Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1882-12-17
LESSONS OF TEE SCHOOL TRAGEDY.

AAoe b0SkO dule1 III tuc SSuOSk-hOAoc
&C Cumberland, Ohio, in which two pu-
pills lost their lives at the hands Of the
teacher, suggests few points that may
be Of value to teachers elsewhere, and
especially to those who are eompar-
atiyely inexperienced in school govern
tnent.
1t is not the purpose Of the writer to
try to fix the matter Of Mr.. FRAZIER's
guilt or innocence before thelaw. That
viii devolve upon the courts before
which he will be tried, but there are
questions arising out of this sad affair
that are legitimate subjects Of nvestiga-
ton and remark.
1t seems that when Mr.. FRAZIER
came to this school the people Of the
district went through the usual formula
of telling the teacher about the bad
boys and warning him that he would
have trouble with them. In
nine out of every ten school districts in
the country this is repeated with the
advent of each new teacher. The re-
suit Of this gratuitous advice with mex
perieneed teachers in general is to
create trouble, because it begets in the
mind Of the teacher q prejudice against
some of those who will attend school,
probably before he has ever seen them.
1fh is easily influenced by such talk
he imagines that there is trouble ahead,
and is morbidly alert to find it. Hav-
ing been told that Ton JONES and BILL
SMITH are such reprobates, on their
first entrance intOschOOl, the uninitiated
teacher eyes them in q suspicious man
ner. Seeing this, they conclude at once
that they are spotted" and lose no
ne in making up their minds that
ycan't get along with that teacher,
dbegin to plan campaign of mis-
lief, limited only by the amount Of
t.heir shrewdness and daring. The
trouble once begun, the teacher must
prove himself master Of the situation or
his usefulness in that school is at an
end.
Mr.. FRAzIER's trouble appears to
have been brought about in this way.
Hundreds Of teachers, in reading Of this
case, will recall numerous instances in
their own experience where a little
oyerbearing, coupled with an injudiciOus
act on their part, would have precipi-
tated fight of stupendous proportions.
There are many cases, too, where the
sagaeity of the teacher has enabled him
TO win the respect and friendship of the
so-eaIled bad boys of the district, and
where judiciOus management on the
part of the teacher has averted trouble
that would probably have broken up
the school. If the teacher sets scholar
down as a rogue, and treats him as
sush, the scholar will generally make
some efforts to prove the correctness Of
tie theory.
the bad boys # n hff ire sEj t68e T3P about
enters upon his duties with a purpose to
treat his pupils all alike, and especially
avoids raising quarrel with those who
could give him trouble, and pursues his
course with firmness and caution, the
results will in general be satisfactory to
all concerned. IfTOM JONES and BILL
SMITH, when they first enter school are
treated fairly and thrown upon their
honor, the teacher not manifesting a
disposition to quarrel with them just for
the sake Of showing his authority, they
will, unless wholly bent on evil, con-
duet themselves in an orderly manner.
Although they may not make much
. advancement in their studies, so long as
they remain orderly and do not inter
fere with the progress of others who are
inclined to learn, they are better in
school than loafing about the streets.
RashnesS in q teacher is one of the
worst fAilings.
The laying down of arbitrary rules
and compelling any one to obey them
is also a fruitful source of trouble in
schools. This seems to have been one
of the prime causes Of this unfortunate
case.
The trouble between Mr.. Frazier
and the two boys whom he slew was
brought about by their refusing to take
MP the study of English grammar at
his request. When they refused to
enter the class, the teacher ordered
them to stand on the floor as q punish
ment for their disobedience. Arising
IRON their seats, Ostensibly to obey this
punitive order, one of them struck the
teacher and the fight ensued, which
ended in the murder Of both the boys.
While it will not be contended that
Mr.. FRAZIER had not right to enforce
order i'm his school, ii must be admitted
that in trying to compel these boys to
pursue a branch of study against their
wishes, he transcribed the bounds Of
his authority. While every pupil en-
tering school is expected to do
so for the purpose Of learning
something pertaining to the COM
mon branches, there IS always
some Difference paid to the wishes of the
scholar in the selection Of the studies. to
be pursued by him, and while it is the
duty of the teacher to classify his pupils
according to their attachments and urge
upon each the Importance Of the differ
ent branches, 1t is an assumption of au-
thority on his part if he undertakes to
compel those over whom he has au-
A
In all cases where the teachers legiti-
mate orders are disobeyed, the law pro-
Rides for the suspension or expulsion of
the offender, but q wise teacher will
avoid unpleasant complications in his
work by carefully considering whether
he has right to make certain rules,
and whether, If made, they can be car
ried out successfully. These irOD-elad
r,,laS 90 cya,,arally laid down nv teach