m going to find out right now who threw it.” Thereupon she began at one side of the room, asking the children one after another in order, “Did you throw it? Did you? Did you?” etc.

She seemed surprised when every one of the pupils in the room had answered, “No, ma’am.” She said, “Someone has told a lie about this. I shall endeavor 308to find out who it is. The one who did it will be severely punished.”

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Do not question pupils in public as to whether or not they have done a certain misdeed. Simply keep a closer watch than before. Look at no one in particular, but lift your eyes a little above the heads of the pupils, so that you can watch what is going on without seeming to do so, and let your face show neither anger nor annoyance. Do not accuse anyone. Even after you think you know who is guilty, do not say you know; on the other hand, do not suggest in any way that you are not sure. If you are sure that a certain pupil is guilty, ask him to see you a moment after school. Then talk with him in a friendly way, smiling frequently, so he will be in the mood to confess. When he does confess, thank him for his admission and tell him you know he will not bother you any more. Treat him kindly after the interview.

COMMENTS

It takes more courage than ordinary children have to answer, “Yes,” when others are listening, to a question whether they have done wrong. After hearing a number of pupils answer, “No,” it is extremely unlikely that the culprit will be honest enough to answer “Yes.” The more the teacher threatens the wrong-doer the less likely she is to find out by public questioning which one he is. It is possible to handle a case so tactfully that there is no danger of leading the 309offender to be dishonest. Besides, leading him to confess his fault you can, by showing comradeship and understanding of the case, make him feel that you are treating him so fairly that he has no desire to annoy you further. Do not say much after his confession. Show by your smile and manner that you are satisfied with the child’s acknowledgment.

ILLUSTRATION (HIGH SCHOOL)

Throw Shot

Shot had been thrown in Prof. Lyon’s recitation room at Huron High School. He suspected that Paul Robinson was the offender and when he and Paul were alone together Prof. Lyon smiled and said, “Paul, there was some little shot or something rolling over the floor today. I want you to help me find where they came from. Wait a minute, let me show you what one of these shot looks like.”