Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1884-06-26
"OUR BOYS. "

Shortly after took charge or 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 re-
cess the pupils were in the habit of writ
ing with chalk on the blackbOards that
completely surrounded the school room
This SO filled the room with chalk dust
that the breathing was difficult, SO for
babe the writing. One day when had
been out with the pupils 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 blackboards." L
quietly withdrew without the boys no
notice. and when next entered the room
was empty. Wien SrhUUf Was called the
eyes of all were turned to the audacious
hand writing on the wall. When quiet
was restored i said:
''Who wrote that SentenceY
There was 10 answer.
Now" said l, 'the chances are that
those words were were written Dy some
one now in this room. l intend to find
who is the culprit. The crime isn't great
one, but if to it is added persistent false
hood it will become serious, in my eyes
at least. Let the people who disobeyed
have the manliness to stand up and ac-
knowledge his fault before the school"
No one stood up. The boys looked at
each other. but no one moved.
"Well, all that did NOT write that sen =
tence stand"
Like one boy the class arose to its feet,
Atkins among the rest.
l next had each boy stand up separate
ly, and | asked him on his honor If he
had written the line. l shall never for
get the look of honest indignation with
which Thomas Atkins denied all knowl
edge of the writing. When this exami+
nation was over there was a moment of
painful silence.
"Well, boys" / said, "it just amounts to
this: If things remain as at present the
imputation rests on the whole school. If
any of you Can suggest remedy, shall
be pleased to hear it.
There was an indignant murmur over
the room, and one boy rose to his feet.
II think, Mr.. Jones'" he said, that
you are wrong in blaming Us all for what
one has done. If l had written on the
board l would have stood up and said So"
Il believe you" answered.
Then why not believe us all" said
several voices at once.
81 will be glad to do so at the moment
you convince me that the handwriting.
fhar 70 hat
at BeishaZzar's feast. None of you be-
lieve that, so, rs l 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 nature
eXactly-one moment serious, the next
one a giggle.
"Come, John, what suggestion haveyou
to offer? Don't be bashful."
John rose again, looked half comically
around and said. with suppressed mirth:
when l went to school down East
some one broke pane, and the master
couldn't lind out who it was, so he began
at one end of the room and whipped ev-
cry scholar in the building"
"Wel, john" l said, 81 attended a
similar matinee myself once when was
young. The plan has the merit of inclu-
ding the culprit, yet | fancy the rest of
the pupils might consider it unfair"
The first boy now stood up again.
Master" he ventured, hesitatingly, 81
think it is no more unfair than saying
that the imputation rested on us all
merely because some boy whom you eau
not fin0 out has told lie"
ssNnu rinht - I sui6 Hapd I Wao
wrong in saying so. Only one boy is
guilty, and l will never believe until his
conduct conyinces me that there is an
other in this room who is so cswardly
and untruthful.'
rose and went quickly down the
room, seized Atkins by the collar and
jerked him into the center of the aisle,
and with vigorous shove sent him
headlong forward toward the platform
with speed that taxed his agility TO
keep his feet. L whirled him around
facing the pupils and cried:
Atkins, who wrote that sentence on
the wall?"
Ill did, sir"
"Of course you did. Now / am going
to reverse Johns plan. am going to con-
centrate on your shoulders the punish
ment that the down East schoolmaster
distributed over the whole school. Go to
my room, sir"
30, Mr.. Jones, I'll never, never do 30
again"
81 know you won't Go to my room"
l believe that flogging, like everything
else. if done at all. should be well done.
l don't believe in dress parade. II
scarcely ever had to whip boy twice, on
the same principle that the lad said
lightning didn't strike twice IN the same