The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1858-03-03
The Old Schoolnaster's, Story.

when Itanght a.district school," said
he. Il adoptedxa o, principle to give as
few rules to, my scholars as possibles IL
had, however, one sstanding rules which
wes, Strive under all Heircumstaucesa to do
right hni Observation-Disclosures all circum-l
stances, yassths golden .ralssni All things
whatsoever yelI would that men lsliouldldo1
'uuto you, do oye even 90 uato them.'W sns
Han offence was, comnitted, it was my;
inyariebleI. practice tehask, .7..Was. it
'right?noy - 81 Wascit as you would abe done
HbYlY 20 aaiss 10 1sb3oIh nam Bio b. sSa9t
| All my experience audi observation has
convinced me, that no act of a pupil ought
to regarded as, an oxence,o sunless it be
when measured by !. the. standard of the;
golden rule. During the last year : Of
my teaching, the only tests / ever applied
Ito an act Of which it was necessary to judge
were those Of the above questions. seBy'
this course I gained many important adj
vantages.. y.za 1ns bssats15e sz,.t 4s
In the FIRST place. the plea, You have
not made any rule, againstait,' which for q
Hong time vas wa, 9 teri terrible burden to; me
Host all its, powera "a al yt-ed msA sqs
+ Inthe, second place, by keeping con-
stantly before thu. scholars as y standard
of action. the single text, of right and
wrong as one, which they were to apply
tfor themselves, ! was enabled to cultivate
bin them . deep feeling Of personal respou-
i In the third place, !: got 9 stronger
Ehold on their, feelings, and acquired .
new power Of cultivating and directing
1them., se =, .siiss sg8is wns ;s3sg
4 In the fourth, place, I had the satiseac-
Ftion Of seeing them become more truthful.
ihonest, trust worthy and manly in, their
intercourse with ne, with ,theirfriends and
4 with each other ;. sg,sY 0s :guoi s5s
r Once hewever, / was sadly puzzla by
Ian application of the principle. by one oil
4 my scholars, George Jones, a large boy
fwho partly through O. feeling Of stub
|bornness, refused to- give me some in.
formation. The circumstances were
these .i,,,s . vt..i pt yaiz5ls u
4 A scholar had played some trick which
interrupted the exercises .sAs was my
custom, I called on the; one, who had done
4 the mischief, TO come forward. As nc
one started, repeated the request bul
with no success. Finding that the cul
aEprit would not confess his guilt, I asked
tGeorge if be knew who had committed ths
offence. -. a-si,,t ,l.i.sig,s wss :ies7
4 i did not do it. was the reply y d
sfu But do you know who didp 1aes Z
Les slE,i ..bed All 1854 7's, a.
4 who was III, ',,,sas ara Aisi 30 3
81 I dc not wish to tell !apt Z 10 t1sa1.
! But you must tell, It's my duty. t.
ash, yours to answer me %, szasd ;grll.
loa1 1t.s;F cannot e, dc is's said George firm
.1Y a,ef Ia Sainrra 40 sii5ii sgalsl "a
4 Then you mast gstop Nth me afte'
school. .ea. .,.sss go9f ;sI0z snss g
E"sHe stopped as requested. Int nothing
which 4 could prgs ewonld induce him. IL
reveal anything, Atslast out of patienct
with, what i believed to be- the .obstinacy
8 |of' the boy. said: 4s7ssJs sls5H 3, be
PsesWell George, ] have borne With yor
q as long as can, and yos must either tel
Z Ing W wy PuhioACS.ls 5bAGG Jstl - = -
7 With p triumphant leok. As though
tconscieus that he, had concerned me- b,
an application Of my faroritei rule. here
4 piled. q cent tell you because it wenlt
fnos be right. The boy, would not likeitt
thase me tell Of him, and I'll do as I'd sb'
iI a sss years earlier. should bs,, az,
4 deemed . reply thus given an insult, ant
fshould have resented il, accordingly, bu
4 lexperiehce and reflection had taught N,
d tho folly of this, and that one Of the mos
4 important applications Of my oft-qhotet
tsule was Ito judge of the natures Of 9th
ers Is 2 pwcuid, have them Judge Of mine
4 Yet for the moment, + was staggered. =
stTlis plea VAS plausible, hs might b
4 Ihenest ID making II. ! did not see il
Whist respect it was 4saiseious." I fsl
that it would not do to retreat from m
lposition, and suffer the offender to escape