The Port Gibson reveille. [volume] (Port Gibson, Miss.) 1890-current, 1893-05-26
EDUCATIONAL COLUMN.
CONDUCTED BY PROF. REGAIN.



annoyance than any one thing IN
the successful management of a
school.
| confess my pupils whisper
sometimes, but not TO annoy. Firm
ness or part 0i teacher will do much
10 crush this out. A teacher should
know where to draw the line.
believe a pupil needing book or
anything else should be allowed
TO go quietly and get it, but if a
teacher cannot tell when n pupil is
necessarily whispering or otherwise
be must crush 1t out altogether.
On opening the school | have
found II good plan to watch close
ly for the first offender, then say /:
John, you will please stand" AZ
ter John has complied. ask (: "Were
you whispering?" pleasantly. II
the answer is in the affirmative,
ask, "Was it necessary, John 2''
II in the affirmative again, ask him
to explain or repeat what he said
and then endeavor to show him il
was not absolutely necessary and
get him TO acknowledge it. This
will be a lesson tor the whole school.
II he denies whispering, or forgot,
or has no excuse Tor whispering
then you have him where he must
acknowledge he's wrong and be
punished accordingly.
/ once had one OF those ''sweet
maids in their teens" who insisted
on whispering. / wrote a note to
her father like this: "Mr.
Your daughter insists on whisper
ing, thus annoying those near her
and the whole school; ifyou know
oi any way 10 prevent it, please use
your influence, otherwise / shall
Ieel it my duty 10 expel hers Il
gave the young Miss the note 10
give her father, saying: "You
may read It as it concerns you.
She brought me the note after
school saying as she did so, "I don't
lare to show that TO father" "Then
I'll do So" I said, taking it from
her. / had her at my command,
she was ready to beg for mercy and
she did. She said, "I can quit"
'But will you 2" | said. "Yes,
sir" was her humble reply, and
she said il meek as a lamb. II
.rusted her and she was true to her
promise.
Children whisper because they
.hink they can't wait until recess.
They make all sorts of excuses, but
| shrewd teacher can always shame
hem out of it. Ifa pupil asks per-
to speak, ask him what he
wants. You have a right to know.
II to inquire where the lesson is,
hen he should be reminded that If
le stays out of school a day he
hould have interest enough in his
work to come early enough to find |
,ut where his lessons are. IF he |
las forgotten, then he should be re- !
minded that a pupil thoroughly in.
crested will not forget. II be asks
0 speak for any reason whatever,
IN him down, show him he is a
raud without telling him so and he
will cease to annoy you just as coon
q you show him he is wrong. and
on know ii. Let this always be
Ione in friendly spirit, never tan
alizing or jeering pupil. Never
make rules about whispering.
'hey'll be broken every time and
ou'Il be left to battle anew, aud
to wage fiercer hgnt.
/ have taken but two of ten prob
ems and fearing | have already
AIKEN too much space I'll draw this
0 close. beg PERMISSION to
ouch lightly on two more topics,
IL. What to do with pupils who
SO profane language, and with a
uoil who bullies a smaller, weaker
upiI. / have q soIt heart towards
he former. I would teach him IT
, wrong, appeal to manhood, show
i'm how he is likely TO spread the
isease, that il is more DANCE r0us
han smallpox and firmly insist on
q not being repeated. AS for the
ully, he is coward, a mean, con-
cur, and give him some
( his own medicine, increasing the
ose in each re-occurrence of bis
leannees. III necessary. I'd fail