OBEDIENCE

I. FIRST AND SECOND GRADES

1. Wilful Disobedience

Children in the first and second years will be willfully disobedient only when they have not learned obedience at home. Children come to school ready-made. Their habits and ideals have been developed at home or upon the street. Many of these are entirely contrary to school standards, and moreover, are disapproved by common conscience.

Parents are often quite unable to comprehend the necessity for strict conformity to a teacher’s plans of instruction, or to the general rules for good school procedure. Often this is due to the fact that the parents have never taught the child the value of good order and obedience. The child rather has learned the many different ways in which he may evade his parents’ wishes. So he starts to school accustomed to disobey commands, as in the following instance.

CASE 1

The teacher, speaking from a distance, said,

Scattered Paper

“Helen, pick up the paper that is under your desk.” Helen paid no heed to the command. The teacher repeated her order,

“Helen, pick up that paper.” Still no response. Then said the teacher in a threatening voice,

“Helen, are you going to pick up that paper?” All 50eyes were now turned toward Helen. Here was an opportunity for notoriety.

“No, I don’t want to.”

The teacher now walked back to Helen; taking her by the shoulder she pushed the girl toward the paper. Helen resisted. The teacher then gave her two or three vigorous shakes and said in an angry tone, “Pick up that paper!” Helen complied, but the instant the teacher’s back was turned she made a wry face at her. During the recitation which immediately followed, Helen’s answers were short and scornful. The children all gave more attention to observing the relation between Helen and the teacher than they did to the subject in hand.

The teacher was at a disadvantage for two reasons: first, she was not near the child; second, she recalled home experiences by using a form of request Helen had heard at home and disobeyed scores of times, “Pick up,” etc.

Helen’s refusal attracted the attention of the other children to herself and like most children Helen liked to be noticed. Her final attitude toward the teacher paved the way for a repetition of the offense, with its promise of further notoriety as a reward.

How would you have managed Helen had she been in your own school? We suggest the following treatment for the next similar case that occurs.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Walk quietly back toward Helen’s desk. In a spirit of comradeship, make comments to several children about their work on the way to Helen.

51Pause near Helen and show your friendliness by smilingly commending her work. Then center your attention upon the paper and putting out your hand, say to her so quietly that no one else hears, “Kindly hand me that paper.” Expect her to do so. There is little doubt but that she will hand you the paper with a smile. If she does not do so, tell her quietly that you will talk with her another time and rest the case there for the present. On your way back to your desk speak to one or two other children kindly about their work.

Make Helen your special study. See how she responds to the requests of other children at play. For some days be perfectly sure that your commands deal chiefly with acts which she wants to perform. For example, “Helen, collect the pencils.” “Helen, tell which story you like best.” “Helen, show Johnnie what page the lesson is on,” etc. Build up in her mind the fact that you are always her friend. Before many days have gone by she will obey any command you make.

COMMENTS

Addressing other children before and after speaking individually to Helen makes less of an event of your interview with her. This will avoid kindling her feelings of self-consciousness and gratification at being a topic of general attention. It also shows that you are not greatly disturbed by her attitude.

Nearness and friendliness envelop the interviews in the right atmosphere. By centering attention upon the paper, the child will see that you are not testing her 52suspiciously as to obedience. You simply want the paper.

By taking special note of Helen’s behavior you can use various ways of showing her your real attitude toward her, which is, of course, that of comradeship and helpfulness. If Helen senses any antagonism in her teacher, the breach will widen and obedience will be rendered the more difficult.

Helen may need help to see that her own will can not be safely urged against that of society as represented by pupils and teacher. She may be led to comprehend this matter if you carefully show her how the other pupils fall in with school ways of doing things.

How a tactful person may avoid a clash like that between Helen and her teacher, may be shown by the following story.

ILLUSTRATION

Dealing with a Ringleader

Some years ago a former teacher of experience, Mrs. J., was asked to substitute for a day in the second grade of a city school.

She keenly studied her pupils as they gathered in the room before school opened. Among them was a boy two feet taller than the rest, poorly dressed, dirty and rude even to viciousness, as he dealt with other boys. He heeded nobody’s request. Mrs. J. marked him as a typically disobedient boy. She went to him before the first bell rang and asked him in a very deferential way to lower the shades in the room to just the length which he thought would be best. As soon as school came to order she asked him what desk books would be used the first session. When the class was called for recitation 53she found something to commend in his work while approving that done by other pupils.

She treated him as deferentially as if he were as tractable as any one else and indeed he proved to be so. He studied hard all day. He spent the last intermission telling her of home difficulties.

As she bade the children goodbye at the close of school he said,

“I wish you’d teach again tomorrow.” A spirit of comradeship had changed the disobedient boy into a real friend.

2. Disobedience Due to Commands Unintelligibly Stated

A failure to obey a command may be wholly due to the child’s inability to understand just what is required of him. This is not really a case of disobedience at all. It only seems to be such. Since some teachers do not distinguish between willful disobedience and any unintentional failure to comply with a request, the following cases are treated under the caption of disobedience.

CASE 2

Penmanship

The subject of the day’s lesson was penmanship. The teacher said,

“Fill the sheet of paper on your desk with ovals. Leave a margin at both edges.”

The papers were collected and three out of twelve had no margins. Three children had not yet learned what “margin” meant.

54CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Before using a command in which the word “margin” is used, test the dullest of the class by pointing to the margin in a book and asking what this unused space is called.

COMMENTS

Habitual slighting of commands on the part of pupils, even though there is a valid reason for it, has a tendency to make positive willful disobedience easier. The removal of all cause of misunderstanding is therefore important from a disciplinary point of view, as well as for the sake of the instruction itself. That such cause of misunderstanding may be removed by the teacher who is sufficiently thorough and painstaking in preparing the way for the understanding of a new lesson, is indicated below.

ILLUSTRATION

Busy Work

For busy work, a teacher drew circles and divided each circle into fourths. One fourth was left white, one colored red, one blue and one yellow. To prepare for this exercise she drew a similar circle the day before giving this work, and explained what “one fourth” meant.

Just preceding the exercise she tested the class by use of colored papers to be sure that each child knew the colors: red, yellow and blue.

She gave her commands very definitely and clearly. The result was a set of papers, on no one of which had a serious mistake been made. Every such satisfactory 55result in obedience strengthens the bond between pupil and teacher.

3. Disobedience Due to Inattention

Time spent in waiting to be sure every one can give his entire attention to class instruction is never wasted.

CASE 3

While Arthur was collecting the drawing papers the teacher said,

Getting Attention

“Open your Reader at the story we read this morning.” Five out of fourteen failed to obey this command. Attention was divided between Arthur and the teacher. Some had forgotten what was read that morning. The children looked at each other for the desired information. Both teacher and pupils expected delay. A better method to pursue hereafter would be the following.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

When all are in their seats, say quietly, “Take your Readers.” When every one has his book in hand give the page at which it is to be opened, or if the children do not yet read the numbers, turn the open book face toward them and say,

“Find this page.” Commend those who find it quickly and noiselessly.

COMMENTS

Habitual repetition of commands cultivates inattention. Instruction given in small sections seems to urge immediate attention. If no second command is given 56until all have obeyed the first one, the laggards will find the prompt pupils arrayed against them and they will try to dispatch their own work more quickly.

ILLUSTRATION

Folding Papers

The superintendent of a village school often brought visitors to the primary room and asked the teacher to have the children fold papers. The pupils had been taught to fold their arms after each step of work had been taken. When all arms were folded, a new command was given. These commands were given in a low tone of voice and it required only a very little effort to obey each one. The directions were something like this,

“Lay your paper on the desk before you.”

“Take the edge next to you and fold it to the edge farthest from you.”

“Open the paper,” etc.

The teacher waited every time until the pupils all sat with folded arms before the next command was given. This work was enjoyed by all, largely because each command was so clearly stated that it was easy to obey. There was no room for inattention.

II. THIRD AND FOURTH GRADES

1. Disobedience Due to Seemingly Impossible Commands

More and more frequently it is being discovered by teachers that what, on the face of it, looked like down-right obstinacy or disobedience really had behind it 57some physical or physiological handicap. Manifestly it is the teacher’s duty to try to discover that handicap in each individual pupil before administering a sharp reproof.

CASE 4

Slouching

Miss Snow’s experience will be of interest to teachers in the third and fourth grades. One morning Miss Snow said,

“Fill one page with this exercise in writing. Put both feet on the floor. Sit up straight and hold your pen correctly.”

James began his exercise but slouched over his work. Miss Snow saw him and called out,

“James, sit up straight.” He sat up, but stopped writing. A sullen look came over his face. Miss Snow said,

“James, you will get no recess until this writing is finished.” He sneered and stopped writing altogether.

When the other children stood to pass out to recess, James stood with them, and marched with them half way to the door before Miss Snow remembered her command. She then went to him, took him by the hand and none too gently led him to his seat saying,

“Do that writing before you leave this room.”

After the other children had all passed out, he took up the pen and bending over his work wrote the page and sullenly handed it in three minutes before the recess was ended. He was listless and inattentive throughout the next session.

58CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Use the method of approval. Stand near the laggard. Encourage him with happy remarks about what he has already done soon after he begins. Give him the benefit of your support throughout his work.

If he slouches over his work, find the cause before trying to remedy the result. At the next intermission determine whether or not his desk is the correct height for him. Let another pupil his size see if it seems right. Give James a simple test to find out whether he can see his writing when sitting straight. If holding the pen bothers him, use the Montessori method for establishing its correct manipulation.

COMMENTS

Approval of what he does shows the child your attitude toward him. It helps to establish the friendship necessary between teacher and pupil in order that the best work be made possible.

Miss Snow made her pupil pay too high a price for the written work. It is deplorable to try to remedy a difficulty before its cause is understood.

ILLUSTRATION

Adenoids

Webbie sat with mouth open and tongue on under lip almost constantly. He never instantly obeyed commands, but watched other children and followed their lead. Work tired him too quickly. His teacher, Miss Smith, found her commands for him to close his mouth heeded for half a minute only. Her request, “Webbie, be ready to begin work,” was obeyed, but as soon as 59class instruction began, in a panic he watched other children and seemed to take his cue for work from them.

Miss Smith tested his hearing by standing behind him at recess time and quietly speaking to him. She found his hearing to be very defective. She decided by experiment on the playground that he could scarcely breathe with his mouth closed.

His parents were tactfully consulted and following the advice of their family physician, they had his adenoids removed. His hearing improved so that he heard and obeyed the teacher’s instructions.

2. Disobedience Occasioned by the Teacher’s Suspicious Attitudes

A suspicious attitude on the part of the teacher as to whether or not her commands are going to be obeyed weakens her control.

CASE 5

Miss Kuhn saw that Ella was slyly eating during school time. She said,

Eating

“Ella, stop eating in school.” Several times thereafter Miss Kuhn peered round her desk at Ella as if expecting to find her still eating. When her attention was called to the blackboard and her back was turned toward the children, several times she turned suddenly and looked at Ella. She was rewarded for her vigilance by finally seeing Ella chewing. Miss Kuhn seemed to congratulate herself on her keenness by remarking,

“Ella, didn’t I tell you to stop eating? I can tell 60what is going on even if my back is turned. You may stay in at recess.”

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

We would advise you in such a case to speak to Ella when no one else can hear, at recess or before or after school. Tell her you do not blame her for being tempted to eat, but that it is better not to eat during school time.

Smilingly tell her that you sometimes become so hungry that you can hardly wait until meal-time.

“What would you think of me if I walked about the room eating an apple or a piece of pie?”

Select some item on the matter of eating that you know Ella will consent to and ask for her compliance at that point. It might be this,

“If I find a better place to hang your lunch basket would you like to use it?”

Having shared with Ella her concern on the care of her lunch, you can offer suggestions that will lead her away from the practice of eating in school.

Find out if she is willing to coöperate with you in correcting the habit. As soon as this state of mind is apparent, if the circumstances are favorable, in a kindly mood tell her that you will take care of her lunch for her until recess so as to remove temptation from her. Extend your hand and expect her to give you the basket. Take care of it daintily for her and return it to her as soon as recess begins. Set the example of confidence between teacher and pupil by feeling sure your commands will be carried out. Show your confidence by your bodily attitude, face and voice.

61COMMENTS

This method is based upon the efficacy of the two principles of approval and expectancy. Your approval is shown by the lack of faultfinding. You put yourself in a right attitude of comradeship with Ella by speaking to her in a kindly way about her misdemeanor. Your extended hand when asking for the lunch shows that you expect obedience. Friendship is further developed by your care for her property and prompt return of it at recess. Children are quick to respond to either confidence or suspicion.

ILLUSTRATION

Interruptions

Miss Hill was called into the hall by a visitor. As she left her schoolroom she gave no command as to what was to be done during her absence. She made no effort to catch the pupils in mischief by thrusting her head in at the door from time to time as some teachers do in like circumstances. When she returned to her room she asked no question as to what had been done during her few minutes of absence. She thus commended those who were quietly working,

“I am glad to note that the interruption that took me out of the room did not interfere with your work.”

3. Disobedience Due to Defective Motor Functions

CASE 6

Awkwardness

“Minnie, why don’t you rise and walk along with the other pupils when I call your grade or dismiss the school?” said a third-grade teacher to one of the older girls.

62Ten-year-old Minnie stood by her teacher embarrassed and silent, her hands making some mild contortions hardly noticeable to a casual observer. She was not like other children in some ways.

“This morning every time I’ve called you, you have come late or waited until I have jerked you along. Come, tell me. What’s the matter?”

Miss Jacobs had noted no marked peculiarity in the mental ability of Minnie. She had been slow in making her grade, but was not at all the poorest student in her class.

“Come, now, let me see you walk off across the floor. Can’t you walk? What is the matter with you?” Minnie starts hesitatingly and walks awkwardly for a few steps. She is plainly confused at the close scrutiny of her teacher. She stares at Miss Jacobs.

“You may go now,” said the teacher; “but you must mind me next time more promptly.”

In the afternoon Minnie repeats her dilatory movements. Miss Jacobs at times forces her to a better speed and once remarked,

“I want you all to notice how lazily Minnie walks.” All eyes are fixed on her, and with the memory of this painful moment she goes home.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

In such a case, abandon all attitudes of hostility toward the child, including attempts to correct her conduct by calling her attention to her “misdemeanors.” Make no mention of them to other pupils. Stand near her oftentimes when she is obliged to start across the room; take her hand with a gentle expectancy and urge 63her to immediate action. Do this unobtrusively. If she delays, pay little heed to this fact.

Plan for Minnie to take active part in romping games. Induce several of her schoolmates to take her by the hand and lead her into the games. This is the best remedy available.

Ascertain if her general health is good. If not, report to the school physician, nurse or parents if possible. No radical medical measures will help this case; use methods of physical education, good hygiene, training in muscular activity, and with these secure freedom from mental discomfort.

Greet Minnie often with words of approval.

“I watched you girls from the window, Minnie, while you were out at play. How pretty it is to see so many little girls enjoying themselves!”

“How hard you have been running; you are all out of breath!”

“It was such a fine thing for you to come to me so quickly!”

“Come here and see what I have in my box!”

“Here you are; as fast as a little bird, aren’t you?”

COMMENTS

Minnie is self-conscious regarding her difference from other children. She needs stimuli to action, not repressive measures. Hostility represses her; cheerfulness and comradeship incite her to act. All fear must be eliminated. The teacher being often near her will kindle trust and friendship. Her powers of imitation are the chief resources for training in free bodily action. Focus her attention upon the activities of the 64others, rather than upon her own awkwardness. The influence of her playmates will be an almost irresistible suggestion to action of the form desired. The teacher may note circumstances under which she acts promptly and use the information in her management of Minnie.

General health and abundant play activity underlie the whole situation. Neither one can succeed without the other. Minnie’s condition is largely beyond her own voluntary control. She is suffering from under-development of the motor side of her constitution. Defects in the lower motor nerve centers are the prime cause of the ailment. A corresponding retardation in the development in the cerebral motor areas has taken place. The child can not image her bodily movements as normal children do. This unbalanced development in the nervous organization has been the chief cause of her low standing mentally. Approval will incite complacency, good cheer, comradeship, hope and the like; these are all strong contributions to good nerve activity.

Encouragement and gentle stimulation may often be combined.

ILLUSTRATION

Slowness

Freddie Jones came to Darrtown school from a home in which children received little attention from their parents. Naturally Freddie was somewhat undeveloped physically, slow and clumsy in all his movements.

“Good morning, Freddie,” said his teacher as he came slowly up the steps. Miss Patterson took him by the hand as soon as he was within reach and walked at a smart gait across the floor.

Freddie would have pulled away, but the teacher’s 65hand felt so friendly as it clasped his own and her pleasant chatter left no time for him to plan resistance.

“Now run out and play until I ring the bell.” Freddie was willing to go, but moved with a lazy deliberation. Just at that moment a group of noisy players dashed past the door and Miss Patterson clasped Freddie by the hand and fairly rushed him along, saying,

“Here we go”; and,

“We’ll soon catch up with them.”

As soon as she had landed Freddie among the romping children, she stopped and waving her hand to Freddie, gave him another cheering word.

When the bell rang Freddie was the last to form in line. She gently hastened his step and marched beside him, urging him with her hand to keep the pace.

III. FIFTH AND SIXTH GRADES

1. Disobedience as a Result of Parents Defaming a Teacher

Often parents are to blame for an attitude of antagonism which their children take against the teacher. A case often found in the fifth or sixth grade is presented.

CASE 7

Sneering

Miss Sheldon, a brilliant young teacher, had, in her school days, a rival for school honors in the person of Mary Linton. When Miss Sheldon began her school in District No. 20, Mary Linton’s brother’s children were her pupils. The rivalry between the girls was dwelt 66upon and Miss Sheldon’s scholarship was adversely criticized by the Lintons. As a result Frank Linton, a bright boy aged eleven, began school with the idea of finding fault with Miss Sheldon as to scholarly ability. His constant reference to the dictionary when she used a word new to him, his forever asking her to prove her statements, etc., irritated her. The feeling of antagonism grew between them, until finally Frank often spoke to her with a sneer. She commanded him to speak respectfully to her. He disobeyed.

One recess Miss Sheldon said to a grown girl in the school,

“Cut me some switches from the willows out there and leave them on the front porch by the door. I am going to whip Frank Linton after recess.”

The girl, a friend of Miss Sheldon, did as commanded.

Soon after recess Frank used his customary sneering tone in answer to Miss Sheldon. She went to his seat near the back of the room, jerked him to his feet, and started with him to the door. The hate in his face was so marked as almost to distort his features. He clung with hands and feet to every desk he passed, while she, with great effort, loosened his hold upon one seat after another and steadily but slowly dragged him to the door. When there, she literally used up the switches on him. He cried from vexation rather than from pain, and was sullen for the remainder of the day.

No marked change in Frank’s behavior followed this punishment. The feud between Frank and Miss Sheldon lasted until school closed. The bright, happy boy was in her presence a sullen little rebel.

67CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Do not visit upon a child the misdemeanor of his elders. If you have reason to believe that a child’s parents talk against you, visit them with a determination to show them that you have their child’s best welfare at heart. Show them that you understand him by pointing out wherein he excels, and where you hope to strengthen him. Be sure that they see your attitude of genuine friendliness.

Never attempt by force to make a child show friendliness to you.

COMMENTS

The trouble originated with the attitude of the parents toward Miss Sheldon, therefore the first step in correction is to make the parents her friends. It is really teaching a child to act a lie if you compel him by force to treat you with kindness when he does not regard you as a friend. Your business is to establish the proper relation between yourself and your pupil. Forcing a semblance of right will never create the reality.

ILLUSTRATION

Backwardness

Let us take an illustration from a case just as it actually happened. Will Taylor was sixteen years old. He was physically perfect, yet scarcely able to do work in the fourth grade although actually in the sixth. His father enjoyed outbreaking trouble. The home was just then in turmoil over the disgrace of the eldest daughter. Mr. Taylor’s love for getting even with 68fate somewhere would be satisfied if he could force a combat between Will and his teacher, Mrs. Brown. Mrs. Brown’s control of her school was excellent. Her friendship for the children was genuine. Some of them told her that Will’s father had “put him up” to disobey her and see what would happen.

Will was so much under his father’s influence that he openly and purposely disobeyed Mrs. Brown. He forced an issue. She punished him and he hurried home from school and told his father, whereupon his father rode furiously to the schoolhouse in order to arrive before Mrs. Brown left after school. He keyed up his anger on the road by uttering curses as he went. During the two following days Taylor’s threats were so serious that the board of education met with Mrs. Brown to discuss matters. Taylor had demanded her resignation or threatened to make life miserable for her.

She decided finally to go to his house and make him see the truth. When she announced her decision the members of the board said they almost feared to have her encounter such a man. But she went to his house. He was not at home, he was on his way home from the county seat where he had been talking against Mrs. Brown to the county superintendent.

On the arrival of Mrs. Brown at the house, Mrs. Taylor met her with tears over the disgrace of her daughter.

Mrs. Brown forgot her own trouble in her sympathy with the mother. Her words were so helpful to Mrs. Taylor that she asked Mrs. Brown to repeat them to the daughter. This, Mrs. Brown was doing when Taylor returned and, unseen by Mrs. Brown, entered the 69room where she was trying to point out a hopeful course for the daughter.

A real insight into Mrs. Brown’s character was thus given to Taylor. He came forward and apologized to Mrs. Brown for his behavior, dictated a letter to the county superintendent telling him that all was peaceably settled and that Taylor was ready to support Mrs. Brown. He further said that Will should go to school and be obedient. Thereafter the Taylors were staunch friends of Mrs. Brown. This good woman treasures the incident in her memory with great satisfaction, and often relates it in public with good effect.

“In brief, the truth is that savageness begets savageness, and gentleness begets gentleness. Children who are unsympathetically treated become relatively unsympathetic; whereas treating them with due fellow-feeling is a means of cultivating their fellow-feeling.”

—Spencer.

2. Disobedience Due to Imitation of Others

Annoying Acts

In every community there are leading families. The reason why they are such is usually very apparent. Children of these families often set an example of disobedience in school which has direful consequences.

CASE 8

Emma Gardner’s father was the leading member of the board of education of a New England school. The Gardner home was the largest and finest in the surrounding country. Mr. Gardner was a man of wealth and influence. Emma was a leader in school.

70One day in winter she put chestnuts on the stove at recess time and they popped about the room after the next school session began.

“Who put those nuts on the stove?” asked Mr. Bain, the teacher, in a loud voice. “Whoever did must pick them up and stand up here.”

Emma arose defiantly from her seat and said, “I did. I won’t touch them, and if you touch me I’ll tell my father.”

Needless to say, Mr. Bain let the incident pass. Emma at the age of sixty still boasted of her independence at school during her girlhood days, because she was Squire Gardner’s daughter. She remembered further that this was only the beginning of disobedience throughout the school.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Find out, even before school begins, if possible, who the leading families are in the district. Study especially the children from such a family and find what they excel in, or what they best like to do. Find a means of organizing their followers into a sort of club. See that these dominating personalities are elected as leaders. Dealing with the most influential pupil, cause her to see what good she can accomplish by contributing her time and efforts toward being a real leader in sewing, drawing, music, composition, etc. If sewing is the particular art in which she excels give space in the schoolroom for an exhibition of work of that kind, ask the mothers on some Friday afternoon to inspect the articles made. If drawing is the special subject, give a similar exhibition. If music, let her 71prepare a musical program. If composition, a contest can be arranged for best essays, poems, etc., or a school paper edited and read.

COMMENTS

In cases like the foregoing the use of the principle of substitution is almost a necessity. Emma wants distinction and leadership. Satisfy her desire by letting her lead in some really beneficial work. She will enjoy it and have no time for showing leadership in wrongdoing. By turning her activities into right channels, not only her own tendency toward disobedience is repressed, but her leadership saves others from misbehavior. “The dictum, ‘Keep pupils busy,’ finds a much more practical and dignified expression in what may be termed the ‘doctrine of substitution.’ This doctrine would prevent the expression of undesirable impulses by substituting some other form of activity rather than by requiring an absolute inhibition of all movement.”^[2]

ILLUSTRATION

Minister’s Son

When Miss Travis was elected to teach the sixth grade at Concord, she was told that it was a room in which it was hard to keep order. She sought the former teacher of the room before the opening day, and was told that John Loomis, the preacher’s son, was the leader in matters of disorder among the boys. Miss Travis next called on Rev. Mr. Loomis and learned that John had taken great interest in a museum which he had visited that summer. Very early in the year she 72consulted John as to the practicability of establishing a tiny museum in the sixth grade room. A museum club was organized consisting of any one who brought a specimen for the exhibit. John, of course, was elected president of the club. A small cabinet was secured and its shelves began slowly to fill. The leader was influencing his associates to follow him in doing a valuable service.

3. Disobedience Due to Commanding at an Inopportune Time

There are times when the atmosphere of the schoolroom makes routine almost impossible. The nearness of a long-looked-for event in which all are interested very often is the occasion for a feeling of unrest to pervade the room.

CASE 9

Laughing

It was the thirtieth of October. Ralph Davis brought a mask to school and slipped it into his desk. During school he put down his head, put on the ugly mask, and, peering ’round behind him, frightened John Lane into a decided jump.

Mary Jones saw the whole performance. She was a nervous child and burst out laughing. Miss Wallace, her teacher, said sternly,

“What are you laughing about, Mary?”

Mary was usually an obedient girl, but now she felt as if her explanation would compromise her friends, so she made no reply. The teacher repeated,

“Mary, what are you laughing at?” Again no response. Said Miss Wallace,

73“Mary, are you going to tell me what you are laughing at?” Mary sat perfectly quiet for a moment, and then decidedly shook her head. Miss Wallace said, “Come and stand here.”

For the rest of that session Mary stood by the teacher’s desk. After school closed Mary was informed that she could not go home until she told what she was laughing at. After about ten minutes of endurance she told Miss Wallace why she laughed and was excused. Mary knew injustice had been done her, but her teacher apparently thought nothing about it.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

When a pupil laughs aloud, find out for yourself the cause without trying to get a confession from the pupil. Use your eyes and ears and you can discover the difficulty if there are repeated offences. When the culprit is found, deal with him by using the method of substitution. In other words, give him and his classmates some interesting task connected with his lessons.

COMMENTS

It is often unfair to punish the pupil who laughs in school. People seldom laugh aloud at their own mistakes. Nine times out of ten one child must condemn another if he tells what he laughed at. A child’s code of ethics often demands that he keep silent when his confession involves another. If his loyalty to his comrades leads him to disobedience, often the teacher forgets to deal with the real culprit, having her attention now directed toward the disobedience of the one who unwillingly brought the disturbance to notice.

74ILLUSTRATION 1

Excitement

It was the day before the Christmas vacation. Poorly concealed excitement was apparent in the actions of the children. Hazel Dare laughed aloud. Miss Dean soon noted the cause of the outbreak of merriment. Johnny Thomas had drawn a grotesque figure of Santa Claus overloaded with bundles marked “for Johnny, the brave.” Miss Dean saw that routine work could be pursued only with difficulty. She presently asked to have all desks put in order. Unusual exercises in reading, arithmetic and geography were introduced. At an early hour the children were dismissed. The unusual excitement was met by an unusual program.

A fruitful cause for the giving of inopportune commands is an inherent lack of sympathy with children, or perhaps a total lack of sense of humor. Laughter in school, when spontaneous and genuine, is not a misdemeanor, but a sign that normal, healthy conditions reign there.

ILLUSTRATION 2

Fun

One snowy afternoon in January, when the fifth grade of the Lincoln School was busy to a man preparing the spelling lesson with which the day closed, the energetic silence was broken suddenly by a little gurgling giggle. It rippled through the room with almost electric intensity, and every boy and girl looked up, on the qui vive for the joke.

Miss Key, who had been correcting papers at her desk, looked up, too, an expectant smile upon her lips.

“Something funny, Bernice?” she said to the giggler, affectionate tolerance in her voice.

75“Yes’m,” answered Bernice. “Bert has a picture in his tablet of a big pile of round things, and it says something funny underneath. He showed it to me.”

“Bert shouldn’t have shown it to you when you were studying your spelling lesson, should he?” suggested Miss Key.

“No’m, I know he oughtn’t to.”

“But since Bert showed it to you, I think he should show it to the rest of us too, so we can all enjoy it together. What is it, Bert?”

Bert flushed, and rather shamefacedly held up his tablet. Under the “big pile of round things” was this legend:

KIND REDER, THIS IS NOT A PILE OF ORNAGES. IT IS MY SPELING GRADES FOR LAST MONTH.

As Bert was the poorest speller in the room, this exhibit caused a general laugh. He had often been known to miss every word in the lesson.

Miss Key laughed with the rest, heartily; but when she raised her hand after a moment, everyone stopped as though automatically shut off, and settled down again to study as Miss Key said,

“You’ll try not to add another zero to your list tonight, won’t you, Bert?”

Miss Key enjoyed fun, and was so close to her pupils that she appreciated their kind of humor. It was understood in her room that if an incident was funny enough to be laughed at, it should be shared by all who might enjoy it.

The absence of an artificial condemnation of fun made Bernice and Bert perfectly frank in explaining 76the cause of their mirth, which prevented any misunderstanding with the teacher. The sunny atmosphere of trust and humorous appreciation of situations made it possible for Miss Key to secure strict observance of the signal to stop laughing and go to work.

IV. SEVENTH AND EIGHTH GRADES

1. Disobedience Due to Overemphasis of Rules

Every good school must proceed through an orderly series of typical events. A school is not a mob wandering over square feet of ground, meandering through wearisome ways. It is an organized mass of busy workers taking one task after another and doing it in the best manner its overseer can devise. Nevertheless some eager teachers stress order and strain at system until both break. Here is the place of weakness and blame when this occurs: these teachers talk too much about how the children ought to act, instead of focusing attention upon the effect of the act upon the school as a whole and upon the best way to coöperate in preventing undesirable effects, expressing their ideas of good behavior in rules. We have a sample of running a school by rules, where seventh and eighth grade pupils are involved.

CASE 10

Order

“Now, children, I saw yesterday how muddy your feet were when you stepped on to the walk from the 77playground; and then you marched instantly into your schoolroom and muddied the floor all over.

“Remember, no more muddy feet in this school building this winter. Make it a rule to scrape off the mud carefully before you come in. Be careful now about the mud.”

There is a lapse of some minutes and this guide of youths again breaks out:

“Jane, did you take your books home last night and work an hour on your lessons? You know our rule about that. Why didn’t you do it?” No answer and no defined idea of what her future conduct will be.

Just before intermission is announced Miss Petit again speaks out:

“Hereafter I want every boy and girl in this room to make a search for scraps of paper. Our room looks so untidy unless we clean it up a bit. Don’t forget, I want, every noon and night, each one of you to obey me and pick up your scraps.”

Later: “Say there, Walter, you haven’t set your desk in order before going home. Don’t you know what good schoolroom manners call for? Why don’t you have good manners, such as your folks want you to have at home?”

This was an unusually hard day. The last was a climax of irritations that provoked Walter beyond the strength of his patience. “Miss Petit, I don’t want to keep my desk in order; I’m tired of doing everything just so.”

Miss Petit stared in pedagogical horror; this from Walter!

78“Why, what do you mean, Walter? Aren’t you coming to school any more?”

“Yes, I s’pose I’ll come, but I can’t think of all these little things, and I don’t care if I do forget ’em.”

This was a strange situation. Walter was not a boy who would provoke trouble; surely something must be done to put this young man on the track again.

Miss Petit knew something about keeping order. It had not been so long since she had heard her teacher use some such words as these:

“Now, children, remember this is a new term. I want you to watch your lessons. I’m going to have good lessons. There’s a lot of good hickory sprouts growing nearby here and we’ll be cutting some of them if lessons don’t come in right. I won’t hold back. You know the rules. I’ll break a hickory for every rule you break and you’ll feel it breaking, now, you may be sure.”

Miss Petit did not intend to make any such announcements. But nevertheless she had been taught under the whipping system and the effects were stored up among her ideas of how to conduct a school. In reality she whipped very little; instead she lashed with her tongue. She held up the rules and browbeat her pupils into obeying them. Here was the result in Walter’s new conduct.

She sat down with Walter (he was good enough to wait according to her command) and delivered a long harangue on the necessity for good order in the school.

Every word was an insult to him and he knew it. He listened in silence, with an occasional smile of irony and made some general promise, secretly determined 79to try out these rules and see what was to happen if “the old granny” couldn’t have her way about the forty-odd things that she wanted to manage in the seventh grade room.

Thus matters stood. They did not improve until a new dawn broke in the mind of Miss Petit.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Convert the statements about doing school duties in good fashion into a form of coöperation between pupils and teacher. Drop out the first personal pronoun and put the entire school behind the plans for a clean schoolroom floor, about home study and all the other hundred things that need to be done.

Taking up the matter of the disposal of wraps:

“All we want is to make ourselves as little trouble as possible. Do you all understand? We are all going to hang our wraps up in the cloak-room as we march into this room instead of coming in just before the bell rings to form line. We’ll do this tomorrow and see if it suits our convenience. Then we’ll decide on the future after that.”

Here the teacher drops the matter, leaving with the pupils before her a conviction that the best thing for all concerned is to be done. She speaks with a pleasant, confident voice, a faint smile creeping over her face and her hands resting in a position of readiness for action of whatever sort might be required.

In respect to the muddy feet—step to the children as they are coming into the school building and show each one the scraper and see that the proper precautions are taken. Have an object lesson first before 80delivering a lecture and laying down rules, as neither one may be needed.

And in the matter of picking up scraps:

“I see some paper on the floor. Of course we want to leave the room neat, so let us allow a moment just before dismissal for picking up anything that may have fallen on the floor, in spite of our care. And what will be the quickest way of getting our scraps into the waste-basket?”

“Let each person at the back of the row gather them up and carry them to the basket,” suggests one boy.

“I think it would be better to let one of us carry the basket around to all the desks,” says another.

“Suppose we try John’s method for three days, and then Marion’s for three days, and see which is the quicker and works the smoother,” says the teacher.

So the pupils experiment with methods, and finally agree upon a mode of procedure.

In general, secure the coöperation of the pupils by leading them to do what they themselves deem to be the best thing for the sake of pleasant surroundings and of delightful work.

Build up their imperfect good taste rather than attempt to forcibly direct their choices of standards of behavior.

Walter’s case needs no radical attention. The less said to him about resolving to disobey the rules the better. He doubtless has enough sound sense to see along with the rest that many people working together must adopt certain ways of getting on. Take his superficial answers, if he gives any, at full face value unless a genuine case of positive rebellion arises. If a tactful 81request had been made respecting the cleaning up of the desk, Walter would not have shown any resentment.

Give Walter an opportunity to act with independence. Assign him some task of leadership among the pupils, along with others who also are needed to make school work go well. Commend him for such coöperation. He is spoiling for aggressive action; he chafes under domination—load him heavily with something to do for the teacher, for his room, or for the whole school.

COMMENTS

Pupils watch keenly to see if a teacher is over-conscious of his authority. Possession of power easily leads a teacher to over-emphasize rules. Faultfinding is the chief error into which this teacher has fallen. A wise caution says things are not so bad as they seem, and waits for the worst evils to appear before adopting radical measures. Eagerness to reform generally hits upon the most obvious faults, not upon the most serious ones. These facts together may overwhelm a thoughtless teacher with disastrous blunders.

Prison rules kill men. School rules crush childhood if their importance be too greatly magnified.

Pupils expect to follow a teacher’s example. “Children do not like to do wrong better than to do right. They like to do the things they themselves plan to do. They like to do the things that are interesting to themselves.” If the teacher without public demonstrativeness first of all acts in the manner she recommends, a strong suggestion is lodged in the pupil’s mind. The most suitable bridge between the teacher’s ideal of 82action for her school and the mind of those pupils is not a rule, but coöperative action. Let her work with the pupils and induce them by example to try gentle tones and kind words, while doing that which interests them.

A foolish teacher attempts to cure every moody pupil by applying drastic remedies to the specific attitude of mind which seems to her to be undesirable. The wise teacher nurtures the good impulses and finds to her delight that most of the evil ones ultimately drop out.

ILLUSTRATION

“On Trust”

Prisons are not much like schools. Nevertheless the great principles of personal leadership appear in prison administration. Note in the following incident how willing the response is to an opportunity for independent, yet supervised action. Trustfulness (a typical form of coöperation) begets confidence and self-control in using new opportunities.

Thomas Mott Osborne records the following conversation with a prisoner. It reveals in another level of society how trust begets fidelity. Jack, a prisoner, speaks:

“I know this place through and through. I know these men; I’ve studied them for years. And I tell you that the big majority of these fellows in here will be square with you, if you give ’em a chance. The trouble is we ain’t treated on the level. I could tell you all sorts of frame-ups they give us. Now if you trust a man, he’ll try and do what’s right; sure he will. That is, most men will. Of course, there are a few that won’t. There are some dirty curs—degenerates—that 83will make trouble, but there ain’t so very many of those.”

“Look at that road work,” he continues. “Haven’t the men done fine?” “How many prisoners have you out on the roads? About one hundred and thirty. And you ain’t had a single runaway yet. And if there should be any runaways, you can just bet we’d show ’em what we think about it.”

“Do you really believe, Jack, that the superintendent and the warden could trust you fellows out in the yard on Sunday afternoons in summer?”

“Sure they could,” responds Jack, his face beginning to flush with pleasure at the thought.^[3]

2. The Teacher Expects Disobedience

When we consider that some teachers expect children in general to be untrustworthy, the marvel is that they ever find them otherwise.

CASE 11

Theft

It was the closing day of the school year in a Chicago ward school. The manual training department was left open in order that those who had not taken home their last piece of handiwork might get it as they left the schoolhouse that day. Mr. Ireland, the director in this department, had an errand on the floor above, so he called to two boys, Julius and Henry, and said, “Boys, stay here till I come back, will you? Don’t let anyone take anything out of the room while I’m gone.” “All right,” they replied.

84Half an hour later Charles went to the room to get his finished bird-house, and behold, it was gone! Julius and Henry joined Charles and Mr. Ireland in the search. The bird-house was simply not in the room. Mr. Ireland pointed out the exact spot where he left it. Julius and Henry confessed to having seen it there, but said they knew nothing about how it got away.

Mr. Ireland offered to make Charles a new bird-house, but Charles would not accept the offer. Mr. Ireland gave his ’phone number to Julius and Henry, telling them if they heard of the bird-house to let him know. He also promised to let Charles know if anything was heard of it, and thus dismissed the matter. Charles felt keenly that Mr. Ireland had taken the whole matter too lightly. Nothing whatever was said about the disobedience of Julius and Henry after promising to guard the room.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Responsibility

Stiffen up your demands requiring fidelity in pupils. Give strict, perhaps stern injunctions about guarding the treasures given into their charge.

Say to Julius and Henry: “Charles has suffered a real loss and I know you fellows are as sorry about it as I am. It’s just this way: suppose you or I left a suit-case at the station and got a check for it, wouldn’t we expect to get our suit-case back again? I really think I am a good deal to blame for this myself. When you both said, ‘All right,’ I might have made it a little plainer that I wanted you to keep a sharp eye on this property.

85“I tell you what you do; you get the bird-house for me. See if you can get it to me by five o’clock this afternoon.”

When selecting custodians of property be sure that at least one of each group is a pupil in which you have the utmost confidence. Nevertheless assign duty of this sort to pupils who are not so dependable, linking them up with trustworthy schoolmates; duty of this type should not be confined to a favored few.

If a breach of confidence occurs, follow up the matter unrelentingly. The words employed to secure the desired information may be well tempered; but the certainty of rigid inquiry should not be suspended for a moment.

Teacher and administrator are to maintain an atmosphere of unreserved insistence that the common virtues be rigorously maintained by the pupils and that fidelity when these virtues are involved in discharging a duty must be preserved at all hazards.

The attitude of expectancy is one of the greatest safeguards against criminal negligence.

COMMENTS

The majority of children too seldom meet with an unwavering demand that a certain task be attended to in a given manner and at a specified time.

Lessons on such matters need not be frequent nor burdensome; but they should not be lacking for every child in school.

General carelessness found in the ordinary experiences in dealing with children, too readily leads a teacher to become lax in his demands upon pupils. 86Infinite patience is needed in training those who have not learned persistent devotion to a duty.

ILLUSTRATION

Detectives

After Mr. Ireland had seemingly dismissed the subject of the stolen bird-house from his mind, Charles reported his loss to the principal, Mr. DeShane.

Mr. DeShane called Henry and Julius to him at once and said,

“You boys either know where that bird-house is or can find out inside of an hour. Your honor demands that you get it. You are the detectives. Deliver the house at Charles’ home before an hour goes by.”

The thief was found and the bird-house given to the owner, largely because Mr. DeShane expected it.

3. Disobedience Due to Unregulated Independence in the Child

Children of the adolescent age often feel the impulse to avoid supervision, and yet are not reasonable in their independence.

CASE 12

Irresponsibility

When Goldie Johnson reached the eighth grade her mother often remarked to a neighbor,

“Goldie is in the graduating class now. She doesn’t have to take care of little Joseph all the time. She is getting too big to be kept at dish-washing and dusting, too.”

Goldie’s reaction to this treatment by her mother was carried into the school where her independence 87and antipathy to authority were shown in her determination to escape hard work. Accordingly, she repeatedly failed to hand in the required home work in arithmetic.

The teacher, Miss Cook, undertook to command her to do her work. She failed to comply. Disobedience and carelessness were shown in other lines of work. Goldie failed to complete the eighth grade work. She refused to go to school the following year. The result was that her education ended here. She would have gone to high school had she not been allowed to fail in the eighth grade.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Find out if possible the exact cause of Goldie’s failure to present work the first time she brings none. Study her attitude when she disobeys other commands. On some occasion outside of school hours meet Goldie and explain why she should comply with school requirements, using some such points as these:

“Goldie, the school is conducted for the pupils’ sake. After many efforts to discover methods that will help pupils to learn as fast as possible, we have adopted these now in use. Your father and mother require us to use our best judgment; they trust to your good sense to see that we are trying to select study plans, etc., that will bring you the most good.

“With all sincerity I want to say that if at any time you see how we could get better results by adopting some of your ideas, we shall certainly be glad to get them. Be frank and tell us. Let me have a chance to help you over difficult places before you get thoroughly 88discouraged. I want to do everything I can to make your work a success.”

Show her your interest in her case by arranging to stay with her after school while she does her extra work. See to it that she does the work before she leaves the schoolroom. Expect the work to be done.

COMMENTS

Teachers often underestimate the efficacy of a pointed, sincere talk with an eighth grade pupil. If all faultfinding is eliminated from this interview, defense of his conduct seems less necessary to him and he will be influenced by reason.

“A quiet, frank, heart-to-heart talk between disciplinarian and disciplined, will often prove a revelation to both. The offending boy has his point of view and has a full right to look at school matters from his angle until, through tactful, kindly management he gains a new viewpoint.”^[4]

ILLUSTRATION

Written Work

A large class of eighth grade pupils had different teachers for different subjects. Near the beginning of the school year, Mr. Smith, one of the teachers, said to Mrs. Lathrop, a teacher of another subject,

“That class simply will not prepare written work for me. They deliberately disobey me about it.”

Mrs. Lathrop had seen no signs of rebellion in the class. Soon she ordered written work handed in for the next day. She made her explanation of what she 89wanted done very exact. The task she set was easy and required little time. She expected to have work from every pupil. She was not disappointed. After the papers were handed in she told the pupils how pleased she was to get a well-prepared paper from each one. She talked a moment about the mental and moral strength of the class, and of her hopes regarding a year’s work with them.

Needless to say, a very strong bond of good faith grew up between her and the class. They never collectively or individually failed her. She used with them the principles of expectancy and approval. Mr. Smith failed with the same class through faultfinding.

A man may well bring a horse to the water

But he cannot make him drink without he will.

—John Heywood.

V. THE HIGH SCHOOL

1. Disobedience Due to Faultfinding Resulting in Useless Punishment

CASE 13

Destructiveness

Charles and Henry are in the principal’s office. “Did you boys visit the tower last night and write your names on the hands of the clock?” The boys assent. “Did you know that that door is kept locked so as to prevent people from going up in the tower?” Again the boys say, “Yes.”

“Let’s see! You boys have been in here several times, haven’t you? You got a whipping for fighting. 90Again I punished you for playing ball in the neighbors yards. And after that you were punished for repeatedly abusing the apparatus in the gymnasium. At another time you two went with a basket ball team contrary to my plan. What do you think is to come of all this? Do you like the whippings?”

The boys are very quiet until the last question. Charles answers: “I don’t think we have been bad, and—”

“Well, that’s not left for you to decide. We are trying to make something of you, and all this rough treatment is brought on by your own reckless disregard for the rules and orders in force in the school. You will each bring in twenty extra problems in algebra and also pay for the repairing of the tower clock. If I catch you in the tower again you will both get a much more severe punishment. Do you understand?”

After the boys left, Mr. Elsworth remarked to one of his teachers:

“When I come to school in the morning I never feel quite sure that I shall not have to whip one or both of these boys for some foolish, thoughtless scrape. I quite dread seeing either Charles or Henry. I may have to expel Charles.”

Charles has suffered occasional floggings all through the grades. When another pupil reports to Charles the principal’s remark about expulsion, he becomes alarmed. He is doing fair work in school; and has not failed in winning promotion at the end of each year. His power over Henry is irresistible; they are constant chums. Their escapades never have provoked the severest penalties. They shared punishments because 91both joined in accepting equal responsibility. They rarely lied about their misdeeds and timed them so as to avoid cumulative indignation until the last incident.

Charles is bold, venturesome, knows the country roads well all about town, has some taste for animal study and easily takes the lead, but has not been cultivated in this particular. He is just approaching his fifteenth birthday.

The penalty method has failed. Only one aspect of it has had any considerable influence with the boys—the possibility of expulsion.

The principal has let the matter drag along in a heedless fashion, with no clear policy in mind.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Give the boys special attention, without disclosing it to the other pupils. Adopt a well-thought-out policy. Watch the effect of every move you make. Have a great deal more “up your sleeve” than the boys find out.

Plan at once a series of excursions into the country in connection with the science courses, not as a reward, but as a part of the school program.

Assign certain important, though not conspicuous tasks, to several members of the group, including Charles and Henry. At first keep the two boys together on a task; later separate them and give each a new team-mate.

On successive trips, as occasion suggests, ask Charles to lay out the route for the party or to secure a conveyance to bring home a sick girl or to gather information and report on habits of squirrels in the region.

92Give private verbal expression to Charles of your appreciation of his work: “The trips to the country seem to depend very largely on you for their success. You are taking a leading part in the management of these affairs. We appreciate your service very much.”

On suitable occasions give Charles practice in obedience on small points. For example, all are sitting about the lunch spread on the ground in the woods. A beautiful butterfly alights in your easy reach. Extend your hand with eager expectancy and some subdued haste and say,

“Charles, hand me the net please.” The task is very slight; there is very little chance of disobedience. Repetition of such lessons should be secured as often as possible and on each occasion express your satisfaction and thanks.

If stronger reactions from the boys are needed, assign special congenial tasks for the good of the school: erection of basket ball poles, laying of tennis courts, handling of properties connected with class play. Work with them.

Avoid all reference to past misconduct. Never use school duties as penalties; it begets dislike for them.

COMMENTS

Boys become hardened to corporal or other severe punishments too often repeated. Pain seems due to fate and loses nearly all of its little corrective value. With rare exceptions penalties inflicted provoke mutual antagonism between pupil and teacher. This inhibits the development of character.

93Mr. Elsworth made no headway with the punishment method. If he wisely adopts the plan to direct the activities of the boys instead of suppressing them, he can win the respect and good-will of the disobedient boys. He must avoid “testing” their loyalty as far as possible; any slight lapse is a serious backward step. Time is needed to effect a cure; years of mismanagement cannot be remedied in a few days.

If Mr. Elsworth reverses his attitude toward the boys the method will be effective; his opinion of, and known sentiments regarding, these boys have more significance than all the plans he may adopt.

If practice in obedience is given on matters pertaining to the school welfare, the boys will have a persistent social reason for doing right. The principal is to convince them that he is merely expressing plans for courses of action that the school welfare demands; he is not making a private matter of his control of the boys.

2. Disobedience Due to Commands That Infringe on Personal Rights

There are many fine distinctions on what are a pupil’s remaining personal rights after once he enters school. In many cases a teacher has a right to know what a boy has in his pockets or what a girl has placed in her lunch basket. A superintendent under some circumstances may order a boy to bring from home a knife involved in a fight. Under other circumstances such authority would not be granted either by law or by public sentiment.

94CASE 14

Mr. Herron went to the school board meeting and made a request.

Dropping Things

“The boys are not under good control. I think I need authority to use corporal punishment. I would like you to grant this authority at this meeting.” The request was granted.

Mr. Herron next day made the following announcement:

“No more painting pans to be dropped, not one. I was at the school board meeting last night and my request for the right to use force to secure obedience was granted.”

He seemed two inches taller for a moment as he came to the climax of his speech. But the quality of his voice did not promise any stronger manhood than he had displayed hitherto.

He had scarcely finished his talk until a “careless” elbow knocked a pan to the floor and a long familiar rattle was again echoed over the schoolroom.

Mr. Herron knew who was the offender, but did not disclose the fact. Soon he walked nonchalantly up from a rear position toward Herbert Brown. Herbert eyed him through the corner of his eye and squared himself for trouble.

Presently Mr. Herron stepped up to Herbert and in a flash struck him a light blow on the side of the head, saying in a strong voice,

“Take that.”

Herbert threw up his hand to shield his face from attack and said, “Take what?”

95“Put your hand down,” was the next command. No response, but a taunting look from Herbert.

“Put down your hand, I tell you.”

Mr. Herron had forgotten all about the dropping of the paint pan and was intent on securing obedience to another command. He failed. He allowed his attention to be diverted to another part of the room, his attitude of authority to subside, and Herbert to do whatever he found to do.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Reform Yourself First

Instead of force, a reorganizing of the teacher’s ideas is the only remedy. Forget all about coercion and compel yourself to solve the problem by some other method. Keep your desk in order. Be absolutely punctual. Carry out your personal and school program to the letter. Be fully prepared to teach each subject interestingly. Expect to reform yourself and your school on doing what is appointed to be done on time and thoroughly. Stiffen up your thinking. Gather up anecdotes of success, especially from the modern business world. Turn all the impulse to use force on the pupils into will power to build up your own character; compel yourself and the school will follow you.

The whole method of showing authority, threatening to use force, attacking the noise problem with a mere “talk,” the cuffing of Herbert on the head, the command to take down the hand, shows the folly of leaning on coercion. Some schools suffer little from successful coercion, but this teacher was a conspicuous failure. To this day his pupils despise him. But a 96policy of force dare not be surrendered during a conflict.

Thomas Hughes gave the following advice about fighting among boys; it may be of interest to our Mr. Herron:

When to Fight

“As for fighting, keep out of it if you can, by all means. When the time comes, if ever it should, that you have to say, ‘Yes,’ or ‘No,’ to a challenge to fight, say, ‘No,’ if you can—only take care you make it clear to yourself why you say, ‘No.’ It’s a proof of the highest courage, if done from true Christian motives. It’s quite right and justifiable, if done from simple aversion to physical pain and danger. But don’t say, ‘No,’ because you fear a licking, and say or think it’s because you fear God, for that’s neither Christian nor honest. And if you do fight, fight it out; and don’t give in while you can stand and see.”

Moreover, adopt a policy of active coöperation. Take the initiative in this matter. Find the most suitable point of contact between your own and your pupils’ individual interests and take a leading part in them. Perhaps it is athletics; if your aid becomes almost a necessity, disciplinary problems will no longer be your chief concern. If things are in a bad way begin by planning with a few boys privately. You may say,

“I’m just turning over in my mind the idea of organizing two or three baseball teams in the eighth grade and in the high school. What do you think of it?”

Take the matter up with each when he is alone or with two in a group, so as to come close to as many 97boys as possible. Use plenty of time to develop the idea. Spur the boys to take the lead, but maintain the position of chief advisor. Plan out much more than can probably be accomplished, so as to show intensity of interest and wealth of resources for use in behalf of the boys.

Having once commanded Herbert to take down his hand, which was a mistake, never give up until he obeys. Surrender at this point is fatal. Make up your mind that it is important for his sake and for the school’s sake. If necessary say: “Put your hand down, Herbert. You are not to be punished further for this offense.” That is, give him a reason for obeying.

If he still refuses, a courageous teacher having once chosen to use force will compel the hand to go down even though he precipitates a scuffle.

If the situation makes a scuffle impracticable, Herbert could be dealt with privately and an adequate settlement of the issue secured.

COMMENTS

If the teacher maintains the attitude recommended, he will launch a powerful suggestion which cannot fail to modify the conduct of the school. He accomplishes far more by suggestion than he does by direct instruction. The latter is subject to point-blank criticism; the former enters the mind without deliberate scrutiny by the person influenced.

It does not take so much of a teacher’s time to enter sympathetically into a pupil’s life as one might suppose. 98It is not a matter of hours, but of conscious linkage with pupil interests.

Who Is the Ringleader?

No one can manage a school who cannot discover ringleaders. These must be dealt with unobstrusively to avoid accusations of favoritism. Dealing with persons one at a time saves a teacher from the cumulative pressure of combined personal suggestion. If one pupil alone objects to an idea he is not reinforced by the consensus of comrades. When the teacher has won over, in part at least, a number of pupils singly, he can trust himself to face the entire group for purposes of conference and decision on a project.

Comradeship develops in forming plans, whether they are practical or imaginative. The close adjustment of mind to mind, the pooling of interests, the surrender of preferences all make coöperative planning one of the richest sources of friendship. Moreover, it is an excellent school for character building: it constrains one to adjust himself to intimate life with other people.

“Let them obey that know not how to rule.”

—Shakespeare.

3. Disobedience That Is Deliberate and Persistent

A willfully disobedient pupil is one who refuses to obey because of intense resistance to control by another will. The rebellion is deliberate and persistent. The disciplinarian needs good generalship when confronting an aggravated instance of willful disobedience.

CASE 15

Arthur was not a vicious character, but life flowed 99at a fast pace through his veins and at times he seemed hardly responsible for the wild excursions he made into school adventures.

The Fun-maker

He came into high school well taught in all the devices for fun-making used in all the school. He tested every teacher just as a driver snaps a new whip—to see how much rebound there is in it. He entered every opening for forbidden actions, but always stopped when compelled to submit to authority. He did not merely drift into forbidden paths by heedlessness.

A prohibition was a challenge to him. It offended him. He had a free spirit. Scenting limitations, he chafed and tried to overleap bounds set up by authority. On matters not mentioned for his admonition, he made not the least trouble. There was nothing interesting to him in undisturbed routine.

Only one instance can be given. He sat well back in the study hall and when Miss Green kept study hour, life was a torment to her.

On Tuesday morning following some warm words from Miss Green on the preceding day about better conduct, Arthur brought a mink skin to school and stuffed it into his desk before school opened. During Miss Green’s supervision of the study period, the following remarks were made:

“What’s the cause of all those grins, etc., back there?”

No answer, but a mild subsidence of noise, and some show of work. In a few moments a girl’s scream shocks every one in the room. Miss Green looks up quickly enough to see Arthur drawing in his arms from the seat 100in front and stuffing something down under his desk.

“Arthur, what’s that you have there?” says Miss Green. No answer is given her, and she nervously rises from her seat and marches to Arthur’s desk.

“What is that you put in your desk?”

“A mink,” says Arthur with a look of hypocritical sheepishness.

“A mink! Get that thing out this minute.”

The Mink skin

Arthur fumbles, spills his books on the floor, looks around to see if he is being properly watched by the pupils, shuffles his feet on the floor and almost slips from his seat before he succeeds in “catching” his “mink.” Then slowly he draws forth the mink skin, elbows boldly projecting, and slams it down on Miss Green’s hand as if making a hasty delivery of a longed-for treasure. She snatches her hand away in ill-concealed terror and all eyes are turned on her.

“Take that thing from here instantly to Mr. Ensley’s office.”

Then an argument begins between her and Arthur. After several violent thrusts of authority have been made, Arthur lumberingly ambles across the room, out of the door and down the hall.

A partial quiet is restored while Arthur loiters a moment outside and then enters, not having made the appointed call. He returns to his seat feigning anger. Miss Green is sorry she has provoked Arthur so much as to distract her mind while digging out thirty lines of Virgil.

Miss Green suspected what Arthur had done. Before now she had sent Arthur to the principal for disciplinary 101purposes, and although he had labored with Arthur, no good had come of it.

She later mentioned the incident to the principal, who promised to take it up, wishing at the same time that his Latin teacher had a strong will and a firm and effective method of discipline.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Study Hall Discipline

Too much attention has been given to details of discipline and not enough to the subject as a whole. Master the larger situation first. Too much time is spent in inspecting assembly-room conduct. Your scrutiny tends to provoke misconduct because you seem to pose as an expert in detecting and suppressing disorder. You make the impression that the study period is to be chiefly devoted to keeping good order. This distracts and unnerves pupils of many types.

Instead of order, make study the chief concern for the period. Move about the room in search of opportunities to help on difficult matters. If no help is called for, chat with one and another (without creating confusion) about important topics. Do not attempt to talk with some one all the time, but take a genuine interest in, say, four or five pupils during the period. Bring them something of value; draw their attention to strong points and anchor their interest in matters worth consideration.

In case something needs attention, do not respond to the alarm with a shocked demeanor. The echoes of an explosion may die away and then you can leisurely 102approach the scene and take action if any is needed. You may need to say,

“Alfred, I should like a little conference with you at noon. Perhaps you can clear up some of these matters.”

Be present at his desk if possible, or, better still, meet him privately and receive a report of the transaction.

Many teachers avoid making appointments of this sort, but seize an opportune moment for a decisive interview, after taking time to formulate a course of action.

Avoid instantaneous decisions on negative action as far as possible.

COMMENTS

Few teachers realize how much of ill conduct is due to small provocations from their own dress or manners. A woman with a towsled head, a man with a shabby suit, may so grate on the nerves of pupils as to contribute seriously to misconduct.

Every one engaged in study is more excitable than when free to move at liberty and to give healthy exercise to a large number of the muscles of the body. Irritations induce more numerous and more serious misbehavior under these circumstances.

Mannerisms of Teacher

Some teachers have a mannerism of retreating the upper or lower lip, of wringing their hands, of tripping noiselessly across the floor; such actions are novel and distracting.

Over-caution as to good order or misapplied caution irritates every one who takes note of it. One is tempted 103to say, “What a fool she is,” and to spy on her as she attempts detective tricks. A pupil has the opportunity of winning distinction if he can out-general such a disciplinarian, both in his own esteem and in the opinion of his schoolmates.

Pupils know what a study period is for. If the time is misspent in the mere mechanics of the thing the power is all used before any work is done. Any loose play in a method of handling a school begets distrust, whether it be in athletic finances, the care of buildings, the assignment of lessons or the management of a study period. Distrust in one area soon spreads to others and weakens the whole school machine.

A short visit with a pupil from a well loaded teacher who knows her business, who leaves a cheerful word, who senses the situation in which a pupil finds himself, has a most stimulating effect. Even when no problem is awaiting outside aid, the genuine interest of a supervising teacher adds a great deal to the enjoyment of a day in school.

Helping a Pupil

Some strong teachers have the knack of making even a somewhat noisy visit at a student’s desk without seriously distracting others from their work; the noise is that of intensity, not of uncontrolled explosiveness.

Such a visit combines in fine proportions approval and coöperation.

“You are doing good work there; let me see what you are working at.” “Yes, now let’s see how that looks; perhaps I can help you just a little.” Such suggestions as these put backbone into work that sooner or later will need invigoration.

104A teacher who attempts to deal with a matter in public always runs the risk of making the matter worse. A pupil, however meek he is in private, is bold and resistant when his fellow pupils are looking on if any tendency to mischief is in him. He cares less for the teacher’s approval than for the heroic honors awaiting him from at least some of his schoolmates. By a loud voice, or casual remark, he may insult the teacher effectively and yet so mildly that the offense dare not be dealt with. This means instantaneous loss of prestige; the loss is very difficult to make up.

If one is positively sure of his ground, then immediate dealing with the case may be wise. High school pupils are less scrupulous and more resourceful than other pupils and explosions or failures on the part of the teacher carry much farther through the school because of the greater significance attached to student criticism.

ILLUSTRATION

As an illustration of the better method of managing Arthur, no finer case can be taken than that of Miss Featherstone, who taught English and shared with Miss Green supervision of the high school.

In the classroom, the pupils were working on the debate to come off the following Friday. “Arthur, let me see your outline,” said Miss Featherstone. Arthur has struggled severely over this matter, but handed in a much marked paper. “Thank you,” said Miss Featherstone with an air of satisfaction and accomplishment and curiosity as she turned over the sheets handed in. The class was in order and ready for work. 105At the close of the hour Miss Featherstone said, “This has been a good hour together. You have made the right beginning in your debate. I want to see each of you before next Tuesday. Arrange privately with me for a consultation date. Excused.”

Without tyranny or threat the hour had been quietly devoted to study and now that Miss F. entered the study hall, the same methods brought good order.

A Masterly Disciplinarian

Arthur had had time to forget any little pleasure there was in teasing Miss Green. He saw a strong and significant eye of Miss F.’s looking at him a moment from the desk. She stood slowly surveying the room, noting the action or evident inattention of every pupil in the room.

When William was caught gazing for a long time out of the window, Miss F.’s finger beckoned a new position, which he instantly assumed.

Arthur saw the whole thing. He did not wait to be directed how to spend his time. His hands quietly reached for an algebra and he went to work.

Every time he looked up he saw a little strong-willed woman, who let no event in the room escape her eye. Impulses to displease her with an interruption of the school work died before they were scarcely noted by the now industrious Arthur.

Miss Featherstone made no feature of her work of supervision, as such. She worked; that is all. When she sat down by Alice Hinman a moment, something happened.

“You’ll find a good illustration for that paragraph in your history in the Dictionary of Biography, vol. IV., p. 29.”

106Details were at her finger tips, and every piece of advice hit a point.

Her friends say, “She’ll sit up all night to help a person in distress. She did that very thing when Maggie Henderson lost her oration in the fire before she had it memorized. She was to leave for a week’s vacation. She spent the whole night preceding her departure helping Maggie reconstruct the lost oration.”

4. Pupils Agree to Disobey

Mass action presents problems different from those arising from individual misconduct. Not only are the numbers to be dealt with larger, but each member of the rebellious group is to a large degree different in his attitude because of the effect of a mass influence.

CASE 16

In Welton, the superintendent of schools, J. Q. Jefferson, followed the example of his predecessors and made elaborate arrangements for a team of contestants to go up to Enfield in May to try for the district honors in oratory, music and debate.

A few days before the 10th of May, the day set for the contest, a conflict of which only the fewest rumors had been heard came to a head. Mr. Jefferson was interviewed at a noon intermission by Harold Waterman:

Students Strike

“Mr. Jefferson, the members of the Delphian society have decided not to participate in this contest. We have found that the Archimedeans have concocted a plan by which all the best students of next year’s 107entering class will be yoked up to join their society and we cannot agree to it.”

“But this has no immediate connection with the contest. Why not go on with the contest and settle this matter on the outside?”

“I know; that plan has been discussed and some were willing to proceed, but last night our society held a special meeting; the contestants agreed to stand by the society and when the vote was taken the majority decided not to go on with the contest.”

This was a fatal state of affairs, for as usual the Delphians were furnishing two-thirds of the fifteen contestants.

The Delphians had broken no rules in their stand, since the contest matter was a voluntary affair. But the Archimedeans were in the wrong. Two years before an agreement had been made that no schemes for society membership rushes were to be permitted until the last week of September in each year. For two years this plan held, but now it failed.

Mr. Jefferson at once conferred with the Archimedeans. A part of the interview ran as follows: “Mr. Jefferson, the Delphians have managed to get in all the strong fellows in school. The plan has nearly ruined our society. We are simply doing what we have to do. No, the society will not change on this matter,” said the president, Kathleen Morris. A short meeting of the Archimedeans was called at the superintendent’s request. It resulted in no change of policy. Next Mr. Jefferson announced that the Archimedeans would be forbidden to give any more programs or to hold any 108meetings in the school building until they formally rescinded their action and changed their stand.

The Delphians stood by their declaration and remained out of the contest. The Archimedean contestants could only enter in oratory as the debate team was weakened by the Delphian strike.

Much bitter feeling grew in a few weeks’ time. The matter stood in this fashion until the end of the year. Mr. Jefferson was not reëlected at the end of his first year.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

Controlling Strikers

Find out what all classes and societies are planning and doing in such large matters as membership campaigns. Have a trusted student officer in each society to confer with you as soon as serious problems arise. Attend society meetings often enough to be counted an interested adviser; or better still, have each society under the care of a teacher who is expected to attend all meetings and coöperate with the officers in keeping the society in a high state of efficiency. Assist in planning affairs that are not officially under your direct control.

Be sure to avoid excessive encouragement of any one competing organization in school. Competition is good in case the competitors are nearly evenly matched. Help the under dog, in a wise manner. When a society seems on the decline initiate some plan to revive its strength. Coöperation at the right moment will win confidence and prevent clashes.

Make an appeal to the Delphian Society on the ground of their past record. Display the details of 109their achievements, repeat the announcements of the coming contest. Secure the assistance of some graduate Delphians who are unconcerned in the present grievance. Apply the method of approval on a large scale and show the society that its members, the school and the town are hanging with expectancy on their decision to continue preparation and again win the trophies. This should be done privately to a large extent to avoid over-emphasizing the importance of this one society.

Promise fair dealing with the Archimedeans, but make no pledges about solving the problem instantly and in the way demanded by the Delphians.

Take plenty of time to correct an evil, if no urgency of growing habit compels haste. Propose the substitution of a better method for increasing membership in the Archimedean society. Perhaps new members will be chosen by lot as fast as new pupils enroll. Issue no prohibitions if they can be avoided.

Avoid calling a meeting of rebellious students unless you have a plan that is acceptable to the leaders of the group. If negative action is necessary deal with single students.

Man is a creature of a willful head

And hardly driven,—but is easily led.

—S. Daniel.

COMMENTS

Getting the News

Some executives have a fine ear for school news; they catch what is passing, seemingly with little effort. They are not eavesdroppers or spies, they do not employ informers, and yet they know everything that goes on.

110There is a good reason for their success; they are sought-out counsellors. Their pupils have a sense of being team-mates with the superintendent or principal and so are frequently in his company.

The scope of official jurisdiction is by no means sufficiently wide to cover all the useful points of comradeship in school management. There need to be occasions of voluntary assistance that extend beyond the range of ordinary school routine. This coöperation is unofficial and very powerful in dissipating mild antipathies between teacher and pupil.

5. Disobedience Provoked by a Policy Contravening Community Sentiment

The eager, self-confident, strong-willed teacher often rushes into a program of action that has unfortunate results. If in his own student days he attended a large, highly organized school where the authorities easily executed new school policies, he often blunders as a teacher when beginning work in a smaller school because of unskilled imitation of the methods of his former teachers.

Know the Community

Perry warns the teacher against neglecting to study the psychology of the crowd. A pupil dealt with alone is but one individual. If another shares in the conference you have a group. Any punishment shared with another loses force. If another two are added to the number the punishment ceases to have real worth. This does not mean that there is no such thing as the punishment of a social group; but that what is a punishment for one does not become a punishment for a 111crowd simply by being extended to the crowd. The punishment of individuals and of groups is essentially different, and must be differently planned.

CASE 17

Dancing

Miss Allison took charge of the Reynolds High School as principal under a mediocre superintendent. After the term was well under way she made this announcement one morning at general exercises, “Owing to the fact that the work of the high school has been suffering seriously for some weeks past by reason of an excessive number of social affairs, it has been decided to ask you all to refrain from social dancing during the remainder of the year.”

After a few more words in which Miss Allison disclosed the fact that the announcement had the approval of the board of education and the superintendent, the matter was dropped.

Not many days passed until the following conversation took place:

“Edith, didn’t you plainly understand the announcement made in the assembly-room some time ago?”

“Yes, Miss Allison, I understood. But you know we have all been accustomed to dancing for years and years back and it seems hard to have our fun all taken away from us.”

“But you are asked to give up dancing only during the school term.”

Edith continues, “All the other young folks not in school go on with their fun; they invite us and we want to dance.”

112“Well,” said Miss Allison, “all I can say is that the high school pupils are not to dance while attending this school. You have not followed the rule of the school. This is your first dance and if you do not repeat it we can let the matter rest.”

But things took a turn for the worse. Community sentiment was not strong enough to sustain Miss Allison, although official consent had been readily obtained.

At a senior class social the whole company fell back into the old ways and dancing lasted until midnight. When Miss Allison learned of it she reported the matter to her superintendent. He sympathized with her and then left the difficulty largely in her own hands.

She decided finally to drop any further consideration of the question of dancing. She heard occasional remarks of mingled curiosity and scorn and found her influence on the school sadly weakened.

CONSTRUCTIVE TREATMENT

A Substitute for Prohibition

Instead of the plan that Miss Allison followed we suggest the following procedure. Remain silent on the matter of dancing as a cause of insufficient lesson preparation. Your private opinion on the propriety of dancing can of course be modestly disclosed.

To secure better results in class work consider again the length of lesson assignments, interesting matter for recitations, and whatever accessory means are needed to make class work of great interest. Review again details of modern plans of teaching high school subjects. Accept as a probable fact that laxity in preparation for a recitation is chiefly the fault 113of the teachers in that subject. Confer with each teacher privately on this problem of better teaching methods.

The following seems a tactful method of approach.

“Mr. Pingree, just a moment, please. I ran across some announcements lately that I think might interest you. They deal with the use of reproductions of famous paintings for use in high school Latin courses. After you look them over I should like to confer with you and perhaps plan to introduce them into our work here.”

Attend pupil social affairs sufficiently to gain the reputation of genuine interest in high school social events. Secure a firm hold by this means on the affections of the pupils and ascertain by direct observation the actual distraction traceable to social diversions.

If necessary plan a few little social affairs for some of the leaders of high school sentiment. In these demonstrate some novelties in the way of entertainment plans. Choose schemes that are not so elaborate or exhausting as those in use by the high school pupils and so introduce substitutes for them.

Ascertain if you can lay hands on one or two trusted pupil-leaders and persuade them to agitate quietly and unofficially for a moderation in evening or other distracting social affairs. Take no chance at this point; if in doubt omit the attempt.

COMMENTS

A teacher often over-estimates the connection of certain supposed causes with the known conduct of pupils. There are always several reasons why a pupil 114acts as he does; if reform can be secured by dealing with a manageable cause it is better by far than to attack the most difficult one.

These acts of disobedience were clearly provoked by a mistaken policy instituted by the principal. The method suggested eliminates this provocation and leads to coöperation instead of antagonism.