The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1885-10-21
fur tbe CHILDREN.
Trust Your Pupils.

y
DO they understand that you expect
great things of them and good things2
Are there any among you who were
born Tor detectives-who are constantly
on the alert for some opportunity to
exercise your rare powers in the detec-
ton OF youthful escapades and peccadil-
loes? If you constantly watch your
pupils and suspect them, they will give
you reason to watch and suspect them.
They see that you will do it, and, if it
is to be done, surely there should be
some returns for the watching. They
therefore give you something to watch.
This is only matter of kindness on
their part toward you. They see that
you will do it, and it were pity that
so much watching should go unre-
warded.
One teacher has a rule that there
should be no whispering. He is on the
alert that the pupils do not ride rough
shod over that rule.
John, were you whispering?"
"No, sir"
Z" No, sir?' Yes you were. Come
here, you young rascal. I'll teach you
to break the rules and then lie to me
about it,"
Here follows the vigorous use Of the
rattan, and John goes to his seat
sa6der, and, as one of the little girls
said to her mother, when she reached
home that afternoon, a " Bladder boy.
His pride was wounded, his sense of
justice outraged and he is filled with
permanent desire to get even with
that teacher" by annoying him in
every possible manner.
But now, on the other hand, Superin-
"a for nf ,,ix
bit of interesting experience. 1t is
, altogether so wise and useful in its con-
Il illusions and outcome that we are sure
# it will greatly help hosts of young
teachers, and pupils, too:
{" see John away in one corner anX-
ious to get his head behind the boy in
front of him. That means he is going
| to whisper. Now, what is the use of
I waiting for John to do that? don't
) wait. / say, John, do you want any
thing?' Of course he lies, and says,
No, SIR Why say, what were
you going to whisper about?'
GO l was only going to ask him to
n lend me his knife
v &C" Well, ask him then; only let me
know when you want anything like
in that, and don't get down behind Tom
L. in that fashion. Tom, will you let
o. John take your knifeY
y "Out comes the knife, John takes it,
il il uses it, and, when he gets through with
it, looks at me with lifted eyebrows,
i. and passes the knife toward Tom. 1
Y nod, Tom takes the knife, and that is
). all there is to it.. Another time when
"' John wants anything he asks for it,
man fashion, for two good reasons
y he knows he can have what he wants if
it is necessary, and he knows he will
w. be caught if he DON'T
, Professor Streeter's experience is sig
nificant. He would see boy eating
NJ, an apple behind his desk-lid. He is too
busy to look up. The whole school is
watching to see if the master sees
n the eating. But the "master " is alb
sorbed in his recitation.
Co., From that day to this the rest of
those school boys believe that never
o. knew about that apple being eaten. A
day or two afterward, when they had for
II gotten it, and the apple-eater happened
=. to be at my desk, said to him, quietly
" Il didn't blame you much, the other
.0 day, when you ate that apple. twas a
y" good one; and, if it hadn't been in
school, I'd have asked you for bite.
o. You'd better not bring any more; dc
100 half dollar to see that boy open his
eyes and to hear the wonder-tone in his
~ voice, as he exclaimed, Did you see
me?' See you,' said !, of course
100. did; but thought you wouldn't do it
again if / asked you not to; and you
~ won't, will you?' No, SIR and il
came out in that honest, hearty voice
100. which teacher likes to hear. / dOn't
think he ever did, for two good reasons
~ had used him as | would like to be
used under the same circumstances
no. and he felt sure that he would be caught
again if he did. So say that boys car
o. be kept from eating apples by treating
them with dose of the Golden Rule
W. whenever you get chance"
In certain well-known school it was
nv the habit of the principal to keep q
few cents in change in an unlocked
100. drawer of his desk. This he did for
years, and it was very rare thing thai
no the pupils ever meddled with what was
ed in the teachers drawer. They were
ok ok distinctly taught that the rights of prop
tly erty should be everywhere respected
:. Each pupils desk was his own. NJ
. other pupil had right to open or take
7 from it without the permission of the
IT owner. So of the teachers desk. Tha
" was his personal property, and no pu
pill should trespass upon it. Once {
|, pupil purloined money from the desk
The money was missed. Nothing
E however, was said about it. Care was
taken, a trap set, and the guilty boy
r fell into the trap. He was caught; hi
+ acknowledged his fault to the teaches
- alone, and promised amends. Tit
teacher made himself that boys FRIEND
7 at once. He told him that if he nov
proved himself true and trustworth,
boy nobody should be the wiser TO
% what had happened. The boy was as
good as his word He earned thu
money, paid it to the teacher in full
n little by little, proved himself tru'
y and honest lad, and, when leaving
school, took responsible situation, t.
- which he was recommended by hi
ING teacher, and has remained in the es
l." Enlistment to this day. Millions hav,
passed through his hands, and no ont
!. has ever had occasion to suspect any
thing but absolute and downright hon
esty from him in all the relations o
life. He is now one of the fOremOs