The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-05-10
..OUR BOYS.

Shortly after 1 took charge of large
town school an incident occurred that
showed me how little dependence there
Is to be placed In the honor or truthful
ness of an average big boy. During
recess the pupils were in the habit of
writing with chalk Cd the blackboards
that completely surrounded the school
room. This SO filed the room with
chalk dust that the breathing was diff
cult, so forbade the writing. One
day when had been out with the pu-
pills in the yard, came to the school
room door and saw Master Tommy
Atkins alone in the room industriously
writing the sentence "Do not write on
the blackboard" I quietly withdrew
without the boys notice, and when /
next entered the room was empty.
When school was called the eyes of all
were turned to the audacious hand
writing on the wall. When quiet was
restored said: -
"Who wrote that sentence?''
There was no answer.
"Now," said /, ''the chances are that
those words were written by some one
now in this room. intend to find out
who is the culprit. The crime is not
great one, but if to it is added persist
cnt falsehood it will become serious, in
my eyes at least. Let the pupil who
disobeyed have the manliness to stand
up and acknowledge his fault before
the school.
Noone stood up. The boys looked at
each other, but no one moved.
.Well, all that did not write that
sentence stand" esa ~
Like one boy the whole school arose
to its feet, Atkins among the rest.
Inext had each boy stand up sepa-
rately, and asked him on his honor if
be had written the line. / shall never
forget the look of honest indignation
with which Thomas Atkins denied all
knowledge of the writing. When this
examination was over there was mo-
ment of painful silence.
''Well, boys" said, sit just amounts
to this: If things remain as at present
the imputation rests on the whole
school. II any of you can suggest a
remedy, l shall be pleased to hear it."
There was an indignant murmur over
the room, and one boy rose to his feet
81 think. Mr.. JONES'" he said, s.that
you are wrong in blaming us all for
what one has done. If had written on
the board l would have stood up and
said So"
II believe you," answered.
Then why not believe us ALL" said
several voices at once.
II will be glad to do so at the mo-
ment you convince me that the hand
writing came there in similar manner
to that at Belshazzar's feast None of
You believe that, so, as said before, do
any OF you see way out of the woods?"
Another boy rose to his feet, giggled
. moment and sat down again.
The whole school laughed-boy ma
ture exactly-the one moment serious,
the next one giggle.
"Come, John, what suggestion have
you to offero Don't be bashful."
John rose again. looked half comic
ally around and said, with suppressed
mirth:
when went to school down East
some one broke pane, and the master
couldn't find out who it was, so he be-
gan at one end of the room and whipped
every scholar in the building"
"Well. john" / said. II attended
similar matinee myself once when was
young. The plan has the merit of in
GLIDING the culprit, yet fancy the rest
of the pupils might consider it unfair"
The first boy now stood up again.
Master, he ventured. hesitatingly,
II think it is no more unfair than saw
ing that the imputation rested on us all
merely because some boy whom you
cannot find out has told lie"
ssYou are right said, sand / was
wrong In saying so. Only one boy is
guilty, and / will never believe until
his conducT convinces me that there is
smother 10 this room Who is so cowardly
pnd untFuthfel.