Mower County transcript., 1890-12-17
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
WHISPERING.
RON "PREsToN PAPERS

Mr.. - ,-.- State Superintendent.
MY DEAR SIR:-We were somewhat
startled at our last meeting, to hear Mr.,
Wheeler plead somewhat yehemently for
symposium on ."'Whispering-the Evil
and Its Cure. :
II am sure" he said, that II don't
get and keep IL out Of my school, untold
and almost unqualified bad discipline will
result. It Is one thing against which /
feel compelled TO wage constant war.
faro; and yet. like BanQuo's ghost. will it
not down, but rises and confronts me
daily, constantly" =
II have felt the same desperation
regarding the same evil" said Miss Wood,
land have resorted to every device that
has been brought to my notice to break
up the pernicious habit but without any
staying results"
1T used to trouble me. at first" said
Miss Smith, but Of late my interest has
been 50 centered in the general work OF
the school that I've almost forgotten
about the old enemy" "
I saw Miss Preston smile little quiz
zically, and knew that she had a theory
OF her own on the subject, which I
thought would be brought to light sooner
or later, so waited In patience.
I've never been much annoyed by it.
myself" said Mr.. Stevens. II supposed
1t was a part Of the play to whisper In
fact can't see how one can get along
without 1t, if he's either social or enthusi.
astic."
i am with you in sentiment in part.
at least, said Miss Preston, and have
but little taith IN most OF the devices
that put children under so unnatural a
strain as to require them to desist entirely
from using the God. given boon of speech,
under pains and penalties"
Here was mess! For we had been
taught TO look upon whispering as one OF
the cardinal sins of the school room. and
the whisperer criminal whom nothing
could rescue from an ignominious fate.
''Whv," said Miss Smith, do you ever
allow It in your scAools?"
Under certain restrictions, yes. SAID
Miss Preston. cheerfullv.
"Will you kindly name some of the
restr,ctionsY" asked Mr.. Johnson.
With pleasure" she responded hear
tily In the first place only ask what
l judge 20 be reasonable, and am quite
sure to get this. I say. early in my &C
quaintance with my school and its needs,
Children. it isn't fair for some of you to
have or to take privileges that all may
not share, is it? And the average boy is
quite easily touched in regard to fair
play. Then try to show how, by whis-
pering, one may disturb two or three and
have bad influence upon many more.
also provide times when all may whisper
at once"
"WhyY
well, there is often reason for the
yn,hicrnw A oh;1I ho kcn,
when the lesson was announced, and not
something of Importance occurred. and,
childlike, he'll want to know all about it.
Through misfortune, carelessness, or
accident, he may be without the books or
materials needed for his lesson, which
cannot be learned until these are pro-
cured; and I prefer to have the necessary
whispering all done at Que time"
How often do you give them this op-
portunity?" ssked Mr.. Wheeler, inter
ested.
"Once during each session."
But does not this consume a great
deal of timer" queried Mr.. johnson.
"Oh. no. One of the very first things
l try to teach is prompt obedience; and
as the children know what the bell signi.
fies, and obey it very promptly; five min
utes is ample for each Whispering recess. "
Il should think it would almost save
that and more, in the long rum" said
Miss Miller.
1T does" replied Miss Preston. II
take the same time to answer general
questions that must be asked sometime,
and that arise for reasons similar to those
that almost necessitate Whispering"
Then you do not permit questions to
be asked during recitation and study
hours?" suggested Mr.. Brown.
Certainly not. Besides teaching the
very bad habit of interruption-which is
likely to be detrimental to their manners
in social llfe-(and l must give you a
synopsis of our talk on Manners, It was
50 full of good thlngs) it does break up
the line of study among the listeners.
Consecutive thinking is the only kind Of
thinking that is really valuable; and am
aiming to teach this. which can't we'll be
done in a q room which is always giving
out sound
'True," said Mr.. johnson; land while
you've demonstrated show of necessity
for some whispering, you have shown
that 1t may be managed 80 as not to be
the unmitigated evil that we have gener-
ally considered it.
Il nave usually IOulQ LnaC all evil Is
more or less 'mitigated' by the germ of
good which 1t may contain" assented
Miss Preston, land by teaching Chi ldren
to respect the rights OF others at the same
time they guard their own, we have made
a long stride toward doing away with
whispering. "A time and place for
everything is another principle which,
thoroughly taught. will develop the
thought that whispering may become a
nuisance if done at the wrong time.'
Your reasons for limited allowance
are so good, and your plans for it's man
agement SO simple, that think shall
try them," said Mr.. Wheeler, hopefully.
Like some other things, although bad
master, it may be good servant"
Il have heard good teachers go 80 far
as to say that nine-tenths of all the
mischief done or projected in school
arose from this cause" responded MISS
Preston. but I think the statement
overdrawn; the imaginary evil magnitied.
Still I should want that. like anything
having q downward tendency, to be
within my control. Even we'll drilled
soldiers or sailors may get so far beyond
their superior's influence as to mutiny, if
not handled with judgment-and I want
my schqof @children to respect themselves
and lovt right enough to work toward
the best interests of all, in this as we'll as
| other mattprs. an 7 -]acn it. in their ha nds