Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-09-14
CORRESPONDENCE.
EYPERlERcESaHD OBSERVATIONS or SCHOOL
KEEPiN6.
CHAPTER k SCHOOL GOVERNMENT

4tAioo LIZ as hCOpthS sA~ S~NN~~ -
village. This had been for number of
years a very hard school to manage.
Several teachers of good reputation had
been successfully employed, but all had
failed to govern the school to their own
satisfaction and that of the district
Miss B. was employed with no expeeta-
tons that she would succeed any better
than others had done, but with firm be-
lief that she would do as we'll as any one
could do. She was succeeding beyond
all expectations, and, spite of the difhcui-
ties in the way, was having the best
governed and most improving school in
town.
She began in manner very similar
to the one described in the last chapter,
and although she did not succeed in
awakening so deep an interest in govern
ment questions as she had often done in
other schools, degree of interest was
awakened which she assiduously sought
to have deepened.
A neighbor complained that the boys
plundered his orchards of fruit during
recess and intermission. She determin-
ed to put stop to this. The day after
the complaint was made, just before the
time of recess, she talked to the school
in plain familiar manner about the
rights of property. Making no allusion
at first to their plundering fruit, she
went on to speak of the necessity and
utility of regarding these rights, and
drew familiar illustrations from suppos-
ed violation of these rights among boys
at school, such as stealing pocket knives,
states, and books. Gradually she APP
preached the main thing, and finally
spoke plainly and distinctly of their own
violation of the rights of property III
plundering their neighbours orchard. She
expressed her grief to learn this, and
said that she could not allow of it again
She appealed to their sense of right, tt
their sense of manliness, and to Their
sense of the higher claims of God, anC
added prohibition to their offending
and forewarned them of decisive pen
atty in case they disobeyed. This ap
peal was mainly successful in arrestins
depredations upon the orchard, but tire.
or four of the hardest boys were not ye
reached. That very day they plundere'
fruit. She addressed them in the pres
ence of the whole school, and mad
them confess their wrong doing. Sh
again appealed to their sense OF right
their sense of manliness, and their sens
of the higher claims of God. She say
hopeful signs in the bushes of sham
which came upon the faces of all but on
of these hard boys. He assumed
don't-care, daredevil look which wa
quite frightful.
She then appealed to the school t
say whether they would cooperate with
her in enforcing this law which she ha'
made, asked them to rise in their seat
S. if they would thus cooperate. All bu
the late offenders arose. She then toll
the offenders to remain after school for
further consideration of the mattel
meanwhile to consider what punishmer
was deserved for their misconduct A
but the defiant one thus remained. Sh
talked with them long time till the
were subdued to hearty penitence.-
ty They besought her forgiveness whic
she readily granted. This was nj
enough, however. They had offende
not only her, but the school and the
~ neighbor and, most of all, their Go
10 They must ask pardon of all these,
" their God and their neighbor that vel
night, and of the school the next da
They must, moreover, not only ask pa
don of their neighbor, but offer to con
pensate him for the fruit they had stole
= All this they promised to do, and prom
ised, too, in a good spirit which carrie
- with it the conviction that they won
> fulfil their promise.
On her way to school the next NOR
ing, Miss B. called upon the offend
" neighbor to learn whether the boys b
done as they promised. She was cheer
to learn that they had. " And" said t
= farmer, +" they even wanted to work
- me to pay for the fruit they had take
], and seemed almost sadly disappoint
when told them didn't want any pay
!. After the school had assembled and ord
was restored, at sign from the teachs
the penitent poys arose and each confe
ed fully the wrong he had done a
ON asked the pardon of his mates for SO
ny ing. The school immediately arose,
IN but the don't-care, daredevil boy W