The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1865-03-25


what is the secret of your discipline 2
inquired young teacher of Mrs. L., q
veteran of the schooI-room. You are not
half so severe as lam obliged to be, and
yet you have more perfect order in every
thing
'Oh, you know was the reply, that I
have had years of experience. should be
but poor scholar if had not learned in
my own schools many things
YES, certainly said the other; but were
you always as successful? !? What faculty. of
head or heart carries you so easily tn rough
all sorts of difficult places w ont you have
the kindness to tell me what you do, or
don't do to get on so we'll with children,
and parents, too? slai .srr+ III. fla...
If can suggest anything to be Of SER
vice to you,' said Mrs. L., i should be
happy to do so. In the first plac, / have
but few definite rules, and govern as little
as possible. Then I-observe my pupils
closely, marking their individual peculiari-
ties, and treat them according to their de-
velopment oftalent and character Some
/ lead BY their strong points: in Others l
stimulate the weaker faculties; in all L
play upon the better nature, and avoid all
| can the sharp resistive qualities SO active
in vicions boys and ill-governed children
generally. 5r qo gai,r - ts3a1 ~.
Il do not punish as much as | once did !;
/ throw my pupils upon their own sense Of
honor and right, making them feel that l
t,slst them, and it often works like charm,
But above all, / make them feel that i love
them, and am seeking their good in every
thing. The majority of pupils in every
school will respond to kindness and behave
better and learn more for such friendliness
than for any other sort of discipline. "A
teacher, to be sure, must command respect,
and not allow herself to be trifed with ;
and in cases of willful or malicious disobe-
dience her authority must be fully main
tanned but through these years have
found, us general thing LOVE to be the
strongest of oil authority in the school
room 4 fa
Il love my pupils, said the young teach
er Il would be glad to do all could for
their welfare; and they love me, do not
doubt but oh, Mrs L-! many of them
are SO repulsive, Inever could getany nearer
them than kindness and duty obliged me-.
Il appreciate all that said Mrs. L---- !;
'one has to love sometimes against every
thing-to love, not for the worthiness Of
the object, but for its need Of being loved.
Of course, this involves some self-denial,
and little self.discipline, but the true
teacher will accept it, for her work is of q
missionary character:
.Can YOU do that, Mrs. L., for such
boys as your Jack and jim Have you the
genius for Ioving so perfectly?.
Ifyou will allow me- said Mrs. L. :, =,
I will tell you story of my experience
Some years ago ] was principal ofa depart
ment in large public school in p. The
department had been badly managed for a
long time, and / found it at first very diff
ficult position. knew there was much ex-
pected of me, and / was very sensitive
about success or failure. Oh, what task
it was to get those l20 undisciplined chill
dren into order--and with feeble health,
too / think could not have done it had
not been sustained by prayer, and daily
reliance upon God, my Father.
"There were many foreigners among my
number, Germans mostly, and some Irish.
had been particularly warned OF one boy,
who had been for years considered the worst
ia school. It took but few days to find
him out--a rough, over-grown, ill-condi-
toned lad as you evers saw IN school-room.
His father was passionate man, and Wal
LCT uHu UC0u OCGOCu 6u0 oNOAAOA AhVh
good that was in him had apparently al
most died out. He was an inveterate whis-
perer, would not study and played truant
some part of nearly every day; ne would
slip out when my back was turned at the
black. board while his class was reciting.-i
/ tried every way could to stimulate his
ambition gave him rewards and pres
ents, but they lasted only few days, and
then he tore them up or gave them away
in my presence, and grew worse than before.
'One day I went home from school fairly
worried out with his hatefulness, and sat
down alone to think what was next to be
done. pitied the poor child that there
was nobody to care for and save him be
vas SO unloyely that be suffered sort Of
abuse from every hand that touched. hip
Then / thought how infinitely patient and
loving Christ had been within own way
wardness, and resolved to make one more
effort for this SHINING, friendless child