The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1872-05-16
Conquered by Kindness.
BY Jennie E. RExFoRD.

- ~ ~ hA7lASSo9' SSo9'
BY JENNIE E. RExFoRD.
du yer" = ~-,sl,.5s n
Deacon Jones, being the head OF
the school committee, asked the ques-
ton of the applicant for. the position
of teacher in what was usually known
for lack of better name, as Jones
Corners. .5rre 80
"Yes, sir;;" was the reply. sIwould
like the school very much" -
"You don't know W hat kind of . job
yer gittin' into, reckon" said the
deacon grimly. "Hev We ever heerd
anything about the school 2" g
Eyes, sir = was the reply. 81 have
heard something about it, a.
Twanf any good, then, Ill war
rant said the deacon. sits the wust
school in the whole township, sup
pose the very wust (; an THAT'S sayin'
q good deal. You don't look as ef
you could do much to'rd Ickin' out a
passel o'boys when they onruly.y
The deacon looked Miss Hayward
over closely. .esT F-<15
She was young; not more than
eighteen, slight of figure,an altogeth-
er unlike the ideal teacher the deacon
had thought of getting for the winter
term of their school. Her small hands
looked totally untitled to WELD the
''rod of correction 4-r
But the time for the school to COM
mence was drawing near, and this was
the FIRST application that had been
made by any teacher for the position.
which had got to be rather an unenvi-
able one. The echool had gained 8
bad name of late. Some of the larger
boys were unruly and rude, and their
example led on the younger children
to rebellion, and the last teacher had
been forced to give up the school be-
fore the term was half completed. so
"YouIl hev powerful pile o. whip
PIN to do" said the deacon warning
ly. ''There's- John Brent. He's the
ringleader. among the boys. Eff you
could thrash him so he'd know his
place, you might manage the others,
bat 3 long 3 he goes ahead, they'll
foller him inter all manner o'mischief.
He's sort o'bell-weather among 'ern." !"
II think can get along with them,"
she answered, quite confidently. "At
least / would try" @@ h
AWaal," said the deacon. II dunno
but mought as well let ye hev the
school, seein's we amt likely tn git
anybody else. They're all feared OF
it. was in hopes some man'd come
along, that could fog 'eln out weetIy
few times. That's what they need,
an I'd set my foot down square in the
fnst place.if was you, Miss Hayward,
an lick the fnst one that didn't mind.
Csll in the trustees eff you can't man.
age 1em alone. I'm ,affeared you'll
hev trouble du the best you can" go
It was not very encouraging pros.
pect, bat Myra Hayward resolved to
accept the chances of success, and sc
one MoRdAy morning saw her seated
behind the desk in the. old red school
| house, hepefally and ontwardly calm,
but with many misgiyings at heart
about the task she had undertaken.
The children came struggling in one
after another, casting curious glances
at the new Lsscheel-na'am," as they
seated themselves on the low benches.
She went among them, asking theiI
names, and locking over their dog
cared books, and .ascertained about
their studies, and succeeded in crea.
ting quite a favorable impression
among the younger ones. By and
by, some larger boys, ranging from
fifteen to eighteen years of age, came
in and took their seats, with sundrJ
winks at each other, which evidently
meant mischief. ,,.,r-e - -i7
When she had classified them, an6
ascertained their names and ages, she
got up and made them little address
81 have come here to teach this
/ school, she said 'suuder embarrass
| ing circumstances. / have heard thaI
| it is the worst school in the county
! that there is no way of getting along
/ with the scholars except by whipping
and logging them, and treating then
! like wild animals. i do not believe in
| this. think the boys are gentlemer
enough to treat me with respect SC
tong as / treat them respectfully, and
I am sure the girls will not be outdone
in good behavior by the boys. Iwani
You to take hold and learn all yon can
! + will help you to the extent of my
ability; and want you to prove te
the people of the neighborhood tha
they are mistaken in their estimate o
you. Prove that you can behave al
well as the scholars of any othel
school. Show them that the bad nam'
they have given you is not deserved
Her words created quite sensation
among the boys. They had never
heard anything like them before
Other teachers had come among then
/ with pondering Threats and holding
up awful visions of punishment on tn,
offending parties. To have their bet
| ter nature. their pride and their com
mon sense appealed to was something
decidedly new, and it pleased them. !
/ For a week everything went OF
/ pleasantly, but then change came
.sThe big boys" behaved as they nevel
had behaved before, since they arriv'
ed at the peculiar stage of fbig-boyhoo'
and the repression of their mischiey
GUS faculties for a whole week fille'
them to overfowing with the spiri
of mischief which began to manifest
desire to be let out in some way. b
For two or three days the threaten
ed outbreak was kept i'll check by tn
skillful tact of the teacher. She say
Is that the whole school looked TO job
Brent as head in contemplated mis-
chief,and upon his movements depend
ed the movements of the others.l
One day they were unusually nois
and boisterous, and only the mos
careful diplomacy on her part KEEP
back the rebellion which threatene
to take place. She succeeded in ge
ting through the day without any 81
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