Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1865-05-18
M iscella Mems. Z
RULING BY LOVE.
EXPERIENCE or A SCHOOL TEACHER.

"What is the secret of your discipline p
inquired young teacher of Mrs l., a
veteran of the school-room. 'You are not
half so severe as I am obliged to be, and yet
you have more perfect order in every thing"
"Oh, you know" was the reply, " nht
have had years of experience. should be
but a 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 through
all sorts of difficult places. Won't you have
the Kindness to tell me what you do, or don't
do to get on so well with children, and par
ents, too =
IF | can suggest anything to be of SER
vice to you" said Mrs. l., - should be
happy to do so. In the first place. have
but few definite rules, and gouern as little as
possible. Then observe my pupils closely,
marking their individual pccularities, and
treat them according to their development of
talent and character. Some | lead by their
strong points : in others stimulate the weaker
faculties; in all l play upon the better nature
and avoid all 1 can the sharp resistive quail
ties so active in vicious boys and ill-govcrned
children generally. .
al do not punish as much as I once did
throw my pupils upon their own sense of
honor and right, making them feel That
trust them, and it often works like a charm.
But above all, l 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 friendship 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 wlllful or malicious disobedience her au-
thority must be fully main tanned but through
these years have found, as general thing,
LOVE to be the strongest of all authority in the
school -room." ....... .....
II love my pupils" said the young teach
er; ~ 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, never could get any nearer
them than kindness and duty obliged me-"
"I appreciate all that" said Mrs. L.;
one has to love sometimes against everything
to love, not for the worthiness of the object
but for its need of being loved. OF course,
this involves some self-denial, and a little
self discipline, but the true teacher will ac-
cept it, for her word is of missionary char
acter"
"Can you do that, Mrs. L, for such
boys as your Jack and Jim Have you the
genius for loving SO perfectly Z"
elf you will allow me-" said Mrs l.,
I will tell you story of my experience.
Some years ago I was principal of 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
icult position. knew there was much ex-
pectcd of me, and ] was very sensitive about
success or failure. Oh, what task it was
to get those 100 undisciplined children into
order-and with feeble health, too think
1 could not have done it had not been sus-
tanned by prayer. and daily reliance upon
God, my Father. nr.n
"Therc 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 in
school. It took but a few days to find him
out-a rough, over grown. ill-conditioned lad
rs you ever saw in a'school-room. His faith
er was passionate man. and Walter had been
beaten and scolded until the good that was in
him had apparently almost died out. He was
an iuveterate whisperer, wo,tld not study, and
played trnant same port of nearly every day +;
he would slip out when my back was turned
at the blackboard while his class was recit.
ing.-I tried every way could to stimulate
his ambition; gave him rewards and pres
| ents buf thev la-tcJ onIv fcw dave and